Double Checking Septs and Geography

[Riverkilt]

So I'm straightening out some Genealogy stuff last night for my Blake line.

My paternal grandmother is a Blake and the well documented line goes back to Peter Blake Sr. b.1440 in SHoutheney, England. The line is strong in Wimbotsham, Norfolk for seven more generations until Jasper Blake III comes over to New Hampshire in the late 1600s.

I run across a print out I made from the House of Names website about the origin of the Blake name. Now House of Names is in the business of selling family crests and coats of arms.

They say that Blake is a sept of Clan Lamont.

That may be, but I don't think my Blakes down in Norfolk were...

Right?

[Cawdorian]

The name Blake is indeed listed as a sept of Clan Lamont, the Lamont's were usually found in the Cowall, Argyll, and the area from Ayr over to Edinburgh. The Lamont's dispersed fairly early, in fact one of the Clan Chief's had a townhouse in Edinburgh. The Scots were quite mobile in the 1600's and 1700's.

Don't know if this helps or confuses the issue for you.

[Riverkilt]

Mobile Aye,....but Norfolk??

My Blake ancestors stayed in the same town for seven generations before heading for New Hampshire.

I understand about the Scots moving around and getting about, but as cool as it would be to add another clan it just doesn't seem like the entrenched Blakes from Norfolk had anything to do with what Blakes may have been cavorting with the Lamonts....

But not knowing the history of the area that well I could well be wrong.

Thanks for the input for sure.

Ron

[gilmore]

Surname Profiler here http://www.nationaltrustnames.org.uk/Surnames.aspx shows the Blakes by far predominately in southern England, mostly in the counties to the north of the Isle of Wight, around Salisbury. There are a few shown in Scotland, in the Borders.

[davedove]

One possible source of the name Blake is as a variant of Black, from the Old English blaec, meaning dark or swarthy. It seems to me that that surname could have originated in a lot of places.

It's quite likely that your Blakes are not the Lamont Blakes.

[kmaclea]

I would agree that your Blakes are unlikely to be related to the Blakes who were "septs" of Lamont. I would hazard a guess that they are from a different origin entirely (as said, Black, or possibly others).

My problem with surname lists is exactly this--unless you know your family's geographical origins, these lists are misleading and sometimes downright false.

Now if you wanted to honor other Blakes who followed the Lamonts by wearing Lamont, I wouldn't argue with you!

But could you prove they were "your" Blakes? Seems unlikely, given such early origins in England. Wow, 1440, most of us are unlikely to find records even CLOSE to that old!

Just my opinion though. I would want to at least tie into a historical Lamont area before going that direction myself.

Are there district tartans for ENGLAND? I have never looked, but perhaps that would be a good option if they exist???

Kyle=

[macwilkin]

I would agree that your Blakes are unlikely to be related to the Blakes who were "septs" of Lamont. I would hazard a guess that they are from a different origin entirely (as said, Black, or possibly others).

My problem with surname lists is exactly this--unless you know your family's geographical origins, these lists are misleading and sometimes downright false.

Now if you wanted to honor other Blakes who followed the Lamonts by wearing Lamont, I wouldn't argue with you!

But could you prove they were "your" Blakes? Seems unlikely, given such early origins in England. Wow, 1440, most of us are unlikely to find records even CLOSE to that old!

Just my opinion though. I would want to at least tie into a historical Lamont area before going that direction myself.

Are there district tartans for ENGLAND? I have never looked, but perhaps that would be a good option if they exist???

Kyle=

Spot on, Kyle -- sound advice there.

Yes, there are several English district tartans -- see:

http://www.district-tartans.com/british.htm

Cheers,

Todd

[BEEDEE]

Ron - if you can trace your family back to 1440 in England, then they are almost certainly not linked to the Clan Lamont sept. If they stayed in Norfolk and New Hampshire all those years they were about as far away from Scotland as you could get!

Brian

[Riverkilt]

Thanks Kyle, Todd, and Brian....that's what I figured. Figure the family crest folks just wanna sell their stuff.

Makes a difference that the line is solid and in one place far from Scotland and the Lamonts.

Now, off to check out those district tartans...never would have guessed they were there.

Ron

[slohairt]

There are also the Norman-Irish Blakes of Ireland. They render their name as de Bláca in Irish.