NameCensus.

UK surname

Blaney

An Irish toponymic surname derived from the Gaelic Ó Blánáin, meaning "descendant of Blánán," a diminutive of blán, meaning "little wolf."

In the 1881 census there were 598 people recorded with the Blaney surname, ranking it #5,850 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,367, ranked #4,406, up from #5,850 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Bees, Govan Combination and St John Hackney. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Port Glasgow Mid, East and Central, Copeland and Northumberland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Blaney is 1,371 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 128.6%.

1881 census count

598

Ranked #5,850

Modern count

1,367

2016, ranked #4,406

Peak year

2014

1,371 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Blaney had 598 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,850 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,367 in 2016, ranked #4,406.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 756 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Blaney surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Blaney surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Blaney 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 295 #7,737
1861 historical 407 #6,306
1881 historical 598 #5,850
1891 historical 719 #5,487
1901 historical 756 #5,902
1911 historical 477 #8,114
1997 modern 1,262 #4,516
1998 modern 1,291 #4,607
1999 modern 1,265 #4,714
2000 modern 1,245 #4,756
2001 modern 1,246 #4,656
2002 modern 1,261 #4,701
2003 modern 1,241 #4,669
2004 modern 1,256 #4,623
2005 modern 1,254 #4,589
2006 modern 1,244 #4,631
2007 modern 1,255 #4,639
2008 modern 1,285 #4,556
2009 modern 1,330 #4,517
2010 modern 1,355 #4,530
2011 modern 1,343 #4,512
2012 modern 1,312 #4,535
2013 modern 1,366 #4,460
2014 modern 1,371 #4,470
2015 modern 1,364 #4,438
2016 modern 1,367 #4,406

Geography

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Where Blaneys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Bees, Govan Combination, St John Hackney, Glasgow and St Matthew Bethnal Green. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Port Glasgow Mid, East and Central, Copeland and Northumberland. 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 St Bees Cumberland
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 St John Hackney London (North Districts)
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 St Matthew Bethnal Green London (East Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Port Glasgow Mid, East and Central Inverclyde
2 Copeland 003 Copeland
3 Copeland 006 Copeland
4 Northumberland 017 Northumberland
5 Copeland 005 Copeland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Blaney

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Blaney

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Blaney surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Blaney household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Blaney 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

Blaney 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

Blaney 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 Blaney 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 - Irish

This describes the area pattern most associated with Blaney, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Blaney

The surname Blaney is of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic Ó Blanaidh, meaning "descendant of Blanaidh". Blanaidh is believed to be a personal name derived from the Old Irish word "blán", meaning "yellow" or "yellowish-brown". The name is first recorded in the 13th century in County Monaghan, Ireland.

The Blaneys were a prominent family in County Monaghan and held lands in the area of Castleblaney, which takes its name from the family. The earliest documented reference to the name is found in the Annals of Ulster, which mention a "Maelmuire Ua Blanaidh" in the year 1201.

In the 16th century, the Blaney family was heavily involved in the Irish Confederate Wars, with several members fighting alongside the Irish Catholic Confederacy against the English Parliamentarians. One notable figure from this period was Edmond Blaney (c. 1600-1670), a prominent military leader who commanded Irish forces in the siege of Drogheda in 1649.

Another historically significant individual was Sir Edward Blaney (1756-1835), who served as the Chief Secretary for Ireland from 1805 to 1807. He played a crucial role in the suppression of the Irish Rebellion of 1798 and was later appointed as the Governor of the Bahamas Islands.

In the literary realm, the name is associated with the Irish poet and playwright, Padraic Colum (1881-1972), whose full name was Patrick Blaney Colum. He was a prominent figure in the Irish Literary Revival and is best known for his works such as "The Island of Statues" and "The Children of Odin".

Other notable individuals bearing the surname Blaney include Patrick J. Blaney (1894-1968), an American politician who served as the Mayor of Newark, New Jersey, and John Blaney (1913-1995), an Irish hurler who played for the Kilkenny senior hurling team and won several All-Ireland medals.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Blaney families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Blaney 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. Lanarkshire leads with 110 Blaneys recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.78x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 110 5.78x
Middlesex 98 1.67x
Lancashire 55 0.79x
Cumberland 47 9.28x
Shropshire 31 6.10x
Dorset 28 7.25x
Midlothian 19 2.41x
Staffordshire 19 0.96x
Northumberland 17 1.94x
Warwickshire 16 1.08x
Angus 15 2.75x
Durham 15 0.86x
Kent 14 0.70x
Surrey 13 0.45x
Bedfordshire 10 3.28x
Yorkshire 10 0.17x
Ayrshire 9 2.04x
Worcestershire 9 1.17x
Cheshire 8 0.62x
Devon 8 0.65x
Renfrewshire 7 1.54x
Essex 6 0.52x
Perthshire 6 2.27x
Isle of Man 5 4.58x
Montgomeryshire 5 3.71x
Sussex 4 0.40x
Hampshire 3 0.25x
West Lothian 3 3.39x
Aberdeenshire 2 0.37x
Kirkcudbrightshire 2 2.35x
Leicestershire 2 0.31x
Stirlingshire 2 0.92x
Suffolk 2 0.28x
Flintshire 1 0.63x
Gloucestershire 1 0.09x
Hertfordshire 1 0.25x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bethnal Green London in Middlesex leads with 29 Blaneys recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.35x.

Place Total Index
Bethnal Green London 29 11.35x
Govan 23 4.89x
Whitehaven 23 85.22x
Glasgow 21 6.22x
Hamilton 19 35.81x
Birmingham 16 3.24x
Dundee 15 7.37x
Lytchett Matravers 14 1007.19x
Barony 13 2.70x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 11 3.47x
Mile End Old Town London 11 8.79x
Bromley London 10 7.73x
Hackney London 10 3.03x
Luton 10 18.96x
West Derby 10 4.90x
Everton 9 4.05x
Morden 9 552.15x
Preston Quarter 9 63.42x
Whitechapel London 9 15.52x
Camberwell 8 2.13x
Old Monkland 8 10.60x
Seaton 8 135.36x
Clerkenwell London 7 5.04x
Dalserf 7 36.88x
Edinburgh Lady Yesters 7 128.21x
Newcastle Under Lyme 7 19.93x
Tudhoe 7 45.72x
Woolwich 7 9.44x
Condover 6 167.60x
Eastwood 6 21.38x
Exeter St Sidwell 6 21.40x
New Monkland 6 10.67x
Newcastle On Tyne St 6 13.22x
Spotland 6 7.73x
West Ham 6 2.34x
Childs Ercall 5 568.18x
Kilwinning 5 35.16x
Lilleshall 5 64.35x
Perth East Church 5 20.09x
Plumstead 5 7.47x
Salford 5 2.44x
St Martin In Fields 5 14.20x
Ardrossan 4 26.25x
Bayton 4 470.59x
Birkenhead 4 3.86x
Dalziel 4 19.54x
Leeds 4 1.22x
Machynlleth 4 82.14x
Stretford 4 10.42x
Walsall Foreign 4 3.90x
Wimborne Minster 4 64.10x
Alnwick 3 19.93x
Aspull 3 18.27x
Bedlington 3 10.27x
Blantyre 3 15.15x
Burnley 3 5.10x
Cleator 3 14.23x
Islington London 3 0.53x
Kidderminster Borough 3 6.67x
Lesmahagow 3 14.91x
Liverpool 3 0.71x
Monks Coppenhall 3 6.12x
Monkwearmouth Shore 3 8.78x
Onchan 3 9.54x
St George Hanover Square 3 2.89x
St George In East London 3 5.42x
St Giles In Fields London 3 10.40x
Thornley 3 47.39x
Tipton 3 4.93x
Wallsend 3 10.81x
Wellington 3 10.50x
Wolverhampton 3 1.97x
Worthen 3 55.56x
Dearham 2 29.94x
Denaby 2 60.61x
Ewhurst 2 90.91x
Grimley 2 137.93x
Maryhill 2 5.37x
Southwark St George Martyr 2 1.69x
St Clement Danes London 2 16.43x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 26
Elizabeth 22
Sarah 18
Ellen 10
Jane 10
Ann 7
Margaret 7
Alice 6
Eliza 6
Emily 6
Annie 5
Hannah 5
Maria 5
Ada 3
Catherine 3
Emma 3
Harriet 3
Amelia 2
Anne 2
Caroline 2
Charlotte 2
Eliz. 2
Esther 2
Fanny 2
Lily 2
Martha 2
Rose 2
Selina 2
Sophia 2
Adaline 1
Agnes 1
Alace 1
Amy 1
Beatrace 1
Bertha 1
Cath. 1
Clara 1
Clary 1
Dinah 1
Elizeboth 1
Elizth. 1
Haneratta 1
Janet 1
Kate 1
Laura 1
Lilian 1
Lilly 1
Louis 1
Louise 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 33
John 29
James 18
Thomas 18
George 11
Henry 10
Charles 8
Edward 8
Robert 7
Frederick 6
Joseph 5
Walter 5
Alfred 4
Hugh 4
Albert 3
Alexander 3
Arthur 3
Harry 2
Jno. 2
Richard 2
Wm 2
Alf. 1
Blaney 1
Chris.Jas. 1
Christopher 1
Clifford 1
Cornelius 1
Cristopher 1
Daniel 1
Edgar 1
Edwin 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Geo. 1
Horace 1
Hy. 1
Infant 1
Jabez 1
Jos. 1
Leonard 1
Michael 1
Nicholas 1
Pat. 1
Patrick 1
Reginald 1
Samuel 1
Thos. 1
Thos.H. 1
Willie 1

FAQ

Blaney surname: questions and answers

How common was the Blaney surname in 1881?

In 1881, 598 people were recorded with the Blaney surname. That placed it at #5,850 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Blaney surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,367 in 2016. That gives Blaney a modern rank of #4,406.

What does the Blaney surname mean?

An Irish toponymic surname derived from the Gaelic Ó Blánáin, meaning "descendant of Blánán," a diminutive of blán, meaning "little wolf."

What does the Blaney map show?

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