Blood Family History

English: occupational name for a blood-letter based on the Middle English verb bloden ‘to let blood’. The usual Middle English terms for this occupation were bloodletter or blooder.

English: possibly also a nickname from Middle English blode ‘blood’ used as an oath (short for God's blood) but also as a term of address for a blood relative as in: ‘Now beth nought wroth my blode my nece’ (Chaucer).

It could also mean ‘child near relative’ and ‘someone as dear to one as one's own offspring’. Irish (of English origin): According to MacLysaght the Irish family of this name came to Ireland (Clare) in the 16th century from Derbyshire where they were originally called by the Welsh surname ap Llwyd (see Lloyd).

However, the Welsh origin is dubious and it is more likely that the surname is derived from 1 or 2 above.