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| Origins Available: |
| | England |
The name Blizard is derived from the Middle English word "iblescede", which roughly means "to make sacred," in the sense "happy, fortunate." From 1300 onwards the word occurs as blisced, blissed, a form surviving, no doubt in Blissett, which may also derive from a woman’s name: Blissot atte Pole which appears in the Subsidy Rolls of Somerset in 1327. 1
The surname Blizard was first found in Oxfordshire where the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 list Hugh de Blesset as hold lands there at that time. The same source lists the forename Bissot. 2
Later in Cornwall, we found Alicia Iblessed in 1297 and in Staffordshire, we found John de Blessed in the Subsidy Rolls for 1327. 1
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Blizard research. Another 53 words (4 lines of text) covering the year 1752 is included under the topic Early Blizard History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Blizard are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. Scribes and monks in the Middle Ages spelled names they sounded, so it is common to find several variations that refer to a single person. The variations of the name Blizard include: Blessed, Blisset, Blissit, Blizard, Blizzard, Blissett and many more.
More information is included under the topic Early Blizard Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Blizard or a variant listed above:
Some of the first settlers of this family name were: