Blaye History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Early Origins of the Blaye family

The surname Blaye was first found in Yorkshire where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor. The Norman influence of English history strongly penetrated English society after the Battle of Hastings in 1066. The language of the courts was French for the next three centuries and the Norman ambience prevailed.

The family name was first referenced in the 11th century in Yorkshire when they held estates in that shire. Robert Blaise succeeded in 1272. They are believed to be originally from Blay, 3 miles north east of Le Molay in Calvados.

The name may have been associated with a 4th century (316) French saint Blasius of Armenie (Armienes,) and later introduced into and adopted by Yorkshire people as their saint of wool-combers from a Norman noble.

"David Blaize" is a novel of school life by English author Edward Frederic Benson OBE. Published in 1916, it was quickly followed up by a second, entitled "David Blaize and the Blue Door" in 1918. The final novel of the trilogy was "David of King's" in 1924, but as to why the author chose the surname "Blaise" for the character for these novels remains a mystery.

Early History of the Blaye family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Blaye research. Another 99 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1455, 1487, 1642, 1784, 1799, 1813 and 1820 are included under the topic Early Blaye History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Blaye Spelling Variations

Endless spelling variations are a prevailing characteristic of Norman surnames. Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules, and the introduction of Norman French added an unfamiliar ingredient to the English linguistic stew. French and Latin, the languages of the court, also influenced spellings. Finally, Medieval scribes generally spelled words according to how they sounded, so one person was often referred to by different spellings in different documents. The name has been spelled Blaise, Blaize, Blaze, Blasey, Blease, Bleas, Blase, Blays, Blayze, Blazey, Blazer and many more.

Early Notables of the Blaye family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was François Henri Joseph Blaze, e, one of the most prolific writers on music and the drama France has produced, was born at Cavaillon in 1784. His father, a lawyer by profession, was a good musician, friend of Grétry and Méhul, and composer of masses, operas, and chamber music. Blaze was sent to Paris in 1799 to study the law, but the love of music soon began to show itself. He became a pupil at the Conservatoire, and took private lessons in harmony. In the meantime his professional career promised to be a prosperous...
Another 175 words (12 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Blaye Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Blaye migration to the United States +

To escape the political and religious persecution within England at the time, many English families left for the various British colonies abroad. The voyage was extremely difficult, though, and the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving. But for those who made it, the trip was most often worth it. Many of the families who arrived went on to make valuable contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Blaye or a variant listed above:

Blaye Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

William Blaye, who arrived in Virginia in 1636 [1]
John Blaye, who landed in Virginia in 1660 [1]

Citations +

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)