The ancestors of the name Boughtom date back to the days of the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from their residence in one of many places called Boughton throughout England. Settlements named Boughton were found in Huntingdonshire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, and Northamptonshire. Great Boughton is found in Cheshire, and Kent was home to settlements called Boughton Aluph, Boughton Malherbe, Boughton Monchelsea, and Boughton under Blean.
The surname Boughtom was first found in Warwickshire, where this "family of good antiquity, traced to Robert de Boreton, grandfather of William, who lived in the reign of Edward III. " [1]
"Downton Hall [in Downton, Shropshire], the seat of Sir William Rouse Boughton, Bart., to whom the whole property belongs, is a handsome mansion, approached by a beautiful avenue two miles in length, on a gradual ascent, from which the scenery is extensive, romantic, and mountainous, embracing the Titterstone and the Clee hills." [2]
One of the earliest records of the family was Joan Boughton (d. 1494), the English martyr, who "was an old widow of eighty years or more, who held certain of Wycliffe's opinions. She was said to be the mother of a lady named Young, who was suspected of the like doctrines. She was burnt at Smithfield 28 April 1494. " [3]
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Boughtom research. Another 204 words (15 lines of text) covering the years 1760, 1780, 1747, 1821, 1791, 1794, 1893, 1963, 1600, 1656, 1628, 1680, 1632, 1683, 1663, 1716, 1689 and 1722 are included under the topic Early Boughtom History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Boughtom has been spelled many different ways. Before English spelling became standardized over the last few hundred years, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. As the English language changed in the Middle Ages, absorbing pieces of Latin and French, as well as other languages, the spelling of people's names also changed considerably, even over a single lifetime. Many variations of the name Boughtom have been found, including Boughton, Bourton, Borton, Boughten, Bourten, Borten, Bouton, Broughton, Portan and many more.
Notables of the family at this time include Sir William Boughton, 1st Baronet (1600-1656) of Lawford in the County of Warwick; Sir Edward Boughton, 2nd Baronet (1628-1680); Sir William Boughton, 3rd...
Another 31 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Boughtom Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
In an attempt to escape the chaos experienced in England, many English families boarded overcrowded and diseased ships sailing for the shores of North America and other British colonies. Those families hardy enough, and lucky enough, to make the passage intact were rewarded with land and a social environment less prone to religious and political persecution. Many of these families became important contributors to the young colonies in which they settled. Early immigration and passenger lists have documented some of the first Boughtoms to arrive on North American shores: Thomas Boughton who settled in Virginia in 1639; James Boughton arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1852; D. Boughton arrived in San Francisco Cal. in 1851..