NameCensus.

UK surname

Blencowe

A locational name from a place called Blencow in Cumbria, England.

In the 1881 census there were 379 people recorded with the Blencowe surname, ranking it #8,268 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 403, ranked #11,815, down from #8,268 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Banbury and St Giles Camberwell. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Northamptonshire, Cherwell and Rotherham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Blencowe is 545 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 6.3%.

1881 census count

379

Ranked #8,268

Modern count

403

2016, ranked #11,815

Peak year

1911

545 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Blencowe had 379 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,268 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 403 in 2016, ranked #11,815.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 545 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Blencowe surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Blencowe surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Blencowe 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 352 #6,705
1861 historical 260 #9,516
1881 historical 379 #8,268
1891 historical 491 #7,536
1901 historical 524 #7,783
1911 historical 545 #7,342
1997 modern 423 #10,550
1998 modern 482 #9,878
1999 modern 471 #10,098
2000 modern 489 #9,788
2001 modern 475 #9,827
2002 modern 474 #10,027
2003 modern 451 #10,274
2004 modern 449 #10,338
2005 modern 440 #10,382
2006 modern 431 #10,600
2007 modern 442 #10,495
2008 modern 431 #10,814
2009 modern 435 #10,991
2010 modern 453 #10,858
2011 modern 440 #10,977
2012 modern 427 #11,120
2013 modern 418 #11,533
2014 modern 422 #11,516
2015 modern 413 #11,622
2016 modern 403 #11,815

Geography

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Where Blencowes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Banbury, St Giles Camberwell, Brackley St James and St Peter, Whitfield, Syresham and Bicester. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Northamptonshire, Cherwell and Rotherham. 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 Banbury Oxfordshire
3 St Giles Camberwell London (South Districts)
4 Brackley St James and St Peter, Whitfield, Syresham Northamptonshire
5 Bicester Oxfordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Northamptonshire 009 South Northamptonshire
2 South Northamptonshire 010 South Northamptonshire
3 Cherwell 008 Cherwell
4 Cherwell 001 Cherwell
5 Rotherham 025 Rotherham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Blencowe

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Blencowe

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Blencowe is most associated with areas classed as Inner London Working Professionals, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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 primarily Inner London neighbourhoods are more densely populated than the Supergroup average. Residents have a younger over-all age profile than the Supergroup as a whole, and are less likely to be owner occupiers. Full time employment is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup and multiple car ownership is uncommon. Chinese and non-EU-born European migrants are less in evidence than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Blencowe is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Blencowe falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Blencowe

The surname Blencowe has its origins in England, with records dating back to the late 12th century. It is believed to be a locational name derived from the village of Blencow in Cumbria, which was originally recorded as "Blenchou" or "Blenco" in the Domesday Book of 1086. The name is thought to have originated from the Old English words "blæc" meaning "black" and "hoh" meaning "ridge" or "spur of land," suggesting the name referred to a dark-colored hill or ridge.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Blencowe can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Northamptonshire from 1197, which mentions a Thomas de Blencowe. In the 13th century, the name appears in various forms such as Blenchou, Blencow, and Blencoo in various records and documents from the region.

During the 14th century, the Blencowe family established themselves as landowners in Cumberland and Westmorland, with several members serving as knights and holding positions of authority in the local community. One notable figure was Sir Thomas Blencowe (1360-1437), who served as a Member of Parliament for Westmorland and was renowned for his military exploits during the Wars of the Roses.

In the 16th century, the Blencowes continued to hold significant landholdings in the region, with Richard Blencowe (1510-1587) being recorded as the owner of the Blencowe Hall estate in Greystoke, Cumbria. Another prominent figure from this era was John Blencowe (1533-1599), a lawyer and member of the Inner Temple in London.

As the Blencowe family spread across England, variations in the spelling of the surname emerged, including Blencoe, Blencow, and Blencowe. Notable individuals with this surname include Sir John Blencowe (1645-1726), a judge and Member of Parliament for Brackley, and William Blencowe (1712-1791), an English clergyman and author who wrote on theological and historical subjects.

Despite its origins in northern England, the Blencowe surname has been found across various parts of Britain and even in the British colonies, with individuals bearing this name making contributions in various fields throughout history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Blencowe families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Blencowe 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. Oxfordshire leads with 127 Blencowes recorded in 1881 and an index of 55.48x.

County Total Index
Oxfordshire 127 55.48x
Northamptonshire 76 21.80x
Surrey 41 2.27x
Sussex 22 3.52x
Middlesex 18 0.49x
Staffordshire 16 1.28x
Warwickshire 16 1.71x
Wiltshire 11 3.36x
Berkshire 10 3.59x
Essex 9 1.23x
Kent 8 0.63x
Lincolnshire 5 0.84x
Somerset 4 0.67x
Buckinghamshire 3 1.34x
Leicestershire 3 0.73x
Suffolk 3 0.66x
Hampshire 2 0.26x
Yorkshire 2 0.05x
Dorset 1 0.41x
Norfolk 1 0.18x
Rutland 1 3.67x
Shropshire 1 0.31x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bicester Market End in Oxfordshire leads with 48 Blencowes recorded in 1881 and an index of 1142.86x.

Place Total Index
Bicester Market End 48 1142.86x
Neithrop 24 312.09x
Camberwell 23 9.71x
Whitfield 16 5925.93x
Brackley St Peter 15 627.62x
Brighton 12 9.52x
Lambeth 12 3.71x
Mixbury 12 3428.57x
North Hincksey 9 2903.23x
Souldern 8 1355.93x
South Newington 8 1951.22x
West Ham 8 4.95x
Chailey 7 360.82x
Devizes St Mary 7 211.48x
Kings Sutton 7 451.61x
Oxford St Giles 6 54.95x
Warkworth 6 191.08x
Burton Upon Trent 5 17.08x
Gainsborough 5 35.79x
Hamstall Ridware 5 1020.41x
Newington 5 3.65x
Northampton St Peter 5 235.85x
St Marylebone London 5 2.53x
Stretton On Dunsmore 5 581.40x
Wolverhampton 5 5.20x
Cottisford 4 1333.33x
Deal 4 37.07x
Devizes St John 4 162.60x
E Adderbury 4 347.83x
Hampstead London 4 6.93x
Long Itchington 4 273.97x
Marston St Lawrence 4 816.33x
Banbury 3 65.50x
Barford 3 329.67x
Belgrave 3 32.36x
Bury St Edmunds St James 3 24.88x
Claydon 3 714.29x
Eydon 3 526.32x
Floore 3 229.01x
Hove 3 10.94x
Walcot 3 9.44x
Alverstoke 2 7.27x
Aston 2 0.78x
Aynho 2 281.69x
Bucknell 2 588.24x
Chelsea London 2 1.79x
Cowley 2 28.01x
Culworth 2 338.98x
St Pancras London 2 0.67x
Tonbridge 2 4.39x
Upper Heyford 2 1333.33x
Weedon Loys 2 350.88x
Ardley 1 476.19x
Brentwood 1 22.42x
Buckingham 1 21.93x
Dunchurch 1 78.13x
Ecclesfield 1 3.71x
Great Houghton 1 238.10x
Greenwich 1 1.69x
Helmdon 1 149.25x
Hodnet 1 40.00x
Kirkleatham 1 20.16x
Lamport 1 476.19x
Launton 1 131.58x
Lillingstone Dayrell 1 285.71x
Middleton Cheney 1 65.79x
Midsomer Norton 1 17.79x
Moreton 1 256.41x
Northampton Priory St 1 4.78x
Northampton St Giles 1 7.53x
Oakham Lordshold 1 35.09x
Old 1 217.39x
Penge 1 4.22x
Smallthorne 1 21.55x
Spratton 1 95.24x
St George Hanover Square 1 1.53x
Stockton 1 114.94x
Towcester 1 27.78x
Wantage 1 22.52x
Woolwich 1 2.14x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 24
Sarah 19
Elizabeth 11
Eliza 10
Emma 8
Louisa 8
Alice 7
Ann 7
Emily 6
Jane 6
Ada 5
Edith 5
Ellen 5
Annie 4
Florence 4
Lucy 4
Frances 3
Harriet 3
Maria 3
Martha 3
Agnes 2
Anne 2
Caroline 2
Charlotte 2
Clara 2
Eleanor 2
Hannah 2
Kate 2
Katherine 2
Mabel 2
Margaret 2
Nellie 2
Rose 2
Anna 1
Bertha 1
Cath.Elizth. 1
Catharine 1
Cecilia 1
Elizth. 1
Elizth.M. 1
Eunice 1
Hepsie 1
Infant 1
Isabel 1
Isabella 1
Katharine 1
Kezia 1
Lydia 1
Marie 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 23
William 19
Thomas 15
George 12
Henry 11
Arthur 9
Charles 8
James 7
Albert 6
Harry 6
Alfred 4
Edward 4
Joseph 4
Richard 4
Walter 4
Frederick 3
Benjamin 2
Chas. 2
Clement 2
Frank 2
Fred 2
Michael 2
Nathaniel 2
... 1
Alban 1
Ambrose 1
Christopher 1
Earnest 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Fredk. 1
Gains 1
Geo. 1
Herbert 1
Isaac 1
Jacob 1
Jas. 1
Jonah 1
Jonas 1
Mark 1
Maynard 1
Reuben 1
Robert 1
Ruebin 1
Samuel 1
Sidney 1
Wallis 1
Willm. 1
Wm.Edw.Wally 1

FAQ

Blencowe surname: questions and answers

How common was the Blencowe surname in 1881?

In 1881, 379 people were recorded with the Blencowe surname. That placed it at #8,268 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Blencowe surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 403 in 2016. That gives Blencowe a modern rank of #11,815.

What does the Blencowe surname mean?

A locational name from a place called Blencow in Cumbria, England.

What does the Blencowe map show?

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