Bolingbrook History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The name Bolingbrook first arose amongst the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. It is derived from their having lived in the parish of Bolingbrooke. The place dates back to the Domesday Book as Bolinbroc 1 from the Old English Bulingbroc, which literally meant brook associated with a bull. 2

Today there is also a village named New Bolingbroke located in the Lincolnshire Fens about 10km east of Coningsby.

Early Origins of the Bolingbrook family

The surname Bolingbrook was first found in Lincolnshire. Undoubtedly, one of the most interesting aspects of this surname is that King Henry IV of England, was also known as Henry of Bolingbroke because he was born at Bolingbroke Castle in Lincolnshire. The castle, now in ruins, was first fortified by the Saxons in the 6th or 7th century. In the 12th century the Normans built a Motte-and-bailey on a nearby hill above the settlement of Bolingbroke. The present structure was founded by Ranulf, Earl of Chester, in 1220 shortly after he returned from the Fifth Crusade.

Another source explains the castle's origin in a slightly different manner: "A castle was built by William de Romara, Earl of Lincoln, of which his descendant, Alicia de Lacey, was dispossessed by Edward II. Henry IV. was born in this fortress, and from it took the name of Henry of Bolingbroke: it was nearly demolished in the civil wars, the south-west tower being all that remains." 3

Lucy of Bolingbroke (died c. 1138) was an Anglo-Norman heiress and later in life, Countess of Chester. William de Bullingbroc was listed in the Pipe Rolls of 1170-1180 in Lincolnshire and later, John be Bolingbrok was recorded in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1275 in Yorkshire. Much later, John Bullyngbroke was listed in Nottinghamshire in 1476 and William Bolyngbroke was found in the same shire in 1503. 4

Early History of the Bolingbrook family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bolingbrook research. Another 263 words (19 lines of text) covering the years 1086, 1170, 1275, 1295, 1367, 1441, 1476, 1500 and 1503 are included under the topic Early Bolingbrook History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bolingbrook Spelling Variations

One relatively recent invention that did much to standardize English spelling was the printing press. However, before its invention even the most literate people recorded their names according to sound rather than spelling. The spelling variations under which the name Bolingbrook has appeared include Bolingbroke, Bollingbroke, Bolingbrook, Bullingbroke, Bullingbrook, Bollingbrooke, Bulingbroc, Bolingbrok, Bullyngbroke and many more.

Early Notables of the Bolingbrook family

Another 48 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Bolingbrook Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Bolingbrook family

At this time, the shores of the New World beckoned many English families that felt that the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. Thousands left England at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. A great portion of these settlers never survived the journey and even a greater number arrived sick, starving, and without a penny. The survivors, however, were often greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. These English settlers made significant contributions to those colonies that would eventually become the United States and Canada. An examination of early immigration records and passenger ship lists revealed that people bearing the name Bolingbrook arrived in North America very early: a number of settlers who arrived by the 19th century.

Citations +

Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)