Baldwin in Slane

[sgrollitt]

My family is Boden in the barony of Ferrard in Co Louth a few miles north of Drogheda. The Boden surname is principally of Irish Anglo-Norman origin, being originally a colloqial form of Baldwin, a name of German origin which came to Ireland from Flanders. In 1295 Michael Boudon occurs in the barony of Slane, Co Meath, while in 1313 a John Boudoun was a juror at nearby Drogheda, Co Louth. These men seem to be the earliest of the surname to be found in the area - the original homeland of the name in Ireland. The name is absent from important documents of that early period suggesting the first Bodens were relatively humble folk, probably small-scale farmers. From early origins in the Meath area, the surname centre drifted just a little northwards into the Ferrard area of Co Louth.

Archenbald le Fleming, 1st Baron of Slane was alive in 1165. Archenbald attended Henry II in the invasion of Ireland and was given various lordships including Slane on the River Boyne. His grandson was Baldwyn le Fleming, 3rd Baron Slane, alive in 1260. He could have been the progenitor of the Baldwin surname, and therefore the Boden surname in Ireland. Is anyone researching the Baldwin/Boudon/Boden surname in Co Meath?

[sgrollitt]

Sir Baldwin le Fleming, 5th of Slane, was born about 1300 in slane and married Matilda Maud de Geneville dau of Sir Simon de Geneville. Bladwin le Fleming also had the title Lord of the Manor of Dromconerath. In "The History of the Diocese of Meath" by John Healy, LL.D. Rector of Kells and Canon of St. Patrick's, Dublin:

Appendix: Succession of the Clergy - The date before a name is the date of the commencement of the incumbency.

Union of Ardbraccan, parish of Liscartan: 1638 Samuel Boden
Union of Drakestown, parish of Staholmock: 1769 John Bowden
Union of Drakestown, parish of Cruicetown: 1769 John Bowden
Union of Drumconrath, parish of Syddan: 1769 John Boden
Union of Drumconrath, parish of Killary: 1769 John Bowden

So there is at least come connection between the place the Fleming family lived and the place where the Boden family lived.

There were a great number of children who were the ancestors of Sir Baldwin and the Boden line could have originated through one of them. How are where the name changed from Baldwin or Baudoun to Boden is unclear, but names did change sometimes in the same generation.

In 1828, Mr Bryan made a claim to the title of Lord Slane. His peerage agent was Sir William Betham. Sir William Betham (1779-1853) was Ulster King of Arms between 1820 and 1853 and was a historian and antiquary. Listed in the "Consolidated Index of the Records of the Genealogical Office in Dublin" produced by Sir William, were Boden, Bouden, and Bowden:

Bowden:
- MS223-54 Betham Will Extracts 5/70, 7/31, 19/231 - Lodge 6/87
- MS543-554 Misc. Peds. - see back of Ped. of Sir Henry Browers

Bouden: MS223-54 Betham Will Extracts 6/266

Boden: MS223-54 Betham Will Extracts 14/142, 17/180 or 188

I don't know how I would access the information above. Also, I can't find out who Sir Henry Browers was.

[sgrollitt]

I just read this again and thought it sounds a bit like I'm trying to make a claim on some title or other  .

Actually, I just wanted to ascertain how long the Boden family of Co Meath and Louth had been in Ireland and found that there might be a link back to the illustrious le Fleming family who first came to Meath in the twelfth century.