Recorded in a number of spellings including Blei, Bley, Bly, Bleier, Bleibaum, Bleibohm, Bleiben, Pley and Pleger, and the apparently 'English' spelling of Bliben, this is a surname of Germanic origins. It appears to be one of the 17th century 'ornamental' names for which the country is famous. These were names given to mainly immigrants from other lands. They were designed to be both in accord with nature, and yet at the sametime different from the usual popular German surnames many of which had pre 5th century pagan origins.
This surname appears to translate as 'lead tree' from the Old German 'blei baum.' Blei is the prefix of many German names such as Bleibler, Bleibso, and Bleiballhier, whilst Blei itself and Bleier are both occupational and describe a lead manufacturer or a skilled lead worker. Early examples of the surname recording taken from surviving rolls and registers from the medieval times include Johannes Bley of Greifwald in 1306, Seihich Blobaum of Tengarn, Westfalen, in 1682, and Johann Jacob Bleiben of Wengern, Westfalen, on September 15th 1822 when he married Carolina Hann.
The history of the surname blei is, like that of most surnames, a complex and fascinating journey to ancient times with the aim of unraveling the origin of blei. The origin, the coat of arms or the different heraldic shields, and the bibliography in which the surname blei is mentioned are part of this exciting investigation.
It is common for surnames like blei to become known in places far removed from their country or region of origin. Discover which ones. The list of countries with a higher presence of people with the surname blei provides us with a perspective on the history of the surname, beyond its origins, focusing on its migrations.
The historical journey of the surname blei can be traced back to those who were the first bearers of blei. For those like you, who are interested in the history hidden behind the surname blei, it is essential to find all kinds of information, both direct and tangential, that helps to construct a solid narrative of how the birth and expansion of blei developed.
You can visit us regularly to get more information about the origin of the surname blei, as we frequently accept significant contributions from other individuals interested in heraldry and the history of surnames. We keep our website updated through our own research and also thanks to contributions from people like you, after verification; so if you have information about blei and send it to us, we will update it on this website.
Unfortunately, it's highly probable that not all bleis who performed notable deeds have been included in historical chronicles and records. Sadly, not all the contributions of those who bore the surname blei were recorded by the chroniclers of the time. It is our desire to highlight in this section those individuals with the surname blei who, for various reasons, have left their mark on the course of history.
It goes without saying that consulting bibliographic and documentary sources is essential when accessing information about the origins of the surname blei. The origin, history, coat of arms or different coats of arms, and the heraldry of blei are recorded in a wide variety of sources and documents that are essential to know for better compilation.
These sources are essential for initiating the understanding of blei, and at the same time, of surnames in general.