The tale of the name Balmain begins with a family who lived in the old lands of Balmanno in Kincardine. The name is a topographic or local surname, which was given to a family who held a barony or lands, had houses, manors or estates in the area.
The surname Balmain was first found in Kincardine, where they held a family seat from very ancient times, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D.
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Balmain research. Another 81 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1296, 1447, 1582 and 1534 are included under the topic Early Balmain History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Before the first dictionaries appeared in the last few hundred years, scribes spelled according to sound. spelling variations are common among Scottish names. Balmain has been spelled Balmano, Belmano, Belmanno, Bolmano, Ballmanno and many more.
Notable amongst the Clan at this time was John Belleman or Belmain was, according to Fuller, the French tutor of Edward VI. "The prince appears to have commenced his studies under his instructor in his seventh year (1534). Belleman seems, however, to have been retained...
Another 44 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Balmain Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
In those unstable times, many had no choice but to leave their beloved homelands. Sickness and poverty hounded travelers to North America, but those who made it were welcomed with land and opportunity. These settlers gave the young nations of Canada and the United States a strong backbone as they stood up for their beliefs as United Empire Loyalists and in the American War of Independence. In this century, the ancestors of these brave Scots have begun to recover their illustrious heritage through Clan societies and other heritage organizations. Early passenger and immigration lists reveal many Scottish settlers bearing the name Balmain:
Some of the first settlers of this family name were: