NameCensus.

UK surname

Blakeway

A locational surname derived from a residence near a dark or secluded road.

In the 1881 census there were 375 people recorded with the Blakeway surname, ranking it #8,345 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 714, ranked #7,599, up from #8,345 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Sedgley, Rowley Regis and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Sandwell and Dudley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Blakeway is 726 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 90.4%.

1881 census count

375

Ranked #8,345

Modern count

714

2016, ranked #7,599

Peak year

2014

726 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Blakeway had 375 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,345 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 714 in 2016, ranked #7,599.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 604 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Blakeway surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Blakeway surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Blakeway 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 258 #8,568
1861 historical 251 #9,830
1881 historical 375 #8,345
1891 historical 420 #8,528
1901 historical 567 #7,374
1911 historical 604 #6,806
1997 modern 696 #7,278
1998 modern 707 #7,418
1999 modern 699 #7,525
2000 modern 677 #7,689
2001 modern 670 #7,616
2002 modern 700 #7,511
2003 modern 683 #7,540
2004 modern 674 #7,634
2005 modern 656 #7,716
2006 modern 643 #7,868
2007 modern 663 #7,754
2008 modern 684 #7,615
2009 modern 724 #7,434
2010 modern 717 #7,641
2011 modern 715 #7,570
2012 modern 724 #7,427
2013 modern 716 #7,605
2014 modern 726 #7,563
2015 modern 711 #7,630
2016 modern 714 #7,599

Geography

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Where Blakeways are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Sedgley, Rowley Regis, Manchester, Eaton, Rushbury and Halesowen (all except Hunnington, Romsley; partly in Halesowen, Worcestershire). These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Sandwell and Dudley. 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 Rowley Regis Staffordshire
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Eaton, Rushbury Shropshire
5 Halesowen (all except Hunnington, Romsley; partly in Halesowen, Worcestershire) Staffordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Sandwell 033 Sandwell
2 Sandwell 029 Sandwell
3 Dudley 026 Dudley
4 Sandwell 022 Sandwell
5 Sandwell 035 Sandwell

Forenames

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First names often paired with Blakeway

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Blakeway

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Blakeway, 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 Blakeway surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Blakeway 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, Blakeway 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

Blakeway 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

Blakeway falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Blakeway is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Blakeway

The surname Blakeway is of English origin and dates back to the late medieval period. It is a locational surname, derived from a place name referring to a dark or shady path or road. The name is composed of the Old English elements "blæc" meaning black or dark, and "weg" meaning way or road.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, where it appears as "Blakewey". This suggests that the name may have originated in or near the county of Worcestershire. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 also mention a place called "Blakewey" in Buckinghamshire, indicating the potential for the surname to have arisen from multiple locations across England.

The Blakeway surname is not found in the renowned Domesday Book of 1086, suggesting that it emerged after the Norman Conquest. However, it is likely that the name evolved from similar place names recorded in the Domesday Book, such as "Blachenavene" in Wiltshire and "Blachedich" in Somerset, which contain elements related to darkness or blackness.

One of the earliest known individuals with the Blakeway surname was John Blakeway, who was born around 1450 in Worcestershire. He was a prominent landowner and served as a member of the local gentry. Another notable figure was Sir Thomas Blakeway (1530-1591), a distinguished soldier and courtier during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

In the 17th century, the Blakeway family established themselves in Shropshire, where they owned substantial estates. Robert Blakeway (1598-1675) was a prominent member of the gentry and served as a Justice of the Peace in the county. His son, John Blakeway (1628-1701), was a respected scholar and antiquarian who authored several works on the history and antiquities of Shropshire.

During the 18th century, the Reverend John Brickdale Blakeway (1765-1826) was a noted clergyman and historian who wrote extensively on the history and topography of Shropshire. He was a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries and contributed to numerous scholarly publications.

Throughout history, the Blakeway surname has been associated with various professions, including landowners, military officers, clergymen, and scholars. While the name may have originated from specific locations in England, it has since spread across the country and beyond, with families bearing the surname making significant contributions in their respective fields.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Blakeway families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Blakeway 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 115 Blakeways recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.31x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 115 9.31x
Shropshire 82 25.95x
Worcestershire 61 12.77x
Lancashire 30 0.69x
Warwickshire 13 1.41x
Devon 12 1.58x
Durham 12 1.10x
Gloucestershire 9 1.25x
Middlesex 9 0.25x
Sussex 6 0.97x
Herefordshire 5 3.33x
Cheshire 4 0.50x
Kent 4 0.32x
Hertfordshire 3 1.19x
Wiltshire 2 0.62x
Carmarthenshire 1 0.65x
Derbyshire 1 0.17x
Dorset 1 0.42x
Hampshire 1 0.13x
Norfolk 1 0.18x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.20x
Rutland 1 3.72x
Suffolk 1 0.22x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Rowley Regis in Staffordshire leads with 43 Blakeways recorded in 1881 and an index of 124.96x.

Place Total Index
Rowley Regis 43 124.96x
Sedgley 29 63.24x
Rushbury 19 3015.87x
Kingswinford 18 40.15x
Chaddesley Corbett 13 726.26x
Plymouth Charles The 11 32.80x
Kinlet 9 1666.67x
Pendleton In Salford 9 17.40x
Ludlow St Lawrence 8 127.19x
Salford 8 6.27x
Stourbridge 8 65.09x
Kidderminster Borough 7 25.04x
Manchester 7 3.59x
Wolverhampton 7 7.37x
Onibury 6 1052.63x
Tenbury 6 229.01x
Whitworth 6 75.28x
Aston 5 1.97x
Birmingham 5 1.63x
Brighton 5 4.02x
Claines 5 38.14x
Ferryhill 5 131.58x
Holdgate 5 3333.33x
Horton 5 331.13x
Staunton 5 961.54x
Buildwas 4 1250.00x
Cheltenham 4 7.23x
Hallow 4 170.94x
Hammersmith London 4 4.44x
Sale 4 40.36x
Shrewsbury St Alkmond 4 227.27x
Walsall Borough 4 41.75x
Corse 3 461.54x
Dudley 3 5.17x
Folkestone 3 12.39x
Hartlebury 3 105.63x
Norton 3 714.29x
Shifnal 3 34.97x
Wolverley 3 71.60x
Albrighton St Mary 2 1538.46x
Bilston 2 8.36x
Cannock 2 9.29x
Chelmarsh 2 333.33x
Hereford St John 2 116.96x
Liverpool 2 0.76x
Much Cowarne 2 322.58x
Quatt Jervis 2 800.00x
Rocester 2 130.72x
Shrewsbury St Chad 2 18.03x
Shrewsbury St Mary 2 16.04x
St George Hanover Square 2 3.10x
Stanton Lacy 2 73.26x
Trowbridge 2 13.99x
Worcester St Peter 2 22.12x
Alberbury 1 135.14x
Barrow 1 232.56x
Baschurch 1 46.30x
Blackrod 1 18.55x
Bury St Edmunds St James 1 8.40x
Chorlton On Medlock 1 1.45x
Church Stretton 1 47.17x
Coleshill 1 33.78x
Eaton 1 178.57x
Edgbaston 1 3.50x
Harrow On The Hill 1 13.68x
Henfield 1 42.19x
Holdenhurst 1 5.08x
Kinver 1 28.09x
Leintwardine 1 65.36x
Llandingat 1 28.57x
Madeley 1 8.63x
Nuneaton 1 9.35x
Saxlingham Nethergate 1 149.25x
Tudhoe 1 10.50x
Wednesfield 1 5.50x
West Stour 1 476.19x
Westbury On Severn 1 35.21x
Westminster St John 1 2.24x
Worthen 1 29.76x
Wotton St Mary 1 26.88x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 26
Elizabeth 17
Sarah 16
Eliza 9
Emma 8
Hannah 7
Ann 6
Annie 6
Martha 6
Emily 4
Jane 4
Maria 3
Rebecca 3
Ada 2
Amy 2
Anne 2
Betsy 2
Catherine 2
Charlotte 2
Edith 2
Fanny 2
Harriet 2
Helen 2
Kate 2
Louisa 2
Mabel 2
Margaret 2
Phoebe 2
Arabella 1
C... 1
Caroline 1
Catharine 1
Edeith 1
Eleanor 1
Elise 1
Elizth. 1
Ellen 1
Esther 1
Eva 1
Hilda 1
Honour 1
Isabel 1
Janet 1
Julia 1
Katie 1
Laura 1
Leah 1
Lissth. 1
Lizzy 1
Zoe 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 26
John 24
Thomas 19
Edward 10
Henry 9
James 9
Joseph 9
Richard 7
Samuel 7
Charles 6
George 6
Alfred 3
Arthur 3
Benjamin 3
Edwin 3
Francis 2
Herbert 2
Immanuel 2
Isiah 2
Roger 2
Alexander 1
Bennett 1
Chas.Hy. 1
David 1
Edwd. 1
Eli 1
Emma 1
Enoch 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Frederick 1
Fredrick 1
Geo. 1
Harriett 1
Harvey 1
Hedley 1
Jabez 1
Joe 1
Jonathan 1
Mary 1
Norwick 1
Saml. 1
Septimus 1
Sidney 1
Stephen 1
Timothy 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Blakeway surname: questions and answers

How common was the Blakeway surname in 1881?

In 1881, 375 people were recorded with the Blakeway surname. That placed it at #8,345 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Blakeway surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 714 in 2016. That gives Blakeway a modern rank of #7,599.

What does the Blakeway surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a residence near a dark or secluded road.

What does the Blakeway map show?

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