NameCensus.

UK surname

Bleach

An occupational surname referring to a worker who bleached cloth or wove bleached fabric.

In the 1881 census there were 196 people recorded with the Bleach surname, ranking it #13,006 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 615, ranked #8,539, up from #13,006 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Portsmouth, Portsea and Harting. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Oldham, Greenwich and Ceredigion.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bleach is 634 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 213.8%.

1881 census count

196

Ranked #13,006

Modern count

615

2016, ranked #8,539

Peak year

1999

634 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bleach had 196 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #13,006 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 615 in 2016, ranked #8,539.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 426 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Multicultural Inner Suburbs.

Bleach surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bleach surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bleach 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 130 #14,314
1861 historical 159 #14,553
1881 historical 196 #13,006
1891 historical 289 #11,425
1901 historical 355 #10,329
1911 historical 426 #8,856
1997 modern 547 #8,694
1998 modern 612 #8,275
1999 modern 634 #8,118
2000 modern 617 #8,267
2001 modern 606 #8,237
2002 modern 616 #8,298
2003 modern 600 #8,340
2004 modern 601 #8,339
2005 modern 602 #8,256
2006 modern 611 #8,170
2007 modern 610 #8,242
2008 modern 599 #8,428
2009 modern 617 #8,414
2010 modern 616 #8,611
2011 modern 593 #8,767
2012 modern 604 #8,562
2013 modern 602 #8,728
2014 modern 612 #8,667
2015 modern 614 #8,573
2016 modern 615 #8,539

Geography

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Where Bleachs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Portsmouth, Portsea, Harting, Brighton and Havant. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Oldham, Greenwich, Ceredigion and East Hampshire. 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 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire
3 Harting Sussex
4 Brighton Sussex
5 Havant Hampshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Oldham 029 Oldham
2 Greenwich 037 Greenwich
3 Greenwich 036 Greenwich
4 Ceredigion 010 Ceredigion
5 East Hampshire 012 East Hampshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bleach

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bleach

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

Baseline UK

Group

Multicultural Inner Suburbs

Nationally, the Bleach surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Multicultural Inner Suburbs, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Bleach household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house many younger and middle-aged adults with children. All ethnic minorities, apart from those identifying as Pakistani or Bangladeshi, appear to be present in above average proportions. Affiliation to Christian religions is uncommon. Long-term disability rates are low, mirrored in limited provision of unpaid care. Privately rented terrace houses and flats are the norm. Managerial, professional and technical occupations are prevalent, and work is rarely part time. Many individuals have degree level qualifications. These areas form the inner suburbs of many of the UK’s towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Bleach is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Bleach is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Bleach

The surname Bleach is believed to have originated from the Anglo-Saxon word 'blaecan', which means to whiten or bleach. It is an occupational surname, indicating that the original bearer was likely involved in the bleaching or whitening of cloth or other materials. The name is most commonly found in England, particularly in the counties of Yorkshire and Lancashire.

The earliest recorded instance of the surname Bleach can be traced back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as 'Blæcere'. This entry suggests that the name was already in use during the 11th century in England. Over time, the spelling evolved to 'Blecher', 'Blechere', and eventually 'Bleach'.

One notable early bearer of the surname was John Bleche, who was recorded in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1219. Another early reference is found in the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire from 1273, which mentions a William Blecher.

In the 16th century, the surname Bleach was particularly prevalent in the town of Rochdale, Lancashire. Several members of the Bleach family held prominent positions in the local community, including John Bleach, who served as a churchwarden in 1586, and Robert Bleach, who was a constable in 1620.

A famous bearer of the surname was William Bleach (1690-1768), an English clergyman and author. He was a Fellow of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, and published several works on theology and philosophy.

Another notable figure was John Bleach (1772-1846), an English landscape painter who was renowned for his depictions of rural scenes and coastal landscapes.

In the 19th century, Joseph Bleach (1816-1892) was a prominent industrialist in Manchester, England. He founded the Bleach and Company textile mill, which played a significant role in the city's industrial development.

Further examples of historical figures with the surname Bleach include Thomas Bleach (1836-1907), a British architect who designed several notable buildings in London, and Emily Bleach (1868-1944), an Australian activist and campaigner for women's rights.

While the surname Bleach is not exceptionally rare, it has a rich history and strong ties to various occupations, particularly in the textile industry, reflecting the name's occupational origins.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bleach families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bleach 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. Sussex leads with 83 Bleachs recorded in 1881 and an index of 25.75x.

County Total Index
Sussex 83 25.75x
Hampshire 39 9.95x
Surrey 28 3.01x
Kent 14 2.15x
Middlesex 13 0.68x
Norfolk 9 3.06x
Berkshire 6 4.18x
Suffolk 2 0.86x
Gloucestershire 1 0.27x
Lancashire 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Brighton in Sussex leads with 48 Bleachs recorded in 1881 and an index of 73.81x.

Place Total Index
Brighton 48 73.81x
Portsea 30 39.06x
Woolwich 11 45.64x
Streatham 10 70.52x
Melton Constable 8 10000.00x
Battersea 7 9.95x
Cuckfield 7 214.72x
Dunsfold 7 1372.55x
Islington London 7 3.78x
Bosham 5 609.76x
Frant 5 219.30x
Harting 5 595.24x
Havant 4 202.02x
Reading St Mary 4 34.81x
Steep 3 769.23x
Charsfield 2 714.29x
Chelsea London 2 3.47x
Chidham 2 1176.47x
Hastings St Mary 2 24.94x
Mickleham 2 384.62x
St Marylebone London 2 1.96x
Winkfield 2 84.03x
Alfriston 1 263.16x
Alverstoke 1 7.05x
Ardingly 1 98.04x
Barnham 1 833.33x
Charlton Kings 1 38.61x
Cowfold 1 147.06x
Croydon 1 1.93x
Deptford St Paul 1 1.99x
Funtington 1 136.99x
Greenwich 1 3.29x
Hindolveston 1 232.56x
Kensington London 1 0.94x
Lewes All Sts 1 78.13x
Lindfield 1 73.53x
Rottingdean 1 90.91x
South Stoneham 1 11.76x
St George In East London 1 5.56x
Walmer 1 35.21x
Wandsworth 1 5.43x
West Derby 1 1.51x
Westbourne 1 62.50x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 18
William 12
Charles 9
John 8
Albert 5
Thomas 5
Arthur 4
Henry 4
Frank 3
Frederick 3
James 3
Walter 3
Alfred 2
Benjamin 2
Edward 2
Ernest 2
Geo. 2
Harry 2
Joseph 2
A. 1
David 1
Edgar 1
Fredk 1
Fredk. 1
Jas. 1
Jonathan 1
Leonard 1
Peter 1
Richard 1
Rodger 1
W.George 1
Willie 1

FAQ

Bleach surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bleach surname in 1881?

In 1881, 196 people were recorded with the Bleach surname. That placed it at #13,006 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bleach surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 615 in 2016. That gives Bleach a modern rank of #8,539.

What does the Bleach surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to a worker who bleached cloth or wove bleached fabric.

What does the Bleach map show?

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