Blas
A short form of the name Blaise/Blasius, ultimately from a Roman personal name meaning “lisping” or “stammering.”
The #9,045 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 85,478 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Blas is a shortened form of the medieval personal name Blasius, Latinized from Greek and commonly associated with the meaning “lisping” or “stammering.” In Spanish and related languages it appears as a clipped form of Blas, the local equivalent of Blaise. The surname therefore began as a name based on a forename rather than a place or occupation.
History
The name spread through Christian Europe because Saint Blaise was a widely venerated saint, which helped keep the personal name in use. As surnames became hereditary, a man known as Blas or the son of someone called Blas could pass the name on to descendants. The form is found especially in Spanish- and Catalan-speaking areas, though the exact surname history can vary by family.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Saint Blaise is still remembered in many churches on 3 February, and his popularity helped keep versions of the name alive for centuries.
From the historical record
“curva cerrada por cerdas que sirve para tocar los instru- mentos de cuerda. El aro que abraza ¡ tiene unidas las ta- blas de las cubas i pipas. Puerta monumental terminada por una curva. Arcon. Aumentativo de arco. Arcones. Plural del anterior.”
— Diccionario de los apellidos