Bly History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:

England

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The illustrious surname Bly finds its origin in the rocky, seaswept coastal area of southwestern England known as Cornwall. Under the Feudal System of government, surnames evolved and they often reflected life on the manor and in the field. Nickname surnames were rare among the Cornish, they did occasionally adopt names that reflected the physical characteristics or other attributes of the original bearer of the name. The name Bly is a nickname type of surname for a gentle or merry person. Further research revealed that the name is derived from the Old English word blide, of the same meaning.

Early Origins of the Bly family

The surname Bly was first found in Cornwall and Devon, where the name could also have been derived from the Cornish "blyth" as in blyth wolf. 1

The "Blighs have been settled in Cornwall from the Norman Conquest to the present time. Norden mentions a branch of this family as residing in his time at Botaden in South Petherwin, in which house their arms still remain. When the Duke of Norfolk held a session of heraldry in this county, the Blighs resided at Bodmin. The Earl of Darnley is a branch of this family. The late John Bligh, Esq. and Admiral Bligh, are descended from the same common stock." 2

Another early records of the family include: Gilbert de Blie, who listed in the Pipe Rolls (of Nottinghamshire in 1200. 1

Early History of the Bly family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bly research. Another 165 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1505, 1558, 1588, 1600, 1610, 1615, 1619, 1646, 1654, 1685, 1687, 1692, 1693, 1695, 1699, 1703, 1710, 1723, 1725, 1728 and 1775 are included under the topic Early Bly History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bly Spelling Variations

Cornish surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The official court languages, which were Latin and French, were also influential on the spelling of a surname. Since the spelling of surnames was rarely consistent in medieval times, and 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 of their surname in the ancient chronicles. Moreover, a large number of foreign names were brought into England, which accelerated and accentuated the alterations to the spelling of various surnames. Lastly, spelling variations often resulted from the linguistic differences between the people of Cornwall and the rest of England. The Cornish spoke a unique Brythonic Celtic language which was first recorded in written documents during the 10th century. However, they became increasingly Anglicized, and Cornish became extinct as a spoken language in 1777, although it has been revived by Cornish patriots in the modern era. The name has been spelled Bligh, Blighe, Bly, Blye and others.

Early Notables of the Bly family

More information is included under the topic Early Bly Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bly Ranking

In the United States, the name Bly is the 5,633^rd most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 3

Migration of the Bly family to Ireland

Some of the Bly family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 90 words (6 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bly migration to the United States +

Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America carried the name Bly, or a variant listed above:

Bly Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Mary Bly, who landed in Virginia in 1653 4
John Bly, who landed in Maryland in 1670 4

Bly Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Sara Bly, who arrived in Virginia in 1704 4
Sarah Bly, who landed in Virginia in 1714 4
Elizabeth Bly, who settled in Virginia in 1774

Bly Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

James Bly, who arrived in New York in 1847 4
Thomas Bly, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1869 4

Bly migration to Australia +

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

Bly Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. Daniel Bly, English convict who was convicted in Swaffham, Norfolk, England for 14 years, transported aboard the "Fairlie" on 9th Mary 1852, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Island) 5

Bly migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Bly Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. Ole Neilsen Bly, (b. 1835), aged 37, Scandinavian farm labourer travelling from Hamburg aboard the ship "Palmerston" arriving in Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 12th December 1872 6
Mrs. Marin Bly, (b. 1839), aged 33, Scandinavian settler travelling from Hamburg aboard the ship "Palmerston" arriving in Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 12th December 1872 6
Mr. Carl Bly, (b. 1871), aged 1 year 6 months, Scandinavian settler travelling from Hamburg aboard the ship "Palmerston" arriving in Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 12th December 1872 6
William Bly, aged 32, a farm labourer, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Assaye" in 1874 7
Susannah Bly, aged 27, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Assaye" in 1874 7
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Bly (post 1700) +

Robert Elwood Bly (1926-2021), American poet, essayist, activist, and leader of the mythopoetic men's movement, he won the 1968 National Book Award for Poetry for his book The Light Around the Body
Nellie Bly (1864-1922), pen name Elizabeth Cochran Seaman, an American journalist, author, industrialist, and charity worker, best known for her record-breaking trip around the world in 72 days
Max T Bly Sr. (1905-1987), American bobsledder
Stephen Bly (b. 1944), American author & novelist
Carol Bly (1930-2007), teacher and an award-winning American author of short stories
Donald André "Dré" Bly (b. 1977), American football cornerback
Ray Bly, American politician, Candidate for U.S. Senator from Maryland, 2004 8
John Bly, American politician, Member of South Dakota State House of Representatives 10th District, 1905-06 8
James F. Bly (b. 1886), American Republican politician, Architect; Member of New York State Assembly from Kings County 11th District, 1920-22; Defeated, 1922, 1923, 1924 8
Edward S. Bly, American politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from New York 31st District, 1922 8
... (Another 7 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)