Map of England showing where the Blass arms are recorded
The Blass arms were recorded in Suffolk, c. 1620.
Suffolk was wool country, and its cloth towns were among the wealthiest in England. Clothier families bought manors with their profits, and holding a manor was the ordinary route to a coat of arms.
This is where the arms were entered in the register. Families often moved to other parts of the country, so the same name can turn up in more than one region.
The body that granted and recorded arms in England in this period.
James VI and I
Sovereign of the period
James VI and I
1603–1625
Reigning in England when the Blass arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in England
English heraldry allowed arms to be shared by all legitimate descendants of the original owner. These symbols were treated as personal property that moved through the generations to all children. While the eldest son kept the original design, other family members could use the same shield without needing to change it or register their own unique versions.
Granting authority
The College of Arms in London has regulated the use of coats of arms throughout England and Wales since 1484.
How they got arms
Families typically obtained their coats of arms through a formal grant from the Crown or by proving their ancient right to them.
Where arms were recorded
All official coats of arms are recorded in the registers kept at the College of Arms, which date back to the fifteenth century.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of Suffolk.
Origin & History of the Blass Family in England
The family name Blass has deep roots in the English county of Suffolk, where records confirm members of the family were living as early as 1620. During the seventeenth century, Suffolk was a thriving region known for its wool trade and agriculture, providing a stable environment for families to establish themselves. The name itself is thought to have evolved from descriptive nicknames or local place names common in East Anglia during the Middle Ages. As the family grew, they became part of the local fabric of rural English life, participating in the customs and daily labor that defined the era. By settling in this specific coastal region, the early Blass family members were part of a long tradition of community building that helped shape the local history of Suffolk for generations.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Blæse
Old English word for a torch or a flame.
This name
BlassA topographical name for someone who lived near a beacon or a place where fires were lit.
also spelled
Blossett
Bloe
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Dymond, David and Martin, Edward, An Historical Atlas of Suffolk, 1988
dragonA most valiant defender of treasure
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
dragonA most valiant defender of treasure
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
