The family was first mentioned in the 13th century.[1] It is the second-oldest such family still in existence after Natt och Dag. The comital family branch, descended from the first Count Nils Bielke af Åkerö (1644–1716), is still extant, while the baronial branch became extinct in the male line with the death of Johan Ture Bielke in 1792.[2]
Swedish nobility did not use the practice of including family names in personal names until the late 16th century. The name was originally derived from the traditional family coat of arms and has been applied posthumously to earlier noble ancestors as well. In such cases, the family name is usually written in parentheses.
