Blanche History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
France

The name Blanche has a history dating as far back as the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. It was a name for a person who was fair haired or pale or white of complexion. The name stems from the Old French word blanc, which means white.

The Magni Rotuli Scaccarii Normanniae includes entries for William Blanc and Robert and John Blanche in Normandy, 1180-1195, confirming the Norman origin of the family. 1

Early Origins of the Blanche family

The surname Blanche was first found in Northamptonshire at Peterborough Castle where Blanche of England, LG (1392-1409), also known as Blanche of Lancaster, was an English princess of the House of Lancaster. She was the sixth of the seven children born during the marriage of Prince Henry of Lancaster and his wife. Her brother, Henry of Monmouth would later become King Henry V of England.

Early English rolls provide us a glimpse of the spelling variations used through Medieval times. Today we typically need to look beyond the spellings of these entries and concentrate on a phonetic appreciation of the names.

The Feet of Fines for Lincolnshire list Alexander Blanche in 1208 and the same rolls but for Oxfordshire, list Matilda Blaunche in 1270. Thomas Blanch was found in Colchester in 1312 and later Matilda Blanache was recorded in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379. 2

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 included: John Blannche, Huntingdonshire; Elianora Blanche, Cambridgeshire; and Henry Blanche, Oxfordshire. 3

The Placita de Quo Warranto, temp. Edward I-III includes an entry for Clement Blaunche, Warwickshire, 20 Edward I (during the twentieth year of King Edward I's reign) and the Close Rolls have entry for John Blanche, 2 Edward IV. 3

Early History of the Blanche family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Blanche research. Another 122 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1503, 1592, 1649, 1710, 1713, 1716 and 1725 are included under the topic Early Blanche History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Blanche Spelling Variations

Before the last few hundred years the English language had no fixed system of spelling rules. For that reason, spelling variations occurred commonly in Anglo Norman surnames. Over the years, many variations of the name Blanche were recorded, including Blanch, Blanche, Blanck, Blank, Blance, Blanx and others.

Early Notables of the Blanche family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was

Thomas and Matthew Blanche of the Shetlands; Thomas Blanck, Lord Mayor of London

Blanche Ranking

In the United States, the name Blanche is the 12,270^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 4 However, in France, the name Blanche is ranked the 3,182^nd most popular surname with an estimated 2,000 - 2,500 people with that name. 5

Blanche migration to the United States +

The unstable environment in England at this time caused numerous families to board ships and leave in search of opportunity and freedom from persecution abroad in places like Ireland, Australia, and particularly the New World. The voyage was extremely difficult, however, and only taken at great expense. The cramped conditions and unsanitary nature of the vessels caused many to arrive diseased and starving, not to mention destitute from the enormous cost. Still opportunity in the emerging nations of Canada and the United States was far greater than at home and many went on to make important contributions to the cultures of their adopted countries. An examination of many early immigration records reveals that people bearing the name Blanche arrived in North America very early:

Blanche Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Elizabeth Blanche, who settled in Virginia in 1635
John Blanche, who settled in Virginia in 1663

Blanche migration to Australia +

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

Blanche Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. Edward Blanche, (b. 1787), aged 51, English farm worker from Rolvenden, Kent, England travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Maitland" arriving in New South Wales, Australia on 6th November 1838, he died in 1860 6
Miss Elizabeth Blanche, (b. 1821), aged 18, English house servant from Rolvenden, Kent, England travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Maitland" arriving in New South Wales, Australia on 6th November 1838, she died in 1910 7
Miss Philadelphia Blanche, (b. 1823), aged 16, English house servant from Rolvenden, Kent, England travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Maitland" arriving in New South Wales, Australia on 6th November 1838, she died in 1872 8
Mr. Samuel Blanche, (b. 1826), aged 12, English settler from Rolvenden, Kent, England travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Maitland" arriving in New South Wales, Australia on 6th November 1838, he died in 1819 9
Miss Mary Blanche, (b. 1828), aged 9, English settler from Rolvenden, Kent, England travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Maitland" arriving in New South Wales, Australia on 6th November 1838, she emigrated to California C. 1855, she died in 1915 10
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Blanche (post 1700) +

Bartolomé Guillermo Blanche Espejo (1879-1970), Chilean military officer and provisional president of Chile in 1932
Jacques-Émile Blanche (1861-1942), French artist and author, born in Paris, he was best known for his many portraits
Thyra Blanche Alleyne (1875-1954), English academic, one of the first women to graduate from Durham University
Valentine Blanche Charlet MBE (1898-1985), English member of the Women's Transport Service with the Special Operations Executive (SOE) during World War II
Carmen Blanche Silvera (1922-2002), Canadian-born British comic actress, best known for her starring role in the British television programme, 'Allo 'Allo!
E. Blanche Phillips, American politician, Member of Maryland State House of Delegates from Baltimore city 3rd District, 1935-37 11
Blanche Edith Baughan (1870-1958), English-born, New Zealand poet, writer, botanist and penal reformer
Blanche Calloway (1902-1978), American jazz singer, bandleader, and composer, older sister of Cab Calloway
Blanche M. Manning (1934-2020), American jurist, Senior United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
Blanche Bingley (1863-1946), English tennis player who won six singles Wimbledon championships (1886, 1889, 1894, 1897, 1898, 1900)

Citations +

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)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
Ship Voyages to New South Wales (Retrieved 11th July 2021). Retrieved from https://indexes.records.nsw.gov.au/ebook/list.aspx?Page=NRS5313/4_4780/Maitland_5 Nov 1838/4_478000079.jpg&No=35
Ship Voyages to New South Wales (Retrieved 11th July 2021). Retrieved from https://indexes.records.nsw.gov.au/ebook/list.aspx?Page=NRS5313/4_4780/Maitland_5 Nov 1838/4_478000079.jpg&No=36
Ship Voyages to New South Wales (Retrieved 11th July 2021). Retrieved from https://indexes.records.nsw.gov.au/ebook/list.aspx?Page=NRS5313/4_4780/Maitland_5 Nov 1838/4_478000079.jpg&No=37
Ship Voyages to New South Wales (Retrieved 11th July 2021). Retrieved from https://indexes.records.nsw.gov.au/ebook/list.aspx?Page=NRS5313/4_4780/Maitland_5 Nov 1838/4_478000079.jpg&No=38
Ship Voyages to New South Wales (Retrieved 11th July 2021). Retrieved from https://indexes.records.nsw.gov.au/ebook/list.aspx?Page=NRS5313/4_4780/Maitland_5 Nov 1838/4_478000079.jpg&No=39
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 21) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html