The name Bleaklay dates back to the days of the
Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name derives from the
Anglo-Saxon Blæcleah which meant "dark wood" or "dark clearing". The hamlet of Blackley was mentioned in the
Domesday Book and little growth of the community was seen until the 19th century. By the middle of the 17th century Blackley was a village of just 107 inhabitants. Today Blackley is a suburb of Manchester with a population of over 10,000 people. There is also a hamlet named Blackey in West
Yorkshire.
Early Origins of the Bleaklay family
The surname Bleaklay was first found in
Lancashire where they held a
family seat from very ancient times, some say before the
Norman Conquest in 1066. Blakesley Hall is a Tudor hall on Blakesley Road in Yardley, Birmingham,
England. Originally a timber-framed farmhouse, it was built in 1590.
Early History of the Bleaklay family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bleaklay research.
Another 104 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1321 and are included under the topic Early Bleaklay History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Bleaklay Spelling Variations
The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries; therefore,
spelling variations are common among early
Anglo-Saxon names. As the form of the English language changed, even the spelling of literate people's names evolved. Bleaklay has been recorded under many different variations, including Blackley, Blakely, Blakley, Blacklee, Blackely, Blackledge, Blacklege, Blatchly and many more.
Early Notables of the Bleaklay family (pre 1700)
More information is included under the topic Early Bleaklay Notables in all our
PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Bleaklay family to Ireland
Some of the Bleaklay family moved to
Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 57 words (4 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 Bleaklay family to the New World and Oceana
For many English families, the political and religious disarray that shrouded
England made the far away New World an attractive prospect. On cramped disease-ridden ships, thousands migrated to those British colonies that would eventually become Canada and the United States. Those hardy settlers that survived the journey often went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Bleaklay or a variant listed above: Thomas Blackley who settled in Boston, Massachusetts in 1635; Samuel Blackley who settled in New Haven, Connecticut and married Hannah Porter in 1650. He also lived at Guildford. He had three sons and two daughters. David Blakely settled in Charles Town [Charleston], South Carolina in 1767.
Bleaklay Family Crest Products
See Also