Bottle History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland

Bottle is one of the names that was brought to England in the wave of migration following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Bottle family lived at Bootle in the suburbs of Liverpool, Lancashire. "The name of this place, formerly written "Bothill," is supposed to be derived from the booths erected on a hill above the town, for the watchmen whose duty it was to light the beacon on its summit, upon the discovery of any ships in the Irish Channel which might appear to threaten a descent upon the coast." 1

Early Origins of the Bottle family

The surname Bottle was first found in Lancashire where they held a family seat from very ancient times. Conjecturally they are descended from Count Roger de Poitou, of Poitou. He was the son of Earl Roger of Poitou, who was one of the Norman nobles in the Battle of Hastings. The name of the hamlet was anciently Boltelai. The Count Poitou (Pictaviens) held Boltelai and numerous other Lordships in Lancashire and the West Riding of Yorkshire. He is recorded in the Domesday Book taken in 1086 A.D. "Four thanes at the time of the Domesday Survey held 'Boltelai' as four manors." 1

This hamlet later became known as Bootle and ironically, at this time there is no record of any habitation known as Liverpool of which Bootle is now a Borough.

Early rolls had few entries for the name. In fact, the first entries were in the 16th century where the Lancashire Wills at Richmond listed: Matthew Bootle, Lancashire, a scrviniman, 1595; and Thomas Bootle, of Tatham, Lancashire, 1598. A few years later, the Preston Guild Rolls listed Thomas Bootell, Lancashire, 1602; and William Bootell, Lancashire, 1602. 2

Further to the north in Scotland, Buittle is a parish, in the stewartry of Kirkcud-bright. "This place is of great antiquity, and there are still some remains of its castle, supposed to have been the principal seat of the ancient lords of Galloway. The parish, of which the name is of very uncertain derivation." 3

Early History of the Bottle family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bottle research. Another 141 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1592, 1662, 1715 and 1796 are included under the topic Early Bottle History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bottle Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, Norman French and other languages became incorporated into English throughout the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Bottle include Butil, Butill, Butel, Bootell, Bootle, Buthill and others.

Early Notables of the Bottle family

More information is included under the topic Early Bottle Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bottle migration to the United States +

In England at this time, the uncertainty of the political and religious environment of the time caused many families to board ships for distant British colonies in the hopes of finding land and opportunity, and escaping persecution. The voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, though, and many arrived in North America sick, starved, and destitute. Those who did make it, however, were greeted with greater opportunities and freedoms that they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make important contributions to the young nations in which they settled. Early immigration records have shown some of the first Bottles to arrive on North American shores:

Bottle Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

John Bottle, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1844 4

Bottle migration to Australia +

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

Bottle Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Ann Bottle, aged 19, a domestic servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1853 aboard the ship "Calabar" 5
Mary Bottle, aged 18, a domestic servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1853 aboard the ship "Calabar" 5
James Bottle, aged 33, a brickmaker, who arrived in South Australia in 1855 aboard the ship "Warren Hastings"
Elizabeth Bottle, aged 25, a domestic servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1858 aboard the ship "Bee"

Citations +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of Scotland. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
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)
South Australian Register Tuesday 2nd August 1853. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Calabar 1853. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/williamstuart1853.shtml