Butchere History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

When the ancestors of the Butchere family arrived in England following the Norman Conquest of 1066, they brought their name with them. It is a name for a person who worked as a "butcher." The name is derived from the Old English root "boucher," or the Old French root, "bouchier." Another possible derivation suggests that the name was given to families who dwelt in the French area of Boursieres. The two names have become confused over time, and the derivation of individual cases is subsequently extremely difficult to determine.

Early Origins of the Butchere family

The surname Butchere was first found in Salop (Shropshire) where they held a family seat after the Norman Conquest in 1066. Anciently the family held lands in Burgundy, to which they gave the name Boursieres. [1]

Early History of the Butchere family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Butchere research. Another 241 words (17 lines of text) covering the years 1273, 1450, 1550, 1548, 1549, 1583 and 1665 are included under the topic Early Butchere History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Butchere Spelling Variations

Endless spelling variations are a prevailing characteristic of Norman surnames. Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules, and the introduction of Norman French added an unfamiliar ingredient to the English linguistic stew. French and Latin, the languages of the court, also influenced spellings. Finally, Medieval scribes generally spelled words according to how they sounded, so one person was often referred to by different spellings in different documents. The name has been spelled Butcher, Butchere, Butchers, Boucher, Bucher, Buchere, Boutcher and many more.

Early Notables of the Butchere family (pre 1700)

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Joan Bocher or Joan Boucher or Butcher (died 1550), an English Anabaptist burned at the stake for heresy. She was arrested...
Another 29 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Butchere Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Butchere family to Ireland

Some of the Butchere family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 83 words (6 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 Butchere family

To escape the political and religious persecution within England at the time, many English families left for the various British colonies abroad. The voyage was extremely difficult, though, and the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving. But for those who made it, the trip was most often worth it. Many of the families who arrived went on to make valuable contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Butchere or a variant listed above: Frances Butcher who settled in Virginia in 1623; followed by John in 1649; another John settled in Barbados in 1678; Thomas settled in Jamaica in 1690.

Citations +

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)