Myth

When I started this website it wasn't my intention to include this section. The need has evolved. I have been studying the surname and it's variants for about 20 yrs. and have collected a great deal of data. I would be the first to acknowledge how fallible I am and the mistakes I make. I am only to happy to stand corrected when shown to be wrong. I welcome it.

One problem is that the moment something is put in print or on the net it may become difficult to dislodge. To be an error that is duplicated over and over again. Almost treated as Gospel. This is very much the case when it involves an aura of romance. Of the Blakiston families the most attractive is that of the Durham family with it's Baronets, it's Churchmen, it's link to Royalty, it's role in the Civil Wars and the Regicide. It is seeped in Romance and history. Most, Blakistons/ Blackstones, who know of the history secretly hope to be a part of it.

Without wishing to offend, this is particularly evident in a number of American studies. Especially when looking at the origin of the name and the links with the 'Home Countries'. To balance this I would say that I have come across some very scholarly, inspirational studies.

In addition to this there may also have been a number of spurious claims e.g., the rights to the Blakiston Coat of Arms by Sir William Blackstone jurist.

Regarding the origins of the surname. I hope I have clarified that there is potentially more than one origin. That not all holders of the surname are likely to be linked with those of Norton. That the surname is unlikely to have originated with them but that they are part of a wider family or families.

Romance and Myth. This largely centers around research by Nathaniel Brewster Blackstone on the origin of the Rev William Blaxton of Boston, U.S.A. I hate casting doubt on somebody else's work but what I have read seems to me to be in part wishful thinking and in part error. Unfortunately his books appear to have been seminal in that they have given rise to further books duplicating what I believe are errors. Very much tapping into romantic thinking but leading to the creation of myth. Clearly anyone reading this will want to know specifically to what I am referring and what my justifications are for such claims.

Firstly, he states that Sir Hugh Blackstone was the first of the line of whom there is a definite record. It is true to say that Hugo de Blaykeston who acquired lands at Norton from Richard de Park in 1341 is the first of a continuous line at Blakiston. He was not Sir Hugo. His son Roger was the first to acquire a coat of arms.

What of Baron Hugh (1510-1590)? Very romantically named! I may misunderstand the term but to my knowledge their were two Baronetcies granted 1) Sir Ralph Blakiston of Gibside created a baronet 30th July 1642. These are the Blakiston's of Gibside . 2) Sir Thomas Blakiston of Norton was created a Baronet on the 27th May 1615. His family being the Blakiston's of Blakiston (see Burke's Extinct & Dormant Barontecies). I find no record of a Baron Hugh (1510-1590).

3) A third Hugh, who would be more promising as the Hugh to whom Nathaniel Brewster Blackstone refers, is noted in a will:

20 Aug., 1521. MARMADUKE BLAST0N, of St Gyles, Cambridge. To be buried in the church there. All lands I have purchased in the Bishoprick of Durham and in Cambridge to my wife Margery for life. To Richard my eldest son all my lands in Durham, viz, in Eslabye, Seham and Sunderlond, after decease of his mother. To son Hugh lands in Cambridge. Pr. 13 Oct., 1521 (Maynwaryng, 16).

A Hugh Blaxton is also listed in the Ely Diocescian Remembrances p.105. Register of Bishop Goodrich. 1534 re. mandate of visitation of Barnewell Priory certificatary of names includes Hugh Blaxton.

Here we have a Hugh, of around the right time, and with a brother Richard. He doesn't appear to be a Sir. Though that was a common term used for members of the clergy? Certainly he was not a Baron. Nor "The Lord and Master over the ancient seat and grand estates of the family." This Richard possibly married a Barbara Boyes in 1545 at Elsworth, Cambridgeshire. It may be via this Richard is the Richard thought to be the Gt. Grandfather of Rev William Blaxton. However, I don't believe things quite fit.

He lists Richard Rector of Cuxwold 1554 as Rev William's Gt Grandfather. I don't know if there was a Richard who was Rector of Cuxwold. What I do know is that there was a Rev Thomas Blaxton at Cuxwold Will dated 1534. I have a copy of this and no family is named. In a pedigree of the Blaxton family of Horncastle, Lincolnshire (Kirkby's bequest) he is listed as the third son of Richard Blaxton of Blaxton Hall Co. Yorks. He is not listed on the Harleian Society publication of the same name. If the first is correct, then he would be the Uncle of the Richard Blaxton of Horncastle who married Muriel Clark. Grandfather of the Rev. William Blaxton.

Nathaniel Brewster Blackstone lists William Blaxton & Ellen nee Blesby as the Gt Uncle of the the Rev Blaxton. According to both of the Lincolnshire sources. These were his Gt Grandparents. As to the Thomas listed as a Gt Uncle. This could perhaps be the Rev Thomas. Though he would have been a Gt Gt Uncle.

Back to the Richard listed in Cambridgeshire. There was a Richard Blaxton of Godmanchester (Will dated 1526) with possible links to Ely. Wife named Elizabeth not Margery. This Richard had a son Henry Blaxton, who I believe was the Henry Blaxton (d 1606) of Huntingdonshire, who became Prebend at Chichester. A descendent of whom was granted the Blakiston arms which can be seen in Chichester Cathedral. In which case Marmaduke Blaston (d.1521) may possibly be the Marmaduke who married Elizabeth Fulthorpe. Or related by some earlier unknown connection.

1) HED Blakiston, a true historian to whom I'm deeply indebted, writes "A township near Doncaster is still called Blaxton, possibly from a branch of the York and Holderness families which existed in the 16th and 17th centuries without any ascertainable connexion with Durham. To the latter may perhaps be assigned the Rev. William Blaxton or Blackstone........"

This is taken from a Harleian Society Volume. (22) Of interest here listed is a son John marrying ......sister of Sir George Bowes of com. York.

ii) Lincolnshire county council also have a manuscript collection called Kirkbys Pedigrees with an almost identical pedigree.(23)

I suspect that this is a copy taken from the visitations. Firstly it attributes the Blakiston coat of arms. It attributes three sons to the first Richard. The third son being the Rev. Thomas Blaxton of Cuxwold Lincolnshire (This is possibly the case. His will gives no clues). Richard's son John of Blaxton Hall is listed as marrying the sister of Sir George BONES (this could be a transcription error?). This gives a more extensive family for John of Horncastle & Anne Hawley. Namely John bt 1594, William bt 1596 (Rev. William that is), George bt 1601, Frances bt 1592, Anne bt 1597 & Muriel bt 1599. Anne nee Hawley is noted as listed as Grace at the time of her death in 1602.These are all found in the IGI as baptised at Horncastle.

iii) According to Louise Lind her family tree for Rev. Wm. is based on work by Paul Blackstone and Nathaniel Brewster Blackstone. Initially they ascribed Wm.'s parentage to Sir William Blakiston of Norton & Alice Claxton. It is Nathaniel Brewster Blackstone who goes on to indicate that he was the son of John Blackstone of Gibside and Agnes Hawley of Timberland. They state he was born 5th March 1595 in Gibside but baptized in Horncastle. that he had 10 brothers and sisters and that his oldest brother Ralph (b.1589) inherited the family estate. One of his brothers is claimed to be Nathaniel. She states he was born in 1591 and also went to America. It is true that a Nathaniel Blakiston went to America and became a Colonial Governer. This was sometime later as he was the Grandson of John Blakiston, Regicide.(1)

It is clear to me that a couple of families are being confused and merged. Firstly the Ralph Blakiston of Gibside who became Sir Ralph Blakiston was indeed baptised in 1589 at Ryton. He was the son of Sir William Blackstone and Jane Lambton. I have him listed as being one of 11 (Surtees p255) or 12 children. This includes two Williams but no Nathaniel.

I have Sir Wm. & Alice nee Claxton also having a son Ralph in 1589 baptised at Norton (Ralph of Newby co York Durhams Visitation Pedigrees [no son Wm mentioned, 3 sons only listed]).

Between 1590-1600 the IGI gives reference to the following William Blakistons (and variants) births:

1) William Blakiston bn. abt 1595, Blakiston, Durham s/of William & Alice nee Claxton. There is no record of this baptism at Norton or anywhere I can find....this is probably taken from the pedigree Surtees documents for Norton on p. 163. This lists 6 sons (Sir Thomas, John, Ralph, Francis, William & Marmaduke, plus 4 daughters). Durhams Visitations Pedigree lists only three sons. (Sir Thomas, John & Ralph of Newby co York bt.21 Apr 1589 Sedgefield [according to Surtees, Norton IGI]). Burkes extinct & dormant baronetcies 1844 lists 2 sons Thomas & John, plus the 4 daughters.

It is clear to me that a) the family as indicated by Nathaniel Brewster Blackstone is a confused amalgam of several families. By no means is Wm from the Gibside family b) I doubt if he is the son of Sir Wm of Norton c) he is more likely the son of John Blaxton and Anne Hawley of Horncastle.

What then, if any, are their links with Norton? Both pedigrees state of Blaxton Hall, com. Yorks. Was Norton ever classed as being in Yorkshire? It's not beyond the realms of possibilities. It's near the border of north Yorkshire. It was clear also that at the time of the early parish registers, there were other side branches of the Blakiston family living at Norton (Surtees p.158). Would they claim to be of Blaxton Hall? There was a Richard Blakiston, son of Nicholas, who was granted lands at Redmarshall, Carleton & Whitton in 1468. I suspect this is too early to be the Richard mentioned in the Lincolnshire pedigree. That is not to say that the Richard of this pedigree does not come from this region.

What of Blaxton near Doncaster? This at times is classed as Yorkshire, at others Lincolnshire and at others Nottinghamshire. I'm not aware of a Blaxton Hall there or of Blakiston connections. Though I do know there was a semi-derelict 19th C building known as "Blaxton House". It is situated 7 miles from Doncaster, near Finningley. Blaxton is first recorded as a place name there in 1213 in Rotulundi Litterorum Clausorum 7). It has been suggested the name refers to 'blaec, stan' or an old stone marking the county boundary 8). A Nicholas de Blakeston de Doncastre 1328 is listed in 'Yorkshire Fines', YAS. In addition I chanced across another derivation for the term Blaxton Hall in Nottinghamshire and it had nothing to do with a Hall at all but was a place in Nottinghamshire.

I'm sorry this is so cumbersome but hope it explains my doubts. See also my discussion on recent DNA results. Proposed anscestos of the Rev Wm having taken part.

Here again I am going to be controversial. Sir William has always been associated with the Blakiston family of Durham. Indeed he and his family used the Blakiston Coat of Arms.

I came across the possibility that he and his family may have affiliated themselves to a family to which they had no connection. In doing so they may have misappropriated the families coat of arms. Indeed, his forebears seem to have been Braxton's or Brackstones rather than Blackstones.

"The Wiltshire family, which produced the great jurist, Sir William Blackstone, was always dissyllabic, though it appropriated the Blakiston arms".(p.9 ftnote in "The Family of Blakiston of Stappleton-on-Tees", 1928 In Family History Tracts at the Society of Genealogists). From what I can see his grandmother's family (ie Mary Bigg) where from Wiltshire but his father's family from Hampshire.

Clue's to this can be seen in Foster's Alumni Oxoniansis for both Sir William and his brothers. His father is listed as Braxstone, Charles son of Robert of Bewley, Hants (?) Balliol Coll. matric. 13th Jul 1717 aged 19 Corpus Christi Coll. BA. 1721/2 as Blaxton.

This is actually Beaulieu in Hampshire. I haven't looked at the original register but have seen a transcript. I had thought to see Blackstone/Brackstone interchanging but all the records clearly showed Brackstone/Braxtone. Charles was christened 8th Jul 1698 son of Robert. There seem to be a number of Robert's here. At least two. Occasionally distinguished by the suffix junior. It maybe that the line goes Charles son of Robert (and his 2nd wife name unknown). This Robert fist married Mary Jeffreys 29th Mar 1687. She is probably the Mary wife of Robert junior who was buried 24 may 1795. This Robert was probably christened Aug 1662 parents not listed but likely to be a Robert listing children baptised between circa 1666 to 1673. A Mrs Elizabeth Braxtone was buried 1693.

One of the reasons which further adds to my doubt to their link to the Blakiston's is the lack of, or contrary evidence, in the Visitations for Hampshire. No Blackstones/Blakistons had coat of arms listed in the Hampshire, Visitations for 1686. A Brexton family of Winchester had but not the same coat of arms as the Blakistons. Two families ie William Brackstone of Southampton and Robert Braxton of the liberty of Bieulieu claimed Coats of Arms both were disclaimed.

So it seems that Sir William's grandfather or Gt,. Grandfather had claimed a Braxton Coat of Arms which had been disclaimed. His father during the course of his life changed his name from Braxtone to Blaxton and moved to London. In London at this time where members of the Blackstone/ Blakiston family as merchants. One became the Lord Mayor of London. Could there have been some social gain in linking with this family. Certainly Sir William's family use the Blakiston Coat of Arms as seen on their tombstones etc.

I note that Nathaniel Brewster Blackstone lists Sir William Blackstone's sons Henry & William as having emigrated to America and settled there. William having 13 children. That's interesting and may be the case. What I do know is that they are both buried at Wallingford, Oxfordshire. William in 1814 & Henry in 1826.

It is in part such issues as those outlined above that prompt the need for a Gene Study to add evidence one way or another or a guide to future study. (Back to Noteworthy People)