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Blank History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Citations

Blank History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Netherlands
England
France
Germany

From the historical and enchanting region of Austria emerged a multitude of noble families, including the distinguished Blank family. Originally, the Austrian people were known only by a single name. The process by which hereditary surnames were adopted in Austria is extremely interesting. Surnames evolved during the Middle Ages when people began to assume an extra name to avoid confusion and to further identify themselves. Often they adopted names that were derived from nicknames. Nickname surnames were derived from an eke-name, or added name. They usually reflected the physical characteristics or attributes of the first person that used the name. The name Blank is a nickname type of surname for a person with blond hair or a pale complexion having derived from the German word blanc, which means white or light.

Early Origins of the Blank family

The surname Blank was first found in Austria and southern Bavaria, where this family made important contributions toward the development of the district from ancient times. Always prominent in social and political affairs, the family forged alliances with other families within the nation. Chronicles first mention Nicholas Plank of Bruenn in 1345, and the brothers Joerg and Ulrich Plank of Ulm in 1460.

Early History of the Blank family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Blank research. Another 114 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1622, 1733 and 1751 are included under the topic Early Blank History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Blank Spelling Variations

In the medieval era, many different cultural groups lived in the German states. There are thus many regional variations of German surnames from that era. Westphalians spoke Low German, which is similar to modern Dutch. Many German names carry suffixes that identify where they came from. Others have phrases attached that identify something about the original bearer. Other variations in German names resulted from the fact that medieval scribes worked without the aid of any spelling rules. The spelling variations of the name Blank include Planck, Planckh, Plank, Plankl, Plankel, Plenk, Blanck and many more.

Early Notables of the Blank family

Another 47 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Blank Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Blank Ranking

In the United States, the name Blank is the 2,160^th most popular surname with an estimated 14,922 people with that name. 1

Blank migration to the United States +

After the First World War, Austria became a republic. The Treaty of Versailles broke up the empire in 1919 and many of the Sudeten Germans were incorporated into the new nation of Czechoslovakia. In the 20th century, many Austrians migrated to other parts of Germany or Europe, as well as to North America. In the United States, the majority of settlers landed in Philadelphia, and moved on to Ohio, Texas, Illinois, California, New York, and Maryland. Many German settlers also migrated to Canada, particularly Ontario and the Prairies. Amongst the settlers in North America with this distinguished name Blank were

Blank Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Henry Blank who settled in Virginia in 1701
Niklaas Blank, who arrived in New York in 1709 2
Christian Blank, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1733 2
Hans Michel Blank, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1751 2
David Blank, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1754
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Blank Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Conrad Blank, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1803 2
Mr. Blank, who landed in Venezuela in 1842 2
Daniel Blank, aged 20, who landed in America in 1843 2
Karl Friedrich Blank, aged 32, who landed in America in 1843 2
Mrs. Blank, German who arrived in Galveston, Texas in 1845 aboard the ship "Harriet"
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Blank Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Katharina Blank, who landed in North America in 1900 2

Blank migration to Australia +

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

Blank Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. Henry Blank, (b. 1872), aged 18, Cornish settler travelling aboard the ship "Taroba" arriving in Queensland, Australia on 5th December 1890 3

Contemporary Notables of the name Blank (post 1700) +

Rebecca Margaret Blank (1955-2023), American economist and academic administrator, Chancellor of the University of Wisconsin–Madison (2013-2022), United States Secretary of Commerce (2012-2013)
Jessica Blank, American actress, writer, and director
Julius Blank (1925-2011), American semiconductor pioneer, member of the so-called traitorous eight, founder Fairchild Semiconductor
Hanne Blank (b. 1969), American historian, writer, editor and public speaker
Arthur M. Blank (b. 1942), American businessman and a co-founder of the home improvement retailer The Home Depot
Amanda Blank (b. 1983), born Amanda Mallory, an American singer, rapper and member of the performance art band Sweatheart
Joani Blank (1937-2016), American entrepreneur, writer and videographer
Martin Blank (b. 1962), American glass artist
Marc Blank, American computer game designer
Harrod Blank (b. 1963), American documentary filmmaker
... (Another 24 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Blank family +

Bismarck

Heinrich Blank (1921-1941), German Matrosengefreiter who served aboard the German Battleship Bismarck during World War II when it was sunk heading to France; he died in the sinking 4

HMS Repulse

Mr. Frederick James Blank, British Marine, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and died in the sinking 5

RMS Titanic

Mr. Henry Blank, aged 39, American First Class passenger from Glen Ridge, New Jersey who sailed aboard the RMS Titanic and survived the sinking escaping in life boat 7 6

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
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)
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retreived 3rd May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_australia_queensland.pdf
Bismarck & Tirpitz Class - Crew List Bismarck. (Retrieved 2018, February 06). Retrieved from https://www.bismarck-class.dk/bismarck/crew/bismarck_crew.html#crew_details
HMS Repulse Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listrepulsecrew.html
Titanic Passenger List - Titanic Facts. (Retrieved 2016, July 13) . Retrieved from http://www.titanicfacts.net/titanic-passenger-list.html