| ![Show Contents]() Bowridge History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
England
Etymology of BowridgeWhat does the name Bowridge mean? The name Bowridge is of Anglo-Saxon origin and came from when the family lived in the settlement of Bowditch, an estate in the county of Dorset. 1 The place name literally means "arched bridge ditch." 2 Early Origins of the Bowridge familyThe surname Bowridge was first found in Dorset, in southern England, where they held a family seat from ancient times, long before the Norman Conquest in 1066. "The family of Bowditch anciently held in part a manor and farm in Chardstock, which bore their name. John Bowditch, of Chardstock, gent., had property there in the time of Elizabeth I." 3 Early History of the Bowridge familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bowridge research. Another 78 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1300, 1554, 1769, 1773, 1791, 1824 and 1838 are included under the topic Early Bowridge History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Bowridge Spelling VariationsIt is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Bowridge are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. Scribes and monks in the Middle Ages spelled names they sounded, so it is common to find several variations that refer to a single person. The variations of the name Bowridge include: Bowditch, Bowdich, Bowdidge and others. Early Notables of the Bowridge familyNathaniel Bowditch (1773-1838), American mathematician and author of "Bowditch's American Practical Navigator," an encyclopedia of navigation.
Thomas Bowdich (1791-1824), was an African traveller, born at Bristol 20 June 1791. His...
Another 29 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Bowridge Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Bowridge familyMany English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Bowridge or a variant listed above: Walter Bowditch arrived in Philadelphia in 1878; James Bowdidge settled in New England in 1774.
- Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
- Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
- Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
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