This interesting Olde English name has a number of possible origins, some verging on the more basic aspects of medieval humour and attitudes to life! The apparent translation is 'one who lives by the bulls house' - which would appear to refer to male cattle and in some cases this may be literally true as in John de la Bulehuse', 1224, Hampshire, but overall the name is most likely to have been a nickname referring not so much to the name holder but to the former owner of the place where he lived ie. the house of 'bull'. In the modern idiom the spellings include Bolus, Bullas Bullass, all quite rare. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Henry de Bolus. which was dated 1327, The Pipe Rolls of Derby. during the reign of King Edward 111 The Father of the Navy 1327 - 1377. 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.