Show ContentsBalder History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Balder

What does the name Balder mean?

Scottish history reveals Balder was first used as a surname by the Strathclyde-Briton people. It was a name for someone who lived in the region of West Lothian or Linlithgow.

Early Origins of the Balder family

The surname Balder was first found in West Lothian, or Linlithgow, where they were very anciently seated. The lands of Balderstone were originally held by a man named Baldhere or Bealdhere, or Baldheres town. He held a family seat there about the year 1150.

Early History of the Balder family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Balder research. Another 161 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1296, 1599, 1628, 1634 and 1663 are included under the topic Early Balder History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Balder Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that rules have developed and the process of spelling according to sound has been abandoned. Scottish names from before that time tend to appear under many different spelling variations. Balder has been spelled Balderstone, Balderstoun, Balderston, Balderton, Batherstain, Baldirston, Baldirstone, Baldirstan, Baldirstoun, Baldeston and many more.

Early Notables of the Balder family

Notable amongst the family at this time was

  • William Balderston of Balderston


Balder migration to the United States +

Unwelcome in their beloved homeland, many Scots sailed for the colonies of North America. There, they found land and freedom, and even the opportunity to make a new nation in the American War of Independence. These Scottish settlers played essential roles in the founding of the United States, and the shaping of contemporary North America. Among them:

Balder Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Francis Balder, who landed in Maryland in 1671 1

Contemporary Notables of the name Balder (post 1700) +

  • Tine Balder (1924-2021), Belgian stage, film and television actress


The Balder Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Constance et ferme
Motto Translation: Perserverance and decision.


  1. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)


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