Show ContentsBlore History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Blore comes from one of the family having worked as a blower, or one who plays the horn. [1]

Early Origins of the Blore family

The surname Blore was first found in Staffordshire at Bloore-in-Tyrley or Blore Heath, a sparsely populated area of farmland best known as the site of the first major battle in the English Wars of the Roses fought on 23 September 1459. [2]

This parish in the north division of the hundred of Totmonslow, which was known as Blore or Blore-Roy dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086 when it was recorded as Blora [3] and literally meant "place at the swelling or hill." [4]

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. Randulf Bla was listed in the Assize Rolls for Lincolnshire in 1202 and later in Huntingdonshire, Roger Blowe was listed there in 1271. Up in Yorkshire, the Subsidy Rolls of 1327 included an entry for Thomas Blaue. [5]

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 included the following entries for the family: Henry Blowe, Cambridgeshire; Isabella Blowe, Oxfordshire; and William Blowe, Oxfordshire. [1]

In Somerset, there was one entry, 1 Edward III (during the first year of the reign of King Edward III), that of John Blowe. [6]

Early History of the Blore family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Blore research. Another 303 words (22 lines of text) covering the years 1459, 1548, 1574, 1575, 1618, 1639, 1640, 1648, 1649, 1662, 1669, 1701, 1708 and 1761 are included under the topic Early Blore History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Blore Spelling Variations

Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate spelled their names differently as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Blore have been found, including: Bloor, Blore, Bloare, Bloore, Blour, Bloure and others.

Early Notables of the Blore family

Distinguished members of the family include John Blow (1649-1708), an English Baroque composer and organist, appointed to Westminster Abbey in 1669. He "is said by all his biographers to have been born at North Colfingham, in Nottinghamshire, in 1648, but the registers of that parish...
Another 45 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Blore Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Blore migration to the United States +

Families began migrating abroad in enormous numbers because of the political and religious discontent in England. Often faced with persecution and starvation in England, the possibilities of the New World attracted many English people. Although the ocean trips took many lives, those who did get to North America were instrumental in building the necessary groundwork for what would become for new powerful nations. Among the first immigrants of the name Blore, or a variant listed above to cross the Atlantic and come to North America were :

Blore Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • John Blore, aged 27, who landed in Virginia in 1610 aboard the ship "Star" [7]
  • Francis Blore, aged 25, who landed in Virginia in 1620 aboard the ship "London Merchant" [7]
  • William Blore, who settled in Virginia in 1636
  • Eliza Blore, who settled in Virginia in 1653

Australia Blore migration to Australia +

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

Blore Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Fred. Blore, aged 27, a carpenter, who arrived in South Australia in 1852 aboard the ship "Chatham" [8]

Contemporary Notables of the name Blore (post 1700) +

  • Gary T. Blore, American Rear Admiral of the United States Coast Guard, Commander of the Thirteenth Coast Guard District
  • Thomas Blore (1764-1818), English topographer, born at Ashborne, Derbyshire, 1 Dec. 1764 [9]
  • Robert Blore (d. 1866), English manufacturer of small porcelain 'biscuit' figures in Bridge Gate, Derby
  • Edward Blore (1787-1879), English artist and architect, born at Derby on 13 Sept. 1787, the eldest son of Thomas Blore, author of the ‘History of Rutland’ [9]
  • Edward William Blore (1828-1885), English amateur cricketer
  • Eric Blore (1887-1959), English actor
  • Hannah Blore, Welsh professional sailor


  1. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  2. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  3. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  4. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
  5. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  6. 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.
  7. 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)
  8. South Australian Register Tuesday 3 February 1852. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) CHATHAM 1852. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/chatham1852.shtml
  9. Wikisource contributors. "Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900." Wikisource . Wikisource , 4 Jun. 2018. Web. 5 Feb. 2019


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