NameCensus.

UK surname

Blears

In the 1881 census there were 238 people recorded with the Blears surname, ranking it #11,476 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 390, ranked #12,089, down from #11,476 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wigan, Eccles and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bolton, Wigan and Bury.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Blears is 390 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 63.9%.

1881 census count

238

Ranked #11,476

Modern count

390

2016, ranked #12,089

Peak year

2016

390 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Blears had 238 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,476 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 390 in 2016, ranked #12,089.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 379 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Blears surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Blears surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Blears 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 54 #23,577
1861 historical 156 #14,813
1881 historical 238 #11,476
1891 historical 286 #11,497
1901 historical 340 #10,647
1911 historical 379 #9,672
1997 modern 373 #11,600
1998 modern 374 #11,963
1999 modern 371 #12,101
2000 modern 375 #11,949
2001 modern 387 #11,484
2002 modern 388 #11,689
2003 modern 362 #12,114
2004 modern 340 #12,707
2005 modern 340 #12,642
2006 modern 347 #12,515
2007 modern 360 #12,335
2008 modern 349 #12,723
2009 modern 376 #12,290
2010 modern 382 #12,410
2011 modern 385 #12,195
2012 modern 354 #12,851
2013 modern 378 #12,422
2014 modern 381 #12,426
2015 modern 387 #12,218
2016 modern 390 #12,089

Geography

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Where Blears' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wigan, Eccles, Manchester, Leigh and Bolton-le-Moors. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bolton, Wigan and Bury. 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 Wigan Lancashire
2 Eccles Lancashire
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Leigh Lancashire
5 Bolton-le-Moors Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bolton 033 Bolton
2 Wigan 025 Wigan
3 Wigan 022 Wigan
4 Bury 018 Bury
5 Wigan 028 Wigan

Forenames

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First names often paired with Blears

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Blears

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

Challenged Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Blears 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

Blears 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

Blears 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 Blears is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

1881 census detail

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Blears families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Blears 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. Lancashire leads with 221 Blears' recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.06x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 221 8.06x
Cheshire 14 2.74x
Staffordshire 2 0.26x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Barton Upon Irwell in Lancashire leads with 73 Blears' recorded in 1881 and an index of 353.51x.

Place Total Index
Barton Upon Irwell 73 353.51x
Worsley 27 159.67x
Manchester 17 13.78x
Atherton 11 110.22x
Gorton 10 38.77x
Hindley 10 85.47x
Willaston In Nantwich 9 573.25x
Westleigh 8 128.41x
Oldham 7 7.91x
Southworth With Croft 7 853.66x
Bedford 6 104.53x
Hulme 6 10.48x
Tyldesley Cum Shakerley 6 75.95x
Bradford 5 38.94x
Claife 5 1136.36x
Heaton Norris 5 32.03x
Westhoughton 5 68.31x
Stretford 4 26.51x
Pendleton In Salford 2 6.12x
Stafford St Mary 2 18.10x
Toxteth Park 2 2.15x
Alvaston 1 2000.00x
Astley 1 47.17x
Cheadle 1 10.26x
Cheetham 1 4.89x
Nantwich 1 16.86x
Pennington In Leigh 1 19.01x
Royton 1 11.92x
Stockport Etchells 1 91.74x
Witton Cum Twambrooks 1 22.03x
Woolston With 1 250.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
James 17
John 17
William 15
Thomas 11
Edward 6
Benjamin 3
Frederick 3
Henry 3
Joseph 3
Walter 3
Arthur 2
David 2
Frank 2
Fred 2
George 2
Harry 2
Jesse 2
Ralph 2
Richard 2
Samuel 2
Wilbraham 2
Abraham 1
Alfred 1
Benjamine 1
Edwin 1
Isaac 1
Jno. 1
Jones 1
Jos. 1
Josiah 1
Leigh 1
Robert 1
Sam 1
Stephen 1
Tom 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Blears surname: questions and answers

How common was the Blears surname in 1881?

In 1881, 238 people were recorded with the Blears surname. That placed it at #11,476 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Blears surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 390 in 2016. That gives Blears a modern rank of #12,089.

What does the Blears map show?

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