Show ContentsBouler History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Bouler Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Etymology of Bouler

What does the name Bouler mean?

The name Bouler arrived in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Bouler family lived in Lancashire. The name, however, is a reference to the family's former residence in Boulard, in Calvados, in Normandy. 1

Alternatively, the name could have been an occupational name for a "bowl-maker," someone who made bowls. 2

Early Origins of the Bouler family

The surname Bouler was first found in Lancashire. They were originally from Boulard in Calvados, Normandy, and arrived in England with Duke William of Normandy at the time of the Norman Conquest in 1066.

Stephen de Boularia in 1096, witnessed a charter of Manasses, Bishop of Cambrai, and joined in the first Crusade. Baldwin de Bollers, his son, received from Henry I the barony of Montgomery, with the hand of Sybil de Falaise, his niece. 1

"It was this Baldwin, the first castellan of Montgomery, who gave the town its Welsh name of Tre Faldwin, the town of Baldwin. 'In the year 1121, as Baldwin de Boilers, he affixed his signature and attestation to Henry I.'s great Charter to Shrewsbury Abbey.' He was a second time married, and left children by each of his wives ; but the succession is shrouded in mystery." 3

Hen Domen, (Welsh: "old mound") , a medieval timber motte-and-bailey castle in Powys, Wales was the home of the de Boulers (Bowdler) family and was founded by Baldwin de Boulers. 1 Today, a permanent exhibition can be found on the site.

The Feet of Fines for Somerset included a listing for John le Bouller in 1316 and later in Staffordshire, Robert le Bollere was listed there in the Subsidy Rolls for 1332. 4

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 included John le Bolur, Oxfordshire; and Stephen le Bolur, Surrey. 5

Early History of the Bouler family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bouler research. Another 84 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1066, 1320, 1437, 1450, 1453, 1459, 1587, 1659, 1710, 1726, 1865, 1890 and 1911 are included under the topic Early Bouler History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bouler Spelling Variations

A multitude of spelling variations characterize Norman surnames. Many variations occurred because Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England also had a pronounced effect, as did the court languages of Latin and French. Therefore, one person was often referred to by several different spellings in a single lifetime. The various spellings include Bowler, Boler, Boaler and others.

Early Notables of the Bouler family

  • Reginald Boulers (died 1459), English Abbot of Gloucester (1437–1450), Bishop of Hereford (1450-1453) and Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield (1453-1459.)...

Migration of the Bouler family to Ireland

Some of the Bouler family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 271 words (19 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 Bouler family

Many English families left England, to avoid the chaos of their homeland and migrated to the many British colonies abroad. Although the conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and some travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute, once in the colonies, many of the families prospered and made valuable contributions to the cultures of what would become the United States and Canada. Research into the origins of individual families in North America has revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Bouler or a variant listed above: Charles Bowler who settled in Georgia in 1733; Deborah Bowler settled in Nevis in 1663; along with her husband John; William Bowler settled in Virginia in 1635.

Contemporary Notables of the name Bouler (post 1700) +

  • Dr. David E. Bouler, American senior pastor of Highland Park Baptist Church, Chattanooga, Tennessee
  • James P. De Bouler, American Republican politician, Postmaster at Evansville, Indiana, 1866-67 6
  1. 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)
  2. Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
  3. Cleveland, Dutchess of The Battle Abbey Roll with some Account of the Norman Lineages. London: John Murray, Abermarle Street, 1889. Print. Volume 3 of 3
  4. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  5. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  6. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, December 8) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html

Houseofnames.com on Facebook