NameCensus.

UK surname

Blackie

A surname originally referring to someone with dark hair or complexion.

In the 1881 census there were 1,231 people recorded with the Blackie surname, ranking it #3,290 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,199, ranked #4,962, down from #3,290 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Tranent, Govan Combination and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Eyemouth, Muirhouse and Drylaw.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Blackie is 1,287 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 2.6%.

1881 census count

1,231

Ranked #3,290

Modern count

1,199

2016, ranked #4,962

Peak year

1901

1,287 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Blackie had 1,231 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,290 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,199 in 2016, ranked #4,962.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,287 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Blackie surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Blackie surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Blackie 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 921 #2,995
1861 historical 966 #2,885
1881 historical 1,231 #3,290
1891 historical 1,250 #3,456
1901 historical 1,287 #3,865
1911 historical 446 #8,566
1997 modern 1,203 #4,698
1998 modern 1,257 #4,698
1999 modern 1,261 #4,723
2000 modern 1,268 #4,679
2001 modern 1,215 #4,753
2002 modern 1,223 #4,824
2003 modern 1,170 #4,907
2004 modern 1,183 #4,868
2005 modern 1,180 #4,829
2006 modern 1,191 #4,805
2007 modern 1,201 #4,812
2008 modern 1,196 #4,855
2009 modern 1,200 #4,939
2010 modern 1,215 #4,988
2011 modern 1,169 #5,095
2012 modern 1,161 #5,045
2013 modern 1,187 #5,038
2014 modern 1,212 #4,972
2015 modern 1,202 #4,964
2016 modern 1,199 #4,962

Geography

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Where Blackies are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Tranent, Govan Combination, London parishes, Edinburgh and Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Eyemouth, Muirhouse, Drylaw, Forfar West and Bonnington. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Tranent Haddington
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 London parishes London 3
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Eyemouth Scottish Borders
2 Muirhouse City of Edinburgh
3 Drylaw City of Edinburgh
4 Forfar West Angus
5 Bonnington City of Edinburgh

Forenames

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First names often paired with Blackie

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Blackie

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

Legacy Communities

Group

Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities

Nationally, the Blackie surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Blackie household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Households in these areas often include divorced or separated parents and commonly include children and young adults. The age structure is heavily skewed towards the most advanced age groups. Individuals identifying as members of ethnic minorities are not present in large numbers. Flats predominate, with some terraced, semi-detached, and detached units. Multiple car ownership is low, and housing is predominantly in the private and social rented sectors. Employment is less skewed towards traditional routine industrial occupations. Levels of educational attainment are generally low. The Group occurs principally in the Central Lowlands of Scotland and other Scottish towns.

Wider pattern

These neighbourhoods characteristically comprise pockets of flats that are scattered across the UK, particularly in towns that retain or have legacies of heavy industry or are in more remote seaside locations. Employed residents of these neighbourhoods work mainly in low-skilled occupations. Residents typically have limited educational qualifications. Unemployment is above average. Some residents live in overcrowded housing within the social rented sector and experience long-term disability. All adult age groups are represented, although there is an overall age bias towards elderly people in general and the very old in particular. Individuals identifying as belonging to ethnic minorities or Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups are uncommon.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Blackie is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Blackie 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

Blackie falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Blackie 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 Blackie, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Blackie

The surname Blackie is believed to have originated in Scotland, with its earliest recorded use dating back to the 13th century. It is a locational surname derived from the Old English word "blæc," meaning "black" or "dark-colored," likely referring to a person's complexion, hair color, or the place where they resided.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Blackie can be found in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland, where a person named William Blakkeye is mentioned in the year 1296. The name was also documented in various other medieval Scottish records, such as the Ragman Rolls of 1296 and the Bain's Calendar of Documents Relating to Scotland.

The surname Blackie has a strong connection to various place names in Scotland, particularly those containing the element "black," such as Blackford, Blackhall, and Blackburn. These place names may have influenced the development of the surname or vice versa.

Notable individuals with the surname Blackie throughout history include John Stuart Blackie (1809-1895), a Scottish scholar and writer who served as a professor of Greek at the University of Edinburgh. Another prominent figure was Walter William Blackie (1847-1928), a Scottish publisher and co-founder of the Blackie & Son publishing house.

Other notable bearers of the surname include Robert Blackie (1871-1956), a British trade unionist and politician, and William Graham Blackie (1861-1951), a Scottish-Canadian poet and author. Additionally, John Blackie (1781-1857), a Scottish poet and minister, made significant contributions to Scottish literature in the 19th century.

While the surname Blackie is predominantly associated with Scotland, it has also been found in other parts of the United Kingdom and beyond, likely due to migration and the spread of Scottish families over time.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Blackie families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Blackie 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. Midlothian leads with 333 Blackies recorded in 1881 and an index of 20.75x.

County Total Index
Midlothian 333 20.75x
Lanarkshire 169 4.36x
Berwickshire 93 64.11x
East Lothian 65 40.97x
Middlesex 63 0.53x
Surrey 50 0.86x
Roxburghshire 48 22.12x
Lancashire 43 0.30x
Yorkshire 43 0.36x
Renfrewshire 39 4.20x
Durham 31 0.87x
Fife 31 4.37x
Angus 23 2.07x
Perthshire 18 3.35x
Kincardineshire 16 10.97x
Northumberland 16 0.90x
Stirlingshire 16 3.62x
Essex 13 0.55x
Cheshire 12 0.45x
Gloucestershire 11 0.47x
Aberdeenshire 8 0.72x
Kirkcudbrightshire 8 4.61x
Banffshire 7 2.82x
Kent 7 0.17x
Shropshire 7 0.68x
Ross-shire 6 1.82x
Selkirkshire 6 5.54x
Suffolk 6 0.41x
Sussex 5 0.25x
Buteshire 4 5.51x
Norfolk 4 0.22x
Warwickshire 4 0.13x
West Lothian 4 2.22x
Hampshire 3 0.12x
Inverness-shire 3 0.84x
Wiltshire 3 0.28x
Clackmannanshire 2 2.02x
Dumfriesshire 2 0.76x
Peeblesshire 2 3.55x
Ayrshire 1 0.11x
Cumberland 1 0.10x
Shetland 1 0.82x
Wigtownshire 1 0.63x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Edinburgh St Cuthberts in Midlothian leads with 117 Blackies recorded in 1881 and an index of 18.12x.

Place Total Index
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 117 18.12x
South Leith 83 45.96x
Barony 66 6.73x
Govan 48 5.01x
Dunse 28 203.49x
Hawick 25 51.48x
Dunbar 22 98.92x
Tranent 21 97.95x
Eyemouth 18 148.76x
Glasgow 18 2.62x
Islington London 18 1.55x
Paisley High Church 18 24.35x
Bothwell 17 16.18x
Lasswade 17 46.33x
Eccles 15 235.85x
North Leith 14 18.85x
Dalkeith 13 41.06x
Scoonie 13 84.64x
Haddington 12 51.24x
Falkirk 11 10.64x
Middlesbrough 11 7.12x
Barrow In Furness 10 5.17x
Clapham 10 6.68x
Inveresk 10 23.02x
Lambeth 10 0.96x
Cockpen 9 47.97x
Edinburgh New North 9 64.42x
Ferry Port On Craig 9 77.12x
Fogo 9 468.75x
Gateshead 9 3.37x
Glencorse 9 146.10x
Leeds 9 1.34x
Sculcoates 9 4.78x
St Marylebone London 9 1.41x
Stow 9 109.09x
Benholm 8 127.59x
Hume 8 481.93x
Meigle 8 200.00x
Preston In Tynemouth 8 114.12x
St Pancras London 8 0.83x
Bermondsey 7 1.96x
Birkenhead 7 3.32x
Camberwell 7 0.91x
Cheltenham 7 3.86x
Crailing 7 267.18x
Edinburgh Buccleuch 7 18.44x
Edzell 7 206.49x
Everton 7 1.55x
Houston Killallan 7 77.95x
New Monkland 7 6.11x
St George Hanover Square 7 3.32x
Stitchel 7 496.45x
Swinton In Rotherham 7 22.30x
Botriphnie 6 209.06x
Coldstream 6 57.14x
Edinburgh Canongate 6 14.69x
Edinburgh Old Church 6 46.58x
Edinburgh St Georges 6 18.02x
Edinburgh St Stephens 6 18.99x
Fodderty 6 72.12x
Mile End Old Town London 6 2.35x
Oswestry Town 6 18.11x
Rattray 6 47.96x
Wavertree 6 13.19x
Abbey 5 3.53x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 5 2.41x
Bishopwearmouth 5 1.63x
Edinburgh St Andrews 5 37.74x
Euston 5 520.83x
Galashiels 5 12.48x
Garvock 5 285.71x
Great Clacton 5 62.11x
Kirkcaldy 5 14.22x
Liverpool 5 0.58x
Southwark Christchurch 5 8.91x
Tynemouth 5 5.24x
Westoe 5 2.47x
Ceres 4 46.95x
Paddington London 4 0.91x
Rerrick 4 53.76x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 16
Margaret 14
Elizabeth 11
Agnes 10
Jane 10
Sarah 8
Jessie 7
Ellen 5
Isabella 5
Ann 4
Annie 4
Eleanor 4
Eliza 3
Emily 3
Emma 3
Louisa 3
Alice 2
Anna 2
Bessie 2
Christina 2
Euphemia 2
Frances 2
Hannah 2
Kate 2
Lucy 2
Maria 2
Martha 2
Olivia 2
Priscilla 2
Ruth 2
Anne 1
Dora 1
Effie 1
Georgiann 1
Georgina 1
Grace 1
Helen 1
Hephzibah 1
Irene 1
Isa. 1
Joanna 1
Katherine 1
Lirrie 1
Llanna 1
Lousia 1
M.Ann 1
Maggie 1
Margeret 1
Margt. 1
Wilhelmina 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 21
William 21
Robert 16
James 11
George 9
Thomas 9
Walter 5
Henry 4
Alexander 3
Arthur 3
David 3
Frederick 3
Richard 3
Edward 2
Edwin 2
Ernest 2
Frank 2
Harry 2
Philip 2
Albert 1
Alexr. 1
Alfred 1
Alice 1
Allrn 1
Andrew 1
Archibald 1
Charles 1
Douglas 1
Dryden 1
Edgar 1
Edwd. 1
Francis 1
Hector 1
Jas. 1
Jas.M. 1
Joseph 1
Kenneth 1
Major 1
Michael 1
Patrick 1
Robt. 1
Sydney 1
Thos. 1
W.D.H.S. 1
Waller 1
Wilfred 1
Willie 1

FAQ

Blackie surname: questions and answers

How common was the Blackie surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,231 people were recorded with the Blackie surname. That placed it at #3,290 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Blackie surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,199 in 2016. That gives Blackie a modern rank of #4,962.

What does the Blackie surname mean?

A surname originally referring to someone with dark hair or complexion.

What does the Blackie map show?

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