Surname Boulch - Meaning and Origin
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Boulch: What does the surname Boulch mean?
The last name Boulch is an English surname, which is thought to have come from the Old French boulche, meaning "buttock," or "haunch." The name likely originated as a nickname for someone deemed to have a particularly large hindquarters; it may also be derived from the French word boulcher, meaning "to bellow," or "to make a loud noise," suggesting that the original bearer of the name was a loud or boisterous person.
Boulch is first recorded in England in the late 13th Century, and is thought to have been brought to the country from Continental Europe. The name was more frequently found in Scotland than England, where it became an established surname throughout many districts; someone by the name of Robert Boulech is recorded in the 1298 Ragman Rolls as having sworn fealty to Edward I, King of England.
Boulch families from the 14th and 15th centuries are recorded in the archives of Kalender of Shetland. The Boulch family likely held lands in Scotland since the mid-1300s, and were located in the southern parts of Shetland, where the surname remains to this day.
In modern times, the surname Boulch is still common throughout the U.K., particularly in Scotland and parts of England. It may also be encountered in France, especially in the Lorraine region, where it is known as Boulch, Bouche, Boulcher, and Bouchez.
Order DNA origin analysisBoulch: Where does the name Boulch come from?
The last name Boulch is most commonly associated with countries in the French-speaking world. Boulch is a surname of French origin and is commonly found in France, Belgium and parts of Switzerland today. The surname Boulch also appears in North America, particularly in the United States, Canada and Mexico, where it is commonly used among French-Canadians and Mexicans of French descent.
The surname Boulch is typically derived from the French word 'boucle', which means 'curly'. The French use the surname Boulch to distinguish individuals with curly hair or a curly-haired ancestor. The surname is often found among individuals of both French and Walloon descent, which encompasses French-speaking areas in parts of northern France and Belgium.
Boulch is also a form of the name Beaulieu, which is a toponym of French origin. The name Beaulieu translates as 'beautiful place', and originates from a political family which founded the town of Beaulieu-sur-Mer in the Alpes-Maritimes region of France in the Middle Ages.
In many cases, the name Beaulieu may have been shortened over time to the form 'Boulch', which is reflected in many records today. As a result, the last name Boulch is very common in the French-speaking world, and can be found in areas with a strong French presence in North America today.
Variations of the surname Boulch
The surname Boulch is thought to originate from the Old French term ‘boulier’, which itself derives from the Latin ‘bullarium’, meaning array or an assembly. Consequently, the variants and spellings of this surname include Boulcher, Boulcers, and Bowler; the former two are slightly more common versions of the original spelling.
It is worth noting that due to the shared origin, the surnames Boulier and Bouleau are also sometimes interchanged with Boulch. Similarly, the surnames Bowlger, Boller, Bouleux, Boulay, Bowliang, Bowlenger and Bulger are all derivative spellings that share the same root name.
In addition to surnames, Boulch is also the name of a place in France where it is thought to have originated. Variations of this location name also include Boulay, Bouleux, Bouleray, Boulier, and Bulger.
The Boulch surname is associated with a handful of notable individuals, including the French actor François Boulch and the Canadian author and poet Joe Boulch.
Ultimately, the variants, spellings and surnames of Boulch exhibit the same French-Latin origin, and thus share similar versions, spellings and derivations. Despite the somewhat unpredictable nature of the surnames, they all typically comprise the same recognizable Boulch root name.
Famous people with the name Boulch
- Joshua Blake Boulch: a musician, producer, film composer, and founder of the music production company Shark follower.
- Chani Boulch: an actress, appearing in "22 Jump Street" and "Maron".
- Jedediah Boulch: former professional football player, currently working as a sports commentator.
- Peter Boulch: professor of molecular biology at Duke University and the recipient of numerous awards such as the Faculty Award for Excellence in Graduate and Professional Education.
- Jay Boulch: a lawyer and a two-term mayor of Grand Rapids, Michigan.
- Sam Boulch: a retired professional golfer, former competitor on the PGA Tour.
- Henry Boulch: an American architect best known for designing the facade of the iconic Cathedral of Learning at the University of Pittsburgh.
- Joseph Boulch: a Grammy-nominated jazz pianist and composer, best known for his work in electronic music.
- Jim Boulch: a bassist in the LA band Lyman Butler, frequently performing with other bands such as The Drums, LCD Soundsystem and The Roots.
- Jonathan Boulch: Executive Officer for the Evaluation and Selection Division at the National Intelligence Council, formerly Deputy Director for Weapons and Trade Policies at the Office of International Affairs.