The Boleyn Family: After Anne's Death

ARE THERE ANY DESCENDANTS OF THE BOLEYN FAMILY AROUND TODAY?

The short answer is, YES!

The Boleyn lineage continued under a different surname, inherited through marriages etc. Below is what I found out, with a brief look at how it all began with the Boleyns and how they may be around today.

Descendants of Charles the Great

The Boleyns are said to be the direct descendants of Charles the Great (Charles I) who was the King of the Franks in 768 AD and King of the Lombards in 774. He was also King of the Romans in 800.

Sir Geoffrey Boleyn

For the Boleyns, it all began with Sir Geoffrey Boleyn (1406-1453) who was a successful merchant in London. He became the Lord Mayor of London and purchased the Blickling Estate in Norfolk in 1452 and Hever Castle in 1462.

Sir Geoffrey’s son, William Boleyn followed in his father’s footsteps. He was a successful merchant and Lord Mayor of London. Sir William Boleyn (1451-1505) married Lady Margaret Butler and they had three children – Anne, Thomas and James.

Thomas Boleyn

Thomas Boleyn, son to Sir William and Lady Margaret, 1st Earl of Wiltshire, 1st Earl of Ormonde married Elizabeth Howard and they had three surviving children, Mary, Anne and George, whose fate, we already know.

George Boleyn married Jane Parker and there are no evidence that they had any children.

Anne Boleyn married King Henry VIII and they had one child, Elizabeth. Elizabeth went on to inherit the throne in 1558 to become Queen Elizabeth I, Queen of England and Ireland. She did not marry and did not have any children. She was queen until her death, on March 24, 1603.

Mary Boleyn married twice, and had two children with each of her marriage.

Mary’s first marriage was to William Carey in 1520 and they had two children, Catherine Carey, Lady Knollys and Henry Carey, 1st Baron of Hunsdon.

Mary’s second marriage was to William Stafford in 1534 and they had two children, Anne Stafford and Edward Stafford. Unfortunately, both of the Stafford children passed at a very young age. This means, the only surviving children were the Careys.

Catherine and Henry (Carey)

Catherine Carey, married Sir Francis Knollys in 1540 and they had fourteen children. Henry Carey married Anne Morgan and they had sixteen children.

The Boleyn lineage – where are the Boleyns now

So, there you have it! The Boleyn lineage is still out there through the Careys or some other surnames through marriage.

Just so you know, on the anniversary of Anne Boleyn’s death each year, the Chapel of St Peter ad Vincula Royal Chapel in the Tower of London where Anne Boleyn was finally laid to rest receives a bouquet of flowers sent anonymously. This tradition has been carried on for a century.

Make of it what you will. Is it from a Boleyn out there or could it be just a kind soul paying tribute to a queen who was so wronged by the society she lived in.

Recommended read: The Boleyn Lineage – find out how the present royal family are the direct descendants of the Boleyn.

Reader contribution:

September 8, 2021- A reader, Andrea has kindly contributed the following information. You can find Andrea’s comment and my response to Andrea’s comment by scrolling down to comments.

“Both the Queen and Queen Mother are/were direct descendants of Mary Boleyn through one of the Carey siblings. Have you seen the BBC documentary the Boleyns: a scandalous family?”

August 9, 2021 – A reader has kindly written in with the following comment which I share here:

“The earlier spelling of the surname was Bullen. This is still a surname found in Norfolk and Suffolk.” – Daniel Morgan

You can find this comment and my response to Daniel Morgan if you scroll down to comments.

Read my latest article on the Boleyn lineage

HISTORY OF BRITAIN

If you love to know more on the history of Britain, you may also enjoy reading the following:

Stonehenge | A sophisticated architecture

Tower of London | Best guide

Queen Victoria | The Woman behind the Crown

The Incredible History of Britain – A Tapestry of Humanity

As you may already know, the history of Britain is fascinating, intriguing and there is still so much we would love to know.

These historical information adds value to our visits to some of the castles and historic buildings that still stands. As well, there are numerous authors who have written on the many aspects of our history which gives us a number of versions to ponder upon.

The dates and some events may lack precise accuracy due to lack of documentary evidence. One such example, as we have seen with Anne Boleyn, where all her portraits and memorabilia were destroyed. It was illegal to own any during the reign of King Henry VIII.

In writing this article on the Boleyn family, as well as all related articles to Anne Boleyn, I have used the resources listed below in my research to ensure the information contained herein is as accurate as it can possibly be.

There is a further careful selection of books written on the Boleyn which you may find interesting.

finally…

On the Boleyn Family

I sincerely hope that this article has been valuable to you in knowing more on the history of Britain and enhance your visits to Tower of London, Hever Castle, Blickling Estate in Norfolk, Hampton Court Palace and more.

Here are all the articles about The Boleyns for you to peruse:

The Boleyn Descendants Today

Anne Boleyn: The Most Magnetic and Enduring of Tudor Queens;

The Boleyn Family: After Anne’s Death;

Anne Boleyn, Britain’s Most Well Travelled Ghost;

The Must Read Interesting Books about the Boleyns;

The Month of May 1536 Events and Historical Sites to Visit in England;

The Magnificent Hever Castle, Kent, England;

Ghosts of Blickling Hall, Norfolk;

The Incredible Tower of London: The Guide to Everything You Need to Know for Your Visit;

The Forgotten Stories of the 3 Royal Prisoners at Queen’s House, Tower of London.

Have a great time exploring England.