NameCensus.

UK surname

Blacker

An English surname derived from a nickname for someone with dark complexion or hair.

In the 1881 census there were 969 people recorded with the Blacker surname, ranking it #4,012 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,313, ranked #4,573, down from #4,012 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Harrogate, East Riding of Yorkshire and York.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Blacker is 1,425 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 35.5%.

1881 census count

969

Ranked #4,012

Modern count

1,313

2016, ranked #4,573

Peak year

1999

1,425 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Blacker had 969 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,012 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,313 in 2016, ranked #4,573.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,314 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Blacker surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Blacker surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Blacker 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 613 #4,211
1861 historical 640 #4,186
1881 historical 969 #4,012
1891 historical 1,043 #4,009
1901 historical 1,098 #4,399
1911 historical 1,314 #3,630
1997 modern 1,373 #4,202
1998 modern 1,412 #4,245
1999 modern 1,425 #4,236
2000 modern 1,378 #4,350
2001 modern 1,331 #4,395
2002 modern 1,368 #4,374
2003 modern 1,351 #4,348
2004 modern 1,333 #4,404
2005 modern 1,312 #4,405
2006 modern 1,302 #4,436
2007 modern 1,314 #4,446
2008 modern 1,321 #4,449
2009 modern 1,338 #4,495
2010 modern 1,324 #4,621
2011 modern 1,330 #4,545
2012 modern 1,341 #4,450
2013 modern 1,356 #4,480
2014 modern 1,374 #4,461
2015 modern 1,334 #4,526
2016 modern 1,313 #4,573

Geography

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Where Blackers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, Midsomer Norton, Paulton, Chilcompton and Butleigh, Walton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Harrogate, East Riding of Yorkshire, York, Bristol and Govan and Linthouse. 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 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Midsomer Norton, Paulton, Chilcompton Somerset
5 Butleigh, Walton Somerset

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Harrogate 016 Harrogate
2 East Riding of Yorkshire 041 East Riding of Yorkshire
3 York 024 York
4 Bristol 042 Bristol, City of
5 Govan and Linthouse Glasgow City

Forenames

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First names often paired with Blacker

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Blacker

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Blacker, 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 Blacker surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Blacker 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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Blacker is most associated with areas classed as Inner London Working Professionals, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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 primarily Inner London neighbourhoods are more densely populated than the Supergroup average. Residents have a younger over-all age profile than the Supergroup as a whole, and are less likely to be owner occupiers. Full time employment is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup and multiple car ownership is uncommon. Chinese and non-EU-born European migrants are less in evidence than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Blacker 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

Blacker falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Blacker is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Blacker

The surname Blacker is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "blac," meaning "black" or "dark-colored," and was likely an occupational name for someone who worked as a blacksmith or dealt with charcoal or soot.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Blacker name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where a person named Blacar is mentioned as a landowner in Worcestershire. This historical document provides valuable insights into the distribution and prevalence of surnames in England during the 11th century.

As time progressed, the name underwent various spelling variations, including Blakker, Blacker, and Blackre. These variations were common due to the inconsistencies in record-keeping and the influence of local dialects on pronunciation and spelling.

In the 13th century, several place names containing the word "Blacker" emerged, such as Blacker Hill in Derbyshire and Blacker Carr in Yorkshire. These place names may have influenced the surname or vice versa, as it was common for people to adopt surnames based on the locations where they lived or worked.

Notable individuals bearing the Blacker surname include:

1. Valentine Blacker (1778-1826), an Irish politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for Armagh. 2. William Blacker (1835-1918), a British soldier and writer known for his book "The Violated Territories" about the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1878. 3. Patience Blacker (1742-1808), an English Quaker writer and minister known for her religious works and her advocacy for abolition. 4. Robert Blacker (1826-1906), an English-born Australian politician who served as a member of the Legislative Council of Victoria. 5. Henry Blacker (1770-1839), an Irish landowner and magistrate who played a role in suppressing the Irish Rebellion of 1798.

The Blacker surname has a rich history, spanning centuries and crossing various regions of the British Isles and beyond. Its origins can be traced back to the Old English language, reflecting the occupational and descriptive nature of many medieval surnames.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Blacker families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Blacker 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. Yorkshire leads with 409 Blackers recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.32x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 409 4.32x
Somerset 173 11.25x
Middlesex 75 0.79x
Surrey 41 0.88x
Glamorgan 40 2.41x
Gloucestershire 36 1.92x
Worcestershire 26 2.08x
Monmouthshire 25 3.62x
Cheshire 20 0.95x
Carmarthenshire 15 3.73x
Lancashire 11 0.10x
Kent 10 0.31x
Norfolk 9 0.61x
Cornwall 8 0.74x
Durham 8 0.28x
Hampshire 8 0.41x
Perthshire 7 1.63x
Nottinghamshire 6 0.47x
Royal Navy 6 5.27x
Leicestershire 5 0.47x
Lincolnshire 5 0.33x
Sussex 5 0.31x
Northumberland 4 0.28x
Cumberland 3 0.36x
Northamptonshire 3 0.33x
Staffordshire 3 0.09x
Suffolk 3 0.26x
Angus 2 0.23x
Channel Islands 2 0.71x
Devon 2 0.10x
Dorset 2 0.32x
Essex 2 0.11x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.26x
Derbyshire 1 0.07x
Hertfordshire 1 0.15x
Lanarkshire 1 0.03x
Midlothian 1 0.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Shelley in Yorkshire leads with 40 Blackers recorded in 1881 and an index of 723.33x.

Place Total Index
Shelley 40 723.33x
Horbury 23 138.97x
Rawcliffe In Goole 22 408.16x
Dudley 20 13.19x
Emley 19 449.17x
Shepton Mallet 17 98.55x
Thornhill 17 61.57x
West Clayton 17 361.70x
Clutton 15 449.10x
Midsomer Norton 14 96.69x
Wandsworth 14 15.23x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 12 6.80x
Aberystruth 11 18.07x
Darton 11 113.52x
Dewsbury 11 11.33x
Eglwysilan 11 38.13x
Huddersfield 11 7.98x
Wellow 11 243.36x
Barugh 10 125.16x
Mile End Old Town London 10 4.92x
Ossett Cum Gawthorpe 10 29.59x
Battersea 9 2.56x
Dukinfield 9 9.24x
Llanwonno 9 15.06x
Sandal Magna 9 64.33x
Stockport 9 8.30x
Stoke Newington London 9 12.10x
Thurlstone 9 96.46x
Walcot 9 10.99x
Ardsley 8 73.33x
Bedminster 8 5.54x
Carleton St Peter 8 2580.65x
Clifton 8 8.45x
St Pancras London 8 1.04x
Stansfield 8 22.98x
Whitchurch 8 484.85x
Aberdare 7 6.13x
Abergavenny 7 27.08x
Butleigh 7 276.68x
Cawthorne In Wortley 7 183.25x
Clapham 7 5.86x
Denby 7 136.99x
Doulting 7 353.54x
Headingley Cum Burley 7 11.49x
Kimberworth 7 13.33x
Liversedge 7 16.62x
Logie 7 45.51x
Lyncombe Widcombe 7 17.39x
Paulton 7 99.43x
Skelmanthorpe 7 68.49x
Truro St Mary 7 77.09x
Wells St Cuthbert 7 66.73x
Womersley 7 555.56x
York St Margaret 7 119.25x
Ystradyfodwg 7 4.80x
Bermondsey 6 2.11x
Exford 6 402.68x
Hackney London 6 1.12x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 6 4.88x
High Littleton 6 237.15x
Islington London 6 0.65x
Lepton 6 60.67x
Llanhilleth 6 132.16x
Myddfai 6 297.03x
Scarborough 6 6.98x
Spitalfields London 6 8.35x
St George Hanover Square 6 3.57x
West Cranmore 6 645.16x
Beverley St Nicholas 5 64.43x
Clee With Weelsby 5 14.96x
Clerkenwell London 5 2.22x
Eggbrough 5 500.00x
Hill Moor 5 454.55x
Leicester St Leonard 5 49.90x
Linthorpe 5 8.85x
Llansawel 5 160.26x
North Cave Drewton 5 134.05x
Roath 5 6.62x
Royal Navy 5 5.14x
Ryhill 5 192.31x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 59
John 45
George 38
Joseph 28
Henry 25
James 23
Thomas 22
Arthur 18
Charles 15
Robert 14
Edward 10
Albert 9
Alfred 8
Frederick 8
Samuel 8
Walter 8
David 7
Fred 6
Harry 6
Benjamin 5
Edwin 5
Frank 5
Earnest 4
Francis 4
Herbert 4
Mark 4
Wm. 4
Ernest 3
Geo. 3
Richard 3
Tom 3
Wilfred 3
Farnham 2
Fredk. 2
Jacob 2
Jesse 2
Jim 2
Joshua 2
Luke 2
Oliver 2
Patrick 2
Sidney 2
Sydney 2
Willie 2
Christopher 1
Edd. 1
Fred. 1
Fredk.H. 1
Johnnie 1
Jonathon 1

FAQ

Blacker surname: questions and answers

How common was the Blacker surname in 1881?

In 1881, 969 people were recorded with the Blacker surname. That placed it at #4,012 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Blacker surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,313 in 2016. That gives Blacker a modern rank of #4,573.

What does the Blacker surname mean?

An English surname derived from a nickname for someone with dark complexion or hair.

What does the Blacker map show?

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