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The origins of the Blakmar name lie with England's ancient Anglo-Saxon culture. It comes from when the family lived in the area of Blackmore. Early members lived near one of two places named Blakmore, a parish in the diocese of Winchester, and a parish in the diocese of St. Albans. The place-name is derived from the Old English words blaec, meaning black, and mor, meaning marsh, and would have been used to name a settlement near a dark marsh. Another source notes the name could have meant ‘dweller by the dark mere’ from the Old English 'blæc' + 'mere', from the Old English 'blæc,' and the Middle English 'Mor' ‘a Moor’.1
The surname Blakmar was first found in the Domesday Book of 1086 where Blachemer was recorded in Shropshire (Salop.) 2 Years later, William de Blakemere was recorded in the Subsidy Rolls for Worcestershire in 1275 and later, Kateryna de Blakemere was registered in Herefordshire in 1296. 1
Baldwin de Blakomor was listed in the Pipe Rolls for Devon in 1200, as was Nicholas de Blakemore in the Assize Rolls for Staffordshire in 1307. 1
Early Norfolk records show William Blakhommore, Norwich, 1398; and William de Blachomor, Norwich, 4 Richard II (during the fourth year of the reign of Richard II.) 3
In Somerset, Margery de Blakemor was recorded there 1 Edward III (in the first year of King Edward III's reign.) 4
The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 included: Richard de Blakemore, Oxfordshire; and (Prior) de Blakemore, Essex. 5
"The Blackmores are now numerous in Honiton and its neighbourhood, There is (or was) an epitaph in the Middle Temple church to Mark Blackmore, son of Mark Blackmore, of Harpford, in the county of Devon, gent. (Dugdale's "Orig. Jur. "), which cannot bear a later date than the early part of the 17th century. A family of the name lived in Exmouth last century: in 1746 Mr. Blackmore "leaded ye tower;" and in 1771 and 1811 William and John Blackmore were clerks of Exmouth Chapel (Webb) Blackmore and Blackmoor are places in Essex, Wilts, and other counties. Blakemore is now a Shropshire surname. Blakema and De Blakemor were surnames in Bucks, Oxon, and Essex six centuries ago." 6
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Blakmar research. Another 87 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1086, 1654, 1684, 1720 and 1729 are included under the topic Early Blakmar History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Before the last few hundred years, the English language had no fast system of spelling rules. For that reason, spelling variations are commonly found in early Anglo-Saxon surnames. Over the years, many variations of the name Blakmar were recorded, including Blakemore, Blackmore, Blackamore, Blackmere and others.
Notables of the family at this time include Richard Blakemore, High Sheriff of Hereford; Sir Richard Blackmore (1654-1729), English poet and physician from Corsham, Wiltshire; Sir John Blackmore, English peer who was in the confidence of...
Another 36 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Blakmar Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
To escape oppression and starvation at that time, many English families left for the "open frontiers" of the New World with all its perceived opportunities. In droves people migrated to the many British colonies, those in North America in particular, paying high rates for passages in cramped, unsafe ships. Although many of the settlers did not make the long passage alive, those who did see the shores of North America perceived great opportunities before them. Many of the families that came from England went on to make essential contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Research into various historical records revealed some of first members of the Blakmar family emigrate to North America: Henry Blackmoor, who was a boat owner in Bona Vista, Newfoundland, in 1781; Jean Blackmore settled at Greenspond Pond, Newfoundland, in 1817; Isaac, Francis, Henry, Thomas and William Blakemore arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania between 1830 and 1870.