Show ContentsBotten History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Botten name was originally an Anglo-Saxon name that was given to a maker of buttons. The surname Botten was originally derived from the Old French word boton, the name for a maker and seller of buttons.

Early Origins of the Botten family

The surname Botten was first found in Sussex, where they held a family seat from ancient times.

Early History of the Botten family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Botten research. Another 251 words (18 lines of text) covering the years 1296, 1317, 1327, 1500, 1568, 1578, 1589 and 1683 are included under the topic Early Botten History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Botten Spelling Variations

Only recently has spelling become standardized in the English language. As the English language evolved in the Middle Ages, the spelling of names changed also. The name Botten has undergone many spelling variations, including Botten, Button, Boton, Botun, Buttone, Botting and others.

Early Notables of the Botten family

More information is included under the topic Early Botten Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Botten migration to the United States +

To escape the unstable social climate in England of this time, many families boarded ships for the New World with the hope of finding land, opportunity, and greater religious and political freedom. Although the voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, those families that arrived often found greater opportunities and freedoms than they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Botten were among those contributors:

Botten Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Leentje Botten, aged 30, who landed in New York, NY in 1846 [1]

Australia Botten migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Botten Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • William Botten, English convict from Surrey, who was transported aboard the "Adamant" on March 16, 1821, settling in New South Wales, Australia [2]
  • Thomas Botten, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Canton" in 1846 [3]
  • John Botten, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Canton" in 1846 [3]
  • William Botten, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Canton" in 1846 [3]
  • Charles Botten, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Canton" in 1846 [3]
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Botten (post 1700) +

  • Robert Dyas Botten (1853-1935), Australian cricketer who played one first-class match for South Australia in 1877
  • Else-May Botten (b. 1973), Norwegian politician for the Norwegian Labour Party
  • James Thomas "Jackie" Botten (1938-2006), South African cricketer


  1. 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)
  2. State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Adamant voyage to New South Wales, Australia in 1821 with 144 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/adamant/1821
  3. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) CANTON 1846. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1846Canton.htm


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