NameCensus.

UK surname

Blackshaw

An English habitational surname referring to a former resident of the black wood or shaw.

In the 1881 census there were 1,391 people recorded with the Blackshaw surname, ranking it #2,971 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,719, ranked #3,630, down from #2,971 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Prestbury, Stockport and Burton-on-Trent. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Oadby and Wigston, Tameside and Northumberland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Blackshaw is 1,909 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 23.6%.

1881 census count

1,391

Ranked #2,971

Modern count

1,719

2016, ranked #3,630

Peak year

1911

1,909 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Blackshaw had 1,391 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,971 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,719 in 2016, ranked #3,630.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,909 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Blackshaw surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Blackshaw surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Blackshaw 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 951 #2,921
1861 historical 942 #2,944
1881 historical 1,391 #2,971
1891 historical 1,529 #2,886
1901 historical 1,796 #2,913
1911 historical 1,909 #2,601
1997 modern 1,769 #3,380
1998 modern 1,857 #3,367
1999 modern 1,850 #3,396
2000 modern 1,836 #3,404
2001 modern 1,791 #3,405
2002 modern 1,828 #3,411
2003 modern 1,774 #3,437
2004 modern 1,763 #3,460
2005 modern 1,720 #3,503
2006 modern 1,702 #3,540
2007 modern 1,714 #3,551
2008 modern 1,744 #3,526
2009 modern 1,790 #3,521
2010 modern 1,830 #3,517
2011 modern 1,805 #3,523
2012 modern 1,748 #3,554
2013 modern 1,753 #3,602
2014 modern 1,766 #3,594
2015 modern 1,739 #3,609
2016 modern 1,719 #3,630

Geography

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Where Blackshaws are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Prestbury, Stockport, Burton-on-Trent, Manchester and Blackburn. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Oadby and Wigston, Tameside, Northumberland, Havering and Derbyshire Dales. 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 Prestbury Cheshire
2 Stockport Cheshire
3 Burton-on-Trent Staffordshire
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Blackburn Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Oadby and Wigston 005 Oadby and Wigston
2 Tameside 001 Tameside
3 Northumberland 004 Northumberland
4 Havering 003 Havering
5 Derbyshire Dales 002 Derbyshire Dales

Forenames

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First names often paired with Blackshaw

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Blackshaw

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

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Blackshaw 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

Blackshaw 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

Blackshaw falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Blackshaw

The surname Blackshaw has its origins in the northern counties of England, specifically Lancashire and Yorkshire, where it emerged during the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "blæc" meaning "dark" or "black" and "sceaga" meaning "small wood" or "copse," thus referring to someone who lived near or worked in a dark, wooded area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Returns of 1379, where a John de Blakeschagh is listed. This suggests that the name may have initially been a descriptive toponymic, referring to a specific location before becoming a hereditary surname.

The Blackshaw surname is also found in various historical records, such as the Subsidy Rolls of Lancashire in 1524, where a Richard Blakeshawe is mentioned. Additionally, the name appears in the Wills and Inventories of the Archdeaconry of Richmond in 1605, with a reference to a Thomas Blackshaw.

While the name is predominantly found in northern England, there are records of Blackshaws migrating to other parts of the country and beyond. One notable example is John Blackshaw (1638-1726), an English Quaker who immigrated to Pennsylvania in the late 17th century and became a prominent figure in the early settlement of Philadelphia.

Another individual of note is Captain James Blackshaw (1733-1801), a British naval officer who served during the American Revolutionary War and later became a successful merchant in Liverpool.

In the literary world, the name is associated with William Blackshaw (1807-1873), an English poet and writer who authored several works, including "The Village Anthology" and "The Poetical Remains of William Blackshaw."

The Blackshaw name has also been carried by individuals in the field of education, such as Thomas Blackshaw (1841-1921), a British schoolmaster and author who wrote several textbooks on arithmetic and mathematics.

Lastly, the surname is connected to Joseph Blackshaw (1876-1931), a British trade unionist and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for the Labour Party in the early 20th century.

While the surname Blackshaw is not among the most common in England, it has a rich history rooted in the northern counties and has been carried by individuals from various walks of life throughout the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Blackshaw families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Blackshaw 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 369 Blackshaws recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.30x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 369 2.30x
Cheshire 346 11.57x
Yorkshire 143 1.07x
Derbyshire 103 4.86x
Staffordshire 100 2.19x
Nottinghamshire 62 3.39x
Lanarkshire 42 0.96x
Middlesex 42 0.31x
Surrey 26 0.39x
Warwickshire 24 0.70x
Lincolnshire 23 1.06x
Essex 21 0.79x
Flintshire 16 4.39x
Denbighshire 10 1.95x
Kent 8 0.17x
Aberdeenshire 7 0.56x
Bedfordshire 7 1.00x
Cambridgeshire 5 0.58x
Shropshire 5 0.43x
East Lothian 4 2.23x
Renfrewshire 4 0.38x
Westmorland 4 1.34x
Montgomeryshire 3 0.97x
Gloucestershire 2 0.08x
Isle of Man 2 0.79x
Northamptonshire 2 0.16x
Suffolk 2 0.12x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.12x
Dorset 1 0.11x
Durham 1 0.02x
Hertfordshire 1 0.11x
Leicestershire 1 0.07x
Somerset 1 0.05x
Sussex 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stockport in Cheshire leads with 71 Blackshaws recorded in 1881 and an index of 46.13x.

Place Total Index
Stockport 71 46.13x
Blackburn 56 13.09x
Manchester 46 6.36x
Congleton 31 59.98x
Hyde 31 35.12x
Macclesfield 31 23.32x
Nottingham St Mary 27 5.72x
Leeds 26 3.43x
Barnsley 23 16.61x
Pendleton In Salford 21 10.96x
Stapenhill 21 66.50x
Barony 19 1.71x
Ashton Under Lyne 18 5.12x
Droylsden 18 34.32x
Doncaster 17 17.33x
Heaton Norris 17 18.58x
Hulme 16 4.77x
Salford 16 3.38x
Altrincham 15 28.70x
Denton 15 42.10x
Glasgow 15 1.93x
Marton In Prestbury 15 1048.95x
Burton Upon Trent 14 13.08x
Stoke Upon Trent 14 2.89x
West Ham 14 2.37x
Birmingham 13 1.14x
Brinsworth 13 209.00x
Kingswinford 13 7.83x
Newark Upon Trent 13 19.81x
Ecclesall Bierlow 12 4.39x
Gawsworth 12 439.56x
Toxteth Park 12 2.20x
Lavington 11 1466.67x
Shoreditch London 11 1.87x
Wolstanton 11 7.92x
Brierley 10 444.44x
Elvaston 10 383.14x
Oldham 10 1.93x
Sutton In Macclesfield 10 32.22x
Cheadle 9 15.75x
Hatton In Runcorn 9 529.41x
Haughton 9 38.38x
Kermincham 9 1058.82x
Knutsford Nether 9 49.78x
Radford 9 9.70x
Winshill 9 66.57x
Ardsley 8 51.71x
Bersham 8 36.65x
Camberwell 8 0.92x
Derby St Werburgh 8 6.53x
Govan 8 0.74x
Islington London 8 0.61x
Mold Arddynwent 8 382.78x
Old Withington 8 296.30x
Wolverhampton 8 2.27x
Aberdeen Old Machar 7 2.67x
Audley 7 15.47x
Bollin Fee 7 52.79x
Bradford 7 9.30x
Chesterfield 7 8.80x
Hunslet 7 3.34x
Lambeth 7 0.59x
Monks Coppenhall 7 6.20x
Skelmersdale 7 26.13x
Walton Le Dale 7 16.20x
West Derby 7 1.49x
Barling 6 352.94x
Bedford St Peter 6 32.93x
Chorlton On Medlock 6 2.35x
Church Hulme 6 195.44x
Coventry Holy Trinity 6 5.88x
Crumpsall 6 15.84x
Gorton 6 3.97x
Little Bolton 6 2.90x
Newton 6 4.84x
North Rode 6 491.80x
Sandbach 6 23.52x
Willington 6 251.05x
Eaton In Macclesfield 5 267.38x
Great Harwood 5 17.21x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 95
William 86
Thomas 54
Joseph 43
James 41
George 39
Samuel 30
Charles 25
Robert 17
Edward 15
Alfred 14
Frederick 14
Walter 11
Arthur 10
Henry 10
Harry 8
Herbert 7
Albert 6
Aaron 5
Fred 5
Richard 5
Abraham 4
Daniel 4
Edwin 4
Ernest 4
Francis 4
Frank 4
Peter 4
Wm. 4
Geo. 3
Isaac 3
Jeremiah 3
Randall 3
Augustus 2
Benjamin 2
Chas. 2
Dan 2
Edmund 2
Jonathan 2
Joshua 2
Randle 2
Sampson 2
Stephen 2
T. 2
Willm. 2
Elias 1
Evan 1
Hy. 1
J. 1
Wright 1

FAQ

Blackshaw surname: questions and answers

How common was the Blackshaw surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,391 people were recorded with the Blackshaw surname. That placed it at #2,971 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Blackshaw surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,719 in 2016. That gives Blackshaw a modern rank of #3,630.

What does the Blackshaw surname mean?

An English habitational surname referring to a former resident of the black wood or shaw.

What does the Blackshaw map show?

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