NameCensus.

UK surname

Blakley

A locational surname derived from any of the various places named Blakeley or Blakely, meaning "dark wood" or "dark clearing."

In the 1881 census there were 241 people recorded with the Blakley surname, ranking it #11,374 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 97, ranked #31,585, down from #11,374 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Manchester, Dalrymple and Batley. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Charnwood, Havant and Ashford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Blakley is 241 in 1881. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 59.8%.

1881 census count

241

Ranked #11,374

Modern count

97

2016, ranked #31,585

Peak year

1881

241 bearers

Map years

7

1851 to 1998

Key insights

  • Blakley had 241 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,374 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 97 in 2016, ranked #31,585.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 241 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Blakley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Blakley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Blakley 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 191 #10,808
1861 historical 231 #10,572
1881 historical 241 #11,374
1891 historical 223 #13,800
1901 historical 199 #15,173
1911 historical 120 #20,447
1997 modern 110 #25,529
1998 modern 114 #25,589
1999 modern 98 #28,050
2000 modern 93 #28,701
2001 modern 91 #28,670
2002 modern 98 #28,243
2003 modern 101 #27,561
2004 modern 105 #27,181
2005 modern 101 #27,854
2006 modern 92 #29,576
2007 modern 102 #28,351
2008 modern 113 #26,920
2009 modern 114 #27,363
2010 modern 111 #28,509
2011 modern 101 #29,938
2012 modern 95 #31,107
2013 modern 99 #30,934
2014 modern 98 #31,370
2015 modern 96 #31,624
2016 modern 97 #31,585

Geography

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Where Blakleys are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Charnwood, Havant, Ashford, Kingston upon Thames and Surrey Heath. 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 Manchester Lancashire
2 Dalrymple Ayr
3 Batley Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Leigh Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Charnwood 006 Charnwood
2 Havant 003 Havant
3 Ashford 010 Ashford
4 Kingston upon Thames 014 Kingston upon Thames
5 Surrey Heath 001 Surrey Heath

Forenames

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First names often paired with Blakley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Blakley

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Blakley surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Blakley household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Blakley is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

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

Blakley 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

Blakley falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Blakley

The surname Blakley originates from England, with its earliest known bearers residing in the northern counties. It is derived from the Old English words "blæc" meaning black and "leah" meaning a meadow or clearing in a woodland. The name likely refers to a person who lived near a dark or shaded meadow.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, a record of landholders in England after the Norman Conquest, the name appears as "Blachelie" and "Blakeleye." These early spelling variations highlight the name's development from its Old English roots.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Robert de Blakeley, who was recorded in the Pipe Rolls of Lancashire in 1199. The Pipe Rolls were financial records maintained by the English Exchequer.

During the 13th century, the name was associated with several landholdings and manors in Lancashire and Yorkshire. For instance, the Blakeley family held lands in Blackley, a township in the parish of Manchester, which likely influenced the spelling of their surname.

In the 14th century, John Blakley was listed as a landowner in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of Westmorland in 1332. These rolls were tax records maintained by the English government.

Notable individuals with the surname Blakley include:

1. William Blakley (c. 1620 - 1692), an English Puritan minister who emigrated to New England and served as the second president of Harvard College from 1672 to 1675.

2. Samuel Blakley (1783 - 1860), an American politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from Pennsylvania from 1833 to 1837.

3. Charles Blakley (1856 - 1925), an English cricketer who played first-class cricket for Lancashire County Cricket Club in the late 19th century.

4. Mary Blakley (1879 - 1957), an American poet and author, known for her works exploring the experiences of women in the early 20th century.

5. Thomas Blakley (1915 - 1976), an American mathematician and cryptographer who co-invented the concept of secret sharing, a fundamental principle in modern cryptography.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Blakley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Blakley 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. Lancashire leads with 86 Blakleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.11x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 86 3.11x
Yorkshire 68 2.94x
Lanarkshire 21 2.79x
Middlesex 15 0.64x
Cheshire 9 1.75x
Essex 9 1.96x
Staffordshire 6 0.76x
Ayrshire 5 2.87x
Surrey 5 0.44x
Cumberland 4 1.99x
Derbyshire 3 0.82x
Kent 3 0.38x
Kirkcudbrightshire 3 8.89x
Midlothian 2 0.64x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Blackburn in Lancashire leads with 12 Blakleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.30x.

Place Total Index
Blackburn 12 16.30x
Newton 10 46.90x
Hunslet 8 22.21x
Ashton Under Lyne 7 11.58x
Cheetham 7 33.93x
Great Bolton 7 19.10x
Old Monkland 7 23.40x
Rothwell 7 149.89x
West Derby 7 8.65x
Batley 6 27.33x
Embsay Cum Eastby 6 645.16x
Huddersfield 6 17.83x
Morley 6 49.96x
Pendleton In Salford 6 18.20x
Stoke Upon Trent 6 7.19x
Stonehouse 6 234.38x
Gate Fulford 5 92.76x
Govan 5 2.68x
Heap 5 34.08x
Islington London 5 2.21x
Lambeth 5 2.46x
Liscard 5 53.94x
Mirfield 5 39.43x
Almondbury 4 35.81x
Bethnal Green London 4 3.95x
Birkenhead 4 9.75x
Dalrymple 4 366.97x
Gorton 4 15.38x
Holy Trinity 4 7.20x
Liverpool 4 2.38x
Mile End Old Town London 4 8.06x
Oswaldtwistle 4 40.94x
Salford 4 4.92x
Beard Ollerset Whitle 3 125.00x
Minnigaff 3 236.22x
Preston Quarter 3 53.38x
Radcliffe 3 22.51x
Soothill 3 35.97x
South Ockendon 3 315.79x
Stanley Cum Wrenthorpe 3 27.96x
Duddingston 2 31.90x
Elmley 2 1250.00x
Kearsley 2 34.36x
Prittlewell 2 31.35x
Walthamstow 2 12.08x
Writtle 2 106.38x
Accrington 1 3.98x
Ayr 1 12.15x
Barnsley 1 4.20x
Barony 1 0.52x
Bramham Cum Oglethorpe 1 108.70x
Carstairs 1 64.10x
Dewsbury 1 4.22x
Eccleston In Chorley 1 138.89x
Elton 1 10.46x
Glasgow 1 0.75x
Gomersal 1 9.28x
Lewisham 1 2.36x
Oldham 1 1.12x
Potter Newton 1 24.51x
Seaton 1 42.74x
Shoreditch London 1 0.99x
St Pancras London 1 0.53x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 16
Sarah 9
Elizabeth 8
Ann 7
Eliza 6
Ada 4
Alice 4
Annie 3
Emma 3
Harriet 3
Jane 3
Agnes 2
Charlotte 2
Clara 2
Elizth. 2
Ellen 2
Emily 2
Fanny 2
Florence 2
Kate 2
Louise 2
Margaret 2
Maria 2
Sophia 2
Caroline 1
Edith 1
Elizth.Ann 1
Emiley 1
Eve 1
Hannah 1
Harried 1
Helena 1
Jesse 1
Jessee 1
Jessie 1
John 1
Lilley 1
Lucy 1
Lydia 1
M. 1
Marion 1
Maude 1
Nellie 1
Rachel 1
Rose 1
Rossannah 1
S. 1
Sar.Han. 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 13
Thomas 10
James 7
John 7
Joseph 7
George 5
Henry 5
Charles 4
Arthur 2
David 2
Edwin 2
Samuel 2
Wilfred 2
Adam 1
Albert 1
Alexander 1
Benjamine 1
Ed. 1
Edward 1
Ernest 1
F. 1
Frederick 1
Herbert 1
J. 1
Mark 1
Matthew 1
Rd. 1
Robert 1
Robt. 1
Sam 1
Thos. 1
Thos.J. 1
Tom 1
W. 1
Walter 1
Wm. 1
Wm.Jos. 1

FAQ

Blakley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Blakley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 241 people were recorded with the Blakley surname. That placed it at #11,374 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Blakley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 97 in 2016. That gives Blakley a modern rank of #31,585.

What does the Blakley surname mean?

A locational surname derived from any of the various places named Blakeley or Blakely, meaning "dark wood" or "dark clearing."

What does the Blakley map show?

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