Boatswain Surname History

• Origins Available:
• England

Etymology of Boatswain

The distinguished surname Boatswain originated in Cornwall, a region of southwest England that is celebrated in the Arthurian romances of the Middle Ages. Though surnames became common during medieval times, English people were formerly known only by a single name. The way in which hereditary surnames were adopted in medieval England is fascinating. As the population of Europe burgeoned, people began to assume an extra name to avoid confusion and to further identify themselves. Under the Feudal System of government, surnames evolved and they often reflected life on the manor and in the field. Despite the fact that occupational surnames are rare among the Cornish People, they nevertheless sometimes adopted surnames derived from the type of work they did. The surname Boatswain was an occupational name for a person who worker on the deck of a ship.

Early Origins of the Boatswain family

Early History of the Boatswain family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Boatswain research. Another 182 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1332, 1500 and 1782 are included under the topic Early Boatswain History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Boatswain Spelling Variations

Cornish surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The official court languages, which were Latin and French, were also influential on the spelling of a surname. Since the spelling of surnames was rarely consistent in medieval times, and scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings of their surname in the ancient chronicles. Moreover, a large number of foreign names were brought into England, which accelerated and accentuated the alterations to the spelling of various surnames. Lastly, spelling variations often resulted from the linguistic differences between the people of Cornwall and the rest of England. The Cornish spoke a unique Brythonic Celtic language which was first recorded in written documents during the 10th century. However, they became increasingly Anglicized, and Cornish became extinct as a spoken language in 1777, although it has been revived by Cornish patriots in the modern era. The name has been spelled Boatswain, Boatswayne, Boteswayne, Batswegen, Batsuein and many more.

Early Notables of the Boatswain family

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

Migration of the Boatswain family

Boatswains were some of the first of the immigrants to arrive in North America: Ellen R. Boatswain, aged 19, who arrived at Ellis Island in 1913; Henry Boatswain, aged 20, who arrived at Ellis Island from Plymouth, Montserrat in 1923.