The origins of the Bonsil name lie with England's ancient Anglo-Saxon culture. It comes from when the family lived in or around the manor of Bonsall in the county of Derbyshire.
The surname Bonsil was first found in Derbyshire at Bonsall, a parish, in the hundred of Wirksworth. [1] The parish dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086 when it was first listed as Bunteshale. [2] At that time, it was shown as "the King's land." "This parish, anciently called Bonteshall, comprises by computation 2338 acres." [1] Literally, the place name means "nook of land of a man called Bunt," from the Old English personal name + "halh." [3] It is noted for its lead mining and there is evidence that the town has been populated since 2000 B.C., one of the few early records of the ancient Britons.
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bonsil research. Another 43 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Bonsil History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Before the last few hundred years, the English language had no fast system of spelling rules. For that reason, spelling variations are commonly found in early Anglo-Saxon surnames. Over the years, many variations of the name Bonsil were recorded, including Bonsall, Bonzall, Bonsale and others.
More information is included under the topic Early Bonsil Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
To escape oppression and starvation at that time, many English families left for the "open frontiers" of the New World with all its perceived opportunities. In droves people migrated to the many British colonies, those in North America in particular, paying high rates for passages in cramped, unsafe ships. Although many of the settlers did not make the long passage alive, those who did see the shores of North America perceived great opportunities before them. Many of the families that came from England went on to make essential contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Research into various historical records revealed some of first members of the Bonsil family emigrate to North America: Richard Bonsall and his wife Mary, and his five children, Obadiah, Elizabeth, Rachel, Anne, and Abigail, who settled in Philadelphia in 1682; Edward, George, and James Bonsall arrived in Philadelphia between 1850 and 1864..