NameCensus.

UK surname

Blakely

Habitational surname derived from any of the numerous places named Blakeley or Blakely, meaning "dark wood" or "dark clearing."

In the 1881 census there were 517 people recorded with the Blakely surname, ranking it #6,593 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 562, ranked #9,130, down from #6,593 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Wigan and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hawick Central, Kilwinning West and Blacklands and Easterhouse East.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Blakely is 591 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 8.7%.

1881 census count

517

Ranked #6,593

Modern count

562

2016, ranked #9,130

Peak year

2010

591 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Blakely had 517 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,593 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 562 in 2016, ranked #9,130.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 517 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Blakely surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Blakely surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Blakely 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 335 #6,984
1861 historical 339 #7,522
1881 historical 517 #6,593
1891 historical 421 #8,502
1901 historical 384 #9,745
1911 historical 142 #18,487
1997 modern 528 #8,934
1998 modern 550 #8,937
1999 modern 562 #8,825
2000 modern 536 #9,133
2001 modern 506 #9,382
2002 modern 533 #9,203
2003 modern 508 #9,379
2004 modern 506 #9,437
2005 modern 499 #9,457
2006 modern 499 #9,500
2007 modern 497 #9,615
2008 modern 518 #9,388
2009 modern 550 #9,169
2010 modern 591 #8,884
2011 modern 559 #9,139
2012 modern 563 #9,023
2013 modern 569 #9,066
2014 modern 572 #9,102
2015 modern 567 #9,082
2016 modern 562 #9,130

Geography

Back to top

Where Blakelys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Wigan, Manchester, Dalrymple and Batley. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Hawick Central, Kilwinning West and Blacklands, Easterhouse East, Carntyne West and Haghill and Kilwinning Central and North. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Wigan Lancashire
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Dalrymple Ayr
5 Batley Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Hawick Central Scottish Borders
2 Kilwinning West and Blacklands North Ayrshire
3 Easterhouse East Glasgow City
4 Carntyne West and Haghill Glasgow City
5 Kilwinning Central and North North Ayrshire

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Blakely

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Blakely

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Blakely surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Blakely household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Blakely 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

Blakely 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

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

Meaning and origin of Blakely

The surname Blakely is derived from an Old English locational name, referring to someone who hailed from a dark or shaded meadow. It originates from the combination of the Old English words 'blæc' meaning 'black' or 'dark' and 'leah' meaning a meadow or clearing in a forest. The name is thought to have originated in England, likely in the medieval period.

The earliest recorded use of the name Blakely can be traced back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appeared as 'Blacolei' or 'Blakelei'. This influential survey, commissioned by William the Conqueror, documented landholders and their properties across much of England and parts of Wales. The name's presence in this record indicates its early establishment in the region.

In the 13th century, the name was also found in various forms such as 'Blakelai', 'Blakeleye', and 'Blakeleia' in various records and charters from counties like Staffordshire, Derbyshire, and Cheshire. These variations reflect the spelling fluidity of the time and the regional differences in pronunciation and documentation.

One notable early figure with this surname was John Blakely, born around 1320 in Derbyshire. He was a prominent landowner and served as a member of the local gentry. Another individual of note was Richard Blakely, born in 1415 in Cheshire, who was a skilled archer and fought in the Hundred Years' War under King Henry V.

During the 16th century, the name emerged in several place names, such as Blakeley in Lancashire and Blakely in Staffordshire. These locations likely derived their names from the surname, reflecting the influence and presence of Blakely families in those areas.

In the 17th century, Thomas Blakely, born in 1620 in Yorkshire, was a renowned scholar and theologian who served as a chaplain to King Charles II. Additionally, William Blakely, born in 1645 in Cheshire, was a successful merchant and banker whose family played a significant role in the local economy.

Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, several notable individuals bore the Blakely surname. These include John Blakely, born in 1760 in Derbyshire, who was a pioneering engineer and inventor, and Elizabeth Blakely, born in 1810 in Lancashire, who was a prominent activist in the women's suffrage movement.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Blakely families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Blakely 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. Yorkshire leads with 149 Blakelys recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.00x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 149 3.00x
Lancashire 140 2.36x
Lanarkshire 25 1.54x
Ayrshire 22 5.87x
Middlesex 20 0.40x
Kent 18 1.05x
Durham 15 1.01x
Essex 12 1.21x
Sussex 12 1.42x
Fife 11 3.71x
Herefordshire 11 5.36x
Stirlingshire 9 4.88x
Dunbartonshire 8 5.95x
Cumberland 7 1.62x
Renfrewshire 7 1.81x
Hertfordshire 6 1.74x
Cheshire 5 0.45x
Northumberland 5 0.67x
Surrey 5 0.21x
Staffordshire 4 0.24x
Nottinghamshire 3 0.44x
Derbyshire 2 0.26x
Hampshire 2 0.20x
Leicestershire 2 0.36x
Norfolk 2 0.26x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.22x
Berkshire 1 0.27x
Brecknockshire 1 1.00x
Kirkcudbrightshire 1 1.38x
Lincolnshire 1 0.13x
Midlothian 1 0.15x
Montgomeryshire 1 0.87x
Somerset 1 0.12x
Suffolk 1 0.16x
Warwickshire 1 0.08x
Wiltshire 1 0.23x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Manchester in Lancashire leads with 28 Blakelys recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.49x.

Place Total Index
Manchester 28 10.49x
Barony 17 4.15x
Liverpool 14 3.88x
Dalrymple 12 510.64x
Salford 12 6.87x
Dunfermline 11 24.15x
Soothill 11 61.42x
Gateshead 10 8.97x
Gomersal 10 43.22x
Greenwich 10 12.55x
Ince In Makerfield 10 36.19x
Morley 10 38.79x
South Crosland 9 172.41x
Eastbourne 8 20.61x
Preston 8 5.04x
Pudsey 8 30.18x
Rawmarsh 8 45.66x
Lewisham 7 7.69x
Shoreditch London 7 3.23x
Campsie 6 59.23x
Cheshunt 6 49.75x
Heeley 6 39.81x
Toxteth Park 6 2.98x
West Ham 6 2.75x
Armley 5 22.86x
Bedford 5 40.26x
Bishopwearmouth 5 3.91x
Dewsbury 5 9.83x
Gorton 5 8.96x
Great Little Preston 5 352.11x
Hackney London 5 1.78x
Kington 5 98.43x
Oswaldtwistle 5 23.83x
Potter Newton 5 57.14x
Stanwix 5 143.27x
Stretford 5 7142.86x
Wallsend 5 21.18x
West Derby 5 2.88x
Ardwick 4 7.47x
Ashton Under Lyne 4 3.08x
Batley 4 8.49x
Cardross 4 24.77x
Covington 4 526.32x
Eastwood 4 16.75x
Ecclesall Bierlow 4 3.97x
Headingley Cum Burley 4 12.53x
Hulme 4 3.23x
Kirkintilloch 4 21.89x
Lamberhurst 4 187.79x
Methley 4 57.31x
Mirfield 4 14.70x
Muirkirk 4 45.51x
Rothwell 4 39.92x
Southowram 4 26.42x
Stockport 4 7.04x
Stoke Upon Trent 4 2.23x
Thornhill 4 27.64x
Wakefield 4 10.51x
Whitby 4 23.94x
Abbey 3 5.07x
Basford 3 9.65x
Bethnal Green London 3 1.38x
Burnley 3 6.00x
Bury 3 4.42x
Falkirk 3 6.94x
Govan 3 0.75x
Leeds 3 1.07x
Monk Bretton 3 59.76x
Normanton 3 20.13x
North Meols 3 5.16x
Rotherhithe 3 4.85x
Sheffield 3 1.90x
South Benfleet 3 256.41x
Belgrave 2 15.97x
Garston 2 11.42x
Heptonstall 2 28.74x
Irvine 2 19.23x
Keswick 2 36.30x
Little Bolton 2 2.62x
Prestwich 2 13.50x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 39
Elizabeth 17
Sarah 17
Jane 11
Alice 8
Margaret 8
Ann 7
Annie 6
Eliza 6
Ellen 6
Harriet 6
Martha 5
Charlotte 4
Frances 4
Catherine 3
Clara 3
Emma 3
Esther 3
Harriett 3
Louisa 3
Amelia 2
Caroline 2
Fanny 2
Florence 2
Margt. 2
Maria 2
Rebecca 2
Ruth 2
Susan 2
Susannah 2
Charlott 1
Christiana 1
Elizebeth 1
Emily 1
Emmeline 1
Ethel 1
Eugenia 1
Fanney 1
Florance 1
Helen 1
Ida 1
Isabella 1
James 1
Lilian 1
Lillian 1
Lilly 1
Lily 1
Lizzie 1
Lucy 1
M.A. 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 26
John 19
James 16
Thomas 15
George 13
Charles 9
Samuel 8
Joseph 7
David 5
Edward 5
Harry 5
Henry 5
Walter 5
Robert 4
Alfred 3
Arthur 3
Ernest 3
Benjamin 2
Edwin 2
Harold 2
Herbert 2
Matthew 2
Richard 2
Robt. 2
Sam. 2
Thos. 2
Wm. 2
Benjamine 1
Chas.Thos. 1
Edmund 1
Frank 1
Fred. 1
Frederick 1
Garibaldi 1
Hazekiah 1
Helbert 1
Jabez 1
Jesse 1
Jno. 1
Joshua 1
Josiah 1
Leonard 1
Milton 1
Newsome 1
Percy 1
Reginald 1
Robt.H. 1
S. 1
Squire 1
Wm.Hy. 1

FAQ

Blakely surname: questions and answers

How common was the Blakely surname in 1881?

In 1881, 517 people were recorded with the Blakely surname. That placed it at #6,593 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Blakely surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 562 in 2016. That gives Blakely a modern rank of #9,130.

What does the Blakely surname mean?

Habitational surname derived from any of the numerous places named Blakeley or Blakely, meaning "dark wood" or "dark clearing."

What does the Blakely map show?

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