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Blackett History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Motto Citations

Blackett History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Early Origins of the Blackett family

The surname Blackett was first found in Northumberland at Wylam, a township, in the parish of Ovingham, union of Hexham, E. division of Tindale ward. "The manor was an appurtenance to the monastery of Tynemouth, and was granted by the crown to a branch of the Fenwick family, of Fenwick Tower, from whom it passed to the Blacketts, in the reign of Charles II. It is now the property of Christopher Blackett, Esq., of Wylam House." 1

Again in Northumberland, but this time in West Matfen, we found Matfen Hall, "the beautiful seat of Sir Edward Blackett, Bart., a fine eminence sheltered by extensive woods." 1

Early History of the Blackett family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Blackett research. Another 129 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1300, 1621, 1649, 1657, 1673, 1680, 1685, 1688, 1689, 1690, 1705, 1718 and 1728 are included under the topic Early Blackett History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Blackett Spelling Variations

During the era when a person's name, tribe and posterity was one of his most important possessions, many different spellings were found in the archives examined. Blackett occurred in many references, and spelling variations of the name found included Blackett, Blackitt, Blackhead, Blacket, Blackit and others.

Early Notables of the Blackett family

Notable amongst the family name during their early history was

Sir William Blackett, 1st Baronet (1621-1680), English businessman in Newcastle and a politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1673 to 1680
Sir Edward Blackett, 2nd Baronet (1649-1718), an English landowner and politician
Sir William Blackett, 1st Baronet (1657-1705), an English landowner and politician, Member of Parliament for Newcastle-upon-Tyne in 1685,High Sheriff of Northumberland in 1688 and 1689

Blackett migration to the United States +

Gradually becoming disenchanted with life in Ireland many of these uprooted families sailed aboard the armada of sailing ships known as the "White Sails" which plied the stormy Atlantic. These overcrowded ships often arrived with only 60 to 70% of their original passenger list, many dying of illness and the elements, were buried at sea. In North America, early immigrants bearing the family name Blackett, or a spelling variation of the surname include:

Blackett Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Tym Blackett, aged 40, who landed in Virginia in 1635 aboard the ship "Plain Joan" 2

Blackett Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Joshua Blackett, who settled in Maryland in 1739
Joshua Blackett, who landed in Maryland in 1740 2
Tobiah Blackett, aged 25, who arrived in Carolina in 1774 2

Blackett Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

John W Blackett, who arrived in St Clair County, Illinois in 1896 2

Blackett migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Blackett Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Ebenezer Blackett, aged 28, a shoemaker, who arrived in South Australia in 1849 aboard the ship "Macedon" 3

Blackett migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Blackett Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. James Blackett, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Simlah" arriving in Otago, South Island, New Zealand in 1851 4
Mrs. Sarah Blackett, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Simlah" arriving in Otago, South Island, New Zealand in 1851 4
Mr. John Blackett, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Simlah" arriving in Otago, South Island, New Zealand in 1851 4
Miss Helen Blackett, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Simlah" arriving in Otago, South Island, New Zealand in 1851 4
Miss Blackett, British settler travelling from London with a female family member aboard the ship "Norfolk" arriving in Wellington, North Island, New Zealand on 18th June 1880 5
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Blackett (post 1700) +

Hill Blackett (1892-1967), American Republican politician, Member of Republican National Committee from Illinois, 1939; Delegate to Republican National Convention from Illinois, 1940, 1952 (alternate) 6
Patrick Maynard Stuart Blackett OM, CH, FRS (1897-1974), English experimental physicist awarded Nobel Prize for Physics in 1948
Sir Edward William Blackett, 7th Baronet Blackett, English army Colonel and Aide de Camp to HM Queen Victoria in 1878, High Sheriff of Northumberland in 1889
Sir Edward Blackett (1719-1804), 4th Baronet Blackett, High Sheriff of Northumberland (1757–1758)
Lee Blackett (b. 1982), English rugby player
Sir Basil Blackett KCB, KCSI (1882-1935), British Civil Servant and expert on international finance

The Blackett Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Nous travaillerons en L'esperance
Motto Translation: We will labor in hope.

Citations +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) The MACEDON 1849. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849Macedon.htm
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 15) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html