Blue

Recorded as Blue, Blues, Bleu, Bleue, Blew, Blewis and Blewes, this rare and unusual surname has two possible origins. Firstly, it may be of Scottish origin, and a form of the Gaelic "Mac ghille ghuirm" meaning the son of the blue lad! As such it is an Argyllshire surname formerly current in Arran, and found particularly around the parish of Knapdale. Secondly, it may be of French origins, and a nickname for a habitual wearer of blue clothes, or for someone with blue eyes. In this case the derivation is from the French word "bleu" meaning blue. The suffix "s" denotes "son of". The surname in Britain dates back to at least the early 13th Century, and was probably introduced at the time of the Norman Conquest, or later in the 17th century by Huguenot refugees. Early surviving church records list the christening of Mary, daughter of John and Elizabeth Blewis on July 5th 1764 at the Lying-in Hospital, Endell Street, London, and the marriage of James Blues to Jessie Robertson on November 28th 1847 in Edinburgh, and the christening of their daughter Jessie on January 5th 1856 in Edinburgh, whilst Patrick Blue, aged 30, an Irish famine emigrant, sailed from Liverpool aboard the ship "Independence", bound for New York, on July 14th 1846. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Walter le Bleu. This was dated circa 1200, in the "Close Rolls of the Tower of London", during the reign of King John, known as "Lackland", 1199 - 1216. 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.