NameCensus.

UK surname

Blance

In the 1881 census there were 220 people recorded with the Blance surname, ranking it #12,087 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 195, ranked #19,921, down from #12,087 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Fetlar and Yell, Lerwick and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Lerwick North, Central Shetland and North Mainland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Blance is 249 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 11.4%.

1881 census count

220

Ranked #12,087

Modern count

195

2016, ranked #19,921

Peak year

1861

249 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Blance had 220 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,087 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 195 in 2016, ranked #19,921.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 249 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Blance surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Blance surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Blance 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 217 #9,784
1861 historical 249 #9,904
1881 historical 220 #12,087
1891 historical 215 #14,155
1901 historical 207 #14,803
1911 historical 65 #26,343
1997 modern 185 #18,506
1998 modern 181 #19,229
1999 modern 184 #19,178
2000 modern 188 #18,916
2001 modern 184 #18,907
2002 modern 177 #19,759
2003 modern 169 #20,092
2004 modern 168 #20,300
2005 modern 180 #19,395
2006 modern 168 #20,368
2007 modern 163 #21,050
2008 modern 167 #20,901
2009 modern 166 #21,469
2010 modern 183 #20,586
2011 modern 177 #20,874
2012 modern 181 #20,531
2013 modern 189 #20,273
2014 modern 195 #20,036
2015 modern 191 #20,205
2016 modern 195 #19,921

Geography

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Where Blances are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Fetlar and Yell, Lerwick, Edinburgh, Delting and Middlesborough. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Lerwick North, Central Shetland, North Mainland, East and West Mainland and Aberuthven and Almondbank. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Fetlar and Yell Shetland
2 Lerwick Shetland
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Delting Shetland
5 Middlesborough Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Lerwick North Shetland Islands
2 Central Shetland Shetland Islands
3 North Mainland Shetland Islands
4 East and West Mainland Shetland Islands
5 Aberuthven and Almondbank Perth and Kinross

Forenames

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First names often paired with Blance

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Blance

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Blance, 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 Blance surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Blance 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Blance is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Blance 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

Blance 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 Blance 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 Blance, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

1881 census detail

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Blance families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Blance 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. Shetland leads with 166 Blances recorded in 1881 and an index of 771.38x.

County Total Index
Shetland 166 771.38x
Midlothian 19 6.73x
Roxburghshire 11 28.83x
Renfrewshire 6 3.67x
Middlesex 5 0.24x
Lancashire 4 0.16x
Durham 3 0.48x
Ayrshire 1 0.63x
Norfolk 1 0.31x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Delting in Shetland leads with 78 Blances recorded in 1881 and an index of 6446.28x.

Place Total Index
Delting 78 6446.28x
Yell South 34 6538.46x
Lerwick Gulberwick 23 690.69x
Northmavine 16 975.61x
Hawick 11 128.81x
Tingwall 11 1018.52x
South Leith 9 28.34x
Edinburgh Canongate 7 97.49x
Middle Greenock 6 134.53x
Bressay 4 1176.47x
North Leith 3 22.97x
St Martin In Fields 3 23.79x
Toxteth Park 3 3.54x
Wingate 2 46.51x
Bootle Cum Linacre 1 5.04x
Gooderstone 1 285.71x
Harrow On The Hill 1 23.75x
Kilwinning 1 19.65x
Limehouse London 1 4.32x
South Shields 1 17.92x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Ann 1
Hannah 1
Lizzie 1
Louise 1
Mary 1
Selina 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Gideon 3
Bogue 1
Henry 1
James 1
Thomas 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Blance households.

FAQ

Blance surname: questions and answers

How common was the Blance surname in 1881?

In 1881, 220 people were recorded with the Blance surname. That placed it at #12,087 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Blance surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 195 in 2016. That gives Blance a modern rank of #19,921.

What does the Blance map show?

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