This surname is derived from a nickname. 'the black,' from the complexion; compare Blackman, Blue, White, Hoare, Blunt, Russell, &c.

Hamo le Blake, Buckinghamshire, 1273. Hundred Rolls.

Reginald le Blake, Cambridgeshire, ibid.

Reyner le Blake, Norfolk, ibid.

Edericke le Blacke, Lincolnshire, ibid.

William le Blake, Somerset, 1 Edward III: Kirby's Quest.

Margery la Blak, Close Rolls, 3 Edward II.

1783. Married — Allin Blake and Dorothy Peregrine: St. George, Hanover Square.

From Old English blac, pale, wan, of complexion. Luce Blake was tenant of land in Waldefgate, Berwick, c. 1266 (Kelso, 47), and Atkyn Blake was a charter witness in Ayr c. 1340 (Friars Ayr, p. 15). Thomas Blaik was a notary in Thornhill in 1627 (RPC., 2. ser. II, p. 27), John Blaik in Upper Cassie and John Blaik in Upper Dumfedling are in record in 1684, and William Bleak in Castlehill in the same year (RPC., 3. ser. X, p. 218,219). Five of the name are recorded in the Edinburgh Marriage Records. T. Blake, a Scot, was the first Briton to reach the city of Mexico before 1536. See under Black.

(English) 1 Pale, Fair. [Middle English blake, Old English blác = Old Norse bleik-r] Seman le Blake.—Hundred Rolls 2 confused with Black, q.v.

De Blaca, (recte le Blaca) One of the "Tribes of Galway''. An epithet name which superseded the original Caddell. Bibl; IF 54

(English) One with a swarthy complexion; descendant of Blaec, meaning either black or pale.

"Bleke, wan of colour," Palsgr. Anglo-Saxon blcec, blac, pallidus-a person of pale complexion. The Blakes of Ireland descend from Richard B., who accompanied Prince John to that country in 1185, and settled in co. Galway.

A corruption of the British Ap Lake, from Ap, signifying from, or son, and Lake,—the son of Lake. The family went into Ireland with Strongbow, where the name became corrupted into Blake. Ap Lake was one of the knights of Arthur's Round Table.

Admiral Robert, the great Naval Commander t. Cromwell, was of Somerset, in which county Walter Blache occurs 1273 (Rot. Hundr. ii. 121), and Gilbert Niger in 1203 (Rotulus Cancellarii). The latter was then deceased. Roger Niger occurs in a charter to Dive Abbey, Normandy, 1124 (Gall. Christ. xi. 159, instr.). See Black.

(English), Pale. Wulfsic se blaca, Wulfsic the pale, was an Anglo-Saxon name. (variant: Bleecker.)

From the Dutch, Bleek; from the Flemish, Blieck; a personal name.

Blake is a south of England name, found most frequently in Wiltshire, Cornwall, Berkshire, and Oxfordshire. It was long known and is still found in Reading; the mayors of that town in 1683, 1710, and 1720 bore the name (Co.).

Amongst the old established Wiltshire families I may refer to that of Blake, which is at present best represented around Chippenham. There were Blakes in Warminster in the reign of Elizabeth, and they are still to be found there, and the name has been represented in Ludgershall since the beginning of the 17th century (H.). An influential family of this name owned Pinhill House in Calne in the 17th century.