NameCensus.

UK surname

Blight

An agricultural surname referring to a plant disease or pest damaging crops.

In the 1881 census there were 1,327 people recorded with the Blight surname, ranking it #3,093 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,246, ranked #4,792, down from #3,093 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Illogan, St Agnes and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Torridge, Plymouth and North Devon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Blight is 1,649 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 6.1%.

1881 census count

1,327

Ranked #3,093

Modern count

1,246

2016, ranked #4,792

Peak year

1911

1,649 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Blight had 1,327 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,093 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,246 in 2016, ranked #4,792.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,649 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Blight surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Blight surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Blight 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 1,137 #2,477
1861 historical 1,100 #2,552
1881 historical 1,327 #3,093
1891 historical 1,409 #3,094
1901 historical 1,608 #3,218
1911 historical 1,649 #2,955
1997 modern 1,298 #4,403
1998 modern 1,356 #4,393
1999 modern 1,376 #4,365
2000 modern 1,344 #4,439
2001 modern 1,326 #4,415
2002 modern 1,351 #4,430
2003 modern 1,306 #4,467
2004 modern 1,297 #4,495
2005 modern 1,287 #4,471
2006 modern 1,260 #4,566
2007 modern 1,278 #4,547
2008 modern 1,262 #4,630
2009 modern 1,288 #4,644
2010 modern 1,326 #4,616
2011 modern 1,293 #4,667
2012 modern 1,290 #4,606
2013 modern 1,291 #4,680
2014 modern 1,291 #4,705
2015 modern 1,253 #4,794
2016 modern 1,246 #4,792

Geography

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Where Blights are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Illogan, St Agnes, London parishes and Plymouth St Charles the Martyr. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Torridge, Plymouth and North Devon. 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 Illogan Cornwall
2 St Agnes Cornwall
3 London parishes London 3
4 Plymouth St Charles the Martyr Devon
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Torridge 004 Torridge
2 Plymouth 013 Plymouth
3 North Devon 010 North Devon
4 Torridge 009 Torridge
5 Plymouth 026 Plymouth

Forenames

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First names often paired with Blight

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Blight

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

Ageing Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Blight is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Blight 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

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

Meaning and origin of Blight

The surname Blight has its origins in England, with records indicating that it first emerged in the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "bliht," which means "bright" or "shining." This suggests that the name was initially given as a descriptive nickname to someone with a bright complexion or a cheerful demeanor.

The earliest known record of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire in 1273, where it appears as "Blyht." Over time, the spelling evolved to its current form, "Blight." In the 14th century, the name was also recorded in various taxation records and court rolls across different counties in England.

One notable historical reference to the name Blight can be found in the famous Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as a place name, "Bliht." This place name was likely derived from the same Old English word and may have influenced the development of the surname.

Some of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Blight include John Blight, who was mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Somerset in 1327, and William Blight, who was listed in the Pipe Rolls of Devon in 1379.

Over the centuries, several notable individuals have borne the surname Blight. One such person was John Blight (1614-1660), an English clergyman and writer who served as the rector of Venn Ottery in Devon. Another was Thomas Blight (1795-1865), a British naval officer and explorer who surveyed parts of the coast of Western Australia and South Australia.

Other notable individuals with the surname Blight include John Graham Blight (1827-1899), an English architect who designed numerous buildings in the Gothic Revival style, and Reginald Vere Blight (1870-1940), a British military officer and recipient of the Victoria Cross for his actions during the Second Boer War.

It is worth mentioning that the surname Blight has also been associated with various place names in England, such as Blight Down in Devon and Blight Farm in Somerset, further reinforcing its historical roots in the region.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Blight families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Blight 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. Devon leads with 472 Blights recorded in 1881 and an index of 17.15x.

County Total Index
Devon 472 17.15x
Cornwall 418 27.93x
Middlesex 113 0.85x
Glamorgan 86 3.74x
Kent 39 0.86x
Surrey 33 0.51x
Lancashire 27 0.17x
Gloucestershire 22 0.85x
Channel Islands 20 5.11x
Hampshire 19 0.70x
Northumberland 15 0.76x
Cumberland 13 1.14x
Yorkshire 12 0.09x
Monmouthshire 11 1.15x
Royal Navy 8 5.08x
Warwickshire 8 0.24x
Essex 7 0.27x
Sussex 6 0.27x
Worcestershire 5 0.29x
Lincolnshire 4 0.19x
Bedfordshire 3 0.44x
Pembrokeshire 3 0.71x
Staffordshire 3 0.07x
Wiltshire 3 0.26x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.13x
Herefordshire 1 0.18x
Midlothian 1 0.06x
Suffolk 1 0.06x
Westmorland 1 0.34x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Plymouth St Andrew in Devon leads with 66 Blights recorded in 1881 and an index of 31.14x.

Place Total Index
Plymouth St Andrew 66 31.14x
Illogan 54 136.29x
Stoke Damerel 50 25.97x
Islington London 33 2.58x
Langtree 30 900.90x
St Agnes 25 119.27x
Plymouth Charles The 23 18.98x
St Mewan 23 498.92x
Camborne 22 35.68x
Shebbear 18 435.84x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 16 6.56x
Falmouth 16 30.21x
St Stephens By Saltash 16 248.06x
Barnstaple 15 34.73x
Bideford 15 50.90x
Buckland Brewer 15 447.76x
Cramlington 15 57.71x
Newton St Petrock 15 1428.57x
Redruth 15 35.44x
Ugborough 15 225.56x
Black Torrington 14 353.54x
Ermington 14 139.86x
Great Torrington 14 89.74x
Perranzabuloe 14 108.44x
Stonehouse East 14 100.29x
Breage 13 95.17x
Roath 13 12.44x
St Pancras London 13 1.22x
Egremont 12 44.23x
Holsworthy 12 154.64x
St Erth 12 132.30x
Totnes 12 74.58x
Woolwich 12 7.20x
Margam 11 42.85x
Saltash 11 94.75x
Uny Lelant 11 135.97x
Calstock 10 34.07x
East Looe 10 164.74x
East Stonehouse 10 18.45x
Maker 10 72.36x
Michaelstone Super Avon 10 40.13x
Morval 10 326.80x
St Austell 10 19.55x
Acton 9 11.61x
Antony 9 62.28x
Callington 9 103.21x
Glyncorrwg 9 154.37x
Kenwyn 9 23.00x
Ludgvan 9 75.44x
Mevagissey 9 90.54x
Parkham 9 247.93x
Bermondsey 8 2.03x
Brixham 8 25.09x
Cardiff St Mary 8 6.31x
Plumstead 8 5.32x
Royal Navy 8 5.94x
South Stoneham 8 13.61x
St Helier 8 6.27x
Tottenham 8 3.80x
Egloshayle 7 99.72x
Linkinhorne 7 67.18x
Llantrisant 7 12.07x
Portsea 7 1.32x
Ruan Lanihorne 7 472.97x
Bedwellty 6 3.56x
Bradworthy 6 149.63x
Gerrans 6 148.51x
Gillingham 6 6.45x
Lewes St Ann 6 79.05x
Merton 6 227.27x
Minster In Sheppey 6 8.03x
South Brent 6 101.52x
St Peter Port 6 8.28x
Wandsworth 6 4.72x
West Ham 6 1.04x
Wigan 6 2.74x
Aberavon 5 23.61x
East Budleigh 5 38.58x
Ulverston 5 10.95x
Wolborough 5 14.38x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 106
Elizabeth 79
Jane 29
Emma 28
Annie 25
Sarah 23
Eliza 22
Emily 21
Ann 19
Alice 15
Edith 14
Susan 13
Ellen 12
Bessie 11
Elizth. 10
Caroline 9
Catherine 9
Lilian 9
Louisa 9
Grace 8
Lydia 8
Fanny 7
Florence 7
Harriet 7
Lucy 7
Amelia 6
Beatrice 6
Kate 6
Martha 6
Laura 5
Selina 5
Charlotte 4
Hannah 4
Harriett 4
Jessie 4
Margaret 4
Maria 4
Minnie 4
Ada 3
Clara 3
Eleanor 3
Flora 3
Julia 3
Maud 3
Nellie 3
Rosina 3
Thomasine 3
Amy 2
Mabel 2
Marey 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 121
John 103
James 47
Richard 35
George 33
Thomas 30
Henry 22
Joseph 16
Samuel 15
Frederick 13
Charles 12
Robert 12
Arthur 10
Edward 10
Alfred 9
Wm. 8
Edwin 7
Francis 7
David 6
Philip 5
Albert 4
Ernest 4
Harry 4
Amos 3
Fred 3
Jeremiah 3
Richd. 3
Simon 3
Stephen 3
Walter 3
Abraham 2
Andrew 2
Ephraim 2
Gilbert 2
Herbert 2
Humphrey 2
Lewis 2
Mathew 2
Robt. 2
Willie 2
Willm. 2
Chas. 1
Chas.F. 1
Farnham 1
Frank 1
Fredk 1
Fredrick 1
Jno.Wm. 1
Jos.R. 1
Wm.Thos. 1

FAQ

Blight surname: questions and answers

How common was the Blight surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,327 people were recorded with the Blight surname. That placed it at #3,093 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Blight surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,246 in 2016. That gives Blight a modern rank of #4,792.

What does the Blight surname mean?

An agricultural surname referring to a plant disease or pest damaging crops.

What does the Blight map show?

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