NameCensus.

UK surname

Blake

An English surname derived from Old English blæc, meaning "black," referring to a person with dark hair or complexion.

In the 1881 census there were 14,443 people recorded with the Blake surname, ranking it #278 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 21,923, ranked #272, up from #278 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and Lambeth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Tewkesbury, Wiltshire and Forest of Dean.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Blake is 22,508 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 51.8%.

1881 census count

14,443

Ranked #278

Modern count

21,923

2016, ranked #272

Peak year

2010

22,508 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Blake had 14,443 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #278 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 21,923 in 2016, ranked #272.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 18,965 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Blake surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Blake surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Blake 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 9,322 #280
1861 historical 9,775 #268
1881 historical 14,443 #278
1891 historical 15,880 #267
1901 historical 18,256 #276
1911 historical 18,965 #242
1997 modern 21,340 #269
1998 modern 22,076 #272
1999 modern 22,188 #273
2000 modern 22,140 #269
2001 modern 21,561 #270
2002 modern 22,053 #270
2003 modern 21,518 #269
2004 modern 21,516 #270
2005 modern 21,048 #274
2006 modern 20,958 #275
2007 modern 21,257 #274
2008 modern 21,265 #276
2009 modern 21,907 #274
2010 modern 22,508 #268
2011 modern 22,155 #270
2012 modern 21,730 #270
2013 modern 22,271 #270
2014 modern 22,382 #270
2015 modern 22,029 #270
2016 modern 21,923 #272

Geography

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Where Blakes are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Tewkesbury, Wiltshire and Forest of Dean. 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 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Lambeth London (South Districts)
5 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Tewkesbury 005 Tewkesbury
2 Wiltshire 012 Wiltshire
3 Wiltshire 048 Wiltshire
4 Wiltshire 052 Wiltshire
5 Forest of Dean 009 Forest of Dean

Forenames

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First names often paired with Blake

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Blake

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

Blake is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Blake

The surname Blake has its origins in the British Isles, specifically in England and Ireland. It is thought to have derived from the Old English word "blæc," meaning "black" or "dark-complexioned." This suggests that the name may have originally been a nickname given to someone with dark features.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Blake can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Blac" and "Blache." This comprehensive survey of landowners in England commissioned by William the Conqueror provides evidence of the name's existence in the 11th century.

During the Middle Ages, the name was prevalent in various regions of England, including Gloucestershire, Somerset, and Devon. It is believed that the Blake family had a stronghold in the village of Calne, Wiltshire, where they held significant land and influence.

The name Blake has also been associated with several notable figures throughout history. One of the earliest was Humphrey Blake (c. 1480-1545), an English politician and Member of Parliament for Gloucester during the reign of Henry VIII.

In the 17th century, Robert Blake (1598-1657) was a prominent English admiral who played a crucial role in the Anglo-Dutch Wars and the establishment of England as a naval power. He is widely regarded as one of the most important military commanders in English history.

Another notable figure was William Blake (1757-1827), the renowned English poet, painter, and printmaker. His works, including Songs of Innocence and Experience and The Marriage of Heaven and Hell, have had a profound influence on literature and art.

The name Blake has also been associated with places, such as Blake's Cottage in Somerset, which was the birthplace of the poet Robert Blake, and Blake's Hill in Gloucestershire, which may have been named after a local landowner.

Other notable individuals with the surname Blake include Joaquin Blake (1759-1827), a Spanish naval officer and explorer who conducted extensive surveys of the Pacific Northwest coast, and Thomas Blake Glover (1838-1911), a British merchant and diplomat who played a significant role in the industrialization of Japan during the Meiji era.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Blake surname: questions and answers

How common was the Blake surname in 1881?

In 1881, 14,443 people were recorded with the Blake surname. That placed it at #278 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Blake surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 21,923 in 2016. That gives Blake a modern rank of #272.

What does the Blake surname mean?

An English surname derived from Old English blæc, meaning "black," referring to a person with dark hair or complexion.

What does the Blake map show?

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