Blanden History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

• Origins Available:
• England

The name Blanden is of Anglo-Saxon origin and came from when the family lived at Bland in the West Riding of Yorkshire.

Probably "an Anglo-Saxon personal name with the usual local suffix dropped. [cp. Old English blandan, to blend; and the derived blanden-feax, 'having mixed-coloured or grey hair.'] " ^[1]

However, "the adjective bland, mild, gentle is, I think or insufficient antiquity to be the etymon. The Blands of Kippax, at a very early period, resided at and gave name to Bland's Gill, co. York " ^[2]

"This surname is derived from a geographical locality. 'of Bland,' one of the four hamlets of which the town of Sedburgh (Yorkshire) is comprised. It is not a complimentary nickname, but distinctly local." ^[3]

"The Blands of Kippax, at a very early period, resided at and gave name to Bland's Gill, co. York." ^[2]

Early Origins of the Blanden family

The surname Blanden was first found in at Bland or Bland's Gill in the chapel of How Gill and the parish of Sedburg in Yorkshire. One reference claims that name came from the hamlet of Blond. The earliest mention of the name was in 1132 where Richard, son of Hugh Bland of Disford was listed as benefactor relating to the Abbey of Foundations. ^[4]

The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 listed: Johannes de Bland; Adam de Bland; Matilda Bland, 1379; and Wymerk de Bland. ^[3]

Important Dates for the Blanden family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Blanden research. Another 176 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1614, 1657, 1756, 1928, 1950, 1642, 1555, 1614, 1657, 1642, 1663, 1662, 1668, 1663, 1715, 1691, 1743, 1713, 1727, 1563, 1604, 1563, 1681, 1712, 1629, 1671, 1653, 1663, 1700, 1693, 1665, 1720, 1686, 1763 and 1664 are included under the topic Early Blanden History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Blanden Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Blanden are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. Scribes and monks in the Middle Ages spelled names they sounded, so it is common to find several variations that refer to a single person. The variations of the name Blanden include: Bland, Blands and others.

Early Notables of the Blanden family (pre 1700)

Notables of the family at this time include John Bland (died 12 July 1555) English Protestant clergyman and martyr, rector of Adesham, burnt at the stake; Sir Thomas Bland, 1st Baronet of Kippax Park (1614-1657); Sir Francis Bland, 2nd Baronet of Kippax Park (1642-1663); Sir Thomas Bland, 3rd Baronet of Kippax Park (1662-1668); Sir John Bland, 4th Baronet of Kippax Park (1663-1715); and Sir John Bland, 5th Baronet of Kippax Park (1691-1743), Member of Parliament for Lancashire (1713-1727.) Tobias Bland (1563?-1604), English divine, born in or about 1563, matriculated as a sizar of Pembroke Hall, Cambridge. Elizabeth Bland...
Another 98 words (7 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Blanden Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Blanden family to Ireland

Some of the Blanden family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 89 words (6 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 Blanden family

Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Blanden or a variant listed above: John Bland who settled in Sudbury, Massachusetts in 1641; he married Joanna by whom he had two daughters; Anne Bland settled in Barbados in 1682; Edward Bland settled in Virginia in 1635.

Citations

1. ^ Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
2. ^ Lowe, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
3. ^ Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
4. ^ Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)