NameCensus.

UK surname

Blackford

A locational surname derived from various places in England and Scotland, referring to a dark or muddy ford.

In the 1881 census there were 1,074 people recorded with the Blackford surname, ranking it #3,687 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,516, ranked #4,080, down from #3,687 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ribbesford (Bewdley), Abberley, Rock, London parishes and Hastings St Mary-in-the-Castle, Hastings St Andrew. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wealden, Redditch and Rother.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Blackford is 1,590 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 41.2%.

1881 census count

1,074

Ranked #3,687

Modern count

1,516

2016, ranked #4,080

Peak year

1911

1,590 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Blackford had 1,074 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,687 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,516 in 2016, ranked #4,080.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,590 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Blackford surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Blackford surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Blackford 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 723 #3,624
1861 historical 851 #3,251
1881 historical 1,074 #3,687
1891 historical 1,218 #3,529
1901 historical 1,338 #3,739
1911 historical 1,590 #3,060
1997 modern 1,451 #4,025
1998 modern 1,493 #4,068
1999 modern 1,507 #4,062
2000 modern 1,514 #4,029
2001 modern 1,468 #4,062
2002 modern 1,501 #4,073
2003 modern 1,451 #4,105
2004 modern 1,452 #4,109
2005 modern 1,448 #4,076
2006 modern 1,465 #4,050
2007 modern 1,480 #4,053
2008 modern 1,478 #4,084
2009 modern 1,538 #4,024
2010 modern 1,554 #4,071
2011 modern 1,539 #4,057
2012 modern 1,518 #4,042
2013 modern 1,529 #4,087
2014 modern 1,538 #4,089
2015 modern 1,527 #4,072
2016 modern 1,516 #4,080

Geography

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Where Blackfords are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ribbesford (Bewdley), Abberley, Rock, London parishes, Hastings St Mary-in-the-Castle, Hastings St Andrew and Calne, Bowood, Blackland, Calstone Withington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wealden, Redditch and Rother. 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 Ribbesford (Bewdley), Abberley, Rock Worcestershire
2 London parishes London 1
3 Hastings St Mary-in-the-Castle, Hastings St Andrew Sussex
4 London parishes London 3
5 Calne, Bowood, Blackland, Calstone Withington Wiltshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wealden 009 Wealden
2 Redditch 003 Redditch
3 Wealden 012 Wealden
4 Rother 004 Rother
5 Wealden 006 Wealden

Forenames

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First names often paired with Blackford

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Blackford

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Blackford is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Blackford is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Blackford

The surname Blackford has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to be a locational name, derived from a place called Blackford, which was located in Somerset or Devon. The name itself is a combination of the Old English words "blæc" meaning "black" and "ford" meaning "a shallow river crossing."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Blacheford." This suggests that the name was already established in England during the 11th century.

In the 13th century, the name was recorded as "Blakeford" in the Pipe Rolls of Somerset, indicating the presence of the name in that county. Over time, the spelling evolved to its modern form, Blackford.

Notable individuals with the surname Blackford throughout history include:

1. Sir John Blackford (c. 1530-1587), an English merchant and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1586. 2. Samuel Blackford (1633-1680), an English Puritan minister and author of several religious works. 3. Isaac Blackford (1786-1859), an American lawyer and judge who served as a Justice on the Supreme Court of Indiana. 4. Eugene G. Blackford (1817-1901), an American naval officer who served during the Mexican-American War and the American Civil War. 5. Benjamin Blackford (1820-1892), an American politician and lawyer who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from Virginia.

The name Blackford has also been associated with various place names, such as Blackford Village in Somerset, England, and Blackford Hill in Edinburgh, Scotland. These place names likely originated from the same Old English roots as the surname, reflecting the presence of the name in different regions of Britain.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Blackford families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Blackford 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. Sussex leads with 160 Blackfords recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.02x.

County Total Index
Sussex 160 9.02x
Middlesex 111 1.06x
Devon 103 4.71x
Kent 97 2.70x
Wiltshire 91 9.78x
Warwickshire 78 2.94x
Worcestershire 71 5.17x
Surrey 64 1.25x
Staffordshire 61 1.72x
Berkshire 46 5.83x
Lancashire 32 0.26x
Gloucestershire 31 1.50x
Durham 17 0.54x
Hampshire 17 0.79x
Glamorgan 14 0.76x
Buckinghamshire 13 2.04x
Herefordshire 8 1.86x
Hertfordshire 8 1.10x
Yorkshire 8 0.08x
Cornwall 7 0.59x
Lincolnshire 7 0.42x
Oxfordshire 6 0.92x
Midlothian 5 0.35x
Suffolk 5 0.39x
Norfolk 3 0.19x
Royal Navy 3 2.39x
Essex 2 0.10x
Northamptonshire 2 0.20x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.14x
Somerset 2 0.12x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.15x
Channel Islands 1 0.32x
Cheshire 1 0.04x
Northumberland 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Burwash in Sussex leads with 38 Blackfords recorded in 1881 and an index of 461.73x.

Place Total Index
Burwash 38 461.73x
Ribbesford 29 253.72x
Birmingham 28 3.17x
South Molton 26 216.13x
Redditch 20 71.84x
Calne 19 99.22x
Frant 16 127.39x
Kingswinford 16 12.41x
Tonbridge 16 12.36x
Swindon 15 20.79x
Chippenham 14 71.79x
Hastings St Leonards 14 53.72x
Ashton Keynes 13 375.72x
Westminster St John 13 10.15x
Battersea 12 3.10x
Foleshill 12 43.01x
Hawkhurst 11 98.65x
Brenenden 10 216.92x
Fawley 10 917.43x
Mayfield 10 95.33x
Over Darwen 10 10.03x
Purton 10 120.77x
Reading St Mary 10 15.82x
Tipton 10 9.20x
Camberwell 9 1.34x
Dover St Mary Virgin 9 25.91x
Islington London 9 0.88x
Lambeth 9 0.98x
Milton In Gravesend 9 16.73x
Twitchen 9 1216.22x
Wolverhampton 9 3.30x
Brightwaltham 8 519.48x
Chatham 8 8.11x
Framfield 8 145.45x
Hastings St Mary In The 8 21.15x
Holmer 8 103.09x
Ilfracombe 8 35.51x
Rackenford 8 610.69x
Shoreditch London 8 1.76x
Ticehurst 8 73.73x
Watford 8 14.23x
West Bromwich 8 3.94x
Bishopwearmouth 7 2.61x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 7 3.60x
Hunslet 7 4.31x
Maidstone 7 6.55x
Paddington London 7 1.81x
Salford 7 1.91x
Aberdare 6 4.77x
Bilston 6 8.72x
Chelsea London 6 1.89x
Cheltenham 6 3.77x
East Stonehouse 6 13.91x
Elmley Castle 6 447.76x
Gloucester Barton St 6 49.63x
Hastings St Mary 6 13.60x
Newington 6 1.54x
Oldham 6 1.49x
Tiverton 6 15.91x
Tottenham 6 3.58x
Waldron 6 124.22x
Wartling 6 277.78x
Willesden 6 6.05x
Burton Upon Trent 5 6.02x
Ditchling 5 103.52x
Etchingham 5 152.44x
Exeter St Sidwell 5 9.97x
Grange Gillingham 5 314.47x
Greenwich 5 2.99x
Hastings All Sts 5 29.92x
Lambourn 5 63.94x
Reading St Giles 5 6.46x
Rotherhithe 5 3.85x
St George Hanover Square 5 2.70x
St John Baptist Walbrook 5 10000.00x
St Pancras London 5 0.59x
Westoe 5 2.82x
Worcester St Nicholas 5 76.92x
Heathfield 4 55.71x
Kensington London 4 0.68x

Top female names

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

FAQ

Blackford surname: questions and answers

How common was the Blackford surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,074 people were recorded with the Blackford surname. That placed it at #3,687 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Blackford surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,516 in 2016. That gives Blackford a modern rank of #4,080.

What does the Blackford surname mean?

A locational surname derived from various places in England and Scotland, referring to a dark or muddy ford.

What does the Blackford map show?

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