Coat of Arms & Family Crests Store
Bowtell Coat of Arms / Bowtell Family CrestThe surname of BOWTELL was derived from the Old French 'bouteiller' the servant in charge of the wine-cellar. The name was brought into England in the wake of the Norman Conquest of 1066. In the large houses of royalty and the most powerful nobility, in medieval times, the title frequently denoted an officer of high rank and responsibility, only nominally concerned with the supply of wine. The earliest French hereditary surnames are found in the 12th century, at more or less the same time as they arose in England, but they are by no means common before the 13th century, and it was not until the 15th century that they stabilized to any great extent; before then a surname might be handed down for two or three generations, but then abandoned in favour of another. In the south, many French surnames have come in from Italy over the centuries, and in Northern France, Germanic influence can often be detected. The name in England was Anglicized to Butler, and early records of the name mention Katerina le Butelere, 1272, County Norfolk. William le Botiler of Yorkshire, was listed in the Yorkshire Poll Tax of 1379. Baptised. Thomas Boutell, son of William Boutell, at St. Michael, Cornhill, London in the year 1635. Lady Eleanor Butler (1745-1829) Irish recluse born in Dublin. In 1779 she and her friend Sarah Ponsonby resolved to live in seclusion, and settled at a cottage in Wales, accompanied by a maidservant. They became famous throughout Europe as the 'Maids of Llangollen' or 'Ladies of the Vale' and attracted visitors from far and wide. Sir William Francis Butler (1838-1910) Irish soldier and author, born in Tipparary. He joined the British army in 1858, and served in Canada, providing the materials for a popular book, The Great Lone Land (1872). He served on the Red River exhibition (1870-71) on the Ashanti exhibition (1873) and in South Africa (1888-9). He published several travel books. At first the coat of arms was a practical matter which served a function on the battlefield and in tournaments. With his helmet covering his face, and armour encasing the knight from head to foot, the only means of identification for his followers, was the insignia painted on his shield and embroidered on his surcoat, the flowing and draped garment worn over the armour. |
