Blakiston History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Early Origins of the Blakiston family

The surname Blakiston was first found in the West Riding of Yorkshire at Blaxton, a township in the parish of Finningley, union and soke of Doncaster. 1

"Of William Blackstone, one of the earliest episcopal clergymen resident in New England (d. 1675) a biographer writes: 'His name was variantly spelled Blackstone, Blackston, and Blaxton." 2

"But it is not likely that Blaxton in Yorkshire is the sole parent of Blackstone and its variants. Doubtless other places in South England of the same name have had their share in making up the list of surnames found in our modern directories." 3

Continuing this direction, "Blackstone, Devon, was held [in the Domesday Book of ] 1086 by Alured le Breton (from Bretagne), who appears to have been succeeded by his grandson Payne Fitz-Serlo, who granted the church of Breton to Plympton Priory " 4

Following the aforementioned first record of the family, the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 lists Agnes Blacston, as holding lands in Cambridgeshire. 3

Early History of the Blakiston family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Blakiston research. Another 72 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1582, 1589, 1595, 1603, 1620, 1623, 1630, 1631, 1649, 1650, 1659, 1673, 1675, 1691, 1692, 1698, 1702, 1723, 1771 and 1780 are included under the topic Early Blakiston History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Blakiston 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. Blakiston occurred in many references, and spelling variations of the name found included Blackstone, Blakiston, Blakistone, Blaxton, Blackiston, Blackistone and many more.

Early Notables of the Blakiston family

Notable amongst the family name during their early history was

Sir Thomas Blakiston, was 1st Baronet of the Manor of Blakiston (1582-1630); Sir Ralph Blakiston, was 1st Baronet of Gibside (c. 1589-1650); Sir William Blakiston, was 2nd Baronet (died 1692.)
John Blakiston (c. 1603-1649), was an English Member of Parliament, one of the regicides of King Charles I, he died shortly after the Restoration, his estates were confiscated by the Sheriff of Durham...
Back in New England, Nehemiah Blakiston, was Governor of the Maryland colony from 1691 through 1692; and Colonel Nathaniel Blakiston, the 8th Royal Governor of Maryland from 1698 to 1702

Migration of the Blakiston family

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 Blakiston, or a spelling variation of the surname include: Elizabeth Blackston who settled in New England in 1638; John Blackston settled in New England in 1750; Thomas Blackston settled in Virginia in 1642; John Blackstone settled in Virginia in 1720.

Contemporary Notables of the name Blakiston (post 1700) +

Sir Norman Hunter Blakiston (1899-1977), 8th Baronet of London
Sir Ferguson Arthur James Blakiston (b. 1963), 9th Baronet of London
Sir Arthur Frederick Blakiston (1892-1974), 7th Baronet, English rugby union international wing who represented England twelve times
Sir Charles Edward Blakiston (1862-1941), 6th Baronet of London
Sir Horace Nevile Blakiston (1861-1936), 5th Baronet of London
Sir Matthew Blakiston (1811-1883), 4th Baronet of London
Sir Matthew Blakiston (1761-1806), 2nd Baronet of London
Sir Matthew Blakiston (1702-1774), 1st Baronet of London
Sir Francis Blakiston (d. 1716), 3rd Baronet of Gibside
Caroline Blakiston (b. 1933), English actress
... (Another 4 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Citations +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. 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)
The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)