Blundall History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

Blundall is a name of ancient Norman origin. It arrived in England with the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Blundall family lived in Lancashire. Other records show the name could have been derived from the nickname Blondel or Blundel which means the blonde or blond haired person. However, the Blondel spelling less common than the Blundell spelling and its variants.

Early Origins of the Blundall family

The surname Blundall was first found in Lancashire where they were granted lands at Ince by William the Conqueror in 1066 A.D. William Blundell or Blondell, Lord of Ince, held three knight's fees. 1

"The manor [of Birkdale in Lancashire], in the reign of Henry IV., was held by the Halsalls; and the Gerards of Bromley became possessed of the estate by purchase, in the 17th century: from the latter it passed to the Mordaunts, and from them to the Blundell family." 2

One of the first records of the family was that of Robert Blundell, rector of the church of St. Michael, Aughton, Lancashire in 1246. 3

Ince Blundell, in Lancashire was the ancient family seat. "The Blundells are said to have been lords of the manor from the time of the Conquest, and William Blundell is mentioned as having a seat here in the reign of Henry III. In the midst of Ince-Blundell park is the Hall, the family seat of the Blundells, a large handsome mansion with stone dressings, at the eastern angle of which is a building called "The Pantheon," erected by the late Henry Blundell, Esq., and precisely similar in its architecture and proportions to the Pantheon at Rome, but one-third less. The building contains a splendid collection of paintings, statuary, sarcophagi, urns, and other relics of antiquity, procured by the founder, and said to be unequalled by any similar collection in the kingdom: there are upwards of 360 statues, busts, and basso-relievos in this temple of the arts. " 2

"One of the Blundells settled in Bedfordshire, where the name is found in a list of the principal gentry of the county in the time of Henry VI. Fuller, in quoting this catalogue from an ancient record, says, 'Hungry Time has made a glutton's meal on this catalogue of gentry, and hath left but a little morsel, for manners, remaining; so few of these are found extant in this shire, and fewer continuing in genteel equipage; among whom I must not forget the family of the Blundells, whereof Sir Edward Blundell behaved himself right valiantly in the unfortunate expedition to the isle of Roe.' This was the expedition to the isle of Rhee, under the Duke of Buckingham. The family thence migrated to Ireland. " 4

Early History of the Blundall family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Blundall research. Another 141 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1155, 1276, 1520, 1523, 1579, 1601, 1604, 1620, 1625, 1643, 1692, 1707, 1711 and 1734 are included under the topic Early Blundall History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Blundall Spelling Variations

Endless spelling variations are a prevailing characteristic of Norman surnames. Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules, and the introduction of Norman French added an unfamiliar ingredient to the English linguistic stew. French and Latin, the languages of the court, also influenced spellings. Finally, Medieval scribes generally spelled words according to how they sounded, so one person was often referred to by different spellings in different documents. The name has been spelled Blundell, Blondell, Blondle, Blundle and others.

Early Notables of the Blundall family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was William Blundell of Crosby Hall, an ardent royalist in the Cromwellian affair; Peter Blundell (1520-1601) English merchant and manufacturer of Tiverton, who made a fortune manufacturing kersey cloth and founded Blundell's School (1604); and Sir Francis Blundell (1579-1625), who...
Another 46 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Blundall Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Blundall family to Ireland

Some of the Blundall family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 51 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Blundall migration to the United States +

To escape the political and religious persecution within England at the time, many English families left for the various British colonies abroad. The voyage was extremely difficult, though, and the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving. But for those who made it, the trip was most often worth it. Many of the families who arrived went on to make valuable contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Blundall or a variant listed above:

Blundall Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Jervis Blundall, who arrived in Virginia in 1719 5

The Blundall Motto +

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: Unus et idem ferar
Motto Translation: I will be borne along one and the same.

Citations +

Liber Niger Scutarii ("Black Book of the Exchequer"), containing reports by county on feudal holdings in England in 1166 (reign of Henry II)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
'Townships: Scarisbrick', in A History of the County of Lancaster: Volume 3, ed. William Farrer and J Brownbill (London, 1907), pp. 265-276. British History Online http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/lancs/vol3/pp265-276 [accessed 21 January 2017].
Cleveland, Dutchess of The Battle Abbey Roll with some Account of the Norman Lineages. London: John Murray, Abermarle Street, 1889. Print. Volume 1 of 3
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)