Bodderell History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The name Bodderell was brought to England in the wave of migration that followed the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Bodderell family lived in Cornwall. The family name originated in the village of Bottereaux, Normandy. Up until the 12th century, the name was frequently listed as De Boterillis but the family bore the same Arms. One of the first records of the name was Geoffry Boterel, brother of Alan, Count of Pentievre as listed in 1080. His son Hamon was father to William Botterill again mentioned in England in 1130. This William married Alice, a co-heir of Robert Corbet and through the family the Earl of Cornwall was descended.

Early Origins of the Bodderell family

The surname Bodderell was first found in Cornwall. However, there is records of Aston Botterell, which is a village and small civil parish in Shropshire, and according to the 2001 census it had a population of 74. During the reign of Henry III, it held the rank of a market town.

"This place derives the adjunct to its name from the family of Botterell, by whom the manor was held under the earls of Arundel in the reign of Henry III." 1 The manor at that time belonging to the family of the Botterells.

The parish of Minster in Cornwall is of some early significance to the family. "This parish, which is situated on the shore of the Bristol Channel, and includes a portion of the small sea-port of Boscastle, was distinguished for a castle built by the family of Bottreaux in the reign of Henry I., of which nothing but the site remains." 1

Continuing, "in the grounds of Worthyvale is a stone bearing some rudely-sculptured characters, brought from Slaughter Bridge, in the neighbourhood, and supposed to commemorate a battle fought near that place, in 525, between the Britons and the Saxons, in which King Arthur is said to have been mortally wounded." 1

"Reginald gave [the manor of ] Penheale [in the parish of Egloskerry, Cornwall] to William Botterell or Bottreaux, the husband of his aunt Alice Corbet ; and it was afterwards confirmed by him to William Botterell the son, who in 1199 gave a fine of 300 marks and two goshawks for livery of this manor and others in Cornwall. " 2

"The estate of Trevethow, [in the parish of Lelant, Cornwall] which is sometimes called the manor of Lelant and Trevethow, belonged at a very early period to the ancient family of Bottreaux; after which it became successively the property of Godolphin and Praed." 2

In Devon, "Molland, or Molland Bottreaux, had a dominant position in the hundreds of North Molton, Braunton, and Bampton. Before the Conquest it belonged to Harold, and it passed to William. Shortly after the Conquest it came to the Bottreauxs, whence its second name, and continued in that ancient house until the reign of Henry VI. The church was given by William de Bottreaux to Hartland Abbey. " 3

Early History of the Bodderell family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bodderell research. Another 323 words (23 lines of text) covering the years 1104, 1115, 1120, 1130, 1147, 1155, 1158, 1164, 1193, 1197, 1198, 1203, 1273, 1277, 1302, 1337, 1367, 1389, 1391, 1395, 1415, 1462, 1500, 1643 and 1672 are included under the topic Early Bodderell History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bodderell Spelling Variations

Norman surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are largely due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England, as well as the official court languages of Latin and French, also had pronounced influences on the spelling of surnames. Since medieval 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. The name has been spelled Botterill, Bottreaux, Boterel, Boterell, Botterell, Botereus and many more.

Early Notables of the Bodderell family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was William Boterell, a prominent 13th century landholder in Shropshire; William de Botreaux (1337-1391), 1st Baron Botreaux, a prominent English West-Country baron; William...
Another 30 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Bodderell Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Bodderell family to Ireland

Some of the Bodderell family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Bodderell family

Many English families emigrated to North American colonies in order to escape the political chaos in Britain at this time. Unfortunately, many English families made the trip to the New World under extremely harsh conditions. Overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the stormy Atlantic. Despite these hardships, many of the families prospered and went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the United States and Canada. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name Bodderell or a variant listed above: John Botterill, who arrived in Ontario in 1846.

Citations +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Hutchins, Fortescue, The History of Cornwall, from the Earliest Records and Traditions to the Present Time. London: William Penaluna, 1824. Print
Worth, R.N., A History of Devonshire London: Elliot Stock, 62, Paternoster Row, E.G., 1895. Digital