Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: [unknown]
Surnames/tags: Blood Bloud Blud

Contents 1 Historical Timeline of the English Bloods with Genetic Milestones 1.1 Circa 1800 BCE 1.2 Circa 150 BCE 1.3 Between 150 BCE and 550 CE 1.4 Circa 550 CE 1.5 877 CE 1.6 917 to 918 CE 1.7 Circa 1000 CE 1.8 Between 1129 and 1307 1.9 Between 1230 and 1240 1.10 1256 1.11 Between 1262 and 1274 1.12 1281 1.13 Circa 1300 1.14 1321 1.15 Circa 1400 to 1450 1.16 1431 1.17 Circa 1435 1.18 1479 1.19 Circa 1500 1.20 Circa 1550 1.21 Between 1595 and 1600 1.22 1639

Historical Timeline of the English Bloods with Genetic Milestones

Author: Garry Michael Blood, 1 Feb 2023

Caution: The DNA events and some of the historical events in this timeline apply primarily to the Midlands Bloods -- those originating from Derbyshire and their descendants in Nottinghamshire, Staffordshire, and Leicestershire -- as well as the Irish Bloods of County Clare who are an offshoot of the Derbyshire Blood. Nonetheless, many of the events are broadly applicable to all English Bloods (e.g., those events documenting the earliest instances of the name anywhere in England). Because all Midlands Bloods tested so far are part of Haplogroup R-A6093, the evolution of this haplogroup will play a large part in this timeline. However, since the English Bloods appear to be the result of between three and five independent origin events in medieval England, it is very unlikely all male Bloods of English origin are members of Haplogroup R-A6093.

Circa 1800 BCE

The estimated year of birth of the Most Recent Common Ancestor of all members of R-U106>L47>Z159, which is the haplogroups that encompasses all the Germanic peoples of Western Europe. By the time of the Roman arrival in Northwestern Europe in the first century BCE, this haplogroup had already spread to the North Sea coastline and possibly beyond.

Circa 150 BCE

Tribes of Northwest Europe in the Early Roman Period

Emergence of Basal Haplogroup R-A6093: In around 150 BCE, R-A6093 split from its ancestor haplogroup -- FGC17304 -- which was on the main trunk of R-U106>L47>Z159. This split probably occurred on the Continental North Sea coast in what's now the Netherlands. This immediate coastal region was occupied by a number of West Germanic tribes, whom the Romans would later, in the 1st century CE, record as the Marsacii, the Sturii, the Cananefates, the Frisovantes, the Batavii, and the Frisii. The estimated date of the emergence of R-A6093 means this haplogroup probably came into being among one of these coastal Germanic peoples.

Western & Eastern Branches of R-A6093 Split: A genetic split between what would become the western population of R-A6093 (FGC17294) and what would become the eastern population of R-A6093 (FT40450) occurred shortly after the haplogroup's emergence. This has been interpreted as a physical separation between two groups of R-A6093 carriers, one of which migrated west onto the island of Britain and the other of which migrated east, eventually ending up as far afield as what’s now Poland and Ukraine.

Between 150 BCE and 550 CE

Migration of Western R-A6093 to Britain: At some point in this period of about 700 years, the founder of what would become the English population of FGC17924 / Western R-A6093 crossed the North Sea and settled on the island of Britain. Counterintuitively at first glance, it appears this migration more likely occurred in the earlier part of this range, and it appears likely what would later be the English population of FGC17924 / Western R-A6093 was already established in Britain prior to the Roman invasion in 43 CE. See the Blood Name Project's DNA Analysis Page for discussions of how and when this migration event may have occurred.

Circa 550 CE

Mercia in the 6th Century (Dark Green)

First Split in English FGC17294 / Western R-A6093: A line of males identified as FGC17309 split from the English population of FGC 17294 / R-A6093 at about this time. This is significant for the history of the Midlands Bloods because this event occurred in the northern part of the newly formed Kingdom of Mercia. North Mercia (noted on the map at right) is typically defined as the part of the kingdom lying north of the River Trent, roughly corresponding to eastern Staffordshire, Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire. These same three counties would later become the heartland of the Midlands Bloods. This indicates the ancestral English R-A6093 population had been in North Mercia since at least 550 CE based on the fact this line is still found in Staffordshire today, meaning members of Western R-A6093 (to include the ancestors of the Midlands Bloods) had settled in North Mercia before this first genetic split in the R-A6093 population in England.

877 CE

The Five Boroughs of Danish Mercia

Danish Conquest of Eastern Mercia: The eastern part of Mercia, to include what would later be the counties of Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, fell to the Danes, becoming part of the Danelaw. The ancestors of the Midlands Bloods living in this part of North Mercia were under Danish rule for the next 40 years. Staffordshire, however, remained under English rule in the surviving unconquered portion of Mercia to the west.

917 to 918 CE

Reconquest of Danish Mercia: In Jul 917 CE, Aethelflæd, Lady of the Mercians, attacked and retook Danish Derbyshire, annexing it back into her Kingdom of Mercia. The following summer her brother Edward, King of Wessex, retook Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, and Nottinghamshire from the Danes. The ancestors of the Midlands Bloods were back under English rule.

Circa 1000 CE

Multiple Rapid Splits in FGC17309: In a very short period of time, six new lines split from FGC17309 in North Mercia. The range of dates for this event is ca. 900 CE to ca. 1100 CE, which overlaps a major part of the Medieval Warm Period, a period of relatively stable climate and increased agricultural productivity, which may be a factor in this rapid splitting of FGC17309. One of the haplogroups that splits from FGC17309 in this event is BY60604.

Between 1129 and 1307

Possible Oldest Instance of the Surname: William Blod is named in a deed of sale in Coventry. This could be the oldest reference to a Blood, but the document can only be dated to a 178-year range. Whether Blood was William's surname or his by-name (a non-hereditary surname) also cannot be determined.

Between 1230 and 1240

Oldest Example of Blood as an Inherited Name: Between 1230 and 1240, Peter Blod, son of Humphrey Blod, made a grant to the Priory of Tunbridge,^[1] and Robert Blod, son of Peter Blod, did likewise.^[2] These Tunbridge donations are the first example we have of Blood (in its original form Blod) being used as a family name inherited by two sons from their fathers. It is plausible that we are even seeing three generations of Bloods here, Humphrey Blod> Peter Blod> Robert Blod.

1256

Oldest Definite Instance of the Surname: The earliest unambiguous example of Blood as either a surname or a by-name occurs when William and John Blod were recorded in the Assize Rolls for Northumberland in this year. Their place of origin was not noted, and there is no guarantee they were from Northumberland. That two people in the same entry were both named Blod hints that it may have already been a surname by this point, but this is speculation.

Between 1262 and 1274

Oldest Example of Blood as a Married Name: Agnes Blod, widow of Robert Blod, relinquished her rights to lands she owned in Pershore, Worcestershire to Pershore Abbey sometime between 1262 and 1274. This is the first definite example of Blood as a new surname acquired by a woman through marriage.

1281

Bloods of Hereford: The eventual large Blood presence in Hereford is first recorded in this year. Note that these were not Midlands Bloods and it's very unlikely the Midlands Bloods had adopted the surname by this point.

Circa 1300

Midlands Bloods/Hydes Split from BY60604: The ancestor of the Midlands Bloods (FT85184) and the Midlands Hydes (FT200000 & FT199739) split off from BY60604 in North Mercia. This predates the adoption of either surname, otherwise this person's descendants would have carried one surname or the other.

1321

Bloods of London: The eventual large Blood presence in London is first recorded in this year.

Circa 1400 to 1450

The Derbyshire Bloods Split from FT85184: The Derbyshire Bloods (FT85084) separated from FT85184 early in 15th century. As we can see from the historical record, the surname was already established in Derbyshire by around the time of this split.

Evolution of Haplogroup R-A6093

1431

Oldest Record of a Derbyshire Blood: In this year, the first two Midlands Bloods, John and Robert, appear in the records as witnesses to a land deed for a property in Rowarth, Derbyshire.

Circa 1435

The Nottinghamshire Bloods Split from the Derbyshire Bloods: The Nottinghamshire Bloods (FT124365) split off from the Derbyshire Bloods (FT85084) sometime in the first half of the 15th century, working out at 1435 plus or minus a few decades. This split is believed to have happened in Derbyshire, with the Nottinghamshire Bloods being a daughter branch of the Derbyshire Bloods. The Blood surname must have already been established among this population before the split occurred, otherwise both branches would not have the same surname today.

1479

Oldest Record of a Nottinghamshire Blood: In this year, the first surviving record of a Blood in Nottinghamshire is found in the county town of Nottingham.

Circa 1500

Consolidation of the Midlands Bloods Cluster: By about 1500, if not earlier, the highest concentration of Bloods in England is found in a contiguous area of south Derbyshire and south Nottinghamshire in the English Midlands (i.e., the former region of North Mercia). This cluster is still the main concentration of Bloods in England to the present day and is the ancestral place of origin of the majority of North American, Australian, and Irish Bloods.

Circa 1550

Clare Bloods & Derbyshire Bloods Split From Each Other: The line of Derbyshire Bloods that would eventually emigrate to County Clare in Ireland sometime in or after 1595 split off from the main line of Derbyshire Bloods in about 1550, plus or minus a few decades. The current estimated year of birth for Edmund Blood, founder of the Irish line, is 1572.

Between 1595 and 1600

Midlands Blood Migration to Ireland: Sometime in the last half of the last decade of the 16th century, one or more members of the line of genetically distinct Derbyshire Bloods mentioned above, migrated to County Clare on the Atlantic coast of Ireland. This migration was the origin event of today's Irish Bloods.

1639

Midlands Blood Migration to New England: In 1639, in the waning years of the Puritan Great Migration, five Blood males from Ruddington in Nottinghamshire emigrated to the Massachusetts Bay Colony in New England. Of these five -- Richard, his probable brothers John and Robert, James Blood and his young son James, Jr. -- Richard and Robert would become the progenitors of the majority of Bloods in the United States today.