NameCensus.

UK surname

Blackburne

From a settlement named for its blackened or burned location.

In the 1881 census there were 206 people recorded with the Blackburne surname, ranking it #12,596 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 239, ranked #17,322, down from #12,596 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Over, Rosthern and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Breckland, Westminster and Herefordshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Blackburne is 282 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 16.0%.

1881 census count

206

Ranked #12,596

Modern count

239

2016, ranked #17,322

Peak year

1998

282 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Blackburne had 206 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,596 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 239 in 2016, ranked #17,322.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 269 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Blackburne surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Blackburne surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Blackburne 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 147 #13,084
1861 historical 221 #11,031
1881 historical 206 #12,596
1891 historical 269 #12,060
1901 historical 237 #13,574
1911 historical 215 #14,290
1997 modern 273 #14,417
1998 modern 282 #14,472
1999 modern 279 #14,670
2000 modern 278 #14,659
2001 modern 268 #14,812
2002 modern 265 #15,197
2003 modern 257 #15,341
2004 modern 257 #15,419
2005 modern 254 #15,480
2006 modern 244 #16,011
2007 modern 247 #16,042
2008 modern 241 #16,481
2009 modern 248 #16,509
2010 modern 260 #16,343
2011 modern 259 #16,237
2012 modern 244 #16,793
2013 modern 243 #17,114
2014 modern 241 #17,338
2015 modern 242 #17,191
2016 modern 239 #17,322

Geography

Back to top

Where Blackburnes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Over, Rosthern, London parishes, Toxteth Park and Manchester. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Breckland, Westminster, Herefordshire, Luton and Hart. 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 Over Cheshire
2 Rosthern Cheshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Toxteth Park Lancashire
5 Manchester Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Breckland 008 Breckland
2 Westminster 011 Westminster
3 Herefordshire 001 Herefordshire, County of
4 Luton 020 Luton
5 Hart 010 Hart

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Blackburne

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Blackburne

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Blackburne surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Blackburne 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 includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Blackburne 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

Blackburne 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

Blackburne 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 Blackburne 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 Blackburne, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Blackburne

The surname Blackburne is an English locational name derived from the town of Blackburn in Lancashire, England. The name originates from Old English words "blæc" meaning "black" and "burna" meaning "a stream". The name likely referred to a dark-colored stream or brook that flowed through the area.

The earliest known record of the name dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Blackeburne". This suggests the name was established in England by the late 11th century, shortly after the Norman Conquest.

In the 13th century, records show variations such as "Blakeburn" and "Blakburn". By the 15th century, the spelling had evolved closer to the modern form, with examples like "Blakborne" and "Blakburne" appearing in historical documents.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname was Sir Thomas Blackburne (c. 1420-1489), an English knight and landowner from Lancashire. Another notable figure was Thomas Blackburne (1642-1707), an English churchman who served as Archbishop of York from 1691 until his death.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, several prominent Blackburnes made their mark in various fields. Richard Blackburne (1650-1724) was an English philosopher and theologian known for his works on natural religion. Francis Blackburne (1705-1787) was an Anglican clergyman and controversial figure who advocated for religious reform.

In the 19th century, Edward Blackburne (1805-1887) was an English chess player and chess problemist, considered one of the best players of his time. He popularized the game in Great Britain and authored several books on chess strategy.

The name Blackburne has also been associated with places like Blackburn Rovers Football Club, a prominent English soccer team based in Blackburn, Lancashire. The club's nickname, "The Rovers", is derived from the historical presence of rovers or nomadic families in the area.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Blackburne families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Blackburne 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. Lancashire leads with 61 Blackburnes recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.56x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 61 2.56x
Cheshire 50 11.27x
Yorkshire 18 0.90x
Gloucestershire 15 3.81x
Middlesex 15 0.75x
Lincolnshire 12 3.74x
Surrey 6 0.61x
Shropshire 5 2.88x
Sussex 5 1.48x
Warwickshire 4 0.79x
Hampshire 3 0.73x
Norfolk 3 0.97x
Somerset 3 0.93x
Devon 2 0.48x
Caernarfonshire 1 1.23x
Derbyshire 1 0.32x
Dorset 1 0.76x
Hertfordshire 1 0.72x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Over in Cheshire leads with 19 Blackburnes recorded in 1881 and an index of 421.29x.

Place Total Index
Over 19 421.29x
Sheffield 18 28.40x
Bristol St James St Paul 10 76.10x
Rostherne 10 3846.15x
Liverpool 9 6.22x
Barton Upon Irwell 7 39.00x
Kirkdale 6 14.96x
Oldham 6 7.80x
Westminster St James 6 29.04x
Beesby 5 5000.00x
Birkenhead 5 14.14x
Ellesmere 5 167.79x
Hastings Holy Trinity 5 200.00x
Horncastle 5 150.60x
Lathom 5 173.61x
Pendleton In Salford 5 17.60x
Timperley 5 324.68x
Hurdsfield 4 146.52x
Bermondsey 3 5.02x
Chester Holy Trinity 3 144.23x
Hale 3 769.23x
Hindley 3 29.50x
Horton 3 1200.00x
Long Ashton 3 187.50x
Milverton 3 201.34x
Stoke 3 64.94x
Wavertree 3 39.32x
Clifton 2 10.04x
Crumpsall 2 35.59x
Everton 2 2.63x
Hackney London 2 1.78x
Hulme 2 4.02x
Manchester 2 1.87x
Portsea 2 2.48x
Shoreditch London 2 2.30x
Stradsett 2 2222.22x
Bickerstaffe 1 64.10x
Chelsea London 1 1.65x
Devonport 1 20.79x
East Dereham 1 25.64x
Eastwick 1 1428.57x
Edmonton 1 6.18x
Gainsborough 1 13.21x
Hawerby With Beesby 1 1666.67x
High Leigh 1 172.41x
Islington London 1 0.51x
Kingsclere 1 53.19x
Leamington Priors 1 8.02x
Liscard 1 12.52x
Llandudno 1 34.48x
Morton 1 163.93x
Moss Side 1 7.97x
Nantwich 1 19.42x
Overton 1 454.55x
Paddington London 1 1.35x
Portland 1 14.10x
Rainhill 1 65.36x
Tottenham 1 3.13x
Ulverston 1 14.41x
Warmingham 1 454.55x
Wembworthy 1 333.33x
West Derby 1 1.43x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 14
Ann 6
Sarah 6
Alice 4
Eliza 4
Elizabeth 4
Anne 3
Eleanor 3
Ellen 3
Emma 3
Margaret 3
Emily 2
Florence 2
Frances 2
Georgina 2
Grace 2
Harriet 2
Annie 1
Avena 1
Beatrice 1
Bertha 1
Betsy 1
Caroline 1
Catherine 1
Charlotte 1
Christionce 1
Clara 1
Constance 1
Dorothea 1
Edith 1
Eliz. 1
Elizth.A. 1
Esmareldie 1
Esther 1
Ethel 1
Francis 1
Gertrude 1
Haidee 1
Harriett 1
John 1
Josephine 1
Laura 1
Lilly 1
Louisa 1
Louise 1
Maria 1
Martha 1
Matilda 1
Maud 1
Maude 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 15
William 8
Joseph 7
Thomas 7
Henry 6
James 5
Edward 4
Robert 4
George 3
Albert 2
Arthur 2
Charles 2
David 2
Elisha 2
Frank 2
Gilbert 2
Peter 2
Richard 2
Samuel 2
Alex 1
Alfred 1
Ambrose 1
Crispin 1
Edw. 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Harrey 1
Herbert 1
Isaac 1
J. 1
Jonathan 1
Josh. 1
Julius 1
Lionel 1
Mark 1
Reuben 1
Richd. 1
Saml. 1
Stewart 1
Wilfred 1
Willie 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Blackburne surname: questions and answers

How common was the Blackburne surname in 1881?

In 1881, 206 people were recorded with the Blackburne surname. That placed it at #12,596 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Blackburne surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 239 in 2016. That gives Blackburne a modern rank of #17,322.

What does the Blackburne surname mean?

From a settlement named for its blackened or burned location.

What does the Blackburne map show?

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