An excerpt from www.HouseOfNames.com archives copyright © 2000 - 2015
Where did the English Blissitt family come from? What is the English Blissitt family crest and coat of arms? When did the Blissitt family first arrive in the United States? Where did the various branches of the family go? What is the Blissitt family history?
The first dictionaries that appeared in the last few hundred years did much to standardize the English language. Before that time, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. The language was changing, incorporating pieces of other languages, and the spelling of names changed with it. Blissitt has been spelled many different ways, including Blessed, Blisset, Blissit, Blizard, Blizzard, Blissett and many more.
First found in Oxfordshire where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor. The Saxon influence of English history diminished after the Battle of Hastings in 1066. The language of the courts was French for the next three centuries and the Norman ambience prevailed. But Saxon surnames survived and the family name was first referenced in the year 1273 when Hugh Blesset held estates in that shire.
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Blissitt research. Another 177 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1455 and 1487 are included under the topic Early Blissitt History in all our PDF Extended History products.
More information is included under the topic Early Blissitt Notables in all our PDF Extended History products.
Thousands of English families in this era began to emigrate the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. Although the passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe, those who made the voyage safely were rewarded with opportunities unavailable to them in their homeland. Research into passenger and immigration lists has revealed some of the very first Blissitts to arrive in North America: James Blesse, who settled in Virginia in 1637; Thomas Blessed, who came to Maryland in 1670; John Blizard, who came to Virginia in 1767; Joseph Blizard, who came to America in 1767.
The Blissitt Family Crest was acquired from the Houseofnames.com archives. The Blissitt Family Crest was drawn according to heraldic standards based on published blazons. We generally include the oldest published family crest once associated with each surname.
This page was last modified on 6 February 2013 at 11:30.