Blackhurst

This is a surname of English post medieval origins. It is locational from an area of the county of Kent near the town of Tonbridge known as Blackhurst. This translates as the dark wood, from the Olde English pre 7th century words "blaec hyrst", and is probably a reference to pine woods, which are often dark and gloomy. As to whether there was ever a hamlet or village called Blackhurst is unclear, but this is quite possible, even though it may originally have very small. The National Monuments Record of known "lost" medieval sites does not list a Blackhurst, although it does list the former village of Blackmanstone in the parish of Newchurch, also in Kent. "Lost" villages are estimated to be responsible for at least three thousand surnames of the British Isles, and many sites remain to be discovered. The surname is apparently first recorded not in Kent, but in London, when Crissillia Blackhurst, the daughter of Hugh Blackhurst, was christened at the church of St Margaret Moses, in the city of London on June 17th 1590. The surname in Kent is however recorded shortly afterwards on October 3rd 1607. This was when Robert Blackhurst married Susan Mills at St Pauls church, Canterbury, whilst on January 20th 1745, Edward Blackhurst married Mary White at St Mary's Dover.