The family name Boniface has its roots in Italy where the latin means literally "good-destiny". During early Christian times the vernacular meaning evolved to "doer of good deeds", and the name is used by 9 popes. The following variations are seen - Bonniface, Boneface, Bonnyface, Bonneyface, Bonyface, Boneyface, Bonifas & Bonifacio.

The Boniface name is found in Sussex from the mid 1500s, where we see a Huguenot families - French Protestants - appearing in Rye after they fled France as religious refugees following an Edict in 1535, banning Heretics in France. The Boniface family appears in Woodmancote / Steyning locale of Sussex with Richard and Thomas who marry there in 1580s. That said, we have yet to link our line to these progenitors. 

Current research identifies our line of the Boniface family first appearing in records in Sussex in the 1680 where Thomas Boniface has his son Henry Boniface baptised in Woodmancote in 1684. Thomas's granddaughter Sarah Boniface marries Josiah Bashford and it is their great grandson - George William Bashford who emigrates to Australia around 1865

The Boniface ancestry goes back 11 generations and biographies exist for some members as indicated by links

• Thomas Boniface married Mary Brooker OR Stephen Boniface married Jane Upton
  • Henry Boniface 1684 - 1760 married Sarah Davies
    • Sarah Boniface 1721 - 1778 married Josiah Bashford
      • Josiah Bashford 1760 - 1835 married Sarah Moone
        • Josias Bashford 1800 - 1880 married Frances Greenyer
          • George William Bashford 1840 - 1893 married Sarah Ann Starkey Fullelove
            • /wiki/spaces/HFHW/pages/2523599 married James Cairns Bain
              • James Bashford Bain 1893 - 1971 married Eva Mary Yates
                • Doreen Bain 1921 - 2000 married Douglas James Hardie
                  • My father