Bolitho History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms 

Origins Available: 
  England 


The roots of the distinguished name Bolitho lie in the southwestern county of Cornwall. It is a local name, meaning "of Bolitho," a place in Cornwall. The first part of the name is derived from the Old Cornish "bod" or "bos," meaning "dwelling place"; the second part is thought to be derived from an unknown personal name. 1

Early Origins of the Bolitho family

The surname Bolitho was first found in Cornwall at Bolitho, a small village almost at the tip of the peninsula. "The well-known Cornish family of Bolitho of Penzance has long been represented in West Cornwall." 2 Early records of the name are scarce as the name was first mentioned in documents from Penryn in 1524.

The Bolitho novels are a series of nautical war novels written by Douglas Reeman under the pseudonym Alexander Kent. The main character Richard Bolitho is a Royal Navy officer, second son of a prestigious naval family. Reeman borrowed the name Richard Bolitho from a real person who he had met in the Channel Islands, "a distinguished old chap." His nephew Adam Bolitho was also a Royal Navy officer. After Richard's death, he becomes the principal character in the series.

In 1795, the Bolitho family who were originally tin smelters and merchants founded Botlitho and Co., a bank to help with their customers financial deposits. By 1834 and a move to Penzance and St Ives, the bank was then known as Mounts Bay Bank. After and merger in 1889, the bank eventually became part of the Barclays bank empire.

Early History of the Bolitho family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bolitho research. Another 138 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1545, 1640, 1673, 1693, 1756, 1815, 1835, 1861 and 1915 are included under the topic Early Bolitho History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bolitho Spelling Variations

Cornish surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The official court languages, which were Latin and French, were also influential on the spelling of a surname. Since the spelling of surnames was rarely consistent in medieval times, and scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings of their surname in the ancient chronicles. Moreover, a large number of foreign names were brought into England, which accelerated and accentuated the alterations to the spelling of various surnames. Lastly, spelling variations often resulted from the linguistic differences between the people of Cornwall and the rest of England. The Cornish spoke a unique Brythonic Celtic language which was first recorded in written documents during the 10th century. However, they became increasingly Anglicized, and Cornish became extinct as a spoken language in 1777, although it has been revived by Cornish patriots in the modern era. The name has been spelled Bolitho, Bolithoe, Bolithow and others.

Early Notables of the Bolitho family

Notable amongst the family at this time was


Bolitho migration to the United States +

An investigation of the immigration and passenger lists has revealed a number of people bearing the name Bolitho:

Bolitho Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
Bolitho Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Bolitho migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Bolitho Settlers in Australia in the 18th Century
Bolitho Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Bolitho migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Bolitho Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Contemporary Notables of the name Bolitho (post 1700) +


The Bolitho Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Re Deu
Motto Translation: By God.
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