NameCensus.

UK surname

Blakesley

A locational surname referring to a place called Blakesley in Northamptonshire, England.

In the 1881 census there were 177 people recorded with the Blakesley surname, ranking it #13,889 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 426, ranked #11,279, up from #13,889 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Sedgley, Tipton otherwise Tibington and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Norfolk, Doncaster and Dudley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Blakesley is 469 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 140.7%.

1881 census count

177

Ranked #13,889

Modern count

426

2016, ranked #11,279

Peak year

1998

469 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Blakesley had 177 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #13,889 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 426 in 2016, ranked #11,279.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 407 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Blakesley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Blakesley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Blakesley 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 138 #13,745
1861 historical 174 #13,483
1881 historical 177 #13,889
1891 historical 280 #11,665
1901 historical 362 #10,173
1911 historical 407 #9,176
1997 modern 460 #9,907
1998 modern 469 #10,079
1999 modern 465 #10,202
2000 modern 456 #10,321
2001 modern 447 #10,294
2002 modern 457 #10,314
2003 modern 438 #10,507
2004 modern 430 #10,697
2005 modern 422 #10,739
2006 modern 412 #10,976
2007 modern 408 #11,203
2008 modern 408 #11,292
2009 modern 423 #11,204
2010 modern 426 #11,396
2011 modern 427 #11,243
2012 modern 425 #11,157
2013 modern 429 #11,280
2014 modern 442 #11,057
2015 modern 432 #11,183
2016 modern 426 #11,279

Geography

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Where Blakesleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Sedgley, Tipton otherwise Tibington, London parishes, Rawmarsh, Wath-on-Dearn (Swinton) and Lambeth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Norfolk, Doncaster, Dudley and West Dorset. 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 Sedgley Staffordshire
2 Tipton otherwise Tibington Staffordshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Rawmarsh, Wath-on-Dearn (Swinton) Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Lambeth London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Norfolk 013 South Norfolk
2 Doncaster 022 Doncaster
3 Dudley 005 Dudley
4 West Dorset 008 West Dorset
5 Dudley 006 Dudley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Blakesley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Blakesley

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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Blakesley surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Blakesley household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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, Blakesley 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

Blakesley is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Blakesley falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Blakesley

The surname Blakesley has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is a locational name, derived from the village of Blakesley in Northamptonshire. The name is believed to have originated from the Old English words "blac" and "leah," meaning "black" and "meadow" or "clearing," respectively.

The name Blakesley can be traced back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Blacleslei." This early record suggests that the name was already established in the area by the time of the Norman Conquest in 1066. The village of Blakesley itself is mentioned in the Domesday Book as part of the lands held by the Countess Judith, niece of William the Conqueror.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Blakesley is found in the Pipe Rolls of Northamptonshire from 1196, where a John de Blakesley is mentioned. In the 13th century, a William de Blakesley is recorded as holding lands in the village of Blakesley.

Over the centuries, the surname Blakesley has been subject to various spelling variations, including Blakisley, Blakeley, and Blakely. These variations likely stemmed from local dialects and the inconsistencies in record-keeping during earlier periods.

Among notable individuals with the surname Blakesley, one can mention Sir Thomas Blakesley (1564-1634), an English landowner and Member of Parliament for Northamptonshire. Another prominent figure is John Blakesley (1657-1723), an English clergyman and author who served as the Archdeacon of Stow.

In more recent history, Sir Henry Spencer Blakesley (1813-1907) was a British colonial administrator who served as the Lieutenant Governor of the North-Western Provinces in British India. Robert Parker Blakesley (1819-1876) was a renowned English classical scholar and the headmaster of Bridgnorth Grammar School.

Another notable bearer of the surname was Charles Blakesley (1880-1944), an English cricketer who played first-class cricket for Gloucestershire and represented the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) on their tours to South Africa and Australia in the early 20th century.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Blakesley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Blakesley 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 43 Blakesleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.38x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 43 7.38x
Surrey 33 3.92x
Leicestershire 29 15.15x
Middlesex 25 1.45x
Northamptonshire 11 6.77x
Yorkshire 9 0.53x
Essex 8 2.35x
Nottinghamshire 4 1.72x
Warwickshire 4 0.92x
Derbyshire 3 1.11x
Kent 3 0.51x
Bedfordshire 1 1.12x
Cornwall 1 0.51x
Hampshire 1 0.28x
Suffolk 1 0.48x
Sussex 1 0.34x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Tipton in Staffordshire leads with 16 Blakesleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 89.64x.

Place Total Index
Tipton 16 89.64x
Leicester St Margaret 15 32.13x
Southwark Christchurch 14 173.05x
Islington London 9 5.38x
Stoke Upon Trent 9 14.56x
Kensington London 8 8.33x
West Ham 8 10.63x
Norton In Moors 7 226.54x
Gate Fulford 6 150.00x
Camberwell 5 4.53x
Old 5 2380.95x
Sedgley 5 23.09x
Battersea 4 6.30x
Carlton 4 150.38x
Lambeth 4 2.66x
Northampton Priory St 4 41.07x
Nuneaton 4 79.37x
Wolstanton 4 22.60x
Beddington 3 92.31x
Deptford St Paul 3 6.60x
Hinckley 3 66.08x
Knighton 3 277.78x
Leicester St Martin 3 232.56x
Nether Hallam 3 12.96x
Shoreditch London 3 4.01x
Bushbury 2 190.48x
Church Gresley 2 46.51x
Godalming 2 37.74x
St George Bloomsbury 2 20.18x
Wigston Magna 2 78.74x
Aldershot 1 8.44x
Barlestone 1 238.10x
Bedford St Paul 1 16.31x
Blackfordby 1 163.93x
Brighton 1 1.70x
Edmonton 1 7.19x
Gerrans 1 188.68x
Hartshorn 1 98.04x
Leicester St Mary 1 6.46x
Mile End Old Town London 1 2.72x
Northampton St Sepulchre 1 12.11x
Offton 1 476.19x
Putney 1 12.71x
Rothwell 1 61.35x
Westminster St James 1 5.63x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 12
Sarah 7
Florence 5
Elizabeth 4
Louisa 4
Elizth. 3
Alice 2
Ann 2
Annie 2
Caroline 2
Cecelia 2
Edith 2
Emily 2
Emma 2
Hannah 2
Julia 2
Lydia 2
Matilda 2
Sophia 2
Ada 1
Adeline 1
Agnes 1
Alicia 1
Catherine 1
Cynatha 1
Eliza 1
Elizath. 1
Ellen 1
Eveline 1
Fanny 1
Frances 1
Harriet 1
Harriett 1
Jane 1
Lilly 1
Margt. 1
Martha 1
Maryann 1
Maud 1
May 1
Nancy 1
Olive 1
Phillis 1
Rosa 1
Rosanna 1
Rose 1
Selina 1
Sophy 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 10
Samuel 7
Henry 6
Thomas 6
William 6
George 5
Alfred 4
Albert 3
Benjamin 3
Joseph 3
Abraham 2
Arthur 2
Frederick 2
Job 2
Adrian 1
Charles 1
David 1
Donald 1
Edward 1
Edwin 1
Harry 1
Hen.Chas. 1
Herbert 1
Isiah 1
Jacob 1
James 1
Jeremiah 1
Lancelot 1
Lawrence 1
Nathan 1
Percy 1
Richard 1
Sydney 1
Thos.Walton 1
Tortius 1
Walter 1
Willm 1
Willm.H. 1

FAQ

Blakesley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Blakesley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 177 people were recorded with the Blakesley surname. That placed it at #13,889 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Blakesley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 426 in 2016. That gives Blakesley a modern rank of #11,279.

What does the Blakesley surname mean?

A locational surname referring to a place called Blakesley in Northamptonshire, England.

What does the Blakesley map show?

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