NameCensus.

UK surname

Blevins

From the Welsh place name Bleddyn, possibly meaning "wolf cub" or derived from the Celtic word for "flower."

In the 1881 census there were 68 people recorded with the Blevins surname, ranking it #23,950 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 262, ranked #16,256, up from #23,950 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bothwell, Manchester and Long Benton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Orbiston, Viewpark and Fallside.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Blevins is 270 in 2008. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 285.3%.

1881 census count

68

Ranked #23,950

Modern count

262

2016, ranked #16,256

Peak year

2008

270 bearers

Map years

4

1901 to 2016

Key insights

  • Blevins had 68 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #23,950 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 262 in 2016, ranked #16,256.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 108 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Blevins surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Blevins surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Blevins 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 13 #30,970
1861 historical 15 #31,942
1881 historical 68 #23,950
1891 historical 93 #24,965
1901 historical 108 #21,836
1911 historical 72 #25,642
1997 modern 250 #15,281
1998 modern 256 #15,436
1999 modern 249 #15,844
2000 modern 253 #15,623
2001 modern 246 #15,684
2002 modern 243 #16,147
2003 modern 244 #15,861
2004 modern 247 #15,821
2005 modern 244 #15,900
2006 modern 248 #15,820
2007 modern 267 #15,225
2008 modern 270 #15,219
2009 modern 261 #15,926
2010 modern 264 #16,163
2011 modern 260 #16,188
2012 modern 265 #15,862
2013 modern 267 #16,053
2014 modern 263 #16,334
2015 modern 257 #16,475
2016 modern 262 #16,256

Geography

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Where Blevins' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bothwell, Manchester, Long Benton, Glasgow and Wallasey. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Orbiston, Viewpark, Fallside, County Durham and Kettering. 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 Bothwell Lanark
2 Manchester Lancashire
3 Long Benton Northumberland
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Wallasey Cheshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Orbiston North Lanarkshire
2 Viewpark North Lanarkshire
3 Fallside North Lanarkshire
4 County Durham 036 County Durham
5 Kettering 009 Kettering

Forenames

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First names often paired with Blevins

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Blevins

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Blevins, 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 Blevins surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Blevins 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Blevins is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

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

Blevins is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Blevins 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 Blevins is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Blevins

The surname Blevins originated in England, particularly in the counties of Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire, during the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "blea" meaning "dark-colored" and "vin" meaning "pasture" or "meadow." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near a dark-colored meadow or field.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Oxfordshire Hundred Rolls of 1279, where it appears as "Robert de Blevene." The Hundred Rolls were administrative records compiled during the reign of King Edward I, containing details of landowners and their properties.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as "Blevyn," "Blevyne," and "Blevyng," reflecting the evolving spelling patterns of the time. For instance, the Gloucestershire Subsidy Rolls of 1327 mention a "Richard Blevyn."

The Blevins surname has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One of the earliest was Sir John Blevyn, a Member of Parliament for Gloucestershire in 1399. Another was John Blevyn, who served as the Mayor of Gloucester in 1458.

During the 16th century, the name is found in various records, including the Lay Subsidy Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1524, which list a "Thomas Blevyns." Additionally, the Gloucestershire Musters of 1542 mention a "William Blevyns."

In the 17th century, the name appears in the records of the New World, as some Blevins families migrated to the American colonies. One of the earliest recorded instances is that of Richard Blevins, who settled in Virginia in the 1650s.

Another notable individual was Benjamin Blevins, a Revolutionary War soldier from Virginia who fought in the Battle of Guilford Courthouse in 1781. His descendants went on to establish prominent Blevins families in the Appalachian regions of Virginia, Tennessee, and Kentucky.

In the 19th century, one of the most prominent figures with the Blevins surname was Robert Blevins, a wealthy landowner and politician from Kentucky. He served as a member of the Kentucky House of Representatives and was instrumental in the establishment of several educational institutions in the state.

While the Blevins surname has its roots in England, it has since spread to various parts of the world, particularly in the United States, Canada, and Australia, where descendants of the early Blevins settlers can be found.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Blevins families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Blevins 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 23 Blevins' recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.92x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 23 2.92x
Essex 9 6.88x
Lanarkshire 8 3.73x
Durham 6 3.04x
Cheshire 5 3.42x
Lincolnshire 5 4.72x
Northumberland 5 5.07x
Middlesex 2 0.30x
Surrey 2 0.62x
Hampshire 1 0.74x
Midlothian 1 1.13x
Yorkshire 1 0.15x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. West Ham in Essex leads with 9 Blevins' recorded in 1881 and an index of 31.14x.

Place Total Index
West Ham 9 31.14x
Cheetham 8 136.29x
Openshaw 7 189.70x
Liverpool 6 12.55x
Govan 5 9.43x
Liscard 5 189.39x
Skirbeck 5 847.46x
Usworth 5 476.19x
Longbenton 4 95.69x
Barony 3 5.53x
St Clement Danes London 2 145.99x
Bishopwearmouth 1 5.91x
Jesmond 1 71.94x
Kirkdale 1 7.55x
Long Riston 1 1250.00x
Penicuik 1 82.64x
Richmond 1 22.08x
Romsey Extra 1 123.46x
Rotherhithe 1 12.21x
Salford 1 4.32x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Ann 4
Mary 4
Elizabeth 3
Sarah 3
Annie 2
Lydia 2
Charlotte 1
Christina 1
Eliza 1
Emily 1
Harriet 1
J.A. 1
Jane 1
Kate 1
Louisa 1
Louise 1
Minnie 1
Theresa 1
Therese 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Thomas 5
William 4
John 3
Alfred 2
David 2
Joseph 2
Robert 2
Absalom 1
J.J. 1
James 1
Noblett 1
Saml. 1
Samuel 1
Willm 1
Wm. 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Blevins households.

FAQ

Blevins surname: questions and answers

How common was the Blevins surname in 1881?

In 1881, 68 people were recorded with the Blevins surname. That placed it at #23,950 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Blevins surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 262 in 2016. That gives Blevins a modern rank of #16,256.

What does the Blevins surname mean?

From the Welsh place name Bleddyn, possibly meaning "wolf cub" or derived from the Celtic word for "flower."

What does the Blevins map show?

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