Bliss One-Name Study

Bliss
One-Name Study

Topics

About the Bliss One-Name Study
Variants
Origin of the surname
Historical occurrences
Frequency of the name
Distribution of the name
Data
Links
Contact Details

About the Bliss One-Name Study

I took over the BLISS ONS and the chair of the BLISS Family History Society from the late Bob Bliss in 1998. I have since retired from the chair but still maintain the BLISS FHS records. Our files include a database of BLISS records and events in Australia, the 3 vol record of BLISS pedigrees in America by A T Bliss and my own database of BLISS records and events in Great Britain (mainly England and Wales).

Variants

BLESS is a recognised transcription and pronunciation error for people and families whose correct name is BLISS. BLESSE, BLISSE and BLYSSE are archaic spelling variants. I believe the name Blease derives from a common root along the Welsh Marches with our name but has grown up as an entirely distinct surname.

Origin of the surname

Richard 'callyd BLISSE' was a tenant at Parndon in Essex mentioned in a charter of the Knights Hospitallers during the reign of Henry II 1154-1189. He was probably native Anglo Saxon and a very early representative of that branch of the BLISS family which derives its name from the Middle English noun blisse meaning joy or gladness. Another branch of BLISSES descends from a Norman family originating from Blaye in Normandy who held knight's fees from the honour of Radnor in the Welsh Marches during the 12/14th centuries. their name was originally written as de BLEZ (Latin Bladis) but became corrupted through de Bles and de Blees to Bliss (vide Stoke Bliss the village which adopted their name).

Historical occurrences

Dr Nathaniel BLISS MA FRS 1700 - 1764, son of a Gloucestershire clothier was the fourth Astronomer Royal.

Sir Arthur BLISS, composer and conductor, was Master of the Queen's Musick 1953 - 75. His widow Lady Trudi is still a member of the BLISS Family History Society. see http://www.geocities.com/hansenk69/bliss.html

Cornelius BLISS, a financier and politician of New York, refused the invitation to stand for the Vice Presidency in 1900 and so missed the opportunity of becoming President of the United States when President McKinley was gunned down in 1901.

Frequency of the name

About 2,248 people named BLISS or one of its variants were enumerated in the 1901 Census of England and Wales. Whilst not a major English language surname, it probably ranks in the lower half among the middle-ranking One Name Studies.

Distribution of the name

The name BLISS is found in all the old 'white' dominions of the British Commonwealth as well as the United States. I believe it may also still be found in some islands of the old British West Indies. As well as British origins, the name is also found in parts of Germany and the old German colonised parts of Eastern Europe. Some American BLISSES have this European ancestry.

Data

A large amount of BLISS family history data in Australia has been collected in recent years. We are lucky to have a 3 volume book of BLISS genealogy in America published in 1989 by A T Bliss which gives some detail about the lives of some 25,000 BLISSES going back to 1638. Our own British database contains all known Census records for BLISSES 1841 - 1901, a large number of BLISS marriage, baptism and burial entries in parish registers post 1538, BLISS births, marriages and deaths in the General Registry Office from 1837, various BLISS probate records and marriage licence allegations going back to early times, BLISS service records of soldiers in Victorian times, WWI BLISS soldiers' records and campaign medals, CWGC records of BLISS memorials, some records of BLISS events in India, BLISS passengers and emigrants arriving at overseas ports and a large collection of miscellaneous records from directories, school registers university alumni etc..

Links

BLISS Family History Society website http://www.blissfhs.co.uk/

The Arthur Bliss Society http://www.arthurbliss.org/

The Bliss Family in America http://www.usgennet.org/family/bliss/

Contact details

For further information, contact:

Mr Thomas N Bliss
The Old Well Cottage,
Washdyke Lane,
Fulbeck,
Grantham,
Lincolnshire
NG32 3LB
UNITED KINGDOM
E-mail:

This page last updated 25 February 2008.