Show ContentsBaloun History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Baloun

What does the name Baloun mean?

The name Baloun arrived in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Baloun family lived in Cornwall. The family originated from the region around the fortress of Balon near Le Mans in France, and the name was carried to England by Hamelin de Balon during the Norman Conquest of England. 1

Early Origins of the Baloun family

The surname Baloun was first found in Cornwall, where they held a family seat from the 11th century. The family originated from the region around the fortress of Balon near Le Mans in France and the name was carried to England by Hamelin de Balon during the Norman Conquest.

John de Baalun or Balun (d. 1235), was justice itinerant, "a Baron who possessed estates in Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, and Wiltshire, and was descended from one Hameline de Baalun (c. 1060-1105), who came over with the Conqueror, built the castle of Abergavenny and rose to become 1st Baron of Abergavenny. His brother, Wynebald de Ballon (variously spelt Baalun, Baalan, Balun, Balodun, Balon etc.),(c.1058-c.1126), was an early Norman magnate who was found in England during the reign of William Rufus.

In 1207 John de Balun paid a fine for the lands of Hameline, on behalf of his father, to Geoffrey Fitz-Ace and Agnes, his wife. In the 12th year of King John's reign (1210-1211), Balun accompanied the king to Ireland, but at the end of John's reign lost his lands for taking part in the barons' attack upon the king. " 2

Early History of the Baloun family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Baloun research. Another 287 words (20 lines of text) covering the years 1090, 1224, 1273, 1275, 1297, 1327 and 1500 are included under the topic Early Baloun History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Baloun Spelling Variations

A multitude of spelling variations characterize Norman surnames. Many variations occurred because Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England also had a pronounced effect, as did the court languages of Latin and French. Therefore, one person was often referred to by several different spellings in a single lifetime. The various spellings include Balleine, Ballin, Ballon, Balon, Balun, Baalun, Ballom, Balin, Ballen and many more.

Early Notables of the Baloun family

More information is included under the topic Early Baloun Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


Baloun migration to the United States +

Many English families left England, to avoid the chaos of their homeland and migrated to the many British colonies abroad. Although the conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and some travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute, once in the colonies, many of the families prospered and made valuable contributions to the cultures of what would become the United States and Canada. Research into the origins of individual families in North America has revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Baloun or a variant listed above:

Baloun Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Joseph Baloun, aged 32, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1871 3


  1. The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
  2. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
  3. 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)


Houseofnames.com on Facebook