[Harp-L] Origin of the Butterfield name

["Winslow Yerxa" <winslowyerxa@xxxxxxxxx>]

Butterfield - Irish/ Jewish? More like the typical north European 
mutt judging from the following, found at

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~butterfield/

Intreresting that the name may have a meaning of "messenger".

The common spelling of the name in New England is Butterfield, and 
the same prevails usually throughout the United States: though 
instances are found of Botefield, of the direct German extraction: 
and, occasionally, of Boterville, the French form. In England, the 
family date their arrival from Narmandy in the twelfth century. 
Robert de Buteville held two fees in Bedfordshire in 1165 and 
likewise in Norfold (Liber Niger). John de Buteville was possessed of 
the lord of Cheddington, in Bucks, in 1316 (Palsgrave, Parl, Writs). 
The name Botevyle occurs in the Battle Abbey roll. The estate of 
Bouteville was near Carentum, in Normandy, a town at the mouth of the 
river Tante, where are yet to be seen old fortifications, a castle 
and a curious Norman church (The Norman People). A branch of the 
family settled at Church, Stretton, Shropshire. The English 
pronunciation indicates a corruption of the German word Botefeld 
(Bote, a messenger, and feld, field, or clearing where the trees have 
been felled). Similar instances occur in Butterley, Buttermere, 
Butterwick, Butterworth in England, and perhaps Buterville in 
Ireland: the affix in each case denoting locality-ley meadow, mere 
pond, wick bay, worth enclosure-where the messenger dwelt. Or, the 
derivation may be from botfeld, which, among the Anglo-Saxons, was 
that portion of the manor, the timber of which was reserved for the 
repairs of the manor house, buildings, &c., and the mending of the 
fences. Such privileges were styled Haybote (from hait, hedge, or the 
land enclosed by it, and bote, repair). The official charge with such 
repairs was styled the Hayward, whence the modern word: as also 
Heyward and Howard. Our word botcher, for a blundering repairer, is a 
survival of this same bote in common speech.

Winslow