Blish History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The name Blish was brought to England in the great wave of migration following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Blish family lived in Leicestershire and Worcestershire. The family name, however, is not a reference to either of those locations, but to the area of the family's residence prior to the Norman Conquest, Blois, in the Loir-et-Cher region of France. 1
Another source claims that the "name seems to be connected with the Anglo-Saxon verb blissian, laetificare, to make glad or joyous." 2
Early Origins of the Blish family
The surname Blish was first found in Leicestershire and Worcestershire. The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 had two early entries for the family: John Blisse, Buckinghamshire; and John Blisse, Kent. 3
Early History of the Blish family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Blish research. Another 124 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1119, 1525, 1530, 1647, 1698, 1702, 1704, 1708 and 1721 are included under the topic Early Blish History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Blish Spelling Variations
Norman 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 Bliss, Bleys, Blois, Bloys, Bloiss and others.
Early Notables of the Blish family
Outstanding amongst the family at this time was John Bylsse (d. 1530), early English physician, born in the diocese of Bath and Wells. "He came to London, and practised in 1525, becoming a member of the College of Physicians. Being an astronomer as well as a physician, he left certain...
Another 49 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Blish Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Blish migration to the United States +
Many 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 Blish or a variant listed above:
Blish Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
- T. D. Blish, aged 34, who immigrated to the United States, in 1893
- T.S. Blish, aged 29, who landed in America, in 1894
- Lieut. John B. Blish, aged 38, who landed in America, in 1896
- Margt. Blish, aged 25, who immigrated to America from London, in 1896
Blish Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
- J. D. Blish, aged 38, who landed in America from Southampton, in 1904
- J.D. Blish, aged 40, who immigrated to the United States, in 1905
- J D Blish, aged 40, who settled in America, in 1906
- John D. Blish, aged 45, who settled in America, in 1908
- John Dameson Blish, who immigrated to the United States, in 1911
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Contemporary Notables of the name Blish (post 1700) +
- James Benjamin Blish (1921-1975), American author of fantasy and science fiction who sometimes used the pen-name William Atheling, Jr
- John Bell Blish (1860-1921), American gunsmith and inventor of the Blish lock, used in the Thompson submachine gun
- W. B. Blish, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Gold Democrat National Convention from Illinois, 1896 4
- Sylvester Blish, American politician, Member of Connecticut State House of Representatives from Glastonbury, 1833 4
- Roger Blish, American politician, Member of Connecticut State House of Representatives from Marlborough, 1835, 1839 4
- Dwight W. Blish, American politician, Prohibition Candidate for Connecticut State House of Representatives from Manchester, 1902, 1906 4
- Charles Blish Winder Jr. (1874-1921), American gold medalist sport shooter at the 1908 Summer Olympics
The Blish Motto +
The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.
Motto: Virtus sola felicitas
Motto Translation: Virtue is the only happiness
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)
- Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
- Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
- The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 19) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html