Blaeleck History, Family Crest & Coats of ArmsThe ancestors of the Blaeleck family lived among the Strathclyde-Briton people in the Scottish/English Borderlands. It is a name for a person with dark hair. As such, the Blaeleck surname most likely evolved from a nickname from the Middle English "blakelok," in turn from the Old English blec, meaning "black," or "dark," and locc, meaning a "lock of hair." 1 Alternatively, the name could have been derived from Black Loch, location names in Lanark, Renfrew and Stirling. 2 Early Origins of the Blaeleck familyThe surname Blaeleck was first found in Wiltshire where Peter Blacloke was listed in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273. 3 Dusting off more old references, we found Adam Blakelok in the Subsidy Rolls for Cumberland in 1332 and Robert Blaykelok in Yorkshire in 1431. 4 About fifty years later in Scotland, "William Blakloche, chaplain in the monastery of Dunfermlyne, appears as charter witness in 1483. " 5 The same source notes two of the same name but with very different stories: "Adam Blaiklok of the West Port of Edinburgh was hanged for perjury in 1615, and another Adam Blaiklok was constable of the parish of Kirkpatrick-Tuxta, 1617." 5 Early History of the Blaeleck familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Blaeleck research. Another 176 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1275, 1332, 1400, 1597, 1598, 1637, 1638, 1684, 1721, 1791 and 1801 are included under the topic Early Blaeleck History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Blaeleck Spelling VariationsIn Medieval times, spelling and translation were not nearly so highly developed as today. They were generally carried out according to the sound and intuition of the bearer. For that reason spelling variations are extremely common among early Scottish names. Blaeleck has been spelled Blacklock, Blakelock, Blacklocke, Blakelocke, Blaikelock, Blaiklock and many more. Early Notables of the Blaeleck familyAnother 27 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Blaeleck Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Blaeleck familyUnrest, poverty, and persecution caused thousands to look for opportunity and freedom in the North American colonies. The crossing was long, overcrowded, and unsanitary, though, and came only at great expense. Many Strathclyde families settled on the east coast of North America in communities that would form the backbone of what would become the great nations of the United States and Canada. The American War of Independence caused those who remained loyal to England to move north to Canada as United Empire Loyalists. In the 20th century, Strathclyde and other Scottish families across North America began to recover their collective heritage through highland games and Clan societies. Among them: Thomas Blacklocke, who settled in Virginia in 1623; George Blacklock, who settled in Barbados in 1635; as well as Martha Blacklock, who settled in Maryland in 1722..
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