GEN-MEDIEVAL-L Archives

Archiver > GEN-MEDIEVAL > 2007-02 > 1171052988


From: "Tony Hoskins" <>
Subject: Re: Bulkley Ancestors in Normandy 1050-1150
Date: Fri, 09 Feb 2007 12:29:48 -0800


I agree with Todd that the attempt to Normanize the origin of the name
Bulkeley is labored - and labored in the same fashion as one so often
has noted elsewhere; clearly 19th century genealogists particularly were
avidly hankering after not just Norman genealogical origins, but Norman
origins for what are certainly surnames of purely Anglo-Saxon origin.
The suffix "legh/ley" is so widespread and so demonstrably Anglo-Saxon -
meaning "field" - as to scarcely warrant discussion. The presence of a
bull on the family's coat of arms notwithstanding, a gut response to
this discussion would be to posit a quite prosaic origin for the name:
"the field in which bulls reside", for instance.

Oddly, a few years ago I disproved a supposed descent I believed I had
had from Peter and Grace (Chetwood) Bulkeley, only to a few months ago
discover I did in fact have a line to them, lurking back there all this
time, waiting to be discovered. Genealogy does occasionally provide a
windfall!

Tony

Anthony Hoskins
History, Genealogy and Archives Librarian
History and Genealogy Library
Sonoma County Library
3rd and E Streets
Santa Rosa, California 95404

707/545-0831, ext. 562

This thread: