| ![Show Contents]() Blyden History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
Etymology of BlydenWhat does the name Blyden mean? The ancestors of the name Blyden date back to the days of the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from their residence in Bladon, a parish, in the union of Woodstock, hundred of Wootton, in Oxfordshire. 1 2 Blyton is a parish, in the union of Gainsborough, wapentake of Corringham, parts of Lindsey, county of Lincoln. 1 Early Origins of the Blyden familyThe surname Blyden was first found in Oxfordshire, England where the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 included some of the first records of the family. Walter de Bladone, Agnes de Bladene and Hugh de Bladene were all listed in the rolls as holding lands there at that time. 3 Jacobus de Bliton was listed in the Assize Rolls for Lincolnshire in 1202 and later Robert de Blyton was registered 1280-1290. John Blyton was listed in the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1372. 4 Early History of the Blyden familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Blyden research. Another 50 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1399, 1401, 1402, 1422, 1423, 1665, 1680, 1696, 1697, 1698, 1742, 1746, 1747 and 1780 are included under the topic Early Blyden History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Blyden Spelling VariationsBlyden has been spelled many different ways. Before English spelling became standardized over the last few hundred years, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. As the English language changed in the Middle Ages, absorbing pieces of Latin and French, as well as other languages, the spelling of people's names also changed considerably, even over a single lifetime. Many variations of the name Blyden have been found, including Bladen, Bladon, Blyton and others. Early Notables of the Blyden familyColonel Bladen, Lord Justice of Ireland; and Sir Thomas Bladen (1698-1780), American politician and the 19th Proprietary Governor of Maryland from 1742 to 1747.
Martin Bladen (1680-1746), was an English soldier and politician, the son of Nathaniel Bladen of Hemsworth, Yorkshire. "He is said to have passed a short time at a small private school in the country with the great Duke of Marlborough, and from 1696 to 1697 was at Westminster School. He went into the army, and served in the low countries and in Spain...
Another 85 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Blyden Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Blyden family to IrelandSome of the Blyden family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 47 words (3 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
| Blyden migration to the United States | + |
In an attempt to escape the chaos experienced in England, many English families boarded overcrowded and diseased ships sailing for the shores of North America and other British colonies. Those families hardy enough, and lucky enough, to make the passage intact were rewarded with land and a social environment less prone to religious and political persecution. Many of these families became important contributors to the young colonies in which they settled. Early immigration and passenger lists have documented some of the first Blydens to arrive on North American shores:
Blyden Settlers in United States in the 19th Century- Christopher Blyden, who arrived in Charleston, South Carolina in 1847 5
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: Toujours fidele
Motto Translation: Always faithful.
- Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
- Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
- Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
- Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
- 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)
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