NameCensus.

UK surname

Bland

An English surname derived from a nickname meaning mild-mannered, gentle, or meek.

In the 1881 census there were 6,214 people recorded with the Bland surname, ranking it #699 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 7,520, ranked #888, down from #699 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars and Bradford. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Allerdale, Bradford and South Lakeland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bland is 8,679 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 21.0%.

1881 census count

6,214

Ranked #699

Modern count

7,520

2016, ranked #888

Peak year

1911

8,679 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bland had 6,214 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #699 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 7,520 in 2016, ranked #888.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 8,679 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Bland surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bland surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bland 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 4,247 #670
1861 historical 4,405 #643
1881 historical 6,214 #699
1891 historical 6,738 #678
1901 historical 7,802 #688
1911 historical 8,679 #567
1997 modern 7,966 #808
1998 modern 8,197 #814
1999 modern 8,199 #825
2000 modern 8,095 #827
2001 modern 7,931 #825
2002 modern 8,038 #835
2003 modern 7,821 #836
2004 modern 7,760 #840
2005 modern 7,587 #851
2006 modern 7,551 #859
2007 modern 7,619 #856
2008 modern 7,586 #871
2009 modern 7,731 #874
2010 modern 7,880 #876
2011 modern 7,726 #880
2012 modern 7,589 #875
2013 modern 7,699 #876
2014 modern 7,698 #883
2015 modern 7,584 #885
2016 modern 7,520 #888

Geography

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Where Blands are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars, Bradford and Keighley. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Allerdale, Bradford, South Lakeland, County Durham and Leeds. 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 London parishes London 3
2 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire
3 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Keighley Yorkshire, West Riding
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Allerdale 012 Allerdale
2 Bradford 058 Bradford
3 South Lakeland 011 South Lakeland
4 County Durham 055 County Durham
5 Leeds 061 Leeds

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bland

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bland

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Bland, 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 Bland surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Bland 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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Bland 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

Bland 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

Bland falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Bland

The surname Bland has its origins in England, emerging in the late 12th century. It is thought to derive from the Old French word "blund", meaning pale or fair-haired. The name likely referred to someone with a light complexion or blonde hair.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1194, where a Richard le Blund is mentioned. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 also list several individuals with the surname Blund or Blunt in various counties across England.

The Domesday Book, compiled in 1086, does not contain any direct references to the surname Bland, as it predates the widespread use of hereditary surnames in England. However, it does include place names that may have influenced the development of the surname, such as Blandford in Dorset.

In the 13th century, the surname appeared in various spellings, including Blund, Blunt, and Blond, reflecting the evolution of the English language. The modern spelling of Bland emerged in the 15th century.

Notable individuals with the surname Bland include:

1. John Bland (c. 1515-1588), an English merchant and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1575. 2. Theodric Bland (1629-1670), an English colonial leader and landowner in Virginia. 3. Richard Bland (1710-1776), an American planter, politician, and scholar, known as one of the most learned men in colonial Virginia. 4. Humphrey Bland (1686-1763), an English mathematician and philosopher, best known for his work on quadratic equations. 5. Robert Bland (1779-1838), an English writer and philosopher, author of the influential work "Collections from the Greek Anthology".

These individuals, spanning several centuries, demonstrate the enduring presence of the Bland surname across various fields, from politics and commerce to academia and literature.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bland families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bland 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. Yorkshire leads with 1,627 Blands recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.71x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 1,627 2.71x
Lancashire 715 0.99x
Middlesex 508 0.84x
Durham 447 2.48x
Lincolnshire 280 2.89x
Northamptonshire 266 4.67x
Westmorland 205 15.40x
Norfolk 201 2.16x
Leicestershire 178 2.65x
Derbyshire 170 1.79x
Surrey 161 0.55x
Essex 140 1.17x
Kent 134 0.65x
Nottinghamshire 130 1.59x
Staffordshire 102 0.50x
Bedfordshire 94 3.00x
Cheshire 86 0.64x
Cumberland 73 1.40x
Warwickshire 72 0.47x
Suffolk 64 0.87x
Northumberland 63 0.70x
Hertfordshire 58 1.39x
Cambridgeshire 42 1.09x
Rutland 40 8.99x
Worcestershire 35 0.44x
Shropshire 34 0.65x
Berkshire 27 0.59x
Lanarkshire 26 0.13x
Buckinghamshire 25 0.68x
Huntingdonshire 23 1.91x
Gloucestershire 21 0.18x
Sussex 21 0.21x
Kirkcudbrightshire 18 2.05x
Hampshire 15 0.12x
Midlothian 15 0.18x
Monmouthshire 14 0.32x
Somerset 14 0.14x
Devon 12 0.10x
Oxfordshire 8 0.21x
Pembrokeshire 7 0.36x
Wigtownshire 5 0.62x
Cardiganshire 4 0.27x
Carmarthenshire 4 0.16x
Royal Navy 4 0.55x
Brecknockshire 3 0.25x
Dorset 3 0.08x
Herefordshire 3 0.12x
Glamorgan 2 0.02x
Isle of Man 2 0.18x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.02x
Denbighshire 1 0.04x
East Lothian 1 0.12x
Fife 1 0.03x
Inverness-shire 1 0.06x
Merionethshire 1 0.09x
Montgomeryshire 1 0.07x
Renfrewshire 1 0.02x
Wiltshire 1 0.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Horton In Bradford in Yorkshire leads with 97 Blands recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.35x.

Place Total Index
Horton In Bradford 97 10.35x
Keighley 95 14.85x
Scarborough 82 15.03x
Bradford 64 4.40x
Sheffield 61 3.19x
Islington London 60 1.02x
Leeds 55 1.62x
Darlington 53 7.62x
Bingley 45 11.77x
Leicester St Margaret 44 2.69x
Lancaster 42 9.82x
Great Yarmouth 41 5.31x
Kendal 41 16.82x
Clayton 40 27.23x
Bethnal Green London 38 1.44x
Bowling 38 6.39x
Burnley 38 6.28x
Hackney London 36 1.06x
Liverpool 36 0.82x
Shipley 34 10.91x
Aston 33 0.78x
St Pancras London 33 0.68x
Easingwold 32 75.51x
Moss Side 31 8.20x
Blackburn 30 1.57x
Hardingstone 30 55.16x
Nether Hallam 30 3.69x
Preston 30 1.56x
Stockton On Tees 30 3.45x
West Derby 30 1.43x
Baildon 29 25.66x
Orton 29 72.88x
Kensington London 28 0.83x
Manchester 28 0.87x
Salford 28 1.32x
Brigstock 27 124.83x
Idle 27 9.70x
Lambeth 27 0.51x
Shoreditch London 26 0.99x
Bury 25 3.04x
Northampton Priory St 25 7.31x
Croydon 24 1.46x
Ecclesall Bierlow 24 1.97x
North South Anston 24 91.43x
Nottingham St Mary 24 1.14x
Toxteth Park 24 0.99x
Northowram 23 5.46x
Chatham 22 3.87x
Everton 22 0.96x
Luton 22 4.05x
Sculcoates 22 2.31x
Walsall Foreign 22 2.08x
Whitworth 22 16.67x
Alfreton 21 7.29x
Derby St Peter 21 6.95x
Dukinfield 21 3.40x
Lynesack Softley 21 43.13x
St Luke London 21 2.16x
Chester Le Street 20 14.45x
Clerkenwell London 20 1.40x
Halifax 20 2.27x
Hilgay 20 57.11x
St Marylebone London 20 0.62x
West Ham 20 0.76x
Woolwich 20 2.62x
Wortley In Bramley 20 4.21x
Barrow In Furness 19 1.94x
Bishopwearmouth 19 1.23x
Colchester St James 19 39.21x
Empingham 19 111.31x
Manningham 19 2.57x
Newington 19 0.85x
Woodford 19 59.97x
Derby St Werburgh 18 3.29x
Kettering 18 7.81x
Paddington London 18 0.81x
St George Hanover Square 18 1.69x
Stretford 18 4.55x
Camberwell 17 0.44x
Stoke Goldington 17 101.49x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 468
Sarah 258
Elizabeth 257
Jane 126
Ann 106
Annie 90
Hannah 85
Emma 81
Margaret 78
Eliza 76
Ellen 70
Alice 59
Emily 59
Martha 57
Clara 39
Maria 38
Isabella 36
Fanny 35
Harriet 34
Agnes 28
Anne 27
Caroline 27
Florence 27
Louisa 27
Rebecca 27
Ada 25
Catherine 25
Charlotte 25
Frances 25
Lucy 23
Edith 21
Eleanor 21
Rose 21
Kate 20
Susan 19
Amelia 18
Harriett 16
Ethel 14
Grace 14
Minnie 14
Elizth. 13
Lizzie 13
Matilda 11
Susannah 11
Amy 10
Bertha 10
Gertrude 10
Jessie 10
Maud 10
Sophia 10

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 402
John 399
George 226
Thomas 224
James 200
Joseph 114
Henry 103
Charles 102
Robert 102
Arthur 81
Edward 66
Alfred 58
Walter 51
Richard 49
Harry 41
Frederick 39
Samuel 39
Herbert 30
Albert 23
Ernest 20
Frank 20
Fred 19
Benjamin 18
Tom 18
Francis 17
Edwin 16
Wm. 16
Matthew 14
David 13
Isaac 13
Thos. 13
Geo. 12
Luke 10
Stephen 10
Anthony 9
Chas. 8
Joshua 8
Clement 7
Elias 7
Peter 7
Abraham 6
Edgar 6
Edmund 6
Fredk. 6
Harold 6
Jonathan 6
Mark 6
Sam 6
Fredrick 5
Michael 5

FAQ

Bland surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bland surname in 1881?

In 1881, 6,214 people were recorded with the Bland surname. That placed it at #699 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bland surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 7,520 in 2016. That gives Bland a modern rank of #888.

What does the Bland surname mean?

An English surname derived from a nickname meaning mild-mannered, gentle, or meek.

What does the Bland map show?

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