NameCensus.

UK surname

Blamey

A surname derived from the Old French word "blasme," meaning to reproach or revile.

In the 1881 census there were 406 people recorded with the Blamey surname, ranking it #7,880 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 338, ranked #13,533, down from #7,880 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Mevagissey, Veryan and Illogan. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cornwall, South Hams and Rhondda Cynon Taf.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Blamey is 499 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 16.7%.

1881 census count

406

Ranked #7,880

Modern count

338

2016, ranked #13,533

Peak year

1901

499 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Blamey had 406 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,880 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 338 in 2016, ranked #13,533.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 499 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Blamey surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Blamey surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Blamey 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 369 #6,443
1861 historical 452 #5,730
1881 historical 406 #7,880
1891 historical 442 #8,179
1901 historical 499 #8,065
1911 historical 493 #7,902
1997 modern 371 #11,645
1998 modern 397 #11,400
1999 modern 398 #11,486
2000 modern 404 #11,306
2001 modern 396 #11,307
2002 modern 404 #11,353
2003 modern 376 #11,791
2004 modern 369 #11,967
2005 modern 344 #12,521
2006 modern 347 #12,515
2007 modern 357 #12,413
2008 modern 354 #12,591
2009 modern 341 #13,214
2010 modern 346 #13,352
2011 modern 350 #13,086
2012 modern 328 #13,625
2013 modern 335 #13,604
2014 modern 338 #13,624
2015 modern 337 #13,560
2016 modern 338 #13,533

Geography

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Where Blameys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Mevagissey, Veryan, Illogan, Perran Arworthal and Gwennap. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cornwall, South Hams, Rhondda Cynon Taf and Torbay. 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 Mevagissey Cornwall
2 Veryan Cornwall
3 Illogan Cornwall
4 Perran Arworthal Cornwall
5 Gwennap Cornwall

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cornwall 041 Cornwall
2 South Hams 007 South Hams
3 Rhondda Cynon Taf 024 Rhondda Cynon Taf
4 Torbay 010 Torbay
5 Cornwall 048 Cornwall

Forenames

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First names often paired with Blamey

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Blamey

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

Rural Amenity

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Blamey is most associated with areas classed as Inner London Working Professionals, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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 primarily Inner London neighbourhoods are more densely populated than the Supergroup average. Residents have a younger over-all age profile than the Supergroup as a whole, and are less likely to be owner occupiers. Full time employment is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup and multiple car ownership is uncommon. Chinese and non-EU-born European migrants are less in evidence than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Blamey 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

Blamey falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Blamey

The surname BLAMEY originated in Cornwall, England in the late medieval period. It is derived from the Old Cornish words "blan" meaning "wolf" and "moi" meaning "hill", referring to a specific location. The earliest known spelling of the name was Blamyn in 1327.

One of the earliest recorded references to the BLAMEY surname is found in the Assize Rolls of Cornwall from 1284, where a John Blamyn is mentioned. In the 14th century, the name appeared in various manorial records and tax rolls across Cornwall.

The BLAMEY family had strong ties to the village of St. Blazey, which was originally known as Blamenhyth or Blamenhyth-juxta-Tynny in the 13th century. This place name is likely connected to the origin of the surname.

Notable individuals with the BLAMEY surname include Sir Thomas Blamey (1600-1677), a merchant and Member of Parliament for Truro in the 17th century. John Blamey (1647-1711) was a prominent Cornish antiquarian and author of "The Cornish Antiquities" published in 1694.

In the 18th century, William Blamey (1722-1795) was a successful mining entrepreneur and landowner in Cornwall. His son, also named William Blamey (1773-1855), was a notable engineer and inventor who made significant contributions to the development of the Cornish mining industry.

One of the most famous individuals bearing the BLAMEY name was Sir Thomas Blamey (1884-1951), an Australian military officer who served as Commander-in-Chief of the Allied Land Forces in the Southwest Pacific Area during World War II. He played a crucial role in the defense of Australia and the eventual defeat of Japanese forces in the region.

The BLAMEY surname has a rich history deeply rooted in Cornwall, with connections to various historical figures and notable families over the centuries. Its origins can be traced back to the late medieval period, reflecting the region's unique linguistic heritage and geographical landscape.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Blamey families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Blamey 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. Cornwall leads with 295 Blameys recorded in 1881 and an index of 65.96x.

County Total Index
Cornwall 295 65.96x
Devon 56 6.81x
Middlesex 8 0.20x
Derbyshire 7 1.13x
Fife 7 2.99x
Surrey 7 0.36x
Oxfordshire 4 1.64x
Gloucestershire 3 0.39x
Hampshire 3 0.37x
Lancashire 3 0.06x
Northumberland 3 0.51x
Bedfordshire 2 0.98x
Dorset 2 0.77x
Yorkshire 2 0.05x
Berkshire 1 0.34x
Glamorgan 1 0.15x
Somerset 1 0.16x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Veryan in Cornwall leads with 79 Blameys recorded in 1881 and an index of 4566.47x.

Place Total Index
Veryan 79 4566.47x
Gwennap 35 414.69x
Mevagissey 29 976.43x
St Austell 20 130.80x
St Gluvias 16 640.00x
Perranarworthal 15 1006.71x
Illogan 12 101.35x
Camborne 11 59.69x
Falmouth 10 63.17x
Kenwyn 10 85.47x
Ruan Lanihorne 9 2045.45x
St Gluvias Penryn 9 251.40x
Dartmouth St Petrox 8 672.27x
St Blazey 8 203.56x
Beath 7 94.72x
Probus 7 382.51x
Tormoham 7 20.12x
Chapel En Le Frith 6 106.19x
Christow 6 750.00x
Kensington London 6 2.73x
Lambeth 6 1.74x
Plymouth St Andrew 5 7.89x
Dartmouth St Saviour 4 170.21x
Kirtlington 4 412.37x
Newton Abbot St Mary 4 57.97x
Redruth 4 31.62x
Blackburn 3 2.41x
Elswick 3 6.40x
Kingsbridge 3 144.93x
Lidford 3 81.30x
Perranzabuloe 3 77.72x
Phillack 3 51.99x
Portsea 3 1.89x
St Just In Roseland 3 153.06x
St Peter Tavy 3 714.29x
Upton Pyne 3 545.45x
Allington 2 86.58x
Ampthill 2 65.57x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 2 2.74x
Madron Penzance 2 12.30x
Mullion 2 243.90x
Stoke Canon 2 344.83x
Tiverton 2 14.11x
Wendron 2 32.21x
Abingdon St Helen 1 11.53x
Bedminster 1 1.67x
Beverley St Mary 1 17.48x
Bridford 1 169.49x
Clase 1 3.91x
Colan 1 303.03x
Dymock 1 54.05x
Exeter St Olave 1 94.34x
Hennock 1 96.15x
Newburgh 1 500.00x
Okehampton 1 32.26x
Sheldon 1 434.78x
Southwark St George Martyr 1 1.26x
St Cleer 1 25.77x
St Clement 1 21.41x
St George Hanover Square 1 1.44x
St Marylebone London 1 0.47x
St Mellion 1 238.10x
Stoke Damerel 1 1.74x
Tavistock 1 10.67x
Tregoney St James 1 120.48x
Truro St Mary 1 26.60x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 30
Elizabeth 25
Jane 11
Sarah 11
Eliza 6
Ann 5
Susan 5
Annie 4
Ellen 4
Emma 4
Harriet 4
Louisa 4
Martha 4
Ada 3
Amelia 3
Bertha 3
Bessie 3
Caroline 3
Catherine 3
Grace 3
Kate 3
Minnie 3
Elizth. 2
Emily 2
Evelyn 2
Fanny 2
Frances 2
Hannah 2
Laura 2
Lucy 2
Nanny 2
Robina 2
Alberta 1
Angilina 1
Anita 1
Beatrice 1
Candace 1
Edith 1
Elizth.A. 1
Florance 1
Helina 1
Hetty 1
Hilda 1
Isabella 1
Janie 1
Jenny 1
Jessie 1
Joanna 1
Julia 1
Zerviah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 22
James 18
John 16
Richard 16
Joseph 14
Thomas 13
Joel 11
Charles 5
Henry 5
Arthur 4
Francis 4
Peter 4
Ernest 3
George 3
Philip 3
Robert 3
Alfred 2
Edward 2
Herbert 2
Samuel 2
Wm. 2
Ambrose 1
Ann 1
Anthony 1
Augustine 1
Benjamin 1
Benjimen 1
Fras.W. 1
Fredric 1
Gefford 1
Gilbert 1
Glendenning 1
Gregory 1
Harrold 1
Jas. 1
Jno. 1
Malachi 1
Mathew 1
Norman 1
Percy 1
Saml.T. 1
Sidney 1
Solomon 1
Stephen 1
Sydney 1
Theophilas 1
Thos. 1
Wallace 1
Walter 1
Willie 1

FAQ

Blamey surname: questions and answers

How common was the Blamey surname in 1881?

In 1881, 406 people were recorded with the Blamey surname. That placed it at #7,880 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Blamey surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 338 in 2016. That gives Blamey a modern rank of #13,533.

What does the Blamey surname mean?

A surname derived from the Old French word "blasme," meaning to reproach or revile.

What does the Blamey map show?

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