| ![Show Contents]() Boterfield History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 England The history of the Boterfield family goes back to the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. It is derived from the family living in Butterfield, a place in the West Riding of Yorkshire now lost to the modern map. 1 The surname was also familiar in Lancashire, where it is still quite common today. The place-name undoubtedly referred to a meadow particularly suited to dairy cows resulting in exceptional production of milk, cream, and butter. 2 Early Origins of the Boterfield familyThe surname Boterfield was first found in the West Riding of Yorkshire where the earliest record of the family was found in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379. Willelmus de Botterfeld and Isabella Botterfeld, both held lands there at that time. 3 While there is no doubt that Yorkshire is the homeland of the Boterfield family, we would be remiss is we did not mention that Hugh de Buteresfeld was recorded in the Pipe Rolls for Berkshire in 1199. Later in Berkshire, Phillip de Butterfeld was recorded in the Curia Regis Rolls for 1231. 1 Early History of the Boterfield familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Boterfield research. Another 122 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1199, 1231, 1300, 1379, 1611 and 1629 are included under the topic Early Boterfield History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Boterfield Spelling VariationsUntil quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Boterfield include Butterfield, Buttersfield, Botterfield, Boutterfield and many more. Early Notables of the Boterfield familyNotables of the family at this time include Robert Butterfield (fl. 1629), an English controversialist who received his academical education at St. John's College, Cambridge. 4Swithun Butterfield (d. 1611), was...
Another 29 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Boterfield Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Boterfield familySearching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled under extremely harsh conditions: overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Boterfield or a variant listed above: Henry Butterfeild who arrived in Virginia in 1623; Richard Butterfeild, who came to Virginia in 1670; and Henry Butterfeild, who arrived in Virginia in 1699.
- Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
- Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
- Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
- Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
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