The Bowles of Canada and their Roots in Ireland and England 

Old English Naming Conventions Seen in Archive Records

The majority of the people mentioned in land grants and other legal documents were named after where they lived, their occupations or by their relationship to another person.  For example the catalogue reference for a mid-1200's grant from the archives reads:

From: Richard le Bole To: Richard of Lydford The land which lies between the land of Andrew Redhod and the land of Henry le Cordwaner outside the east gate of Exeter in St Sidwell's street. For an annual payment of 14d, payable as specified the chaper of Exeter Cathedral. For this Richard of Lydford has paid 16s 8d. No date. [Date: handwriting.] Witnesses: Hilary the fair ('Blundus'), mayor of Exeter; Gilbert the fair ('Blundus'), reeve ('prepositus') of Exeter; Roger Belebuche, reeve ('prepositus') of Exeter; Roger son of Henry; John caperun; Walter the priest ('presbiter'); Richard test; Christian the Irishman ('hyberniensis'); Hugh le Taillur; John the red ('Rufus'); Richard chardevache; Andrew le Briton'

Our Bole reference here is to Richard le Bole which may imply a connection to other 'le Bole' family members or, as stated on Kent Surname sites, it may just be a reference to a large broad shouldered man called "the Bull" by his neighbours.  Gilbert the Fair in this document, who would have been identified as Gilbert Blundus on the original grant, was apparently named due to his blond hair. Hilary was probably his brother but may also just have been blond.  John the Red (John Rufus) was supposedly a red head.  Alternatively it could have been their fathers or grandfathers who had the characteristic and the principles here were now carrying the family name regardless of their own hair colour.  This was the period when all of that transition occurred.  Richard of Lydford was most likely from the town or manor of Lydford.  Andrew Redhod apparently was known to wear a red hood.  Henry le Cordwaner would have been an occupational name based on the Old French term 'cordoanier' for a shoemaker.  Hugh was likely a tailor.  Walter was a priest.  Christian was an Irishman.  Roger was only identified as the son of Henry without specifying which Henry as the writer knew several Rogers in the district but only one of whom had a father named Henry so that was sufficient to identify him for the purposes of the document.  Without that personal information though we do not know if Roger was the son of Henry the Miller, Henry of Ickham or even Henry Bolle who we know lived in Canterbury, and if by chance it was Henry Bolle he may or may not have been related to Richard le Bole.