This surname is derived from a geographical locality. 'of Bolton' or 'Boulton,' parishes, townships, and chapelries in various counties, mostly in Lancashire, Yorkshire, Cumb., and Westm.

Michael de Boulton, Yorkshire, 1273. Hundred Rolls.

Thomas de Boulton, or Bolton, Lincolnshire, ibid.

Richard de Boulton, Northumberland, 20 Edward I: Placita de Quo Warranto, temp. Edward I-III.

Agnes de Bolton, 1379: Poll Tax of Yorkshire.

Hugh Boolton, or Boulton, Staffordshire: Register of the University of Oxford.

1766. Married — George Bolton and Ann Bowker: St. George, Hanover Square.

1772. — George Boulton and Sophia Morgan: ibid.

Probably from Bolton in East Lothian. Adam de Boultone was reeve of Dunfres, 1287 (Bain, II, 324). William fiz Geffray de Boultone del counte de Edeneburk rendered homage, 1296 (ibid., p. 201). John of Boulton was employed as a mason at Castle of Linlithgow, 1302 (Bain, IV, p. 365), and Robert of Bolton, a Scot, was released from prison in Colchester, 1396 (Bain, IV, 483). Bessie Bolton is recorded in Edinburgh, 1640 (Edinb. Marr.), and William Bolton in Burntiland, 1645 (PBK., p. 242).

This is derived from an English place-name. It has been fairly numerous in Ireland since the seventeenth century. It appears frequently in the first half of that century and is still most numerous in Counties Antrim and Derry, though found in all the provinces with a fair number in Dublin. Members of these unrelated families have held many prominent positions since Sir Richard Bolton was Solicitor-General In 1619. No less than 57 Boltons are in the register of students of Dublin University from 1611 to 1844 and it is worthy of note that only ten per cent of these were from Ulster. De Burgh in his Landowners of Ireland (1878) names fifteen with extensive estates in thirteen counties, only one in Ulster (Cavan).

It will thus be seen that the name has never become closely identified with any particular locality in Ireland.

(English) belonging to Bolton = the Hall Enclosure or Farm [Old English bold, hall, mansion + tún]

This is derived from an English place-name and is fairly numerous in all the provinces. Bibl; SIF 19

(English, Scottish) One who came from Bolton (dwelling, enclosure), the name of various places in England and one in Scotland. In some instances it referred to one in the village proper in contradistinction to the outlying parts.

Towns, parishes, and places in cos. Lancaster, Cumberl., Northumb., York, Westmorel., Haddington, &c. The first-mentioned gave name to an important family.

Local. A town in England; the round hill; the abrupt, steep, round hill.

Or De Montfichet, Earls Nelson. Alured Gernon, brother of William Gernon, Baron of Montfichet (see Cavendish), was father of Matthew, who had 3 sons— 1, Ralph, living 1165, ancestor of the Gernons and Cavendishes; 2, Richard, father of Osbert de Gladisfen; 3, Hugh Gernon or De Bolton. The Lordships of Bolton, Bradwell, Gapton, and Hopland, Suffolk, were exchanged, t. Henry I. or Stephen, by their then owner, with the Gernons, for Gyl in Normandy (Test. 295). Matthew G. was probably the grantee of Bolton, &c. He gave them to his sons Ralph, Richard, and Hugh; and Bartholomew de Bolton, son of Hugh, held these estates on condition of paying to Ralph Gernon (son of Ralph) and Osbert de Gladisfen (son of Richard) eight shillings annually (Suckling, Suff. i. 301,303, 323; Testa, 295). Bartholomew de B. was father of Joceus or Jocelin de B., who is mentioned in the Testa de Neville (103) as king’s bailiff’ of the district where Bolton was situate. After him Robert de B. occurs (Ib.), and in 1286 Thomas de Hopland, brother of the owner of Bolton, &c., occurs (Suckling, Suff. i. 323). The family of Bolton continued in Suffolk till t. James I.; but a branch settled in Norfolk, of which was William B. (probably a younger son of the Suffolk line), who m., c. 1430, an heiress in Norfolk; and from him descended the Lords of Brisingham and Heywood, who continued till the time of Elizabeth. From a younger branch of these descend the Earls Nelson, who obtained that title as the nearest heirs in blood of the renowned Nelson. The arms of the Boltons, or Boultons (on a bend argent, 3 leopards’ heads), were probably originally 3 escallops instead of leopards’ heads, an ancient coat of the Gernons being on a bend 3 escallops (Robson). Escallops were frequently exchanged by mistake for leopards’ heads.

A frequent location name.

The Lancashire Boltons derive their name from parishes of the name in the county.