NameCensus.

UK surname

Blackwell

A locational surname referring to someone who lived near a dark spring or stream.

In the 1881 census there were 5,459 people recorded with the Blackwell surname, ranking it #815 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 7,874, ranked #836, down from #815 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Northop and St Mary Islington. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Northamptonshire, Flintshire and Copeland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Blackwell is 8,495 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 44.2%.

1881 census count

5,459

Ranked #815

Modern count

7,874

2016, ranked #836

Peak year

1999

8,495 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Blackwell had 5,459 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #815 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 7,874 in 2016, ranked #836.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 7,662 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Blackwell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Blackwell surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Blackwell 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 3,526 #804
1861 historical 3,421 #826
1881 historical 5,459 #815
1891 historical 6,063 #765
1901 historical 7,017 #787
1911 historical 7,662 #681
1997 modern 8,047 #791
1998 modern 8,426 #785
1999 modern 8,495 #786
2000 modern 8,347 #798
2001 modern 8,199 #791
2002 modern 8,438 #788
2003 modern 8,205 #791
2004 modern 8,194 #793
2005 modern 7,967 #803
2006 modern 7,859 #811
2007 modern 7,890 #817
2008 modern 7,922 #817
2009 modern 8,116 #816
2010 modern 8,275 #821
2011 modern 8,150 #822
2012 modern 7,972 #820
2013 modern 8,049 #827
2014 modern 8,076 #830
2015 modern 7,967 #830
2016 modern 7,874 #836

Geography

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Where Blackwells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Northop, St Mary Islington and Sheffield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Northamptonshire, Flintshire and Copeland. 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 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 Northop Flintshire
4 St Mary Islington London (North Districts)
5 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Northamptonshire 007 South Northamptonshire
2 Flintshire 006 Flintshire
3 South Northamptonshire 005 South Northamptonshire
4 Copeland 004 Copeland
5 Flintshire 003 Flintshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Blackwell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Blackwell

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

Blackwell 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

Blackwell falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Blackwell

The surname Blackwell has its origins in England, emerging in the late 11th century during the Norman conquest of Britain. The name is derived from the Old English words "blæc" meaning black and "well" meaning a spring or stream, likely referring to a dark-colored body of water near where the first bearers lived.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, with entries for individuals bearing the surname Blackwell in various counties across England, including Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Buckinghamshire. These early mentions suggest the name was already well-established in different regions of the country by the late 11th century.

The first recorded individual with the surname Blackwell was Robert Blackwell, who was born in 1125 in Derbyshire, England. Another notable early bearer was Sir John Blackwell, a prominent landowner and knight who lived in Somerset in the late 13th century.

Throughout the Middle Ages and Renaissance period, the Blackwell surname continued to spread across England, with various spellings appearing in historical records, such as Blakwell, Blacqwell, and Blaccwelle. Certain branches of the family adopted the name as a reference to their place of residence, leading to variants like Blackwell of Derbyshire and Blackwell of Yorkshire.

In the 16th century, George Blackwell, born in 1545 in Oxfordshire, became a renowned scholar and theologian, serving as the Principal of St. Alban Hall at the University of Oxford. Another notable figure was Thomas Blackwell, a Scottish writer and classical scholar born in 1701, who published influential works on Greek literature and mythology.

During the 18th century, Sir Lambert Blackwell, born in 1720 in Kent, gained prominence as a successful merchant and politician, serving as a Member of Parliament and Lord Mayor of London. Alongside him, Elizabeth Blackwell, born in 1707 in Bristol, made significant contributions as a pioneering botanist and author of the influential work "A Curious Herbal."

As the centuries progressed, the Blackwell surname continued to be associated with various notable individuals across various fields, including politics, academia, and the arts, solidifying its legacy as a prominent English surname with deep historical roots.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Blackwell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Blackwell 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. Middlesex leads with 731 Blackwells recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.37x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 731 1.37x
Lancashire 439 0.70x
Yorkshire 378 0.72x
Warwickshire 358 2.67x
Derbyshire 330 3.96x
Gloucestershire 309 2.96x
Essex 276 2.63x
Surrey 270 1.04x
Northamptonshire 235 4.69x
Flintshire 208 14.54x
Leicestershire 152 2.58x
Kent 146 0.80x
Cheshire 131 1.11x
Berkshire 116 2.90x
Nottinghamshire 114 1.59x
Staffordshire 112 0.62x
Cambridgeshire 108 3.20x
Buckinghamshire 101 3.14x
Oxfordshire 97 2.95x
Somerset 82 0.96x
Sussex 64 0.71x
Denbighshire 63 3.13x
Devon 62 0.56x
Worcestershire 57 0.82x
Cornwall 53 0.88x
Hampshire 47 0.43x
Monmouthshire 41 1.07x
Hertfordshire 38 1.04x
Wigtownshire 38 5.38x
Glamorgan 34 0.37x
Wiltshire 31 0.66x
Cardiganshire 28 2.16x
Huntingdonshire 27 2.55x
Suffolk 25 0.39x
Bedfordshire 20 0.73x
Norfolk 19 0.23x
Durham 13 0.08x
Herefordshire 13 0.60x
Lincolnshire 12 0.14x
Cumberland 11 0.24x
Shropshire 9 0.20x
Northumberland 8 0.10x
Anglesey 7 0.74x
Brecknockshire 5 0.47x
Merionethshire 5 0.51x
Midlothian 4 0.06x
Royal Navy 4 0.63x
Ayrshire 3 0.08x
Caernarfonshire 3 0.14x
Pembrokeshire 3 0.18x
Perthshire 3 0.13x
Channel Islands 2 0.13x
Dorset 2 0.06x
Lanarkshire 2 0.01x
Rutland 2 0.51x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.02x
Carmarthenshire 1 0.04x
Clackmannanshire 1 0.23x
Isle of Man 1 0.10x
Montgomeryshire 1 0.08x
Westmorland 1 0.09x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Birmingham in Warwickshire leads with 114 Blackwells recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.55x.

Place Total Index
Birmingham 114 2.55x
Islington London 82 1.59x
Lambeth 68 1.47x
Sheffield 59 3.51x
Hackney London 58 1.94x
St Pancras London 53 1.24x
Nether Hallam 52 7.29x
Hammersmith London 48 3.66x
Leamington Priors 45 13.62x
Northop 39 76.97x
Aston 38 1.03x
Leicester St Margaret 38 2.64x
Newton 38 7.81x
Camberwell 37 1.09x
Earls Barton 37 86.63x
Shoreditch London 37 1.60x
Eyam 36 154.71x
Cheltenham 35 4.35x
Ecclesall Bierlow 35 3.26x
West Ham 33 1.42x
Burwell 32 79.21x
St Marylebone London 32 1.13x
Brightside Bierlow 31 3.00x
Deptford St Paul 30 2.14x
Gresford Gwersyllt 30 48.10x
Kensington London 30 1.01x
Ashton Under Lyne 28 2.03x
Everton 28 1.39x
Salford 28 1.51x
Coventry St Michael 27 6.26x
Nottingham St Mary 27 1.45x
Norwood 26 21.36x
Dalton In Furness 25 10.25x
Newington 25 1.27x
Stapleford 25 42.90x
Bermondsey 24 1.51x
Derby St Werburgh 24 4.99x
Earls Colne 24 82.79x
Manchester 24 0.84x
Brindle 23 105.60x
Cilcen 23 172.41x
Halstead 23 18.76x
Newbury 23 17.97x
Southwark St George Martyr 23 2.15x
Bisley 22 23.25x
Cirencester 22 15.56x
Halkin 22 87.75x
Harbury 22 100.96x
Northop Caer Fallwch 22 286.83x
Syresham 22 150.89x
Clerkenwell London 20 1.59x
Glossop Dale 20 5.12x
Great Tey 20 157.23x
Mile End Old Town London 20 1.77x
Mold 20 15.41x
St Luke London 20 2.34x
Hampstead London 19 2.29x
Neithrop 19 17.20x
Ashdon 18 117.57x
Bakewell 18 39.48x
Kirkmaiden 18 40.24x
Plumstead 18 2.97x
Clapham 17 2.55x
Coventry Holy Trinity 17 4.24x
Dukinfield 17 3.13x
Great Coggeshall 17 31.11x
Great Marlow 17 19.57x
Holywell 17 9.46x
New Luce 17 130.07x
St Andrew Holborn London 17 7.38x
Cumnor 16 86.86x
Feering 16 115.52x
Harrow On The Hill 16 15.05x
Henham 16 107.10x
Hunslet 16 1.95x
Leeds 16 0.54x
St Andrewthe Less 16 4.15x
St George Hanover Square 16 1.71x
Higham Ferrers 15 55.13x
Westminster St John 15 2.31x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 344
Elizabeth 249
Sarah 194
Ann 127
Eliza 101
Emma 81
Ellen 80
Alice 72
Annie 72
Jane 72
Emily 56
Hannah 48
Margaret 48
Louisa 41
Martha 41
Harriet 36
Ada 35
Catherine 35
Maria 33
Edith 31
Fanny 29
Florence 29
Anne 26
Caroline 25
Clara 25
Kate 25
Charlotte 23
Lucy 22
Susan 22
Harriett 21
Sophia 21
Agnes 19
Esther 19
Julia 19
Elizth. 18
Frances 18
Amy 15
Lydia 14
Rebecca 14
Amelia 13
Matilda 13
Rose 13
Georgina 12
Minnie 12
Grace 10
Isabella 10
Rosa 10
Ruth 10
Selina 10
Beatrice 9

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 353
John 298
George 198
Thomas 194
James 153
Henry 116
Charles 111
Joseph 91
Richard 70
Robert 64
Frederick 61
Arthur 60
Edward 57
Alfred 54
Samuel 46
Walter 44
Harry 33
Albert 31
Francis 27
Ernest 26
Herbert 25
Frank 23
Edwin 21
Thos. 17
Wm. 15
Daniel 13
Benjamin 12
David 12
Geo. 12
Isaac 12
Fred 11
Fredk. 10
Chas. 8
Saml. 8
Harold 7
Jno. 7
Robt. 7
Fredrick 6
Josiah 6
Ralph 6
Sidney 6
Stephen 6
Wilfred 6
Edgar 5
Horace 5
Peter 5
Christopher 4
Matthew 4
Michael 4
Nathaniel 4

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Blackwell households.

FAQ

Blackwell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Blackwell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 5,459 people were recorded with the Blackwell surname. That placed it at #815 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Blackwell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 7,874 in 2016. That gives Blackwell a modern rank of #836.

What does the Blackwell surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone who lived near a dark spring or stream.

What does the Blackwell map show?

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