Show ContentsBostwick History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

In ancient Anglo-Saxon England, the ancestors of the Bostwick surname lived in Cheshire, where they derived their name from the township of Bostock, in the parish of Davenham.

Early Origins of the Bostwick family

The surname Bostwick was first found in Cheshire at Bostock, a township, in the parish of Davenham, union and hundred of Northwich. "This place gave name to a family descended from Osmerus, lord of Bostock in the reign of William the Conqueror: the heiress of the elder branch brought the manor in the latter part of the 15th century to the Savages." 1

"John Bostock, Abbot of St. Alban's, a learned divine and poet in the time of Henry VI., was born [at Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire], and was commonly called John of Wheathampstead." 1

Early History of the Bostwick family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bostwick research. Another 85 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1593, 1614, 1623, 1654, 1773 and 1846 are included under the topic Early Bostwick History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bostwick Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Bostwick are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Bostwick include: Bostock, Bowstock, Boast, Bostake, Bostick and many more.

Early Notables of the Bostwick family

Distinguished members of the family include John Bastwick (1593-1654), an English Puritan physician and controversial writer, born at Writtle, in Essex. "He was entered of Emmanuel College, Cambridge, on 19 May 1614, but remained there only a very short time. Leaving the university without a degree, he went 'on his travels,' and served for a...
Another 55 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Bostwick Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bostwick Ranking

In the United States, the name Bostwick is the 5,967th most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 2


Bostwick migration to the United States +

Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Bostwick or a variant listed above:

Bostwick Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Arthur Bostwick, who landed in Connecticut in 1640 3
Bostwick Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Benjamin S Bostwick, aged 23, who arrived in New York in 1812 3

Bostwick migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Bostwick Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • Mr. Isaac Bostwick U.E. who settled in Canada c. 1783 4

Contemporary Notables of the name Bostwick (post 1700) +

  • George Herbert "Pete" Bostwick (1909-1982), American court tennis player, a steeplechase jockey and horse trainer, and polo player
  • Jabez Abel Bostwick (1830-1892), American businessman, founding partner of Standard Oil
  • Dorothy Stokes Bostwick Smith Campbell (1899-2001), American heiress and author who became the first woman in the United States to hold a helicopter pilot's license
  • Scott Bostwick (1961-2011), American football player and coach, AFCA Division II Assistant Coach of the Year (2007)
  • Frank Matteson Bostwick (1857-1945), American Commodore in the United States Navy
  • Arthur Elmore Bostwick (1860-1942), American librarian and author
  • Jackson Leonard Bostwick (b. 1943), American actor, best known for his role as Captain Marvel in the first season of the Shazam! television series in 1974-1975
  • Albert Carlton Bostwick (1876-1911), American philanthropist, Thoroughbred racehorse owner, breeder and trainer
  • Barry Bostwick (b. 1945), American Tony award winning actor, known for playing Brad Majors in the 1975 cult classic The Rocky Horror Picture Show
  • Robert Bostwick, American admiral and naval strategist, chief of naval operations from 1953-1955
  • ... (Another 24 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Arrow Air Flight 1285
  • Mr. Paul J Bostwick (1960-1985), American Private 1st Class from Binghamton, New York, USA who died in the Arrow Air Flight 1285 crash 5


  1. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  2. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  3. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  4. Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
  5. American War Memorials - Flight 1285. (Retrieved 2016, August 24) . Retrieved from http://www.uswarmemorials.org/html/monument_details.php?SiteID=317&MemID=550


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