Blaisdell
A surname of English origin, probably a variant of Blaisdale, meaning someone from a place named for a dark or bleak valley.
The #8,551 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 80,152 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Blaisdell is generally treated as a locational surname, likely a spelling variant of Blaisdale or a similar place-name. The second element is the Old English word for a valley or dale, while the first element is usually explained as referring to something bleak, black, or dark. In other words, the name probably meant “the person from the dark valley” or a comparable place.
History
The surname is found in English records and later became established in North America, where it survives in several spellings. The 19th-century source excerpt mainly shows it being listed alongside other surnames, which supports its recognition as an established family name but does not add much detail about its origin.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Because the ending -dell looks like the modern English word for a small valley, Blaisdell is often remembered as a name with a built-in landscape image.
From the historical record
“Blair, 425. Blaisdell, 222. Blake, 421. Blakely, 425. Blakeraore, 425. Blakenej, 425. Blakeny, 425.”
— Suffolk Surnames (3rd ed.)