NameCensus.

UK surname

Blakemore

An English locational surname derived from a place meaning "dark pond" or "black pool."

In the 1881 census there were 1,280 people recorded with the Blakemore surname, ranking it #3,193 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,912, ranked #2,317, up from #3,193 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, Wednesbury and Leigh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bolsover, Rotherham and Stockton-on-Tees.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Blakemore is 2,995 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 127.5%.

1881 census count

1,280

Ranked #3,193

Modern count

2,912

2016, ranked #2,317

Peak year

2010

2,995 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Blakemore had 1,280 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,193 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,912 in 2016, ranked #2,317.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,991 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Blakemore surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Blakemore surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Blakemore 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 693 #3,765
1861 historical 530 #4,954
1881 historical 1,280 #3,193
1891 historical 1,311 #3,314
1901 historical 1,853 #2,834
1911 historical 1,991 #2,494
1997 modern 2,716 #2,354
1998 modern 2,879 #2,329
1999 modern 2,904 #2,330
2000 modern 2,884 #2,336
2001 modern 2,879 #2,289
2002 modern 2,971 #2,263
2003 modern 2,911 #2,257
2004 modern 2,906 #2,262
2005 modern 2,897 #2,235
2006 modern 2,893 #2,240
2007 modern 2,886 #2,272
2008 modern 2,889 #2,286
2009 modern 2,970 #2,280
2010 modern 2,995 #2,307
2011 modern 2,948 #2,313
2012 modern 2,882 #2,321
2013 modern 2,918 #2,328
2014 modern 2,955 #2,314
2015 modern 2,922 #2,312
2016 modern 2,912 #2,317

Geography

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Where Blakemores are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, Wednesbury, Leigh, Walsall and Birmingham Town: Birmingham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bolsover, Rotherham, Stockton-on-Tees, Walsall and Cheshire East. 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 Wolverhampton Staffordshire
2 Wednesbury Staffordshire
3 Leigh Lancashire
4 Walsall Staffordshire
5 Birmingham Town: Birmingham Warwickshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bolsover 001 Bolsover
2 Rotherham 030 Rotherham
3 Stockton-on-Tees 012 Stockton-on-Tees
4 Walsall 022 Walsall
5 Cheshire East 044 Cheshire East

Forenames

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First names often paired with Blakemore

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Blakemore

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Blakemore surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Blakemore household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Blakemore 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

Blakemore is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Blakemore 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 Blakemore is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Blakemore, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Blakemore

The surname Blakemore has its origins in England, tracing back to the medieval period. It is believed to be a locational name, derived from the place name "Blackmore" found in various parts of the country, particularly in Essex, Worcestershire, and Somerset.

The name itself is a combination of the Old English words "blæc," meaning black or dark, and "mor," referring to a moor or heath. This suggests that the name originated from people who lived near or came from a settlement situated on or near a dark, heathery moor.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Blachemare" and "Blakemere," referencing individuals from the villages of Blackmore in Essex and Worcestershire, respectively.

In the 13th century, a document from Essex mentions a John de Blakemore, indicating the use of the locational prefix "de" to denote someone from a particular place. Over time, the spelling evolved to its modern form, Blakemore.

Notable historical figures with the surname Blakemore include:

1. Sir Richard Blakemore (c. 1500-1570), an English landowner and Member of Parliament for Gloucestershire in the mid-16th century.

2. Thomas Blakemore (1572-1638), an English clergyman and theologian who served as the Dean of Winchester Cathedral from 1624 until his death.

3. William Blakemore (1605-1685), an English politician and MP for Wootton Bassett in the 17th century.

4. John Blakemore (1786-1857), a British surveyor and geographer who contributed to the mapping of Australia and New Zealand in the early 19th century.

5. Sir Ralph Blakemore (1865-1949), a British industrialist and co-founder of the Blakemore's Food Service company, which still operates today.

The name Blakemore has also been associated with various place names throughout England, such as Blackmore in Essex, Blakemore in Gloucestershire, and Blakemore Wood in Worcestershire, further reinforcing its locational origins.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Blakemore families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Blakemore 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. Staffordshire leads with 478 Blakemores recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.36x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 478 11.36x
Shropshire 203 18.85x
Warwickshire 150 4.77x
Lancashire 105 0.71x
Yorkshire 61 0.49x
Cheshire 45 1.64x
Worcestershire 45 2.76x
Durham 24 0.65x
Gloucestershire 24 0.98x
Surrey 24 0.40x
Middlesex 20 0.16x
Monmouthshire 20 2.22x
Glamorgan 17 0.78x
Derbyshire 13 0.67x
Kent 11 0.26x
Leicestershire 10 0.72x
Lanarkshire 6 0.15x
Midlothian 5 0.30x
Somerset 5 0.25x
Herefordshire 3 0.59x
Hertfordshire 3 0.35x
Sussex 3 0.14x
Montgomeryshire 1 0.35x
Oxfordshire 1 0.13x
Royal Navy 1 0.67x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wolverhampton in Staffordshire leads with 136 Blakemores recorded in 1881 and an index of 42.03x.

Place Total Index
Wolverhampton 136 42.03x
Atherton 57 105.85x
Birmingham 55 5.25x
Aston 51 5.89x
Walsall Foreign 48 22.08x
Worthen 42 367.13x
Wednesbury 38 36.13x
Darlaston 36 61.90x
West Bromwich 23 9.55x
Wombridge 21 157.89x
Tipton 20 15.52x
Bilston 18 22.07x
Cannock 16 21.79x
Edgbaston 16 16.41x
Wrockwardine 15 63.34x
Lapley 14 441.64x
Shrewsbury St Julian 14 52.53x
Kings Norton 13 8.91x
Oldbury 13 16.23x
Faddiley 12 1200.00x
Stoke Upon Trent 12 2.69x
Willenhall 12 15.22x
Castle Church 11 43.50x
Minsterley 11 277.08x
Shifnal 11 37.62x
Shrewsbury St Chad 11 29.10x
Stretton 11 1111.11x
Blackwell 10 543.48x
Leamington Priors 10 12.93x
Litchurch 10 12.73x
Normanton 10 26.94x
Tettenhall 10 38.87x
Walsall Borough 10 30.61x
Brewood 9 74.20x
Coventry Holy Trinity 9 9.59x
Hatherton 9 494.51x
Shenstone 9 84.11x
Usk 9 120.48x
Bridgnorth St Leonard 8 65.52x
Brightside Bierlow 8 3.30x
Ecclesall Bierlow 8 3.18x
Hulme 8 2.59x
Llanbaddock 8 479.04x
Llangynwyd Lower 8 416.67x
Ludlow St Lawrence 8 37.33x
Nantwich 8 25.02x
Pittington 8 76.70x
Sheffield 8 2.03x
Southwark St George Martyr 8 3.19x
Diddlebury 7 197.18x
Fulham London 7 3.87x
Lassington 7 409.36x
Monks Coppenhall 7 6.74x
Norton Canes 7 45.63x
Shrewsbury St Mary 7 16.47x
Swinton In Rotherham 7 21.43x
Whitchurch 7 59.63x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 6 5.21x
Gomersal 6 10.41x
Newent 6 48.27x
Newington 6 1.30x
Old Monkland 6 3.75x
Rotherhithe 6 3.90x
St Pancras London 6 0.60x
Stafford St Mary 6 10.07x
Stourbridge 6 14.32x
Toxteth Park 6 1.20x
Chirbury 5 78.74x
Condover 5 65.96x
Dawley 5 12.76x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 5 0.74x
Everton 5 1.06x
Kidderminster Borough 5 5.25x
Leicester St Margaret 5 1.48x
Little Bolton 5 2.63x
Oswestry Town 5 14.50x
Stockton On Tees 5 2.80x
Ashton On Mersey 4 28.11x
Bromley 4 6.17x
Leamington 4 19.20x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 90
Elizabeth 53
Sarah 48
Ann 35
Jane 29
Emma 28
Alice 20
Annie 19
Ellen 19
Eliza 18
Hannah 17
Louisa 14
Florence 12
Martha 12
Harriet 11
Fanny 10
Anne 8
Maria 8
Ada 7
Clara 7
Edith 7
Emily 7
Lucy 7
Catherine 6
Elizth. 6
Margaret 6
Phebe 6
Esther 5
Frances 5
Phoebe 5
Amy 4
Beatrice 4
Charlotte 4
Ethel 4
Henrietta 4
Kate 4
Laura 4
Lydia 4
Selina 4
Amelia 3
Caroline 3
Eliz. 3
Jessie 3
Lavinia 3
Rose 3
Sophia 3
Susan 3
Agnes 2
Dinah 2
Dorothy 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 72
William 70
Thomas 49
George 46
Joseph 32
James 30
Edward 23
Charles 22
Henry 22
Arthur 17
Alfred 12
Samuel 12
Richard 10
Frederick 9
Albert 8
Harry 6
Walter 6
Edwin 5
Francis 5
Robert 5
Benjamin 4
Daniel 4
David 4
Frank 4
Wm. 4
Benjn. 3
Bernard 3
Chas. 3
Ernest 3
Noah 3
Philip 3
Augustine 2
Cecil 2
Edw. 2
Enoch 2
Fred 2
Fredrick 2
Herbert 2
Jesse 2
Joshua 2
Josiah 2
Samson 2
Timothy 2
Tom 2
W. 2
Wm.Hy. 2
Chas.Henry 1
Edwd. 1
Eli 1
Emanuel 1

FAQ

Blakemore surname: questions and answers

How common was the Blakemore surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,280 people were recorded with the Blakemore surname. That placed it at #3,193 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Blakemore surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,912 in 2016. That gives Blakemore a modern rank of #2,317.

What does the Blakemore surname mean?

An English locational surname derived from a place meaning "dark pond" or "black pool."

What does the Blakemore map show?

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