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Irish surname

Blake: Irish Surname History & Coat of Arms

de Bláca (also Blácach) · 'the black', from the complexion (Woulfe)

Woulfe (1923) gives the Irish form de Bláca, from le Blak or le Blake, 'the black', from the complexion: 'a descriptive epithet which in course of time supplanted the original surname, which was Caddell'. He says the Blakes were one of the 'tribes' of Galway, and that the first of the family to come into prominence was Richard Caddel, or Blake, sheriff of Connacht in the early years of the 14th century. In 1890, Ireland's birth indexes held 58 Blake entries, principally found in Cork, Galway, Clare, Antrim and Dublin.

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Coat of arms associated with the Blake surname
Irish formde Bláca (also Blácach)
Meaning'the black', from the complexion (Woulfe)
CountiesGalway, Mayo, Cork, Clare
Other spellings3

Origin of the Blake name

Woulfe: de Bláca (le Blak, le Blake), 'the black', from the complexion — 'a descriptive epithet which in course of time supplanted the original surname, which was Caddell'. Caddel was used as an alias for Blake into the 17th century. The family were one of the 'tribes' of Galway.[1]

  1. Early 14th centuryRichard Caddel, or Blake, sheriff of Connacht.[1]
  2. 17th centuryCaddel still used as an alias for Blake, then fell into disuse.[1]
  3. 189058 Blake birth entries; Cork, Galway, Clare, Antrim and Dublin.[4]

Where in Ireland

Co. GalwayThe Blakes were one of the 'tribes' of Galway (Woulfe; Marshall's rhyme).[1][6]
Co. MayoWoulfe prints (Blake) in brackets under Ó Blathmhaic, a name 'in use in Co. Mayo, but fast becoming merged in the English surname Blake'.[2]
Co. CorkFirst of five counties where Blake births were principally found in 1890.[4]
Co. ClareAmong the counties where Blake births were principally found in 1890.[4]
Co. AntrimAmong the counties where Blake births were principally found in 1890.[4]
Co. DublinAmong the counties where Blake births were principally found in 1890.[4]

Notable people named Blake

Richard Caddel, or Blakeearly 14th centurySheriff of Connacht; Woulfe: 'from him are descended the many distinguished families of Blake in Ireland'.[1]

Other spellings

le Blake · le Blak · Blacagh[1]

The Blake coat of arms

The design shown is a coat of arms associated with the Blake surname. In Irish and British heraldry a coat of arms is granted to one person and passes to their heirs; it does not belong to everyone who shares the surname. Many families still use the arms of their name as a symbol of their heritage.

Blake crest gifts

Clan Blake Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest Classic Cap EG42 Blake Coat Of Arms Irish Cap Blake Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest Classic Cap£26.00Clan Blake Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic CapKB81 Classic Cap - Blake Coat Of Arms St Patrick's Day Classic Cap Irish Cap Blake Coat Of Arms - Irish Family Crest St Patrick's Day Classic Cap£33.00

Blake surname: questions

Is Blake an Irish name?

Woulfe gives the Irish form de Bláca, from le Blak or le Blake, 'the black', a descriptive epithet that supplanted the family's original surname, Caddell. Separately, he prints (Blake) in brackets under the Mayo Irish name Ó Blathmhaic, which he says was 'fast becoming merged in the English surname Blake'.[1][2]

What does the surname Blake mean?

Woulfe says Blake means 'the black', from the complexion.[1]

Were the Blakes one of the Tribes of Galway?

Woulfe says 'The Blakes were one of the "tribes" of Galway', and Marshall (1924) names Blake in the rhyme of the fourteen tribes.[1][6]

What was the Blake family's original surname?

Woulfe says it was Caddell; Caddel was used as an alias for Blake as late as the 17th century.[1]

Sources

  1. de Bláca — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/d/de-blaca.php
  2. Ó Blathmhaic — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/ob/o-blathmhaic.php
  3. Blácach — Irish Names and Surnames (Rev. Patrick Woulfe, 1923), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/names/b/blacach.php
  4. Blake — Birth Indexes of 1890 — Special Report on Surnames in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1909), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/report/births/blake.php
  5. Blake — Varieties and Synonymes of Surnames and Christian Names in Ireland (Robert E. Matheson, 1901), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/matheson/varieties/list/108.php
  6. The City of the Tribes — Popular Rhymes and Sayings of Ireland (John Johnson Marshall, 1924), transcribed, LibraryIreland.com. libraryireland.com/social-history/popular-rhymes/city-tribes.php

Note: Matheson's 1890 figures for a surname include its spelling varieties (Matheson, Table Explanation).