| ![Show Contents]() Blaine History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The story of the name Blaine is long and rich in history. It begins among the Boernicians of the Scottish/English Borderlands where the name was derived from the Gaelic personal name Bleen, which means yellow. Saint Blane (Blaan) was "one of the earliest bishops of Kingarth in Bute, is commemorated in the Martyrology of Oengus at August 10: 'With a host, sound, of noble birth, well-coloured, fair Blaan of Kingarth.' His name is from bid, that is yellow, from blavos. He is probably also the saint commemorated in the Calendar of Gorman as Blaan buadach Breton, 'triumphant Blaan of the Britons.' He gave name to Kilblane in Southend, Kintyre, and to Dunblane. According to a Bute legend he was mysteriously begotten of a water-sprite." 1 Early Origins of the Blaine familyThe surname Blaine was first found in Ayrshire and Wigtownshire where the name is a "reduced form of MacBlain." 1 One of the first records of the family was that of "Blahan, presbyter of Litun probably Linton in Roxburghshire witnessed a quitclaim by Robert, Bishop of St. Andrews, 1127." 1 "Patrick Blane was provost of the burgh of Wigtown in 1561, and John Blain had a charter of the half of the ten-mark lands of Meikle-Wig in the parish of Whithorn in 1674. Agnes Blain [was] in the parish of Kirkcudbright, 1684." 1 Across the border in Yorkshire, England Andrew Blayne, Bleyn was listed in the Assize Rolls for 1219 and Nicholas Bleyne Was recorded in the Hundredorum Rolls for Suffolk in 1275. Hamo de Blein was listed in the Curia Regis Rolls for Kent in 1219. Later John Blayne was found in the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1507. Down here, it is thought that the name was derived from the Old Welsh Bledgint, Middle English Blethyn. 2 While the aforementioned early origins are the traditional understandings of the origin of the family, one source claims the name to be "from the town of Blain, in Bretagne, France. Blaen, in the Welsh, signifies the summit or top; the same as pen, brig, and bar, the highest part of a mountain; the end or top of an object; the inland extremity of a glen; a leader or chief." 3 Early History of the Blaine familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Blaine research. Another 104 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1561, 1660, 1674, 1749, 1750, 1771, 1778, 1780, 1793, 1795, 1834, 1835 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Blaine History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Blaine Spelling VariationsBoernician names that evolved in the largely preliterate Middle Ages are often marked by considerable spelling variations. Blaine has been spelled Blain, Blane, Blaine, Blaines, Blahan and others. Early Notables of the Blaine familyNotable amongst the family at this time was Sir Gilbert Blane (1749-1834), Scottish physician, the fourth son of Mr. Gilbert Blane of Blanefield, Ayrshire, where he was born on 29 Aug. 1749. At the age of fourteen he was sent to the University of Edinburgh, being at first intended for the church, but was ultimately led to study medicine. After spending five years in the faculty of arts, and five more in that of medicine at Edinburgh, he took the degree of M.D. in the university of Glasgow on 28 Aug. 1778. During his studentship he was elected one of the...
Another 155 words (11 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Blaine Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Blaine RankingIn the United States, the name Blaine is the 4,257th most popular surname with an estimated 7,461 people with that name. 4 Migration of the Blaine family to IrelandSome of the Blaine family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 60 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
| Blaine migration to the United States | + |
Some of the Boernician-Scottish Clan families who came to North America were Loyalists who went north to Canada after the American War of Independence. Families on both sides of the border went on to found two of the world's great nations. This century, families with Scottish roots have rediscovered their heritage through highland games and clan societies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Blaine or a variant listed above:
Blaine Settlers in United States in the 18th Century- James Blaine who settled in Pennsylvania in 1740
- James Blaine, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1745 5
- Charles Blaine, who settled in Philadelphia in 1799
Blaine Settlers in United States in the 19th Century- Mr. Blaine, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1850 5
- James Blaine, who settled in Philadelphia in 1876
| Blaine migration to Canada | + |
Some of the first settlers of this family name were: Blaine Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century- Thomas Blaine, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Ranger" in 1834
| Contemporary Notables of the name Blaine (post 1700) | + |
- Hal Blaine (1929-2019), born Harold Simon Belsky, an American drummer and session musician most known for his work with the Wrecking Crew in California and played on 6 consecutive Grammy winners, 1966-1971 6
- Nell Blair Walden Blaine (1922-1996), American landscape painter and watercolorist
- Jerry Blaine (1910-1973), early American bandleader, label owner, record distributor, and singer
- Colonel Ephraim Blaine (1741-1804), Irish-born, American Pennsylvania settler and officer, Commissary-General for the middle district of the Continental Army under General George Washington
- Dr. Edward Homer "Ed" Blaine (b. 1940), American former offensive guard for the Green Bay Packers and former Dalton Cardiovascular Research Center Director with the University of Missouri
- Daniel "Dan" Blaine (1891-1958), American professional football player for the Staten Island Stapletons from 1915 until 1924
- Vivian Blaine (1921-1995), American singer and actress, best known for originating the role of Miss Adelaide in the musical theater production Guys and Dolls (1955) and for her role in the film version with Marlon Brando, Jean Simmons and Frank Sinatra
- John J. Blaine (1875-1934), American politician, United States Senator from Wisconsin (1927-1933) and 24th Governor of Wisconsin (1921-1927)
- James Gillispie Blaine (1830-1893), American politician, U.S. Secretary of State (1881 and 1889-1892), great-grandson of Colonel Ephraim Blaine
- David Blaine (b. 1973), born David Blaine White, an American illusionist and stunt performer
- ... (Another 14 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.
Motto: Paritur pax bello
Motto Translation: Peace is obtained by war.
- Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
- Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
- Arthur, William , An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. London: 1857. Print
- "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
- Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
- Hal Blaine. (Retrieved 2011, January 20) Hal Blaine. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hal_Blaine
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