Show ContentsBulling History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The history of the Bulling family name begins in the German province of Bavaria. Bulling is a nickname surname, a class of German names derived from eke-names, or added names, that described people by a personal characteristic or other attribute. Bulling is a name for a bold or daring person. The family name Bulling is an Anglicized form of the Bavarian surname Buljong, or Bohlung, which is derived from the German word balt, which means bold or daring. Bulling is also a name for a person with a loud voice, which is derived from the German word bullen, which means to roar. The surname Bulling is also derived from the Old German personal name Bulling, which means a close relation or beloved. Furthermore, the surname is a local type of surname as there are several places in Germany named Bulling, Bullinge or Bullinger. Another example of this is the name of the German-Swiss town of Bullingen. These place-names derived their origin from the German word buehel, which means a hill. During the Middle Ages, the Bulling family emerged as a notable family in Bavaria and it made a significant contribution to the social, economic and political development of the region.

Early Origins of the Bulling family

The surname Bulling was first found in Bavaria, where the name Bulling emerged in mediaeval times as one of the notable families of the region. From the 13th century the surname was identified with the great social and economic evolution which made this territory a landmark contributor to the development of the nation.

Early History of the Bulling family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bulling research. Another 52 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Bulling History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bulling Spelling Variations

One can encounter great variation in the spelling of surnames: in early times, spelling in general, and thus the spelling of names was not yet standardized; and later, spellings would change with branching and movement of families. Variations of the name Bulling include Bulling, Buling, Buhlling, Buhling, Beulling, Beuling, Beuhlling, Beuhling, Bullinger, Buelling, Bueling, Buehlling and many more.

Early Notables of the Bulling family

Prominent among members of the name Bulling in this period include

  • the Bulling family of Bavaria


United States Bulling migration to the United States +

European migration to North America began in the mid-17th century and continued unabated until the mid-20th. Many Bavarians made the long trip to escape poverty or persecution based on their religious beliefs. The chance for tenant farmers to own their own land was also a major drawing card. They settled all across the United States in Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, Illinois, and California. Many came to Canada also, settling in Ontario and the prairie provinces. Analysis of immigration records has shown some of the first Bullings to arrive in North America, and among them were:

Bulling Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Thomas Bulling, who arrived in Virginia in 1653 [1]
Bulling Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Luis Bulling, who arrived in Virginia in 1702 [1]
  • Joseph Bulling, who settled in Maryland in 1723
  • Hans Martin Bulling who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1732
Bulling Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • John Bulling, who landed in Washington County, Pennsylvania in 1846 [1]
  • Maria Bulling, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1850 [1]
  • Maria Bulling who arrived in San Francisco in 1850
  • Heinrich Bulling, who settled in Texas in 1853
  • Johann Bulling, who arrived in Chile in 1877 [1]

New Zealand Bulling migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Bulling Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Max Bulling, Swedish farm labourer, from Sweden travelling from Clyde aboard the ship "Nelson" arriving in Invercargill, Southland, South Island, New Zealand on 28th August 1879 [2]

Contemporary Notables of the name Bulling (post 1700) +

  • Evelyn "Ed" Bulling (1889-1963), English professional footballer
  • Terry Charles "Bud" Bulling (b. 1952), former Major League Baseball catcher
  • Mark Bulling, Research Fellow in the Environment Department, at the University of York


  1. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  2. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html


Houseofnames.com on Facebook