Bulenda Family History

Family Name History

The surname Bulenda is not a typical Polish or Slavic family name, which may seem contradictory at first, as my ancestors appear to have originated from Eastern Europe. However, further research has uncovered various spelling variations of the name, including:

• Bulenda / Bullenda
• Bulanda / Bullanda
• Bula / Bulla

It's not uncommon for family names to evolve in their spelling over time. Therefore, I assume these variations are connected.

Etymological Background

An interesting discovery is that the name Bullanda is a conjugated or declined form of Bullandus, which is derived from Bullo, and that, in turn, comes from Bulla. The term Bulla appears in many European languages, such as English, Finnish, Irish, Latin, Polish, and Spanish. It can be interpreted in three different ways:

1. Bubble
2. A swollen or bubble-shaped object, such as:
   • Door knob
   • Amulet worn by Roman children of the upper class
   • Seal of official sacred documents (Papal Bull)
3. Official sacred document

One possible interpretation is that the surname was given to people involved in sacred correspondence.

Linguistic Insights

The word Bulla appears in two major language families:

• Gaulish (6th century BC to 6th century AD; spoken mainly in France, Belgium, and Northern Italy)
• Indo-European (roughly 4000 BC onwards; the root for many languages across Europe and Asia)

In addition, during my research, I encountered some curiosities that should not go unmentioned:

• Bulanda is the Arabic term for Poland, with alternative spellings like Bolanda and Polanda. This might be derived from the English term "Poland."
• In southwestern Panjabi, a language spoken in northeastern India and China, Bulenda means the verb "to speak."

Geography

Origin and Residence of the Bulenda Family

Tracing the exact geographic origin of the Bulenda surname is challenging, but it is clear that the name is of European origin. Historical records from the early 19th century indicate that my ancestors lived in a region approximately 10 kilometers wide, stretching between Racibórz and Turze in what is now Poland. Numerous other Bulendas, with no direct family connection to me, also resided in this area.

Historically, this region was under German rule until the end of World War II. However, it was ethnically diverse, with both Polish and German citizens living side by side. Notable locations where Bulenda families were found include:

• Ligota Książęca (formerly Herzoglich Ellguth) – Racibórz District
• Turze (formerly Wallendorf)
• Lubowice (formerly Lubowitz)
• Sławików
• Budzisk

After World War II, some distant relatives from my family emigrated to Bavaria and Heidelberg, Germany. Furthermore, historical databases show that other Bulendas emigrated to the United States as early as the mid-19th century.

Property in Dziegowitz

• Property located in Dziegowitz (now known as Oderwalde in German, Dziergowice in Polish) near Budzisk
• Land registry number: 654
• Registered owner: Georg Bulenda
• Arable land, 3630 square meters, located in "Ostra"
• Net yield: 1.70 Thalers
• Property acquired through purchase from his father-in-law, Jacob Czogalla
• Documents dated between November 3, 1860, and January 9, 1861
• Context: This refers to a Georg Bulenda who married Maria (Marianna) Czogalla on July 3, 1825. They had a daughter, Marianna Bulenda, born on April 16, 1839, in Budzisk - indicating a Georg Bulenda from a different family line
• Church records from Budzisk suggest that Marianna Czogalla's parents were Jacob Czogalla and Marianna Sendzielorka from Budzisk, and that Marianna was born on March 20, 1804

For more information, please refer to the archival document.

Name Variations and Distribution

Our research has uncovered several variations of the Bulenda name across different regions of Poland:

• Bulenda: Found in Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship (Teren Kujawsko-Pomorskie), including Władysław Bulenda born in 1909 in Parafia Kruszyn.
• Bilenda and Bielenda: Distributed throughout the 19th century in the Łódź region (Teren Łódzkie).
• Białenda, Bielada: Additional variations found in Poland.
• Bulanda: Numerous records from the late 18th and early 19th centuries in the Lesser Poland region (Teren Małopolski), particularly in parishes like Kamienica and towns like Szczawa and Lipnica Wielka.
• Bulenda and Bulęda: Many records from the mid-19th century onwards, especially in Parafia Łącko and towns like Zabrzeż, as well as in Parafia Kamienica and Szczawa.
• Bielenda: Common in the Podkarpackie region from the late 18th through the 20th century, found in parishes like Trzęsówka and towns like Siedlanka and Jasionka-Gęsiówka.

Interestingly, the shift from Bulanda to Bulenda/Bulęda in some areas, such as Szczawa, suggests that the surname may have evolved over time.

Family Members of Interest