Show ContentsBlackborough History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Blackborough family

The surname Blackborough was first found in Devon, where they held a family seat from ancient times.

Early History of the Blackborough family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Blackborough research. Another 309 words (22 lines of text) covering the years 1083, 1086, 1201, 1273, 1500, 1510 and 1600 are included under the topic Early Blackborough History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Blackborough 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 Blagbrough, Blagborrow, Blagbrowe, Blagbrow, Blackborough, Blakeberg, Blakeberwe, Blakebrough, Blackbro, Blackborough and many more.

Early Notables of the Blackborough family

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

Migration of the Blackborough family

In the immigration and passenger lists were a number of people bearing the name Blackborough Joshua Blakebrough, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1870.


HMS Royal Oak
  • John William Blackborough (d. 1939), British Stoker 1st Class with the Royal Navy aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he died in the sinking 1


  1. Ships hit by U-boats crew list HMS Royal Oak (08) - (Retrieved 2018 February, 9th) - retrieved from https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/crews/ship68.html


Houseofnames.com on Facebook