Botcher History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

Etymology of Botcher

What does the name Botcher mean?

Botcher is an ancient Norman name that arrived in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. It is a name for a person who worked as a "butcher." The name is derived from the Old English root "boucher," or the Old French root, "bouchier." Another possible derivation suggests that the name was given to families who dwelt in the French area of Boursieres. The two names have become confused over time, and the derivation of individual cases is subsequently extremely difficult to determine.

Early Origins of the Botcher family

The surname Botcher was first found in Salop (Shropshire) where they held a family seat after the Norman Conquest in 1066. Anciently the family held lands in Burgundy, to which they gave the name Boursieres. 1

Early History of the Botcher family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Botcher research. Another 241 words (17 lines of text) covering the years 1273, 1450, 1548, 1549, 1550, 1583 and 1665 are included under the topic Early Botcher History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Botcher Spelling Variations

Before the last few hundred years the English language had no fixed system of spelling rules. For that reason, spelling variations occurred commonly in Anglo Norman surnames. Over the years, many variations of the name Botcher were recorded, including Butcher, Butchere, Butchers, Boucher, Bucher, Buchere, Boutcher and many more.

Early Notables of the Botcher family

Joan Bocher or Joan Boucher or Butcher (died 1550), an English Anabaptist burned at the stake for heresy. She was arrested as a heretic in 1548 and convicted in...
Another 29 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Botcher Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Botcher family to Ireland

Some of the Botcher family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 83 words (6 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Botcher family

The unstable environment in England at this time caused numerous families to board ships and leave in search of opportunity and freedom from persecution abroad in places like Ireland, Australia, and particularly the New World. The voyage was extremely difficult, however, and only taken at great expense. The cramped conditions and unsanitary nature of the vessels caused many to arrive diseased and starving, not to mention destitute from the enormous cost. Still opportunity in the emerging nations of Canada and the United States was far greater than at home and many went on to make important contributions to the cultures of their adopted countries. An examination of many early immigration records reveals that people bearing the name Botcher arrived in North America very early: Frances Butcher who settled in Virginia in 1623; followed by John in 1649; another John settled in Barbados in 1678; Thomas settled in Jamaica in 1690.

Contemporary Notables of the name Botcher (post 1700) +

James Botcher, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from New York, 1980 2

The Botcher 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: Be steady

Sources +

The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 7) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html