Bohea

Recorded in many forms including Bahaw, Baher, Biho, Bohea, Bohay, Bohee, Bohie, Bohey, and possibly others, this is probably an English surname. If so and inspite of the very varied spellings we believe that it is locational from some now 'lost' medieval place. It is estimated that at least five thousand villages and hamlets have completely disappeared from the face of the British Isles over the past five century, and the majority have given rise to surnames. The reasons for the phenomena of the lost village has provided the basis of several books, but in general the causes were changes in agricultural practices, coastal erosion, creaping urbanisation, the Great Plagues, and even war. As to the origins of this name we can only guess, but the village of Bashaw in Yorkshire, meaning the place on the ridge, is a possibilty, as is Early examples of the recordings include Anne Bohee at St Batholomew Exchange in the city of London, on September 16th 1652, Thomas Bohey, a christening witness at the same church on August 13th 1654, and Edward Biho who married Anne Clear at St Mary -le-Bone, on June 29th 1676.