Bulkely Surname, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

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The Anglo-Saxon name Bulkely comes from when the family resided in any of the places named Buckley, or Buckleigh, in England. Bulkely is a local surname, which belongs to the category of hereditary surnames. The name may derive from the Old English "bok lee," meaning meadow, or field. The likely meaning of the name was "clearing in a beech wood" (with boc meaning beech tree and ley meaning wood, glade or clearing). The name could also have been construed from "bucc" meaning a buck or deer; or from the Welsh "bwlch y clai," meaning clay hole.

Bulkely Early Origins

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The surname Bulkely was first found in Cheshire where Buckley was an Anglo-Saxon local, with some of its houses later recorded in the Domesday Book. The first documented evidence of its existence dates from 1294 when it was described as the pasturage of the Manor of Ewloe, spelled as "Bokkeley". Alternatively, the original spelling of the name was Bulclough, meaning "large mountains," and related specifically to a chain of mountains in central Cheshire in England. Whichever derivation, you choose, all point to Cheshire.

Bulkely Spelling Variations

The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries; therefore, spelling variations are common among early Anglo-Saxon names. As the form of the English language changed, even the spelling of literate people's names evolved. Bulkely has been recorded under many different variations, including Buckley, Bucklie, Buckly, Bulkely, Bulkley, Bulkelly, Boukley, Bulkaly, Bulkly, Bulklay and many more.

Bulkely Early History

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bulkely research. Another 329 words (24 lines of text) covering the years 1524, 1572, 1547, 1571, 1593, 1584, 1593, 1583, 1659, 1635, 1641 and 1698 are included under the topic Early Bulkely History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bulkely Early Notables (pre 1700)

Notables of the family at this time include Sir Richard Bulkeley (1524-1572), of Beaumaris, Anglesey and Lincoln's Inn, London, Member of Parliament for Angelsey (1547-1571); and his son, Thomas Bulkeley, (d.1593), Member of Parliament for Beaumaris...

Another 36 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Bulkely Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bulkely In Ireland

Some of the Bulkely family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. Another 173 words (12 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

The Great Migration

For many English families, the political and religious disarray that shrouded England made the far away New World an attractive prospect. On cramped disease-ridden ships, thousands migrated to those British colonies that would eventually become Canada and the United States. Those hardy settlers that survived the journey often went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Bulkely or a variant listed above:

Bulkely Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

William Bulkely with son and servants settled in Barbados in 1679

Bulkely Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Francis Bulkely, aged 22, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Lady Nugent" in 1850

Motto

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Nec temere nec timide
Motto Translation: Neither rashly nor timidly.

Bulkely Family Crest Products

Citations

Other References

Humble, Richard. The Fall of Saxon England. New York: Barnes and Noble, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-88029-987-8).
Holt, J.C. Ed. Domesday Studies. Woodbridge: Boydell, 1987. Print. (ISBN 0-85115-477-8).
Matthews, John. Matthews' American Armoury and Blue Book. London: John Matthews, 1911. Print.
Burke, Sir Bernard. Burke's Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Landed Gentry: Including American Families with British Ancestry. (2 Volumes). London: Burke Publishing, 1939. Print.
Lennard, Reginald. Rural England 1086-1135 A Study of Social and Agrarian Conditions. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1959. Print.
Burke, Sir Bernard. General Armory Of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales. Ramsbury: Heraldry Today. Print.
Thirsk, Joan. The Agrarian History of England and Wales. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press: 7 Volumes. Print.
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).
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds. Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8).
Browning, Charles H. Americans of Royal Descent. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing. Print.
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The Bulkely Family Crest was acquired from the Houseofnames.com archives. The Bulkely Family Crest was drawn according to heraldic standards based on published blazons. We generally include the oldest published family crest once associated with each surname.

This page was last modified on 11 September 2013 at 14:29.