This interesting and unusual name is of Medieval French origin and derives from a personal name composed of the Germanic elements 'bald', bold or brave, with 'ric', power. It is possible that these elements were present in the Old English pre 7th Century given name 'Bealdric', but the name was reintroduced into England by the normans with the Conquest of 1066, as 'Baldri', and 'Baudri', and it is thought that it is from these forms that this surname is derived. In the modern idiom the variants include Baldrey, Baudr(e)y, Boldry, Boldra, Baldrick and Bowdery. Amongst the sample recordings in London is the christening of one Marie Bauldry, on November 25th 1672 at the French Huguenot Church, Threadneedle Street, which signifies that this name had a third introduction into England with the Huguenot exiles, fleeing persecution, in France. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of William Baldri, which was dated 1185, 'Records of the Templars in England in the 12th Century', Hertfordshire, during the reign of King Henry 11, known as 'The Builder of Churches', 1154-1189. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.