| ![Show Contents]() Blesh History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 England Blesh is an ancient Norman name that arrived in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Blesh family lived in Leicestershire, Suffolk, and Worcestershire. The family name, however, is not a reference to any of those locations, but to the family's residence prior to the Norman Conquest, in Blois, in the Loir-et-Cher region of France. Early Origins of the Blesh familyThe surname Blesh was first found in Suffolk, where they held a family seat since the reign of Richard I or King John. 1 However, some of the family were established at Bishop's Waltham in Southampton at early times. "Here are the remains of the once magnificent palace annexed to the see of Winchester, built in 1135 by Bishop Henry de Blois, brother of King Stephen, and greatly embellished by Wykeham. Henry II. held a great council in this palace in 1182." 2 Early History of the Blesh familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Blesh research. Another 157 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1066, 1135, 1154, 1205, 1219, 1327, 1497, 1600, 1634, 1686 and 1997 are included under the topic Early Blesh History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Blesh Spelling VariationsNorman surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are largely due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England, as well as the official court languages of Latin and French, also had pronounced influences on the spelling of surnames. Since medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings. The name has been spelled Bloss, Blos, Blois, Bloy, Bleys, Blosse, Bloyce and many more. Early Notables of the Blesh familyAnother 40 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Blesh Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Blesh familyMany English families emigrated to North American colonies in order to escape the political chaos in Britain at this time. Unfortunately, many English families made the trip to the New World under extremely harsh conditions. Overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the stormy Atlantic. Despite these hardships, many of the families prospered and went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the United States and Canada. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name Blesh or a variant listed above: Sarah Bloss who arrived in America in 1754 and Peter Bloss who arrived in Philadelphia in 1766.
- Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
- Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
 |
