NameCensus.

UK surname

Blandford

From the English place name, likely referring to a ford crossing a river with dull or murky water.

In the 1881 census there were 974 people recorded with the Blandford surname, ranking it #3,996 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,234, ranked #4,836, down from #3,996 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and East and West Tisbury, Wardour. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Forest of Dean, Herefordshire and Merthyr Tydfil.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Blandford is 1,381 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 26.7%.

1881 census count

974

Ranked #3,996

Modern count

1,234

2016, ranked #4,836

Peak year

2002

1,381 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Blandford had 974 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,996 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,234 in 2016, ranked #4,836.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,269 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Blandford surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Blandford surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Blandford 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 652 #3,985
1861 historical 669 #4,009
1881 historical 974 #3,996
1891 historical 1,097 #3,851
1901 historical 1,269 #3,909
1911 historical 1,255 #3,789
1997 modern 1,233 #4,606
1998 modern 1,316 #4,516
1999 modern 1,320 #4,541
2000 modern 1,354 #4,419
2001 modern 1,330 #4,400
2002 modern 1,381 #4,338
2003 modern 1,320 #4,426
2004 modern 1,303 #4,471
2005 modern 1,258 #4,570
2006 modern 1,232 #4,671
2007 modern 1,233 #4,715
2008 modern 1,225 #4,766
2009 modern 1,265 #4,731
2010 modern 1,247 #4,888
2011 modern 1,253 #4,807
2012 modern 1,228 #4,822
2013 modern 1,234 #4,880
2014 modern 1,233 #4,897
2015 modern 1,233 #4,854
2016 modern 1,234 #4,836

Geography

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Where Blandfords are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, East and West Tisbury, Wardour and Blandford Town, Pimperne. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Forest of Dean, Herefordshire, Merthyr Tydfil and Doncaster. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 East and West Tisbury, Wardour Wiltshire
5 Blandford Town, Pimperne Dorset

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Forest of Dean 001 Forest of Dean
2 Herefordshire 018 Herefordshire, County of
3 Herefordshire 019 Herefordshire, County of
4 Merthyr Tydfil 008 Merthyr Tydfil
5 Doncaster 003 Doncaster

Forenames

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First names often paired with Blandford

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Blandford

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Blandford 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

Blandford is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Blandford falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Blandford

The surname Blandford is of English origin, deriving from the place name Blandford in Dorset, England, which dates back to the 11th century. The name is thought to have originated from the Old English words "blan" meaning "blank or white" and "ford" meaning a shallow place where a river can be crossed.

One of the earliest records of the name Blandford can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a survey of land holdings commissioned by William the Conqueror after the Norman conquest of England. The entry mentions a manor called "Bleneford" in Dorset.

In the 13th century, a notable figure with the surname Blandford was Walter de Blandford, who served as the Bishop of Oxford from 1268 to 1292. He is known for his involvement in ecclesiastical affairs during the reign of King Henry III.

During the 14th century, the name appeared in various records, including the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire from 1301, which mention a John de Blandford. Additionally, the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327 list a Richard de Blandford.

In the 16th century, one of the most prominent individuals with the Blandford surname was John Blandford (c. 1520 - 1576), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Shaftesbury during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

Another notable figure was Walter Blandford (1619 - 1675), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Bishop of Oxford from 1665 until his death. He was known for his scholarly works and his efforts in rebuilding churches damaged during the English Civil War.

During the 18th century, the Blandford name gained further recognition with the birth of George Blandford (1722 - 1808), an English architect and surveyor. He was responsible for the design and construction of several notable buildings, including the Radcliffe Observatory in Oxford.

Throughout history, the Blandford surname has been associated with various locations in England, particularly in the counties of Dorset, Lincolnshire, and Worcestershire, where the name has its roots and earliest recorded instances.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Blandford families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Blandford 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. Hampshire leads with 158 Blandfords recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.07x.

County Total Index
Hampshire 158 8.07x
Middlesex 123 1.29x
Dorset 113 18.03x
Wiltshire 108 12.79x
Gloucestershire 105 5.61x
Surrey 98 2.11x
Kent 60 1.84x
Shropshire 27 3.27x
Somerset 25 1.63x
Lancashire 20 0.18x
Yorkshire 18 0.19x
Staffordshire 16 0.50x
Monmouthshire 12 1.74x
Durham 11 0.39x
Berkshire 10 1.40x
Sussex 10 0.62x
Northumberland 9 0.63x
Derbyshire 8 0.54x
Worcestershire 8 0.64x
Glamorgan 6 0.36x
Royal Navy 6 5.27x
Warwickshire 5 0.21x
Lincolnshire 4 0.26x
Oxfordshire 4 0.68x
Cheshire 3 0.14x
Nottinghamshire 3 0.23x
Essex 2 0.11x
Hertfordshire 2 0.30x
Bedfordshire 1 0.20x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.17x
Midlothian 1 0.08x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.33x
Wigtownshire 1 0.79x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Blandford Forum in Dorset leads with 38 Blandfords recorded in 1881 and an index of 307.19x.

Place Total Index
Blandford Forum 38 307.19x
Drayton In Hales 26 152.85x
Portsea 25 6.52x
Christchurch 20 47.13x
Lambeth 20 2.40x
Newington 20 5.67x
Kensington London 19 3.58x
Wardour 18 728.74x
Minster In Sheppey 17 31.49x
North Nibley 17 634.33x
Bristol St George 15 17.32x
Battersea 14 3.98x
Bristol St James St Paul 13 20.82x
Southampton St Mary 13 10.56x
West Tisbury 13 500.00x
Bermondsey 11 3.87x
Dursley 11 142.86x
Exton 11 1170.21x
Alderton 10 724.64x
Camberwell 10 1.64x
Faversham 10 32.19x
Martin 10 595.24x
Stroud 10 27.43x
Bradford 9 3.93x
Bromley London 9 4.28x
Chelsea London 9 3.13x
Andover 8 43.27x
Berwick St John 8 634.92x
Donhead St Mary 8 186.48x
Milborne Port 8 130.08x
Milton 8 164.27x
Northwood 8 28.70x
Paddington London 8 2.28x
Westminster St James 8 8.15x
Alverstoke 7 9.88x
Bryanstone 7 823.53x
Clerkenwell London 7 3.11x
Donhead St Andrew 7 269.23x
Holdenhurst 7 13.63x
Lewisham 7 4.03x
Longfleet 7 96.42x
Melbury Abbas 7 648.15x
Motcombe 7 151.84x
Poole St James 7 29.72x
Romsey Infra 7 105.58x
St George Hanover Square 7 4.16x
Tarrant Hinton 7 1044.78x
Aberystruth 6 9.86x
Dymock 6 134.23x
Hindon 6 331.49x
Lancaster 6 8.90x
Lymington 6 41.70x
Millbrook 6 12.17x
Royal Navy 6 6.17x
St Pancras London 6 0.78x
Stratford Toney 6 1714.29x
Tyrley 6 240.00x
West Derby 6 1.81x
Barnes 5 25.41x
East Knoyle 5 174.22x
Herne 5 34.65x
Hove 5 7.08x
Jesmond 5 25.01x
Leckhampton 5 43.33x
Newcastle Under Lyme 5 8.77x
Pimperne 5 357.14x
Sixpenny Handley 5 162.87x
Spitalfields London 5 6.96x
Spondon 5 86.96x
St Marylebone London 5 0.98x
Swansea Town 5 3.67x
Westoe 5 3.10x
Worcester St Michael 5 347.22x
Bristol St Paul In 4 8.02x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 4 2.27x
Fonthill Gifford 4 256.41x
Hornsey 4 3.31x
Lytchett Minster 4 143.88x
St Helens 4 28.11x
Wortley In Bramley 4 5.34x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 47
Elizabeth 41
Sarah 29
Annie 21
Emma 19
Alice 18
Louisa 18
Eliza 17
Jane 15
Ellen 13
Emily 12
Fanny 12
Ann 11
Charlotte 10
Hannah 10
Martha 10
Edith 9
Florence 7
Anne 6
Harriet 6
Bessie 5
Elizth. 5
Frances 5
Kate 5
Lucy 5
Margaret 5
Maria 5
Maud 5
Amy 4
Clara 4
Harriett 4
Minnie 4
Anna 3
Catherine 3
Gertrude 3
Matilda 3
Rosa 3
Sophia 3
Susan 3
Ada 2
Amelia 2
Arabella 2
E. 2
Flora 2
Hilda 2
Julia 2
Marian 2
May 2
Priscilla 2
Rebecca 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 47
William 46
John 40
Henry 36
Thomas 34
Charles 25
James 23
Alfred 14
Walter 13
Edward 11
Harry 10
Robert 9
Ernest 8
Frank 8
Frederick 8
Wm. 8
Arthur 7
Samuel 7
Sidney 7
Edwin 6
Francis 6
Thos. 6
Albert 5
Joseph 5
Richard 4
Nehemiah 3
Sydney 3
Alexander 2
Daniel 2
David 2
Eli 2
Fredk. 2
Fredrick 2
Herbert 2
Hugh 2
Jno. 2
Josiah 2
Martin 2
Morgan 2
Ambrose 1
Cecil 1
Chas.E. 1
Chas.Ed. 1
Elijah 1
Elisha 1
Felix 1
Fred 1
Janus 1
Jas 1
Wm.M. 1

FAQ

Blandford surname: questions and answers

How common was the Blandford surname in 1881?

In 1881, 974 people were recorded with the Blandford surname. That placed it at #3,996 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Blandford surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,234 in 2016. That gives Blandford a modern rank of #4,836.

What does the Blandford surname mean?

From the English place name, likely referring to a ford crossing a river with dull or murky water.

What does the Blandford map show?

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