NameCensus.

UK surname

Blewett

A variant of the surname Bluett, derived from the French nickname "le bleu" meaning the blue or swarthy one.

In the 1881 census there were 800 people recorded with the Blewett surname, ranking it #4,654 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 758, ranked #7,224, down from #4,654 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Phillack, London parishes and Paul. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cornwall.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Blewett is 1,081 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 5.3%.

1881 census count

800

Ranked #4,654

Modern count

758

2016, ranked #7,224

Peak year

1911

1,081 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Blewett had 800 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,654 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 758 in 2016, ranked #7,224.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,081 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Blewett surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Blewett surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Blewett 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 615 #4,197
1861 historical 624 #4,284
1881 historical 800 #4,654
1891 historical 818 #4,951
1901 historical 853 #5,345
1911 historical 1,081 #4,294
1997 modern 862 #6,169
1998 modern 896 #6,183
1999 modern 888 #6,273
2000 modern 871 #6,331
2001 modern 837 #6,419
2002 modern 837 #6,541
2003 modern 812 #6,575
2004 modern 801 #6,664
2005 modern 762 #6,870
2006 modern 780 #6,764
2007 modern 764 #6,952
2008 modern 780 #6,893
2009 modern 795 #6,929
2010 modern 813 #6,923
2011 modern 781 #7,086
2012 modern 763 #7,136
2013 modern 777 #7,142
2014 modern 786 #7,107
2015 modern 768 #7,166
2016 modern 758 #7,224

Geography

Back to top

Where Blewetts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Phillack, London parishes, Paul, Gwennap and Camborne. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cornwall. 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 Phillack Cornwall
2 London parishes London 3
3 Paul Cornwall
4 Gwennap Cornwall
5 Camborne Cornwall

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cornwall 067 Cornwall
2 Cornwall 057 Cornwall
3 Cornwall 068 Cornwall
4 Cornwall 065 Cornwall
5 Cornwall 024 Cornwall

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Blewett

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Blewett

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Blewett surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Blewett household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Blewett 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

Blewett 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

Blewett falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Blewett

The surname Blewett is of English origin, and it is believed to have emerged in the 12th century. The name is derived from the Old English words "blæw" and "hyt," which together mean "blue hill" or "blue dwelling." This suggests that the earliest bearers of this surname likely lived near a prominent blue-colored hill or settlement.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Blewett surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from the year 1190, where a person named William Blewett is mentioned. Another early record is from the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1273, which lists a Richard Blewett.

The Blewett surname has also been associated with various place names in England, such as Blewbury in Berkshire and Blewitt in Somerset. These place names may have influenced the spelling variations of the surname, which include Blewett, Blewitt, and Bluett.

Notable historical figures with the surname Blewett include Sir Richard Blewett (1619-1685), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Gloucestershire. Another prominent individual was John Blewett (1772-1853), a British naval officer and explorer who surveyed parts of the Australian coast.

In the literary world, Martha Blewett (1740-1812) was an English writer and poet, known for her work "Poems on Various Subjects." Additionally, Francis Blewett (1810-1888) was a British architect who designed several churches and public buildings in London.

Moving into the 20th century, Walter Blewett (1876-1954) was an Australian politician who served as a Senator for South Australia. More recently, Mary Blewett (1926-2018) was a Canadian historian and author, known for her research on women's history and the history of education in Canada.

These are just a few examples of notable individuals with the Blewett surname throughout history, demonstrating the surname's English roots and its presence across various fields and locations over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Blewett families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Blewett 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. Cornwall leads with 438 Blewetts recorded in 1881 and an index of 49.58x.

County Total Index
Cornwall 438 49.58x
Middlesex 58 0.74x
Devon 48 2.95x
Gloucestershire 45 2.94x
Surrey 36 0.95x
Staffordshire 33 1.25x
Glamorgan 22 1.62x
Buckinghamshire 18 3.82x
Worcestershire 17 1.67x
Yorkshire 13 0.17x
Kent 10 0.38x
Lancashire 10 0.11x
Hampshire 9 0.56x
Suffolk 8 0.84x
Monmouthshire 7 1.24x
Berkshire 5 0.85x
Northumberland 4 0.34x
Sussex 4 0.30x
Cambridgeshire 3 0.61x
Bedfordshire 2 0.50x
Brecknockshire 2 1.28x
Herefordshire 2 0.63x
Oxfordshire 2 0.42x
Dorset 1 0.20x
Essex 1 0.06x
Royal Navy 1 1.08x
Wiltshire 1 0.14x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Paul in Cornwall leads with 103 Blewetts recorded in 1881 and an index of 641.74x.

Place Total Index
Paul 103 641.74x
Phillack 47 412.28x
Camborne 32 87.91x
Madron Penzance 25 77.81x
St Erth 21 392.52x
Lambeth 20 2.94x
Crowan 18 257.14x
Broadoak 16 2077.92x
Stoke Damerel 16 14.07x
Great Marlow 13 102.12x
St Austell 13 43.05x
Redruth 12 48.02x
St Buryan 12 328.77x
St John Near Swansea 12 71.43x
St Just In Penwith 12 70.01x
Gulval 11 193.32x
Gwennap 11 65.99x
Kenwyn 11 47.62x
Dudley 10 8.07x
Plymouth Charles The 10 13.97x
Plymouth St Andrew 10 7.99x
Kensington London 9 2.07x
Mitcheldean 9 473.68x
Morley 9 22.38x
St Ives 9 52.05x
Walsall Borough 9 44.01x
Cannock 8 17.40x
St George In East London 8 10.90x
Tywardreath 8 141.09x
Waldringfield 8 1111.11x
Westbury On Severn East 8 23.12x
Harborne 7 8.29x
Islington London 7 0.93x
Oldbury 7 13.96x
Richmond 7 13.14x
St Bartholomew Hyde 7 182.77x
St Kew 7 238.10x
St Mabyn 7 514.71x
Aberystruth 6 12.07x
Bow London 6 6.04x
Camberwell 6 1.20x
Illogan 6 25.65x
Swansea Town 6 5.39x
Compton Gifford 5 98.23x
Cookham 5 27.38x
Devonport 5 26.78x
Hackney London 5 1.14x
Liverpool 5 0.89x
Mile End Old Town London 5 3.01x
Oxenhall 5 781.25x
St Andrew Holborn London 5 14.80x
St Blazey 5 64.43x
St Stithians 5 102.67x
St Winnow 5 165.56x
Wooburn 5 76.92x
Gwithian 4 243.90x
Hornsey 4 4.05x
Longhope 4 153.85x
Lostwithel 4 159.36x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 4 5.77x
Perranzabuloe 4 52.49x
Ramsgate 4 9.20x
St Clement Danes London 4 24.77x
St Columb Minor 4 53.91x
Breage 3 37.22x
Chorlton On Medlock 3 2.04x
Flaxley 3 87.21x
Gillingham 3 5.46x
Mylor 3 50.68x
St Andrewthe Less 3 5.31x
Wendron 3 24.45x
West Dean 3 12.07x
Wombourn 3 61.35x
Cheltenham 2 1.69x
Falmouth 2 6.40x
Hastings Holy Trinity 2 20.62x
Talland 2 96.15x
Walsall Foreign 2 1.47x
Warleggan 2 327.87x
Westbury On Trym 2 3.86x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 64
John 60
Thomas 30
Charles 20
James 20
Edward 16
George 16
Joseph 15
Richard 11
Henry 9
Albert 8
Stephen 6
Ernest 5
Frank 5
Frederick 5
Arthur 4
Edwin 4
Fred 4
Nicholas 4
Samuel 4
Wm. 4
Alfred 3
Edwd. 3
Gabriel 3
Robert 3
Walter 3
Benjamin 2
Edgar 2
Francis 2
Jacob 2
Joshua 2
Michael 2
Miles 2
Owen 2
Sidney 2
Stanley 2
Augustus 1
Christopher 1
Earnest 1
Ebenezer 1
Ed. 1
Elizeth 1
Evan 1
Fredk.Geo. 1
Geo. 1
Jervase 1
Jervis 1
Jno.Jas. 1
Kalep 1
Zachariah 1

FAQ

Blewett surname: questions and answers

How common was the Blewett surname in 1881?

In 1881, 800 people were recorded with the Blewett surname. That placed it at #4,654 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Blewett surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 758 in 2016. That gives Blewett a modern rank of #7,224.

What does the Blewett surname mean?

A variant of the surname Bluett, derived from the French nickname "le bleu" meaning the blue or swarthy one.

What does the Blewett map show?

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