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Origins of the Blieden surname Dr Naomi Schamroth Rapeport 2018
There are numerous derivatives for the family name Blieden. They include Bleadon, Bleeden, Bliden, Blieden and Bliedon.
The family name Blieden is thought to be derived from a Latvian private estate in the Tukums district which was situated 13 kilometers to the east, north east of Frauenburg Kurland (Saldus, Courland).1,2 This estate, which covered 5629 hectares, comprised two properties known as Groß-Blieden and Klein Blieden. During 1576 until 1716 the Blieden estate was the property of the family von der Recken Neuenburg. The land of the main property was tended to by peasant workers who delivered the harvested crops to the owner. A Lutheran church was situated 8.5 kilometers south east of Schloss Blieden. A pastorate was supported by means of a ‘fronpackt’ . This was a lease whereby tenant farmers who worked the fields of the estate owner, kept a percentage of the crops in exchange for their work.
There is confirmation that Baron Jacob Friedrich von der Recke adH-Blieden, his wife Baroness Susanna Agatha von der Recke adH-Blieden and their daughter Baroness Anna Dorothea von der Recke (von der Recke adH-Blieden) lived in Latvia.3 The Baron died in about 1692 in Tukums. His daughter was born in 1691 in Jelgava (Mitava) and died in Jaunpils, Jaunpils Parish, which is a municipality in Zemgale, Latvia.
Today Schloss Blieden is situated at Pilsblīdene.4 The building, Lielbeldene Manor at Groß-Blieden was used by the Blidene Farmers Association during the time of the Latvian Republic. 5 Both properties are in the Blīdene Parish.
It is known that some Blieden family members who lived in Zhager (Žagarė Lithuania) were grain merchants. 6 Both Zundel (Chanoch) Blieden (c1814-1882) and his son Yehuda (Julius) Blieden (1851-1904) were grain merchant.7 The son of Laser Blieden from Mitava (Jelgava Latvia), Zundel Blieden (born c 1843), was also documented to be a grain miller 8,9
Another postulate regarding the Blieden surname is that it was derived from name of the town Baldone in the Zemgale municipality Latvia.10,11 This town is famous for its sulphur water springs and was a spa resort. The pronunciation of Baldone was apparently pronounced as Blieden in German and Yiddish. It is mentioned that the town owed its prominence to Baron Korff, a local magnate. He came upon a small stream named Kekau and because he disliked the taste of its water he dug up its bed, cleaned it up, paved the banks and converted it into a resort 200 years ago.12
Several generations of the Blieden families lived in Zhager Lithuania, Mitava Latvia as well as the Latvian capital Riga.
References: 1. Feldmann H, von ZurMühlen H, von Kymmel R et al. Baltisches historiches Ortslexikon II – Lettland. (Baltic Historical Dictionary II Latvia (Southern Lvland and Courland)) 1998
2. Frauenburg [Ger] - Saldus [Latv], Froienburg [Yid], Freuenberg. It is a Latvian town located in Courland and is the main town in Saldus District.
3. Geni World Family Tree. Jacob Friedrich von der Recke adH-Blieden (von der Recke), Baron; Susanna Agatha von der Recke adH-Blieden, Baroness; Anna Dorothea von der Recke (von der Recke adH-Blieden) Baroness. 2012. Managed by Jadra (Geni Curator), Elle Kiiker (Ling), Aleksandras Fišeras, Timo Antero Westerlundand, Pavel Astafiev, Gennady, 2012.
4. Herder-Institut für historische Ostmitteleuropaforschung Institu der Leibniz-Gemeinschaft Bildkatalog Galerieansicht: Pirang (1926-30) Baltisches Herrenhaus: Bd. 2 (1928) https://www.herder-institut.de/bildkatalog/iv/229241c. Inventarnummer, 229241c https://www.herder-institut.de/bildkatalog/iv/257058 Inventarnummer, 257058 06/07/2010
5. Latvijas muižas un pilis un citas interesantas vietas: Groß-Blieden manasvietas.blogspot.com/search/label/Groß-Blieden
6. Zhager - Žagarė [Lith], Zhager [Yid], Zhagare [Rus], Żagory [Pol], Žagare [Latv], Zhagar, Zager, Žagarės. It is located in the Joniškis district, northern Lithuania, close to the border with Latvia.
7. Death certificate number 1270 Yehuda (Julius) Blieden 31 July 1904 Berlin Germany : “In front of the undersigned official, appeared today the announcement of the Jewish Hospital, 31st July 1904 that Julius Blieden, grain merchant, husband of Yetta, born Gitelsohn, aged 53 years old, Mose’s religion, residing in Johannisburg, South Africa, born in Szagrarren, province Korvno, Russia, son of the grain merchant Zundel Blieden and his wife Nessi, birth name unknown, both deceased and were at last staying in that place, (died) in Berlin in this hospital August Street 14/16 on the 31st July 1904 during the morning at 4 ¼ hours”.
8. Mitav [Yid] - Jelgava [Latv], Mitava [Rus], Mitau [Ger] It is a city in central Latvia about 41 kilometres southwest of Riga. It is the largest town in the region of Zemgale.
9. .Mariages a Jelgava (Mitava, Mitau) 1867. Page 24; record number 45; date of marriage 25/12/1867; place Mitava; surname of the groom Blieden?; given name of the groom Zundel; age of the groom 24 (born c 1843); father of the groom Laser; occupation of the groom miller ; surname of the bride Levinsohn; given name of the bride Jakha; age of the bride 21; father of the bride; not stated; occupation of the bride’s father; not stated; Rabbi or Officiant Rabbi Salomon Pucher; witnesses ; the Rabbi substitute J. Khaimovich, Leizer Harfeld ; dowry ; 75+ 475 rubles; place of origin of the groom Mitava; place of origin of the bride Mitava. Page 8; record number125; date of marriage 31/03/1867; place Mitava surname of the groom Blieden; given name of the groom Judel ; age of the groom 27 (born c 1840); father of the groom Markus; occupation of the groom not stated ; surname of the bride Zaltzman; given name of the bride Jetta; age of the bride 19; father of the bride Jossel; occupation of the bride’s father not stated; Rabbi or Officiant; ; Rabbi Salomon Pucher Witnesses ; the cantor M. V. Yakobsohn, Leizer Harfeld; dowry ; 75+ 525 rubles ; place of origin of the groom; Zhagoren; place of origin of the bride Mitava.
10. Jewish Post Indianapolis, Marion County 25 November 1955 — Hoosier State Chronicles page 18. https://newspapers.library.in.gov/cgi-bin/indiana?a=d&d=JPOST195511......
11. Baldones novads - Baldone municipality is in Zemgale, Latvia. The municipality was formed in 2008 by merging Baldone town and its countryside territory, with the administrative center being Baldone. The town is famous for its sulphur water springs and was a spa resort.
12. Ķekava - Keckau [Ger] is a place located in the Latvian region of Zemgale 17 kilometres south of Riga. It is located on the left side of the Daugava /Western Dvina river in the immediate vicinity of the Riga reservoir. The watermills of Keckau were first mentioned in writing in 1435. After the division of Livonia in 1561 the estate was part of the Duchy of Courland and from 1793 the Russian governorate Courland .