Origins of the Bown name.

The name BOWN is believed to have come over as 'De Bohun', from the La Manche region in Normandy, France, when William crossed the channel to meet King Harold at the battle of Hastings in 1066.

 A Humphrey De Bohun was recorded as owning land in the Norfolk section of the Domesday book.

 Henry De Bohun  1st Earl of Hereford, had the title bestowed upon him on 28 April 1200 by King John.

 

Over the years De Bohun became Boun, and then Bown or Boon.

 

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

 

The book ‘ A dictionary of English Surnames’ by Reaney & Wilson, puts the name Bown within the group 

Boon, Boone, Bone, Bown, Bowne.

It also gives the following information:

Hunfridus de Bohun 1086 DB (NF); Winfridus de Bowhun 1120-3 EngFeud; William de Boun 1119 Colch (Ess); Matildis de Bohun Hy 2 DC (L); John de Bown 1275 RH (Sx); Reginald Boon 1279 RH (C); From Bohun (La Manche). Bohun’s Hall (Essex) is Boneshall 1540, Bowneshall 1604 (PN Ess 305) and is now pronounced Boon’s Hall.

 

Abbreviation used; NF = Norfolk, Ess = Essex, L = Lincolnshire, Sx = Sussex, C = Cambridgeshire, PN Ess 305 = Place names of Essex p305.(ref the English Place Names Society.

 

Bowneshall in Tollesbury, Essex,  re Calendar of the Patent Rolls Preserved in the Public Record Office by Great Britain Public Record Office - Patent rolls - 1939

 

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

 

 

The De Bohun badge, was of a chained swan, whilst the De Bohun shield was azure blue, with a silver diagonal band, edged with gold, between six gold rampant lions, three each above and below.

 

Some Bohun's of note are listed below………

 

Timeline.

1066                Battle of Hastings.

1086                Humphrey De Bohun      Landowner in Norfolk.

1200 - 1220     Henry de Bohun              1st Earl of Hereford

1220 - 1274     Humphrey de Bohun      2nd Earl of Hereford, Northampton and Essex

1274 - 1298     Humphrey de Bohun II  3rd Earl of Hereford, Northampton and Essex

1298 - 1322     Humphrey de Bohun III 4th Earl of Hereford, Northampton and Essex

1326 - 1336     John de Bohun                5th Earl of Hereford, Northampton and Essex

1336 - 1360     William de Bohun                                    Earl of Northampton

1336 - 1363     Humphrey de Bohun IV  6th Earl of Hereford and Essex

1360 - 1373     Humphrey de Bohun V  7th Earl of Hereford and Essex and Northampton

                        Mary de Bohun married Henry of Bolingbroke, Duke of Buckinghamshire, in 1380 aged 10.
                        Her husband became King Henry IV of England in 1399. Mary had died in 1394.

1413-1422       Their son becomes Henry V(1387-1422)

1422                 Henry V1, son of Henry V and Katherine of France.