A younger branch of an old Suffolk family, who derived their name from a hamlet in the parish of Gaseley in this county. The pedigree is traced to Richard Heigham, who died in 1340; his grandson Thomas was of Heigham, and died in 1409. The elder line ended in co-heiresses in 1558. A younger branch was seated at Barrow, and continued there till 1714, founded by Clement, fourth son of Thomas Heigham, of Heigham, Esq., who died in 1492. From Sir Clement, third in descent from the first Clement, the present family is descended. Hunston was inherited from the heiress of Lurkin in 1701.
See Gage's History of the Hundred of Thingoe, p. 8; and Davy's Suffolk Collections, Add. MSS. 19,135, vol. lix. p. 50.
Arms.—Sable, a fess cheeky, or and azure, between three horse's heads erased argent.
Present Representative, John Henry Heigham, Esq.
Blois of Cockfield Hall, Baronet 1686.
This family is supposed to derive its name from Blois in France, and is thought to be of great antiquity in this county; it is not regularly deduced, however, beyond Thomas Blois, who was living at Norton in Suffolk in 1470. Third in descent was Richard Blois of Grundisburgh, which he purchased, and which became for many years the principal seat of the family. He died in 1557.
See Wotton's Baronetage, iv. p. 9; and Davy's Suffolk Collections, Add. MSS. 91,118, vol. xlii. p. 386.
Arms.—Gules, a bend vair between two fleurs-de-lis argent. Gwillim makes the field sable, and the fleurs-de-lis or.
Present Representative, Sir John Ralph Blois, 8th Baronet.