Blow

This unusual surname is a patronymic of Blower, which is of Anglo-Saxon origin, and is from an occupational name for someone who operated a bellows, either as a blacksmith's assistant or to provide wind for a church organ, or for someone who blew a horn, such as a huntsman or a player of the musical instrument. The name is derived from the Middle English (1200-1500) "blowere", from the Olde English pre 7th Century "blawere", a derivative of "blawan", to blow. The surname development since 1199 (see below) includes: Lucia Blowere, a witness in the Assize Rolls of Kent, and Reginald le Blawere in the 1327 Subsidy Rolls of Essex. The modern surname can be found as Blower, Blow and Bloor(e), while the patronymic Blowers is mainly found in East Anglia. Recorded in the London Church Registers are the christening of Edward, son of James and Martha Blowers, on September 1st 1661 at St. Dunstan's, Stepney, and the marriage of Obadiah Blowers and Ann Lavson on May 12th 1667 at St. James', Duke's Place. A Coat of Arms granted to the family is a gold shield, an eagle displayed, red, with two heads. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of William le Blowerre, which was dated 1199, in the "Pipe Rolls of Surrey", during the reign of King Richard 1, known as "The Lionheart", 1189-1199. 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.