NameCensus.

UK surname

Bleasdale

A locational surname derived from a place name in Lancashire, England.

In the 1881 census there were 920 people recorded with the Bleasdale surname, ranking it #4,168 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,198, ranked #4,968, down from #4,168 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lancaster Borough, Preston and Blackburn. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Burnley, Lancaster and County Durham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bleasdale is 1,345 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 30.2%.

1881 census count

920

Ranked #4,168

Modern count

1,198

2016, ranked #4,968

Peak year

1911

1,345 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bleasdale had 920 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,168 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,198 in 2016, ranked #4,968.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,345 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Bleasdale surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bleasdale surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bleasdale 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 565 #4,492
1861 historical 630 #4,254
1881 historical 920 #4,168
1891 historical 978 #4,232
1901 historical 1,201 #4,101
1911 historical 1,345 #3,562
1997 modern 1,249 #4,559
1998 modern 1,287 #4,620
1999 modern 1,288 #4,637
2000 modern 1,252 #4,730
2001 modern 1,238 #4,677
2002 modern 1,276 #4,655
2003 modern 1,282 #4,534
2004 modern 1,284 #4,533
2005 modern 1,248 #4,609
2006 modern 1,251 #4,604
2007 modern 1,269 #4,575
2008 modern 1,241 #4,715
2009 modern 1,287 #4,648
2010 modern 1,295 #4,721
2011 modern 1,268 #4,758
2012 modern 1,211 #4,877
2013 modern 1,221 #4,919
2014 modern 1,225 #4,930
2015 modern 1,217 #4,906
2016 modern 1,198 #4,968

Geography

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Where Bleasdales are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lancaster Borough, Preston, Blackburn, Chipping 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 Burnley, Lancaster, County Durham and Preston. 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 Lancaster Borough Lancashire
2 Preston Lancashire
3 Blackburn Lancashire
4 Chipping Lancashire
5 Bolton-le-Moors Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Burnley 004 Burnley
2 Lancaster 011 Lancaster
3 County Durham 016 County Durham
4 Preston 013 Preston
5 County Durham 021 County Durham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bleasdale

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bleasdale

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

Young Families in Industrial Towns

Nationally, the Bleasdale surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Bleasdale 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 predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Bleasdale 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

Bleasdale is most concentrated in decile 2 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Bleasdale

The surname Bleasdale originated in Lancashire, England, with its earliest known bearers hailing from the village of Bleasdale within the Forest of Bowland. The name is derived from the Old English words "blæce" meaning "black" and "dæl" meaning "valley" or "dale," indicating a geographic location characterized by a dark or secluded valley.

The Bleasdale family can trace their roots back to the 12th century, with one of the earliest recorded mentions of the name appearing in the Pipe Rolls of Lancashire in 1176, where a certain Adam de Blersedal is listed as a landowner. Another early reference is found in the Assize Rolls of 1246, which document a dispute between Robert de Blesdale and the Abbey of Whalley over land rights.

During the medieval period, the Bleasdales were involved in various local conflicts and power struggles. In 1322, Gilbert de Blesdale was captured and imprisoned for his part in the rebellion against King Edward II, led by Thomas, Earl of Lancaster. A century later, in 1424, John Bleasdale was among the jurors who helped settle a boundary dispute between the townships of Bleasdale and Chipping.

The Bleasdale name is also linked to several notable figures throughout history. Sir Thomas Bleasdale (1560-1637) was a prominent lawyer and Chief Baron of the Exchequer during the reign of King James I. William Bleasdale (1754-1828) was an English Catholic priest and author who wrote extensively on theology and philosophy. John Bleasdale (1822-1898) was a British architect responsible for designing several churches and public buildings in Lancashire and Yorkshire.

In the 16th and 17th centuries, variations of the Bleasdale spelling emerged, including Bleasedall, Bleasdell, Bleasdill, and Bleasdaile, reflecting the changing pronunciation and regional dialects of the time. The name is also closely associated with the nearby town of Chipping, where many Bleasdale families settled and became prominent landowners and merchants.

While the Bleasdales were most numerous in Lancashire, the name spread across England and beyond, with notable bearers such as Richard Bleasdale (1790-1849), a British army officer who served in the Napoleonic Wars, and John Bleasdale (1809-1884), an Irish-born Catholic priest and educator who taught in Australia.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bleasdale families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bleasdale 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 799 Bleasdales recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.52x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 799 7.52x
Yorkshire 46 0.52x
Cheshire 20 1.01x
Cumberland 14 1.82x
Durham 14 0.53x
Leicestershire 7 0.71x
Surrey 5 0.11x
Warwickshire 5 0.22x
Kent 4 0.13x
Middlesex 1 0.01x
Monmouthshire 1 0.15x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.08x
Staffordshire 1 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Preston in Lancashire leads with 107 Bleasdales recorded in 1881 and an index of 37.64x.

Place Total Index
Preston 107 37.64x
Lancaster 71 112.31x
Blackburn 53 18.75x
Chipping 41 1353.14x
West Derby 41 13.19x
Everton 29 8.56x
Chorlton On Medlock 23 13.62x
Bury 21 17.30x
Little Harwood 17 885.42x
Liverpool 16 2.48x
Salford 15 4.80x
Colne 13 41.06x
Kirkdale 13 7.27x
Ince In Makerfield 12 24.27x
Birkenhead 11 6.98x
Chorley 11 18.45x
Thurnham 11 670.73x
Clayton Le Moors 10 48.50x
Hindley 10 22.07x
Newchurch 10 11.50x
Accrington 9 9.32x
Bowling 9 10.24x
Eccleshill 9 387.93x
Goosnargh 9 261.63x
Pilling 9 180.36x
Skerton 9 103.21x
Westhoughton 9 31.73x
Barrow In Furness 8 5.54x
Dilworth 8 122.89x
Great Bolton 8 5.68x
Manchester 8 1.67x
Scotforth 8 115.77x
Seaham 8 82.39x
Leicester St Margaret 7 2.89x
Little Bolton 7 5.12x
Padiham 7 27.27x
Poulton Barre 7 57.90x
Walton Le Dale 7 24.52x
Anderton 6 600.00x
Barton Upon Irwell 6 7.50x
Dalston 6 100.67x
Quernmore 6 335.20x
Westoe 6 3.97x
Wigan 6 4.04x
Ashton Under Lyne 5 2.15x
Aston 5 0.80x
Butterworth 5 19.31x
Claughton In Garstang 5 297.62x
Dringhouses 5 349.65x
Horwich 5 43.14x
Liscard 5 14.04x
Merton 5 65.45x
Oldham 5 1.46x
Out Rawcliffe 5 197.63x
Over Darwen 5 5.89x
Prescot 5 26.01x
Pudsey 5 10.54x
Toxteth Park 5 1.39x
Cheetham 4 5.05x
Lytham 4 24.66x
Potter Newton 4 25.56x
Ribbleton 4 2352.94x
Aspull 3 12.00x
Billington 3 69.12x
Cockermouth 3 18.48x
Fulwood 3 26.13x
Huddersfield 3 2.32x
Macclesfield 3 3.41x
Marsden In Almondbury 3 37.17x
Mungrisdale 3 545.45x
Openshaw 3 6.03x
Poulton Le Fylde 3 79.58x
Ripon 3 14.57x
Slaithwaite 3 32.47x
Spotland 3 2.54x
Thornton In Fylde 3 12.90x
Woolwich 3 2.66x
Wuerdle Wardle 3 9.30x
Caton 2 60.06x
Pilkington 2 4.96x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 75
Elizabeth 52
Margaret 33
Ann 25
Jane 25
Sarah 25
Alice 22
Ellen 20
Annie 8
Catherine 8
Emma 8
Isabella 8
Agnes 7
Emily 7
Hannah 7
Eliza 6
Esther 6
Martha 6
Harriet 5
Betsy 4
Maria 4
Ada 3
Bridget 3
Caroline 3
Clara 3
Eleanor 3
Fanny 3
Anne 2
Bertha 2
Charlotte 2
Christiana 2
Cicely 2
Florence 2
Frances 2
Grace 2
Lavinia 2
Lizzie 2
Minnie 2
Nancy 2
Rebecca 2
Susan 2
Anastatia 1
Easter 1
Eley. 1
Elezabeth 1
Elizabt. 1
Henrietta 1
Honoriah 1
Isabel 1
Violet 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 68
William 64
Thomas 46
James 37
Henry 33
Robert 31
Richard 27
Joseph 21
George 18
Charles 8
Arthur 7
Michael 6
Albert 5
Edward 5
Harry 5
Samuel 5
Alfred 3
Christopher 3
Edwin 3
Fred 3
Frederick 3
Wm. 3
Abraham 2
Adam 2
Anthony 2
Benjamin 2
Edmund 2
Francis 2
Frank 2
Herbert 2
Major 2
Mathew 2
Reuben 2
Thos. 2
Walter 2
Antony 1
Daniel 1
David 1
Elizth. 1
G. 1
Harold 1
Hy. 1
Mary 1
Moses 1
Nicholis 1
Oliver 1
Philip 1
Reginald 1
Rennie 1
Wm.Hy. 1

FAQ

Bleasdale surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bleasdale surname in 1881?

In 1881, 920 people were recorded with the Bleasdale surname. That placed it at #4,168 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bleasdale surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,198 in 2016. That gives Bleasdale a modern rank of #4,968.

What does the Bleasdale surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place name in Lancashire, England.

What does the Bleasdale map show?

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