NameCensus.

UK surname

Blackmore

A locational surname referring to someone who lived near a dark pond, stream, or moor.

In the 1881 census there were 4,297 people recorded with the Blackmore surname, ranking it #1,040 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 5,917, ranked #1,138, down from #1,040 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Greenwich and Bedminster. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Devon, Bristol and Neath Port Talbot.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Blackmore is 6,391 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 37.7%.

1881 census count

4,297

Ranked #1,040

Modern count

5,917

2016, ranked #1,138

Peak year

2000

6,391 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Blackmore had 4,297 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,040 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 5,917 in 2016, ranked #1,138.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 6,296 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Blackmore surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Blackmore surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Blackmore 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 3,076 #939
1861 historical 2,636 #1,115
1881 historical 4,297 #1,040
1891 historical 4,807 #963
1901 historical 5,512 #1,013
1911 historical 6,296 #818
1997 modern 6,171 #1,062
1998 modern 6,387 #1,072
1999 modern 6,388 #1,075
2000 modern 6,391 #1,069
2001 modern 6,261 #1,069
2002 modern 6,366 #1,074
2003 modern 6,176 #1,081
2004 modern 6,151 #1,085
2005 modern 6,016 #1,090
2006 modern 5,932 #1,102
2007 modern 5,976 #1,104
2008 modern 5,995 #1,108
2009 modern 6,158 #1,106
2010 modern 6,281 #1,108
2011 modern 6,160 #1,113
2012 modern 6,046 #1,109
2013 modern 6,112 #1,116
2014 modern 6,121 #1,118
2015 modern 5,999 #1,128
2016 modern 5,917 #1,138

Geography

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Where Blackmores are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Greenwich, Bedminster and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Devon, Bristol and Neath Port Talbot. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 Greenwich London (South Districts)
3 Bedminster Somerset
4 London parishes London 1
5 London parishes London 3

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Devon 004 East Devon
2 Bristol 053 Bristol, City of
3 Neath Port Talbot 011 Neath Port Talbot
4 Neath Port Talbot 012 Neath Port Talbot
5 Bristol 049 Bristol, City of

Forenames

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First names often paired with Blackmore

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Blackmore

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Blackmore 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

Blackmore is most concentrated in decile 5 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Blackmore

The surname Blackmore is of English origin, derived from a place name that first appeared in the Domesday Book of 1086 as "Blachemanmere", meaning "the pool or lake by the dark man's land". It is believed to have originated in the county of Somerset in southwestern England.

The earliest recorded instance of the surname Blackmore dates back to the 13th century, when a John de Blakemore is mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1275. In the same century, a Walter de Blakemor is recorded in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1279.

During the medieval period, the name appeared in various spellings, including Blakemor, Blakemore, Blackmore, and Blackamore. These variations reflect the evolution of the English language and the inconsistencies in record-keeping at the time.

One of the earliest notable individuals with the surname Blackmore was Sir Richard Blackmore (c. 1654-1729), an English poet and physician. He was known for his epic poems "Prince Arthur" and "Creation", as well as his satirical works criticizing the vices of his time.

Another prominent figure was John Blackmore (1767-1825), an English civil engineer who designed and oversaw the construction of several important canals and harbors in the early 19th century, including the Ellesmere Canal and the Bridgewater Canal.

In the literary world, Richard Doddridge Blackmore (1825-1900) was a renowned English novelist, best known for his novel "Lorna Doone", a historical romance set in the English countryside during the 17th century.

The surname Blackmore also has connections to the American colonies. One of the earliest recorded instances is that of John Blackmore (c. 1620-1690), an English Puritan who immigrated to Massachusetts Bay Colony in the 1630s and became a respected landowner and citizen of Dorchester, Massachusetts.

Another notable American with the surname Blackmore was William Blackmore (1827-1904), a Union Army officer during the American Civil War who served with distinction and rose to the rank of Brigadier General.

Throughout history, the surname Blackmore has been associated with various professions and walks of life, from writers and poets to engineers, soldiers, and landowners. Its enduring presence across centuries and continents reflects the rich tapestry of English heritage and the diverse paths taken by those who bore this name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Blackmore families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Blackmore 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. Devon leads with 1,157 Blackmores recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.21x.

County Total Index
Devon 1,157 13.21x
Somerset 613 9.05x
Middlesex 462 1.10x
Gloucestershire 288 3.49x
Surrey 240 1.17x
Lancashire 236 0.47x
Kent 192 1.34x
Wiltshire 131 3.52x
Glamorgan 101 1.38x
Hampshire 100 1.16x
Dorset 81 2.93x
Monmouthshire 80 2.63x
Yorkshire 75 0.18x
Sussex 69 0.97x
Cornwall 61 1.28x
Nottinghamshire 43 0.76x
Lincolnshire 39 0.58x
Staffordshire 33 0.23x
Durham 32 0.26x
Carmarthenshire 29 1.64x
Berkshire 24 0.76x
Essex 23 0.28x
Norfolk 22 0.34x
Shropshire 20 0.55x
Cheshire 19 0.20x
Channel Islands 16 1.28x
Hertfordshire 13 0.45x
Midlothian 13 0.23x
Suffolk 12 0.23x
Pembrokeshire 11 0.82x
Derbyshire 9 0.14x
Worcestershire 8 0.15x
Flintshire 7 0.62x
Renfrewshire 7 0.21x
Caernarfonshire 6 0.35x
Royal Navy 6 1.20x
Buckinghamshire 5 0.20x
Radnorshire 5 1.47x
Warwickshire 5 0.05x
West Lothian 5 0.79x
Cambridgeshire 3 0.11x
Cumberland 2 0.06x
Denbighshire 2 0.13x
Herefordshire 2 0.12x
Lanarkshire 2 0.01x
Angus 1 0.03x
Bedfordshire 1 0.05x
Inverness-shire 1 0.08x
Leicestershire 1 0.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bristol St Philip Jacob in Gloucestershire leads with 95 Blackmores recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.23x.

Place Total Index
Bristol St Philip Jacob 95 12.23x
Wellington 77 83.85x
Greenwich 74 11.05x
Islington London 72 1.77x
Bedminster 70 11.00x
Lambeth 55 1.50x
Mile End Old Town London 47 5.25x
Bradford On Avon 40 33.58x
Tiverton 36 23.86x
West Derby 35 2.40x
Exeter St Sidwell 34 16.95x
Ilfracombe 33 36.60x
Chudleigh 32 114.94x
Walcot 31 8.59x
Chelsea London 30 2.37x
Deptford St Paul 30 2.71x
St Pancras London 30 0.89x
Brixham 28 27.59x
Tormoham 27 7.29x
Cullompton 26 67.99x
West Buckland 26 199.69x
Bideford 25 26.65x
Dawlish 25 38.27x
St George Hanover Square 24 3.24x
Battersea 23 1.49x
Bristol St George 23 6.03x
Broadhembury 23 236.14x
Frome 23 14.20x
Kingston On Thames 23 4.67x
Plymouth Charles The 23 5.96x
Swansea Town 23 3.83x
Bedwellty 22 4.10x
Creech St Michael 22 130.25x
Exeter St Thomas The 22 24.64x
Kensington London 21 0.90x
Snenton 21 9.43x
Wandsworth 21 5.19x
Bradninch 20 80.97x
Combmartin 20 105.21x
Hammersmith London 20 1.93x
Kington Magna 20 298.51x
Barnstaple 19 13.82x
Newton Abbot St Mary 19 25.86x
Paddington London 19 1.23x
Uffculme 19 72.80x
Horsley 18 49.25x
Lewisham 18 2.35x
Poplar London 18 2.27x
Stoke Newington London 18 5.49x
Arlington 17 510.51x
Churchstanton 17 158.29x
Ermington 17 53.36x
Harting 17 92.24x
Llanelly 17 4.26x
Northam 17 26.63x
Paracombe 17 304.11x
Shoreditch London 17 0.93x
Stoke Damerel 17 2.77x
Wavertree 17 10.64x
Cardiff St John 16 6.69x
Congresbury 16 93.19x
East Stonehouse 16 9.27x
Streatham 16 5.13x
Taunton St Mary 16 12.87x
Woolwich 16 3.02x
Abergavenny 15 13.17x
Bristol St Paul In 15 6.82x
Cannock 15 6.05x
Clee With Weelsby 15 10.19x
Honiton 15 30.95x
Liverpool 15 0.49x
Lynton 15 85.86x
Manchester 15 0.67x
Nynehead 15 320.51x
Ottery St Mary 15 26.11x
Plymouth St Andrew 15 2.22x
Sheldon 15 742.57x
Brushford 14 298.51x
Littleham 14 21.86x
Mangotsfield 14 17.02x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 313
Elizabeth 205
Sarah 124
Emma 85
Ann 81
Jane 81
Eliza 67
Alice 64
Ellen 61
Annie 60
Emily 60
Louisa 39
Edith 34
Florence 34
Lucy 31
Maria 31
Caroline 30
Martha 30
Charlotte 28
Susan 28
Fanny 24
Hannah 21
Harriet 21
Margaret 20
Amelia 18
Anne 18
Bessie 18
Kate 18
Ada 16
Catherine 14
Clara 14
Harriett 14
Jessie 13
Grace 12
Minnie 12
Frances 11
Julia 11
Ruth 11
Sophia 11
Agnes 10
Anna 10
Esther 10
Beatrice 9
Elizth. 9
Matilda 9
Ethel 8
Amy 7
Lydia 7
Maud 7
Rebecca 7

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 313
John 269
James 154
Thomas 133
George 122
Henry 91
Charles 73
Alfred 63
Richard 58
Samuel 51
Robert 46
Walter 41
Albert 40
Frederick 39
Joseph 35
Arthur 34
Frank 32
Edward 29
Harry 23
Francis 22
Ernest 21
Edwin 16
Tom 15
Herbert 14
Benjamin 13
Isaac 12
Geo. 10
Sidney 10
Wm. 10
Thos. 9
Willm. 8
Stephen 7
Edmund 6
Philip 6
Chas. 5
Edwd. 5
Fred 5
Mark 5
Daniel 4
Fredrick 4
Jno. 4
Joshua 4
Lewis 4
Oliver 4
Percy 4
Peter 4
Richd. 4
Bertie 3
Earnest 3
Sydney 3

FAQ

Blackmore surname: questions and answers

How common was the Blackmore surname in 1881?

In 1881, 4,297 people were recorded with the Blackmore surname. That placed it at #1,040 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Blackmore surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 5,917 in 2016. That gives Blackmore a modern rank of #1,138.

What does the Blackmore surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone who lived near a dark pond, stream, or moor.

What does the Blackmore map show?

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