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The term "blue blood" came to be associated with the aristocracy simply because it was not uncommon in earlier times for European nobility to have skin that appeared to have a blue cast. The bluish (or sometimes greenish) discoloration of their skin was often caused by a condition known as Argyria.

Argyria it the result of ingested silver particles that are not able to pass through the body. Historically, this was caused by particles from silver eating utensils being swallowed along with food or silver being taken for medicinal purposes. Aristocrats were originally the ones who could afford medicine and who enjoyed the daily privilege of eating off of silver plates, drinking from silver vessels, and, as the saying goes, being born with "a silver spoon in their mouth." Thus, Argyria was a condition that was more common among the upper class.

The popularity of medicinal silver especially arose from 702 A.D. through 980 A.D. throughout the Middle East where it was widely used and esteemed for blood purification, heart conditions, and controlling halitosis. Paracelsus (circa 1520) extensively incorporated silver medicinally, and later Caradanus, Pareus and Sala also used it. Angelus Sala used silver nitrate to successfully treat chorea, tabes dorsalis (syphilis), and "doubtably epilepsy". These crude forms of silver were reported by Sala to rarely cause the bluish hue of skin discoloration due to its overuse (Argyria). It is widely thought that during the Middle Ages, silver utensils and goblets contributed a bluish hue to the skin tone of the upper class, resulting in the term "royal blue bloods." Plausibly the term "born with a silver spoon in his mouth"

Queen Elizabeth I, less than real life portrait where the artist was challenged by the very Blue skin and veins. See the temples and the hands for more detail.

Silver Spoons, Goblets And Plates

Silver has one of the most powerful antibacterial properties of any substance naturally occurring. Silver was a very pronounced way to portray wealth by Royal families and went about to use it for many common items. Most pointed to this insight is the use of Silver forks, spoons, knives, drinking goblets, plates, etc. The very high use of Silver eating and drinking conveyances means that there was a very high transfer of ionic and colloidal silver mixed into the alkaline and acidic foods. Most directly the Silver Wine Goblet could leach 100s of parts per million of Silver in the Wine. History shows that there was a great deal of Silver Wine Goblets in use with the Royal families. High consumption of Silver actually allowed for very high resistance to bacterial infections. However, the very high levels of Silver also caused Argyria (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arg...). The condition of Argyria literally caused Blue skin and rather pronounced blue veins and arteries.

No Tan Lines

Royal nobility through just about all of history would covet the notion that they were “untouched by the sun” and thus were not tanned. Tanning was a sign of a manual laborer that spent a great deal of time outdoors. Thus the very pronounced white almost translucent skin became a part of the Royal image. This type of skin allowed for a much more pronounced view of the veins and arteries.

Conclusion

We can be very certain that the combination of a very unique RH factor along with the Blueing effect of high use of Silver with very translucent skin created the term Blue Blood. There is no doubt that the common person or peasant would marvel at the skin and the pronounced Blue color of the Royal blood coursing through the Royal veins.