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| Origins Available: |
| | England |
Bonamy is a name whose history is entwined with the ancient Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. It was a name for a loyal person. The surname Bonamy is derived from the Old French phrase bon ami, which literally means good friend.
The surname Bonamy was first found in Lincolnshire, where they held a family seat from ancient times.
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bonamy research. Another 211 words (15 lines of text) covering the years 1203, 1273, 1500, 1603 and 1693 are included under the topic Early Bonamy History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Before the last few hundred years, the English language had no fast system of spelling rules. For that reason, spelling variations are commonly found in early Anglo-Saxon surnames. Over the years, many variations of the name Bonamy were recorded, including Bonamy, Bonami, Bonamie, Bonamee, Bonammy and others.
Notables of this surname at this time include:
In France, the name Bonamy is the 5,135th most popular surname with an estimated 1,000 - 1,500 people with that name. 1
To escape oppression and starvation at that time, many English families left for the "open frontiers" of the New World with all its perceived opportunities. In droves people migrated to the many British colonies, those in North America in particular, paying high rates for passages in cramped, unsafe ships. Although many of the settlers did not make the long passage alive, those who did see the shores of North America perceived great opportunities before them. Many of the families that came from England went on to make essential contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Research into various historical records revealed some of first members of the Bonamy family emigrate to North America: a number of settlers who arrived in the New World by the 19th century.