BLADES
Blades is a surname of strictly English origin, traceable to the British Isles and particularly to England. It is associated with the English language and, historically, with the Christian religious tradition.
The etymology of the name derives from the Old English word blæd, meaning “blade” or “leaf.” This linguistic root suggests that the surname originally served either as a descriptive nickname for an individual who was tall and slender, or who possessed a notably sharp or pointed feature, or as a metonymic occupational designation for a person involved in the making or selling of blades.
Historically, two complementary theories regarding the name’s origin are documented. The first treats it as a metonymic occupational name for a culter—a maker or dealer in knives—derived from the pre‑7th‑century Old English bloed or the Middle English blade, describing a cutting edge. The second positions the surname as a locational name originating from a so‑called “lost” village in northern England, recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086. This settlement was known as Burseblades (short for Bewere’s Blades), the name of which is connected with the Danish nobleman Drago de Bewere, who settled there and received extensive land grants. The name was shortened to Blades in the 16th century.
Documentary evidence substantiates the surname’s early presence in Yorkshire, where William de Blades is recorded in 1301. One of the first documented spellings of the family name appears in the Wakefield Court Rolls of Yorkshire, dated 1297, as “Jacke Blade.” Another early record shows Aun Blades marrying John Abrey on 8 December 1657 at All Hallows, London Wall, London. These records confirm the surname’s continuity and geographic distribution within England over several centuries.
In sum, the surname Blades reflects both occupational and locational origins linked to the Old English word blæd. It demonstrates how a single name can embody physical description, trade identity, and place-based heritage, and it remains firmly rooted within the English linguistic and historical context.
Typical given names associated with the Blades surname
Male
- Andrew
- Anthony
- Christopher
- David
- James
- John
- Mark
- Michael
- Richard
- Stephen
- Timothy
Female
- Catherine
- Christine
- Elizabeth
- Emma
- Helen
- Janet
- Jean
- Karen
- Margaret
- Mary
- Melanie
- Sarah
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
- Blade
- Blad
- Bladek
- Blada
- Bladen
- Blader
- Baldes
- Bladd
- Baladas
- Baldazzi
- Baldece
- Baldoza
- Baldus
- Balduzzi
- Baldys
- Balodis
- Baltaci
- Baltas
- Baltes
- Balts
- Baltus
- Baltz
- Baulds
- Belitz
- Belts
- Beltz
- Billets
- Biltz
- Bladh
- Bladow
- Blady
- Blaes
- Blaese
- Blaid
- Blaides
- Blaids
- Blakes
- Blandes
- Blanes
- Blatz
- Blaydes
- Blayds
- Blayes
- Blead
- Bleades
- Bleads
- Bleas
- Bledis
- Bledsoe
- Bletso
- Bletsoe
- Blits
- Blitz
- Blotz
- Boelitz
- Boldis
- Bolds
- Boletis
- Bolts
- Boltz
- Boolds
- Boulds
- Boults
- Bowlds
- Bulaitis
- Bultz
- Blattes
- Bledea
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Blades in...
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There are approximately 3,338 people named Blades in the UK. That makes it roughly the 2,729th most common surname in Britain. Around 51 in a million people in Britain are named Blades.
Surname type: Location or geographical feature
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Blades
- James Blades - Percussionist, author (1901 to 1999)
- Paul Blades - Football player
- Rowland Blades, 1st Baron Ebbisham - Politician (1868 to 1953)
- William Blades - Printer (1824 to 1890)
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.