Blakemere History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The Blakemere name has descended through the generations from the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture. Their name comes from having lived in the area of Blackmore. Early members lived near one of two places named Blakmore, a parish in the diocese of Winchester, and a parish in the diocese of St. Albans. The place-name is derived from the Old English words blaec, meaning black, and mor, meaning marsh, and would have been used to name a settlement near a dark marsh. Another source notes the name could have meant ‘dweller by the dark mere’ from the Old English 'blæc' + 'mere', from the Old English 'blæc,' and the Middle English 'Mor' ‘a Moor’.1

Early Origins of the Blakemere family

The surname Blakemere was first found in the Domesday Book of 1086 where Blachemer was recorded in Shropshire (Salop.) 2 Years later, William de Blakemere was recorded in the Subsidy Rolls for Worcestershire in 1275 and later, Kateryna de Blakemere was registered in Herefordshire in 1296. 1

Baldwin de Blakomor was listed in the Pipe Rolls for Devon in 1200, as was Nicholas de Blakemore in the Assize Rolls for Staffordshire in 1307. 1

Early Norfolk records show William Blakhommore, Norwich, 1398; and William de Blachomor, Norwich, 4 Richard II (during the fourth year of the reign of Richard II.) 3

In Somerset, Margery de Blakemor was recorded there 1 Edward III (in the first year of King Edward III's reign.) 4

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 included: Richard de Blakemore, Oxfordshire; and (Prior) de Blakemore, Essex. 5

"The Blackmores are now numerous in Honiton and its neighbourhood, There is (or was) an epitaph in the Middle Temple church to Mark Blackmore, son of Mark Blackmore, of Harpford, in the county of Devon, gent. (Dugdale's "Orig. Jur. "), which cannot bear a later date than the early part of the 17th century. A family of the name lived in Exmouth last century: in 1746 Mr. Blackmore "leaded ye tower;" and in 1771 and 1811 William and John Blackmore were clerks of Exmouth Chapel (Webb) Blackmore and Blackmoor are places in Essex, Wilts, and other counties. Blakemore is now a Shropshire surname. Blakema and De Blakemor were surnames in Bucks, Oxon, and Essex six centuries ago." 6

Early History of the Blakemere family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Blakemere research. Another 87 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1086, 1654, 1684, 1720 and 1729 are included under the topic Early Blakemere History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Blakemere Spelling Variations

Only recently has spelling become standardized in the English language. As the English language evolved in the Middle Ages, the spelling of names changed also. The name Blakemere has undergone many spelling variations, including Blakemore, Blackmore, Blackamore, Blackmere and others.

Early Notables of the Blakemere family

Notables of the family at this time include Richard Blakemore, High Sheriff of Hereford; Sir Richard Blackmore (1654-1729), English poet and physician from Corsham, Wiltshire; Sir John Blackmore, English peer who was in the confidence of...
Another 36 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Blakemere Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Blakemere family

To escape the unstable social climate in England of this time, many families boarded ships for the New World with the hope of finding land, opportunity, and greater religious and political freedom. Although the voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, those families that arrived often found greater opportunities and freedoms than they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Blakemere were among those contributors: Henry Blackmoor, who was a boat owner in Bona Vista, Newfoundland, in 1781; Jean Blackmore settled at Greenspond Pond, Newfoundland, in 1817; Isaac, Francis, Henry, Thomas and William Blakemore arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania between 1830 and 1870.

The Blakemere 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: Pro Deo
Motto Translation: For God.

Citations +

Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Rye, Walter, A History of Norfolk. London: Elliot Stock, 62, Paternoster Row, 1885. Print
Dickinson, F.H., Kirby's Quest for Somerset of 16th of Edward the 3rd London: Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St, Martin's Lane, 1889. Print.
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.