NameCensus.

UK surname

Blackbird

An English surname derived from the bird's black color.

In the 1881 census there were 61 people recorded with the Blackbird surname, ranking it #24,992 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 110, ranked #29,225, down from #24,992 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Gateshead and Batley. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Holland, East Cambridgeshire and County Durham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Blackbird is 113 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 80.3%.

1881 census count

61

Ranked #24,992

Modern count

110

2016, ranked #29,225

Peak year

1911

113 bearers

Map years

4

1911 to 2016

Key insights

  • Blackbird had 61 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #24,992 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 110 in 2016, ranked #29,225.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 113 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Blackbird surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Blackbird surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Blackbird 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 88 #18,569
1861 historical 69 #25,057
1881 historical 61 #24,992
1891 historical 72 #27,804
1901 historical 78 #25,500
1911 historical 113 #21,168
1997 modern 102 #26,638
1998 modern 108 #26,417
1999 modern 108 #26,602
2000 modern 107 #26,700
2001 modern 105 #26,620
2002 modern 110 #26,412
2003 modern 101 #27,561
2004 modern 97 #28,455
2005 modern 98 #28,325
2006 modern 108 #27,015
2007 modern 110 #27,087
2008 modern 106 #28,016
2009 modern 113 #27,520
2010 modern 113 #28,162
2011 modern 106 #29,157
2012 modern 110 #28,514
2013 modern 111 #28,856
2014 modern 111 #29,113
2015 modern 108 #29,512
2016 modern 110 #29,225

Geography

Back to top

Where Blackbirds are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Gateshead, Batley, Stranton and Littleport, Hilgay (Downham, Norfolk), Southery (Downham, Norfolk). These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Holland, East Cambridgeshire, County Durham and Sunderland. 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 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
2 Gateshead Durham
3 Batley Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Stranton Durham
5 Littleport, Hilgay (Downham, Norfolk), Southery (Downham, Norfolk) Cambridgeshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Holland 011 South Holland
2 East Cambridgeshire 002 East Cambridgeshire
3 County Durham 015 County Durham
4 County Durham 027 County Durham
5 Sunderland 033 Sunderland

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Blackbird

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Blackbird

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Young Families in Industrial Towns

Nationally, the Blackbird surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Blackbird household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Blackbird is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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 located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Blackbird is most concentrated in decile 2 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Blackbird falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Blackbird is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Blackbird

The surname "Blackbird" is of English origin, dating back to the late 12th century. It is derived from the Old English words "blæc" meaning black and "brid" meaning bird. The name likely originated as a descriptive nickname for someone who was associated with the blackbird, either because they had a resemblance to the bird or perhaps lived in an area where blackbirds were abundant.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname "Blackbird" can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Sussex from 1190, where a person named "Ricardus Blakebrid" is mentioned. These rolls were records of financial transactions and accounts kept by the royal treasury in medieval England.

In the 13th century, the surname appears in various forms, such as "Blakebrid," "Blakebyrde," and "Blakebrid" in records from counties like Oxfordshire, Warwickshire, and Worcestershire. These variations in spelling were common during this period, as standardized spelling was not yet established.

The name "Blackbird" is also found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which were administrative records compiled for the purpose of tax assessment. One entry mentions a "Willimus Blackbrid" from the county of Shropshire.

In the 14th century, the surname is recorded in the Subsidy Rolls of Staffordshire from 1327, where a "Johannes Blakebrid" is listed. These rolls were tax records used for collecting subsidies or financial aid for the king.

One notable historical figure with the surname "Blackbird" was Robert Blackbird (c. 1545-1625), a English landowner and Member of Parliament who represented the borough of Wigan in Lancashire during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

Another individual worth mentioning is John Blackbird (1675-1741), a renowned English clockmaker who worked in London and was known for his exceptional craftsmanship in creating high-quality timepieces.

In the 18th century, the surname appears in various parish records, such as the baptismal record of William Blackbird, born in 1724 in the parish of St. Michael's in Coventry, Warwickshire.

The 19th century saw the rise of Samuel Blackbird (1815-1892), an English industrialist and entrepreneur who founded the Blackbird Manufacturing Company, which produced textile machinery and played a significant role in the industrial revolution.

Lastly, one cannot overlook the literary figure of Alice Blackbird (1879-1952), a celebrated English novelist and poet known for her vivid descriptions of rural life and her insightful portrayal of the human experience.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Blackbird families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Blackbird 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. Durham leads with 42 Blackbirds recorded in 1881 and an index of 23.35x.

County Total Index
Durham 42 23.35x
Norfolk 6 6.45x
Devon 3 2.38x
Hampshire 2 1.61x
Kent 2 0.97x
Middlesex 2 0.33x
Northumberland 2 2.22x
Lancashire 1 0.14x
Lincolnshire 1 1.03x
Yorkshire 1 0.17x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Newbottle in Durham leads with 10 Blackbirds recorded in 1881 and an index of 1020.41x.

Place Total Index
Newbottle 10 1020.41x
Heworth 9 253.52x
Whickham 7 421.69x
Hilgay 6 1714.29x
Tanfield 6 280.37x
Westoe 4 39.22x
Stranton 3 49.51x
Tormoham 3 56.29x
Barming 2 1428.57x
Millbrook 2 64.10x
Spitalfields London 2 43.96x
Wallsend 2 70.18x
Durham St Nicholas 1 227.27x
Gateshead 1 7.42x
Great Little Marsden 1 30.40x
Great Lumley 1 322.58x
Kildwick 1 181.82x
Skirbeck 1 185.19x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 7
Jane 5
Mary 4
Ann 2
Emily 2
Isabella 2
Matilda 2
Agnes 1
Anna 1
Caroline 1
Ellen 1
Hannah 1
Martha 1
Polly 1
Rachel 1
Sarah 1
Sarah.A. 1
Thirsa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 6
John 5
Matthew 2
Ralph 2
A. 1
Edwin 1
Francis 1
George 1
Gilbert 1
Henry 1
Jerimiah.W. 1
Joseph 1
Robert 1
Thomas 1
Thos. 1

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 Blackbird households.

FAQ

Blackbird surname: questions and answers

How common was the Blackbird surname in 1881?

In 1881, 61 people were recorded with the Blackbird surname. That placed it at #24,992 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Blackbird surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 110 in 2016. That gives Blackbird a modern rank of #29,225.

What does the Blackbird surname mean?

An English surname derived from the bird's black color.

What does the Blackbird map show?

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