NameCensus.

UK surname

Blachford

A habitational name from a location named with the Old English elements blæc "black" and ford "ford".

In the 1881 census there were 55 people recorded with the Blachford surname, ranking it #25,862 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 130, ranked #26,152, down from #25,862 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include New Forest and East Dorset.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Blachford is 160 in 2001. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 136.4%.

1881 census count

55

Ranked #25,862

Modern count

130

2016, ranked #26,152

Peak year

2001

160 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Blachford had 55 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #25,862 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 130 in 2016, ranked #26,152.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 96 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Blachford surname distribution map

The map shows where the Blachford surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Blachford surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Blachford over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 55 #23,413
1861 historical 52 #27,369
1881 historical 55 #25,862
1891 historical 96 #24,559
1901 historical 59 #27,609
1911 historical 25 #30,654
1997 modern 146 #21,494
1998 modern 153 #21,387
1999 modern 156 #21,290
2000 modern 156 #21,235
2001 modern 160 #20,616
2002 modern 160 #21,011
2003 modern 155 #21,217
2004 modern 151 #21,720
2005 modern 145 #22,253
2006 modern 139 #23,044
2007 modern 136 #23,708
2008 modern 132 #24,476
2009 modern 141 #23,907
2010 modern 145 #24,031
2011 modern 147 #23,627
2012 modern 142 #24,148
2013 modern 140 #24,779
2014 modern 138 #25,218
2015 modern 135 #25,481
2016 modern 130 #26,152

Geography

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Where Blachfords are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to New Forest and East Dorset. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 New Forest 023 New Forest
2 East Dorset 005 East Dorset
3 East Dorset 010 East Dorset
4 East Dorset 006 East Dorset
5 New Forest 004 New Forest

Forenames

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First names often paired with Blachford

These lists show first names that appear often with the Blachford surname in historical and recent records.

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Blachford

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Blachford, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Blachford surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Blachford household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Blachford is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Blachford is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Blachford falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Blachford is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Blachford, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Blachford

The surname Blachford is of English origin, with its roots tracing back to the medieval period. It is a locational name, derived from a place called Blackford, which was located in various regions across England, including Devon, Somerset, and Wiltshire.

Blackford is an Old English toponymic term, combining the words "blæc" meaning "black" and "ford" meaning "a shallow river crossing." This suggests that the name originated from settlements situated near a dark or muddy ford. The earliest recorded spelling of the name appeared as "Blacheford" in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1196.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Robert de Blacheford, who was mentioned in the Curia Regis Rolls of Warwickshire in 1221. The name also appeared in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire in 1273, referring to a certain Walter de Blacheford.

During the 14th century, the name was found in various historical records, such as the Subsidy Rolls of Somerset, where a John Blachford was listed in 1327. In the Lay Subsidy Rolls of Wiltshire in 1332, a Richard Blachford was recorded.

Notable individuals with the surname Blachford include Sir Thomas Blachford (1588-1665), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Somerset. John Blachford (1770-1854) was a prominent British merchant and landowner in Devon, known for his philanthropic efforts and the establishment of the Blachford Charity.

Another significant figure was Frederic Rowland Blachford (1833-1905), a British Army officer and explorer who served in India and Afghanistan. He authored several works, including "Rifle and Romance in the Indian Jungle" and "Narrative of a Route to Explore the Entrance to the Brahmaputra and Kundil Lakes."

Lastly, Sir Maurice Blachford (1897-1975) was a British diplomat and civil servant who held various diplomatic positions, including Ambassador to Spain from 1953 to 1957.

While the name Blachford is not as common today, its historical roots and associations with notable individuals make it a distinctive English surname with a rich heritage.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Blachford families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Blachford surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Hampshire leads with 28 Blachfords recorded in 1881 and an index of 25.47x.

County Total Index
Hampshire 28 25.47x
Middlesex 10 1.86x
Devon 8 7.17x
Surrey 6 2.30x
Cornwall 1 1.65x
Dorset 1 2.84x
Wiltshire 1 2.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Lymington in Hampshire leads with 11 Blachfords recorded in 1881 and an index of 1358.02x.

Place Total Index
Lymington 11 1358.02x
Christchurch 7 294.12x
Penge 6 174.93x
Brockenhurst 4 2105.26x
Kensington London 4 13.41x
Plymouth Charles The 4 81.30x
Fulham London 3 38.56x
Hammersmith London 3 22.71x
Harbridge 3 4285.71x
Ermington 2 487.80x
Fordingbridge 2 333.33x
Stoke Damerel 2 25.61x
Botus Fleming 1 2500.00x
Fisherton Anger 1 113.64x
Kimpton 1 2000.00x
Kinson 1 144.93x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Blachford surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Blachford surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Blachford households.

FAQ

Blachford surname: questions and answers

How common was the Blachford surname in 1881?

In 1881, 55 people were recorded with the Blachford surname. That placed it at #25,862 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Blachford surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 130 in 2016. That gives Blachford a modern rank of #26,152.

What does the Blachford surname mean?

A habitational name from a location named with the Old English elements blæc "black" and ford "ford".

What does the Blachford map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Blachford bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.