The Swineshead family is the oldest documented origin of the present Bolles/Boles/Bowles name in England.  The line has been documented back to Alleyne Bolles of Swineshead (approximately 1200). The name Swineshead comes from the location of his residence, Bolle Hall, at the head of the Swine River.  The origin of the Bolles crest originates from this period.  This family's tradition is that they originated with a Norman named Bolle who accompanied William the Conqueror in his conquest of England in 1066.  This is widely accepted but has not yet been proven.  See The Norman Origins of The Name

The Bolles of Swineshead Family Tree

The Swineshead Bolles line of descent leads directly to the Bowles of Haugh and from there to the Osberton, Gosberton and Bromley lines.  The Bowles of Myddleton House, Enfield are also generally accepted to be of this line of descent.

The Bolles of New England line is the only current one which can document its claim to a descent from Swineshead.  The Joseph Bolles who sailed for America on the Prester John in 1623 was the younger brother of John Bolles of Osberton, and inherited this estate on his death in 1666. He settled in Wells, Maine, and founded the extensive American family of Bolles.  Please see their web site at The Bolles Family Association.  The Osberton line is otherwise extinct today. 

The remaining lines listed above have no documented link to Swineshead; while their right to bear the same arms has long been recognized, and their descent is in no doubt, the exact link is lost.