Show ContentsBulley History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Bulley family

The surname Bulley was first found in Dumfriesshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Dhùn Phris), a Southern area, bordering on England that today forms part of the Dumfries and Galloway Council Area, where one of the first records of the name was William Bully was listed as a bailie of Edinburgh in 1403. Bulley is a hamlet in Gloucestershire, almost 7 miles (11 km) west of the city of Gloucester.

Early History of the Bulley family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bulley research. Another 71 words (5 lines of text) covering the year 1418 is included under the topic Early Bulley History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bulley Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that rules have developed and the process of spelling according to sound has been abandoned. Scottish names from before that time tend to appear under many different spelling variations. Bulley has been spelled Bully, Bulley, Bullie and others.

Early Notables of the Bulley family

Notable amongst the family at this time was

  • John Bulley, Surgeon...


United States Bulley migration to the United States +

Unwelcome in their beloved homeland, many Scots sailed for the colonies of North America. There, they found land and freedom, and even the opportunity to make a new nation in the American War of Independence. These Scottish settlers played essential roles in the founding of the United States, and the shaping of contemporary North America. Among them:

Bulley Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Mathew Bulley, who settled in Maryland in 1727
  • Captain Bulley who settled in Boston Massachusetts in 1763
Bulley Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • John Bulley, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1866

Australia Bulley migration to Australia +

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

Bulley Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Charles Bulley, aged 23, a carpenter, who arrived in South Australia in 1855 aboard the ship "Caroline" 1
  • Mrs. Elizabeth Grace Bulley, (b. 1859), aged 28, Cornish settler travelling aboard the ship "Almora" arriving in Queensland, Australia on 15th August 1887 2
  • Mr. George Bulley, (b. 1884), aged 3, Cornish settler travelling aboard the ship "Almora" arriving in Queensland, Australia on 15th August 1887 2
  • Mr. John Bulley, (b. 1878), aged 9, Cornish settler travelling aboard the ship "Almora" arriving in Queensland, Australia on 15th August 1887 2
  • Miss Mary Ann Bulley, (b. 1879), aged 8, Cornish settler travelling aboard the ship "Almora" arriving in Queensland, Australia on 15th August 1887 2
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Bulley (post 1700) +

  • Frederick Bulley (b. 1870), 21-year-old English stonemason who partnered with Alfred Andrews, an architect to form Bulley & Andrews, LLC, one of Chicago's oldest general contractors in 1891
  • Tom Bulley, English current manager of the Torrington Football Club
  • Frederick Bulley (1810-1885), English President of Magdalen College, Oxford, from 1855 until his death
  • Rebecca Bulley (b. 1982), née Strachan, an Australian gold, silver and bronze medalist international netball player
  • Sydney Cyril Bulley (1907-1989), English clergyman, Bishop of Penrith (1959-1966) and Bishop of Carlisle (1966-1972)
  • Arthur Kilpin Bulley (1861-1942), Liverpool cotton merchant and philanthropist who created Ness Botanic Gardens, near the English and Welsh Border in Cheshire
  • Edward Harvey Bulley (b. 1955), retired Canadian ice hockey player who played from 1975 to 1985
  • Thomas Bulley Job (1806-1878), English-born merchant and politician in Newfoundland who represented Trinity Bay in the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly from 1846 to 1852

HMS Royal Oak
  • Frank J. Bulley, British Warrant Electrician with the Royal Navy aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he survived the sinking 3
RMS Titanic
  • Mr. Henry Ashburnham Bulley (d. 1912), aged 21, English Boots from Southampton, Hampshire who worked aboard the RMS Titanic and died in the sinking 4


  1. South Australian Register Thursday 26th April 1855. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Caroline 1855. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/caroline1855.shtml
  2. Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retreived 3rd May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_australia_queensland.pdf
  3. Ships hit by U-boats crew list HMS Royal Oak (08) - (Retrieved 2018 February, 9th) - retrieved from https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/crews/ship68.html
  4. Titanic Passenger List - Titanic Facts. (Retrieved 2016, July 13) . Retrieved from http://www.titanicfacts.net/titanic-passenger-list.html


Houseofnames.com on Facebook