This very unusual and interesting surname is of Anglo-Saxon origin, and is locational from places so called in Staffordshire, one near Ashbourne, and the other near Market Drayton. The place near Ashbourne was first recorded as "Blora" in the Domesday Book of 1086, and as "Blore" in both the 1227 Assize Court Rolls and the 1240 Feet of Fines of the county, and the place near Market Drayton was first recorded as "Blore" in the 1293 Assize Court Rolls. The placenames are derived from the Olde English pre 7th Century "blor", identical with the Middle English "blure, bloure", blister, swelling (here used in the sense "hill") or else from a word meaning "bare spot", related to the Middle High German "blas", Middle Dutch "blaer", bare. Locational surnames were developed when former inhabitants of a place moved to another area, usually to seek work, and were best identified by the name of their birthplace. One John Blore, aged 27 yrs., was recorded as living in Virginia on January 23rd 1624; he had arrived in the New World in 1610 aboard the "Star", from the port of London. The christening was recorded in Staffordshire of Thomas Blore on November 14th 1561 at Betley. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Thomas Bloore, which was dated May 22nd 1536, marriage to Elena Smith, at Betley, Staffordshire, during the reign of King Henry V111, known as "Good King Hal", 1509 - 1547. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

© Copyright: Name Origin Research 1980 - 2024