Show ContentsBlachwalls History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Blachwalls

What does the name Blachwalls mean?

The history of the Blachwalls family goes back to the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. It is derived from the family living at one of two places called Blackwell, one near a parish in Derbyshire near Alfreton, and the other a township in the parish of Darlington, Durham having derived from the Old English words bloec, which means black and woell, which means spring or stream. 1

Early Origins of the Blachwalls family

The surname Blachwalls was first found in Derbyshire where they held a family seat from very ancient times. 2 "Blackwell is an old Gloucestershire surname, perhaps originally derived from the parish of Blackwell in the neighbouring county of Worcester." 3 The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 had only one listing for the family: Margery de Blacwelle in Cambridgeshire. 4

Early History of the Blachwalls family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Blachwalls research. Another 138 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1120, 1545, 1597, 1599, 1608, 1613, 1615, 1618, 1641, 1648, 1659, 1660, 1674, 1683, 1699, 1701, 1728, 1730, 1753 and 1757 are included under the topic Early Blachwalls History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Blachwalls Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Blachwalls include Blackwell, Blackwall, Blackwill, Blackwel, Blaikewell, Blakewell, Blakewill, Blakewall, Blaikewall, Blakwill, Blackville, Blaikville, Blakeville, Bleckwell, Bleckwall, Bleckville, Plackwell, Plakewell, Plackville, Blatwell, Blatswill, Platwill and many more.

Early Notables of the Blachwalls family

Notables of the family at this time include Father George Blackwell, (1545?-1613), Roman Catholic Archpriest of England from 1597-1608; Isaac Blackwell (d.1699) English Cathedral organist and composer at St. Paul's Cathedral; and Edward Backwell (ca. 1618-1683), an English goldsmith, financier, and politician, often referred to as "the principal founder of the banking system in England." Anthony Blackwall (1674-1730), was an English classical scholar, "born at Blackwall, a hamlet...
Another 66 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Blachwalls Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Blachwalls family to Ireland

Some of the Blachwalls family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 130 words (9 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Blachwalls family

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled 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 ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Blachwalls or a variant listed above: Jeremy Blackwell who settled in Boston Massachusetts in 1635; Roger Blackwell settled in Virginia in 1636; John Blackwell settled in Quebec in 1825 with his family.



  1. Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
  2. Barber, Henry, British Family Names London: Elliot Stock, 62 Paternoster Row, 1894. Print.
  3. Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
  4. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)


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