Blizzard History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The name Blizzard is derived from the Middle English word "iblescede", which roughly means "to make sacred," in the sense "happy, fortunate." From 1300 onwards the word occurs as blisced, blissed, a form surviving, no doubt in Blissett, which may also derive from a woman’s name: Blissot atte Pole which appears in the Subsidy Rolls of Somerset in 1327. 1

Early Origins of the Blizzard family

The surname Blizzard was first found in Oxfordshire where the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 list Hugh de Blesset as hold lands there at that time. The same source lists the forename Bissot. 2

Later in Cornwall, we found Alicia Iblessed in 1297 and in Staffordshire, we found John de Blessed in the Subsidy Rolls for 1327. 1

Early History of the Blizzard family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Blizzard research. Another 53 words (4 lines of text) covering the year 1752 is included under the topic Early Blizzard History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Blizzard Spelling Variations

Sound was what guided spelling in the essentially pre-literate Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Also, before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Therefore, spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Blizzard family name include Blessed, Blisset, Blissit, Blizard, Blizzard, Blissett and many more.

Early Notables of the Blizzard family

More information is included under the topic Early Blizzard Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Blizzard Ranking

In the United States, the name Blizzard is the 7,045^th most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 3

Blizzard migration to the United States +

For political, religious, and economic reasons, thousands of English families boarded ships for Ireland, Canada, the America colonies, and many of smaller tropical colonies in the hope of finding better lives abroad. Although the passage on the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving, those families that survived the trip often went on to make valuable contributions to those new societies to which they arrived. Early immigrants bearing the Blizzard surname or a spelling variation of the name include:

Blizzard Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Henry Blizzard, who settled in America in 1853

Blizzard migration to Australia +

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

Blizzard Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Alfred Blizzard, aged 20, a farm labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1851 aboard the ship "Marion" 4

Blizzard migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Blizzard Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Charles Blizzard, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "John Masterman" in 1857
M. Blizzard, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "John Masterman" in 1857

Contemporary Notables of the name Blizzard (post 1700) +

William H. "Bill" Blizzard (1892-1958), American union organizer, commander of the miners' army during the Battle of Blair Mountain, President of District 17 of the United Mine Workers
Edward F. Blizzard (b. 1954), American pharmaceutical injury attorney, founding partner of Blizzard, McCarthy & Nabers, LLC based in Houston, Texas
Christopher Blizzard, American Developer Relations lead at Facebook
Robert M. Blizzard, American pediatric endocrinologist, founding member of the Lawson Wilkins Pediatric Endocrine Society, co-discoverer of Johanson-Blizzard syndrome
Bobby Blizzard (b. 1980), All American Football League tight end
Brett Alan Blizzard (b. 1980), American basketball player
Williamson S. Blizzard (1865-1941), American Republican politician, Presidential Elector for West Virginia, 1924 5
Reese Leroy Blizzard (b. 1919), American Republican politician, Member of West Virginia Republican State Executive Committee, 1952-55 5
Reese Blizzard (1863-1941), American Republican politician, Circuit Judge in West Virginia 5
Dominic John Blizzard (b. 1985), English footballer
... (Another 4 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Citations +

Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) MARION 1851 - HER HISTORY. Retrieved http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1851Marion.htm
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 19) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html