Blayney History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Ireland
Wales

The origins of the ancient name Blayney belong to that rich Celtic tradition that comes from Wales. This surname was derived from the Welsh personal name Blethyn.

Early Origins of the Blayney family

The surname Blayney was first found in Worcestershire, where they held a family seat from very ancient times, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D.

Early History of the Blayney family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Blayney research. Another 147 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1370, 1430, 1523, 1573, 1577, 1595, 1621, 1762, 1770, 1795, 1838, 1884 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Blayney History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Blayney Spelling Variations

Compared to other ancient cultures found in the British Isles, the number of Welsh surnames are relatively few, but there are an inordinately large number of spelling variations. These spelling variations began almost as soon as surname usage became common. People could not specify how to spell their own names leaving the specific recording up to the individual scribe or priest. Those recorders would then spell the names as they heard them, causing many different variations. Later, many Welsh names were recorded in English. This transliteration process was extremely imprecise since the Brythonic Celtic language of the Welsh used many sounds the English language was not accustomed to. Finally, some variations occurred by the individual's design: a branch loyalty within a family, a religious adherence, or even patriotic affiliations were indicated by spelling variations of one's name. The Blayney name over the years has been spelled Blayney, Blainey, Blaney, Blany, Blaney, Blainay, Blanay, Blaynay, Bleiney and many more.

Early Notables of the Blayney family

Prominent amongst the family during the late Middle Ages was

Lord Blayney of Evesham

Migration of the Blayney family to Ireland

Some of the Blayney family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 172 words (12 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Blayney migration to the United States +

Many people from Wales joined the general migration to North America in the 19th and 20th centuries, searching for land, work, and freedom. Like the many other immigrants from the British Isles, they made a significant contribution to the development of Canada and the United States. The Welsh and their descendents added a rich cultural tradition to the newly developed towns, cities, and villages. An investigation of the immigration and passenger lists has revealed a number of people bearing the name Blayney:

Blayney Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Richard I Blayney, who arrived in Charleston, South Carolina in 1806 1
John Blayney, who landed in Washington County, Pennsylvania in 1808 1
William Blayney, who arrived in Delaware in 1812
William Blayney, aged 47, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1812 1
Henry Blayney, who arrived in America in 1825 1
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Blayney migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Blayney Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Miss Mary Blayney, (b. 1821), aged 20, Irish house servant from Sligo, Ireland departing on 8th July 1841 from Greenock, Scotland aboard the ship "New York Packet" arriving in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia on 23rd October 1841 2

Contemporary Notables of the name Blayney (post 1700) +

Keith Blayney, American Medical educator, Dean of Indiana University
Mrs. Dana C. Blayney, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Utah, 1936 3
John Joseph Blayney KSG (1925-2018), Irish rugby player, barrister, and jurist, Judge of the Supreme Court of Ireland (1992-1997)

Citations +

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)
Ship Voyages to New South Wales (Retrieved 18th November 2020). Retrieved from http://indexes.records.nsw.gov.au/ebook/list.aspx?Page=NRS5316/4_4782/New%20York%20Packet_23%20Oct%201841/4_478200095.jpg&No=235
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, December 1) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html