Bonney Family
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Read His StorySpelling of the Name
In France the name appears as Bonay, Bonny, Bonney and Bonnay. In England the name appears as Bonny and Bonney.
Its first appearance in America is in the certificate of the emigrant from the church at Sandwich, England, as Boney and it so appears in the emigrant's will, signed by mark, but in the proof of the will and the endorsement on the back of the same is Bonney. Thomas 2nd is described in his will as Boney, which is also signed by mark. John is the first to write his own name to a will and he signs as Bonney. William is described in the letters of administration as Boney.
Joseph is described as Bonny in his letters. James, appears in his letters as Bonney which spelling is generally followed by the subsequent generations.
Source: The Bonney Family by Charles L. Bonney, Chicago. Second Edition. Published by Chicago Legal News Co., 87 Clark St., Chicago, 1898.
Duxbury Bay, Massachusetts - Original settlement of Thomas Bonney and the Bonney family in America
Meaning of the Name
The surname Bonney was used as a nickname for a handsome person, especially one who was large or well-built. The name has common origins with the northern dialect word bonnie, meaning 'fine' or 'beautiful', which remains in common use throughout northern England and Scotland today.
This descriptive surname reflects the physical characteristics or personal qualities that distinguished the original bearers of the name in their communities. The evolution from bonnie to Bonney is representative of the usual development of surnames in medieval England, where descriptive nicknames often became hereditary family names.
Source: Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
Map of Europe circa 1640