NameCensus.

UK surname

Bligh

A surname denoting someone who came from or lived near a bright or shining place.

In the 1881 census there were 508 people recorded with the Bligh surname, ranking it #6,704 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 898, ranked #6,312, up from #6,704 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Mary Northgate, St John's Hospital and St Lawrence in Thanet. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Thanet, Waveney and Amber Valley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bligh is 936 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 76.8%.

1881 census count

508

Ranked #6,704

Modern count

898

2016, ranked #6,312

Peak year

2014

936 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bligh had 508 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,704 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 898 in 2016, ranked #6,312.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 721 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Bligh surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bligh surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bligh 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 361 #6,554
1861 historical 396 #6,476
1881 historical 508 #6,704
1891 historical 585 #6,531
1901 historical 670 #6,496
1911 historical 721 #5,929
1997 modern 832 #6,342
1998 modern 846 #6,463
1999 modern 875 #6,342
2000 modern 853 #6,441
2001 modern 842 #6,387
2002 modern 884 #6,264
2003 modern 874 #6,213
2004 modern 866 #6,268
2005 modern 844 #6,340
2006 modern 833 #6,404
2007 modern 826 #6,523
2008 modern 840 #6,494
2009 modern 872 #6,437
2010 modern 922 #6,266
2011 modern 909 #6,278
2012 modern 902 #6,239
2013 modern 925 #6,221
2014 modern 936 #6,200
2015 modern 917 #6,239
2016 modern 898 #6,312

Geography

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Where Blighs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Mary Northgate, St John's Hospital, St Lawrence in Thanet and Ashill. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Thanet, Waveney, Amber Valley, Teignbridge and Mid Suffolk. 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 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 St Mary Northgate, St John's Hospital Kent
4 St Lawrence in Thanet Kent
5 Ashill Norfolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Thanet 017 Thanet
2 Waveney 007 Waveney
3 Amber Valley 005 Amber Valley
4 Teignbridge 017 Teignbridge
5 Mid Suffolk 006 Mid Suffolk

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bligh

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bligh

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Bligh surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Bligh household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Bligh 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

Bligh 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

Bligh 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 Bligh is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Bligh

The surname BLIGH is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "blæc," meaning "black" or "dark." This name likely originated in medieval times, given to individuals with dark hair or complexion or potentially as a distinguishing feature related to occupation or location.

The earliest recorded instances of the BLIGH surname date back to the 13th century, found in various historical records and county rolls. One notable example is John Blygh, mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1275.

In the Domesday Book, a great survey of England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, there are references to places with similar spellings, such as "Blie" and "Bliga," which may have contributed to the development of the BLIGH surname.

During the Tudor period, the BLIGH surname was particularly prevalent in the counties of Staffordshire and Worcestershire. The manor of Blyth in Staffordshire is believed to have derived its name from the Old English word "blæc," suggesting a connection to the BLIGH surname's origins.

Notable individuals with the BLIGH surname throughout history include:

1. William Bligh (1754-1817), a British naval officer and the infamous captain of HMS Bounty, whose crew mutinied against him in 1789 during the ship's voyage to Tahiti.

2. Reginald Bligh (1828-1888), a British painter and illustrator known for his depictions of rural English life.

3. Sir John Bligh (1561-1615), an English politician and Member of Parliament for Worcestershire during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

4. Esmé Bligh (1879-1976), a British aviator and one of the first women to obtain a pilot's license in the United Kingdom.

5. Robert Bligh (1619-1682), an English landowner and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Worcestershire during the English Civil War and the Restoration period.

While the BLIGH surname has been present in various parts of England, it has maintained a strong connection to its roots in the counties of Staffordshire and Worcestershire, where many early instances of the name were recorded.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bligh families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bligh 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. Kent leads with 132 Blighs recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.82x.

County Total Index
Kent 132 7.82x
Middlesex 64 1.29x
Lancashire 40 0.68x
Norfolk 40 5.26x
Hertfordshire 32 9.39x
Cornwall 26 4.64x
Surrey 26 1.08x
Essex 23 2.36x
Yorkshire 23 0.47x
Hampshire 21 2.07x
Bedfordshire 14 5.47x
Devon 14 1.36x
Sussex 12 1.44x
Cumberland 5 1.17x
Glamorgan 5 0.58x
Somerset 4 0.50x
Brecknockshire 3 3.03x
Buckinghamshire 3 1.00x
Staffordshire 3 0.18x
Warwickshire 3 0.24x
Worcestershire 3 0.46x
Leicestershire 2 0.36x
Monmouthshire 2 0.56x
Berkshire 1 0.27x
Cheshire 1 0.09x
Dorset 1 0.31x
Huntingdonshire 1 1.02x
Northamptonshire 1 0.22x
Suffolk 1 0.17x
Wiltshire 1 0.23x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Ramsgate in Kent leads with 32 Blighs recorded in 1881 and an index of 116.19x.

Place Total Index
Ramsgate 32 116.19x
Sevenoaks 25 182.75x
Ashill 21 1891.89x
Canterbury St Mary 16 141.34x
Liverpool 14 3.93x
Luton 13 29.33x
Canterbury St Alphage 12 666.67x
Bury 10 14.92x
St George Hanover Square 10 11.48x
Eastchurch 9 542.17x
Kensington London 9 3.27x
St Pancras London 9 2.26x
Tring 9 98.90x
Bradford 8 6.74x
Hatfield 8 115.77x
Helland 8 2424.24x
Woodford 8 72.40x
Broadoak 7 1428.57x
Camberwell 7 2.22x
Swaffham 7 113.09x
Chevening 6 326.09x
Clerkenwell London 6 5.14x
Deptford St Nicholas 6 44.81x
Halstead 6 731.71x
Hampton London 6 73.80x
Leyton 6 35.67x
Newington 6 3.28x
North Mimms 6 279.07x
Southampton Holy Rood 6 588.24x
St Albans St Michael 6 157.48x
St Austell 6 31.35x
St Marylebone London 6 2.27x
Bergh Apton 5 625.00x
Bermondsey 5 3.40x
Brighton 5 2.97x
Caldewgate 5 21.43x
Horton In Bradford 5 6.53x
Littleham 5 66.40x
Neath 5 28.54x
Barking 4 14.01x
Cobham 4 256.41x
Everton 4 2.14x
Frensham 4 112.99x
Kirkdale 4 4.05x
Moss Side 4 12.95x
Northam 4 53.33x
Oldham 4 2.11x
Ryarsh 4 430.11x
Southampton St Michael 4 119.76x
St Mabyn 4 465.12x
Bromley London 3 2.76x
Canterbury St Paul 3 99.01x
Edmonton 3 7.53x
Hailsham 3 59.41x
Holme 3 666.67x
Leeds 3 1.08x
Stoke Newington London 3 7.79x
Ventnor 3 31.12x
Wales 3 77.52x
Birmingham 2 0.48x
Droxford 2 51.68x
Fulham London 2 2.79x
Greenwich 2 2.54x
Halifax 2 2.78x
Llanganten 2 625.00x
Millbrook 2 7.83x
Normanton 2 13.58x
North Pickenham 2 476.19x
Prittlewell 2 14.78x
Shorne 2 134.23x
Stafford St Mary 2 8.46x
Stewkley 2 87.72x
Usk 2 67.57x
Walcot 2 4.72x
Watford 2 7.57x
Builth 1 40.65x
Chatham 1 2.15x
Great Malvern 1 7.42x
Haseley 1 263.16x
Sherborne 1 10.46x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 28
Elizabeth 20
Sarah 14
Jane 10
Ellen 9
Emma 8
Alice 7
Ann 6
Annie 6
Emily 6
Kate 6
Charlotte 5
Hannah 5
Agnes 4
Caroline 4
Ethel 4
Grace 4
Margaret 4
Edith 3
Eliza 3
Fanny 3
Frances 3
Harriett 3
Jessie 3
Lizzie 3
Louisa 3
Lucy 3
Ada 2
Anne 2
Catherine 2
Clara 2
Elizth. 2
Isabel 2
Julia 2
Maria 2
Martha 2
Rosa 2
Rosena 2
Winifred 2
Amelia 1
Amy 1
Argentine 1
Elizth.Hannah 1
Emeline 1
Esther 1
Eva 1
Helena 1
Hilda 1
Honour 1
Wm. 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 25
William 21
George 18
James 15
Thomas 15
Charles 10
Alfred 8
Frederick 8
Walter 8
Arthur 7
Henry 7
Francis 6
Joseph 6
Benjamin 5
Edward 5
Harry 4
Martin 4
Michael 4
Robert 4
Edwin 3
Fredk. 3
Herbert 3
Richard 3
Samuel 3
Ernest 2
Fredrick 2
Geo. 2
Isaac 2
Jas. 2
Oliver 2
Patrick 2
Percy 2
Thos. 2
Willie 2
Willm. 2
Allan 1
Ben 1
Donald 1
E. 1
Edgar 1
Geo.Henry 1
Geo.James 1
Hector 1
Horace 1
Howard 1
Michel 1
Morris 1
Percival 1
Peter 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Bligh surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bligh surname in 1881?

In 1881, 508 people were recorded with the Bligh surname. That placed it at #6,704 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bligh surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 898 in 2016. That gives Bligh a modern rank of #6,312.

What does the Bligh surname mean?

A surname denoting someone who came from or lived near a bright or shining place.

What does the Bligh map show?

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