|
![Show Contents]() Balcon History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 Scotland England
The Pictish clans of ancient Scotland were the ancestors of the first people to use the name Balcon. It comes from in Balcomie, in the parish of Crail, in the county of Fifeshire. 1 Early Origins of the Balcon familyThe surname Balcon was first found in Fife, where one of the first records of the family was "Robert de Balcomie who was constable of Crail in 1297 is probably the Robert de Balcomi who served as juror on an inquest made at Perth in 1305. John de Balcolmy was bailie of Crail in 1359, and c. 1380 mention is made of the lands of Richard de Balcolmi in the same town. Thomas de Balcolmi appears in record in 1429, James Balcolmy was married in 1492." 1 In England, the family is thought to have originated at Balcombe (Baegloc's hollow), in Sussex. 2 3 In this case, the place name dates back to the late 11th century when it was known as Balecumba and possible meant "valley of a man called Bealda." 4 Early feudal rolls provided the king of the time a method of cataloguing holdings for taxation, but today they provide a glimpse into the wide surname spellings in use at that time. John de Balecomb was listed in Sussex in 1327 as was Thomas Bakombe in the Subsidy Rolls for 1525. 5 Early History of the Balcon familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Balcon research. Another 62 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1297, 1359, 1380 and 1672 are included under the topic Early Balcon History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Balcon Spelling VariationsTranslation has done much to alter the appearance of many Scottish names. It was a haphazard process that lacked a basic system of rules. Spelling variations were a common result of this process. Balcon has appeared Balcom, Balcome, Balcomb, Balcomm, Balcombe and others. Early Notables of the Balcon familyMore information is included under the topic Early Balcon Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Balcon RankingIn France, the name Balcon is the 5,221st most popular surname with an estimated 1,000 - 1,500 people with that name. 6
 Balcon migration to the United States | + |
Many Scots left their country to travel to the North American colonies in search of the freedom they could not find at home. Of those who survived the difficult voyage, many found the freedom they so desired. There they could choose their own beliefs and allegiances. Some became United Empire Loyalists and others fought in the American War of Independence. The Clan societies and highland games that have sprung up in the last century have allowed many of these disparate Scots to recover their collective national identity. A search of immigration and passenger ship lists revealed many early settlers bearing the Balcon name:
Balcon Settlers in United States in the 18th Century- Mr. Balcon, who arrived in Louisiana in 1718 7
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: Dum spiro spero
Motto Translation: While I have breath I hope.
- Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
- Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
- Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
- Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
- Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
- http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
- Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
|
Balcon migration to the United States 
