Bodish History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Bodish

What does the name Bodish mean?

The Anglo-Saxon name Bodish comes from when the family resided in the settlement of Bowditch, an estate in the county of Dorset. 1 The place name literally means "arched bridge ditch." 2

Early Origins of the Bodish family

The surname Bodish was first found in Dorset, in southern England, where they held a family seat from ancient times, long before the Norman Conquest in 1066.

"The family of Bowditch anciently held in part a manor and farm in Chardstock, which bore their name. John Bowditch, of Chardstock, gent., had property there in the time of Elizabeth I." 3

Early History of the Bodish family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bodish research. Another 78 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1300, 1554, 1769, 1773, 1791, 1824 and 1838 are included under the topic Early Bodish History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bodish Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, French and other languages became incorporated into English through the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Bodish include Bowditch, Bowdich, Bowdidge and others.

Early Notables of the Bodish family

Nathaniel Bowditch (1773-1838), American mathematician and author of "Bowditch's American Practical Navigator," an encyclopedia of navigation. Thomas Bowdich (1791-1824), was an African traveller, born at Bristol 20 June 1791. His...
Another 29 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Bodish Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Bodish family

A great wave of immigration to the New World was the result of the enormous political and religious disarray that struck England at that time. Families left for the New World in extremely large numbers. The long journey was the end of many immigrants and many more arrived sick and starving. Still, those who made it were rewarded with an opportunity far greater than they had known at home in England. These emigrant families went on to make significant contributions to these emerging colonies in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers carried this name or one of its variants: Walter Bowditch arrived in Philadelphia in 1878; James Bowdidge settled in New England in 1774.

Sources +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.