The surname Balester was first found in Devon where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor. The Saxon influence of English history diminished after the Battle of Hastings in 1066. The language of the courts was French for the next three centuries and the Norman ambience prevailed. But Saxon surnames survived and the family name was first referenced in the 13th century in Devon.
Early History of the Balester family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Balester research. Another 98 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1293, 1360, 1455, 1487 and 1539 are included under the topic Early Balester History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Balester Spelling Variations
Sound was what guided spelling in the essentially pre-literate Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Also, before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Therefore, spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Balester family name include Balister, Ballister, Ballester, Ballaster, Balster, Balaster, Balester, Ballyster and many more.
Early Notables of the Balester family
More information is included under the topic Early Balester Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
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Migration of the Balester family
For political, religious, and economic reasons, thousands of English families boarded ships for Ireland, Canada, the America colonies, and many of smaller tropical colonies in the hope of finding better lives abroad. Although the passage on the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving, those families that survived the trip often went on to make valuable contributions to those new societies to which they arrived. Early immigrants bearing the Balester surname or a spelling variation of the name include: Jose Balister, aged 35, who arrived at Ellis Island, in 1921; and William Balister, aged 20, who arrived at Ellis Island, in 1922.
