NameCensus.

UK surname

Blackall

A surname indicating one who was extremely dark-skinned or tanned.

In the 1881 census there were 369 people recorded with the Blackall surname, ranking it #8,443 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 410, ranked #11,674, down from #8,443 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Henley-on-Thames, London parishes and Bray, Maidenhead, Cookham. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Isle of Anglesey, Knowsley and Windsor and Maidenhead.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Blackall is 500 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 11.1%.

1881 census count

369

Ranked #8,443

Modern count

410

2016, ranked #11,674

Peak year

1911

500 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Blackall had 369 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,443 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 410 in 2016, ranked #11,674.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 500 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Blackall surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Blackall surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Blackall 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 333 #7,015
1861 historical 275 #9,082
1881 historical 369 #8,443
1891 historical 380 #9,231
1901 historical 435 #8,922
1911 historical 500 #7,831
1997 modern 412 #10,759
1998 modern 437 #10,637
1999 modern 430 #10,855
2000 modern 432 #10,771
2001 modern 420 #10,811
2002 modern 413 #11,170
2003 modern 388 #11,508
2004 modern 389 #11,516
2005 modern 383 #11,565
2006 modern 379 #11,688
2007 modern 379 #11,854
2008 modern 396 #11,581
2009 modern 410 #11,503
2010 modern 417 #11,606
2011 modern 404 #11,786
2012 modern 401 #11,699
2013 modern 399 #11,944
2014 modern 411 #11,768
2015 modern 412 #11,642
2016 modern 410 #11,674

Geography

Back to top

Where Blackalls are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Henley-on-Thames, London parishes and Bray, Maidenhead, Cookham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Isle of Anglesey, Knowsley, Windsor and Maidenhead, Wycombe and King's Lynn and West Norfolk. 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 Henley-on-Thames Oxfordshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Bray, Maidenhead, Cookham Berkshire
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Isle of Anglesey 001 Isle of Anglesey
2 Knowsley 005 Knowsley
3 Windsor and Maidenhead 008 Windsor and Maidenhead
4 Wycombe 007 Wycombe
5 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 018 King's Lynn and West Norfolk

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Blackall

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Blackall

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Blackall, 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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Blackall surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Blackall household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Blackall is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Blackall is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Blackall falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Blackall is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Blackall

The surname BLACKALL is believed to have originated in England, likely during the medieval period. It is thought to be a locational name, derived from a place name referring to a black stream or brook. The prefix "black" may have referred to the dark color of the water or the muddy banks of the stream.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name BLACKALL can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Staffordshire from the year 1242, which mention a person named William de Blackhale. This spelling variation suggests a connection to a place called "Black Hall" or "Black Hollow."

The BLACKALL surname is also found in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, a census-like record of landowners and tenants in England during the reign of King Edward I. This document lists individuals with the surnames Blakehall and Blakehale, further reinforcing the locational origin of the name.

In the 16th century, the BLACKALL surname appeared in various parish records and legal documents across England. Notable examples include John Blackall, who was born in Worcestershire in 1564, and Thomas Blackall, a landowner in Gloucestershire recorded in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of 1572.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the BLACKALL name gained prominence with several notable individuals. One of them was Offspring Blackall (1655-1716), an English clergyman and Bishop of Exeter. Another was John Blackall (1771-1860), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars and later became a Vice-Admiral.

In the 19th century, the BLACKALL surname continued to be found in various parts of England, as well as in other parts of the British Empire. One notable figure was Samuel Blackall (1809-1881), an English-born explorer and surveyor who played a significant role in the exploration and mapping of South Australia.

Other individuals with the BLACKALL surname who left their mark on history include Sir Henry Blackall (1836-1912), a British Army officer and colonial administrator in Australia, and Robert Blackall (1837-1915), an English-born architect who designed several notable buildings in New Zealand.

Throughout its history, the BLACKALL surname has been subject to various spelling variations, such as Blackhall, Blackhale, Blackale, and Blackall, reflecting the regional dialects and scribal variations of the time.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Blackall families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Blackall 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. Middlesex leads with 84 Blackalls recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.34x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 84 2.34x
Berkshire 82 30.43x
Surrey 51 2.92x
Oxfordshire 44 19.85x
Kent 40 3.27x
Buckinghamshire 13 5.99x
Hampshire 13 1.77x
Lancashire 12 0.28x
Devon 8 1.07x
Essex 5 0.71x
Yorkshire 5 0.14x
Somerset 3 0.52x
Shropshire 2 0.64x
Sussex 2 0.33x
Bedfordshire 1 0.54x
Glamorgan 1 0.16x
Norfolk 1 0.18x
Wiltshire 1 0.32x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bray in Berkshire leads with 19 Blackalls recorded in 1881 and an index of 239.90x.

Place Total Index
Bray 19 239.90x
Islington London 19 5.46x
Kingston On Thames 16 38.08x
Rotherfield Greys 13 553.19x
Henley On Thames 12 264.32x
Hackney London 11 5.47x
Hammersmith London 10 11.31x
Folkestone 9 37.88x
Reading St Mary 9 41.71x
Rochester St Margaret 9 69.66x
Shoreditch London 9 5.78x
Caversham 8 180.59x
Hurst 8 226.63x
Wokingham 8 130.08x
Chelsea London 7 6.47x
Everton 7 5.16x
Hurley 7 500.00x
Newington 7 5.28x
Bermondsey 6 5.61x
Deptford St Paul 6 6.35x
Goosey 6 3000.00x
Rotherhithe 6 13.53x
Fulham London 5 9.60x
Mile End Old Town London 5 6.54x
Seal 5 252.53x
Turville 5 980.39x
Abingdon St Helen 4 50.76x
Atherton 4 25.81x
Ibstone Stokenchurch 4 1000.00x
Littlemore 4 655.74x
Minstead 4 377.36x
Paddington London 4 3.03x
Reigate Foreign 4 21.12x
Remenham 4 526.32x
Ryde 4 25.30x
Sonning 4 134.68x
Stoke Damerel 4 7.65x
Westminster St James 4 10.84x
Battersea 3 2.27x
Earls Colne 3 153.06x
Nettlebed 3 370.37x
Reading St Giles 3 11.35x
Stone In Dartford 3 95.54x
Tonbridge 3 6.79x
Ashford 2 70.42x
Basildon 2 246.91x
Buckland Monachorum 2 125.00x
Canterbury Holy Cross 2 169.49x
Clewer 2 18.12x
Dawley 2 17.71x
Frome 2 14.47x
Kensington London 2 1.00x
Little Kimble 2 1000.00x
Mapledurham 2 384.62x
Plumstead 2 4.90x
Putney 2 12.22x
Southwark St Olave 2 72.99x
Sowerby In Halifax 2 17.20x
Streatham 2 7.51x
Wanstead 2 16.12x
Wargrave 2 86.21x
Westminster St John 2 4.57x
Windlesham 2 60.79x
Ashburnham 1 105.26x
Blewbury 1 108.70x
Bradfield 1 69.93x
Broadwater 1 7.20x
Dibden 1 161.29x
Exeter St Sidwell 1 5.84x
Firbeck 1 322.58x
Hapton 1 416.67x
Hartley Wintney 1 45.25x
Liverpool 1 0.39x
Marlborough 1 188.68x
North Marston 1 125.00x
Plymouth St Andrew 1 1.74x
Rochester St Nicholas 1 26.25x
Shiplake 1 131.58x
St Pancras London 1 0.35x
Waltham St Lawrence 1 95.24x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 19
Sarah 14
Emma 12
Elizabeth 9
Alice 7
Ann 7
Ellen 7
Eliza 6
Annie 5
Jane 5
Susan 5
Emily 4
Louisa 4
Lydia 4
Amy 3
Elizth. 3
Kate 3
Martha 3
Rose 3
Anne 2
Bessie 2
Caroline 2
Catherine 2
Edith 2
Eleanor 2
Eliz. 2
Fanny 2
Hannah 2
Harriett 2
Margaret 2
Maria 2
Prudence 2
Susannah 2
Betey 1
Cath. 1
Charlotte 1
Clara 1
Ernest 1
Flora 1
Florence 1
Gertrude 1
Grace 1
Jean 1
Jennie 1
Laura 1
Lilly 1
Lizzie 1
Louise 1
Lucy 1
Theodore 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 26
John 21
George 17
Thomas 11
James 8
Richard 8
Alfred 7
Walter 7
Frederick 6
Harry 4
Henry 4
Joseph 4
Arthur 3
Charles 3
Edward 3
Ernest 3
Amos 2
David 2
Ephraim 2
Geo. 2
Robert 2
Samuel 2
Alexander 1
Algernon 1
Allen 1
Andrew 1
Bertram 1
E.J. 1
Edmund 1
Edwin 1
Egbert 1
Emma 1
Francis 1
Frdk. 1
Fred 1
Fredk. 1
Fredk.Wm. 1
Harley 1
Harold 1
Lewis 1
Mark 1
Oliver 1
Prudence 1
Rueben 1
Shadrack 1
Silas 1
Stanley 1
Stephen 1
Theophilus 1
Thos. 1

FAQ

Blackall surname: questions and answers

How common was the Blackall surname in 1881?

In 1881, 369 people were recorded with the Blackall surname. That placed it at #8,443 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Blackall surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 410 in 2016. That gives Blackall a modern rank of #11,674.

What does the Blackall surname mean?

A surname indicating one who was extremely dark-skinned or tanned.

What does the Blackall map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Blackall 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.