Bolithaugh History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The roots of the distinguished name Bolithaugh lie in the southwestern county of Cornwall. It is a local name, meaning "of Bolitho," a place in Cornwall. The first part of the name is derived from the Old Cornish "bod" or "bos," meaning "dwelling place"; the second part is thought to be derived from an unknown personal name. 1

Early Origins of the Bolithaugh family

The surname Bolithaugh was first found in Cornwall at Bolitho, a small village almost at the tip of the peninsula. "The well-known Cornish family of Bolitho of Penzance has long been represented in West Cornwall." 2 Early records of the name are scarce as the name was first mentioned in documents from Penryn in 1524.

The Bolitho novels are a series of nautical war novels written by Douglas Reeman under the pseudonym Alexander Kent. The main character Richard Bolitho is a Royal Navy officer, second son of a prestigious naval family. Reeman borrowed the name Richard Bolitho from a real person who he had met in the Channel Islands, "a distinguished old chap." His nephew Adam Bolitho was also a Royal Navy officer. After Richard's death, he becomes the principal character in the series.

In 1795, the Bolitho family who were originally tin smelters and merchants founded Botlitho and Co., a bank to help with their customers financial deposits. By 1834 and a move to Penzance and St Ives, the bank was then known as Mounts Bay Bank. After and merger in 1889, the bank eventually became part of the Barclays bank empire.

Early History of the Bolithaugh family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bolithaugh research. Another 138 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1545, 1640, 1673, 1693, 1756, 1815, 1835, 1861 and 1915 are included under the topic Early Bolithaugh History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bolithaugh 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 Bolitho, Bolithoe, Bolithow and others.

Early Notables of the Bolithaugh family

Notable amongst the family at this time was Richard Bolitho (1756-1815), a naval officer whose career has been documented in the Richard Bolitho books, a historical fiction...
Another 26 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Bolithaugh Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Bolithaugh family

In the immigration and passenger lists were a number of people bearing the name Bolithaugh John and Mary Bolithoe, who settled in Virginia in 1714; Henry Bolitho, his wife Elizabeth, and their three sons, who emigrated from Cornwall to America in 1848.

The Bolithaugh Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Re Deu
Motto Translation: By God.

Citations +

Charnock, Richard, Stephen, Ludus Patronymicus of The Etymology of Curious Surnames. London: Trubner & Co., 60 Paternoster Row, 1868. Print.
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.