Blackough History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland

The Blackough family name comes from a place name that was first used among the Viking settlers who arrived in the shores of Scotland in the Middle Ages. The Blackough name comes from someone having lived in the counties of the Scottish/English Borderlands.

Early Origins of the Blackough family

The surname Blackough was first found in Cumberland at either Great Blencow or Little Blencow, townships in the parish of Greystock, union of Penrith, Leath ward. Of interest is this entry about Little Blencow: "Near an ancient house, once the residence of the Blencows, are some dispersed ruins of buildings, particularly those of a chapel, with a burial-ground adjoining; and near the road is an inclosed cemetery, in which stands a stone cross, with the arms of the family engraved on it." 1

One of the first records of the family was that of Adam de Blencowe who was awarded land by Edward III in 1358 and was "Standard Bearer to William, Baron of Greystoke." 2

It is thought that original family home was built in Great Blencow. The mansion of Ennim, just south of the village was the home for many years of the Blencow family. Blencowe Hall, just to the west of Little Blencow consists of two fortified pele towers joined by connecting buildings.

"The Blencowes of Oxfordshire are probably descended from the ancient family of the name that resided at Marston or Merston, Northamptonshire, for many generations, as far back as the reign of Henry VI.; to this family belonged Sir John Blencowe, a Judge of the Common Pleas." 3

Early History of the Blackough family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Blackough research. Another 100 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1350, 1625, 1640, 1642, 1656, 1683, 1701, 1712, 1718, 1720 and 1925 are included under the topic Early Blackough History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Blackough Spelling Variations

Translation and spelling were non-standardized practices in the Middle Ages, so scribes had only their ears to rely on. This was a practice of extremely limited efficiency, and spelling variations in names, even within a single document, were the result. Over the years, Blackough has appeared Blencoe, Blencow, Blencowe, Blacoe, Blackow, Blacowe, Blenco, Blenko, Blencko, Blanco and many more.

Early Notables of the Blackough family

Notable amongst the family at this time was Henry Blencowe, High Sheriff of Cumberland in 1625; and Anne Blencowe, Lady Blencowe, née Wallis (1656-1718), an English compiler of recipes. It is generally thought that she developed an early version of what is now named a "stock cube" or "bouillon cube." She called her recipes "receipts" and were kept in the library of her daughter Susanna Jennens at Weston Hall. The house passed through the female line until the book was discovered by Georgia Sitwell who arranged for the book to be published in 1925...
Another 93 words (7 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Blackough Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Blackough family

The fertile east coast of what would become US and Canada was soon dotted with the farms of Scottish settlers. Some of them remained faithful to the crown and called themselves United Empire Loyalists, while others had the chance to pay back their old oppressors in the American War of Independence. That brave spirit lives on today in the highland games that dot North America in the summer. Passenger and immigration lists indicate that members of the Blackough family came to North America quite early: D. Blanco who arrived in New Orleans in 1823; Richard Blencowe arrived in New York in 1830; Richard Blencowe settled in Boston Massachusetts in 1774; and many more..

The Blackough 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: Quorsum vivere mori
Motto Translation: Wherefore live to die.

Citations +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.