NameCensus.

UK surname

Blizard

A derivation of the French surname Blizart, potentially referring to wheat farmers or millers.

In the 1881 census there were 329 people recorded with the Blizard surname, ranking it #9,107 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 192, ranked #20,118, down from #9,107 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Elmey Castle, London parishes and Pershore Holy Cross, Pershore St Andrew. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Shropshire, Rotherham and Worcester.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Blizard is 344 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 41.6%.

1881 census count

329

Ranked #9,107

Modern count

192

2016, ranked #20,118

Peak year

1911

344 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Blizard had 329 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,107 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 192 in 2016, ranked #20,118.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 344 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Small Town Suburbia.

Blizard surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Blizard surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Blizard 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 325 #7,157
1861 historical 267 #9,290
1881 historical 329 #9,107
1891 historical 230 #13,494
1901 historical 287 #12,001
1911 historical 344 #10,386
1997 modern 196 #17,859
1998 modern 202 #17,991
1999 modern 203 #18,081
2000 modern 203 #18,043
2001 modern 192 #18,388
2002 modern 206 #17,966
2003 modern 208 #17,685
2004 modern 204 #17,992
2005 modern 202 #18,016
2006 modern 193 #18,675
2007 modern 198 #18,600
2008 modern 198 #18,753
2009 modern 193 #19,463
2010 modern 201 #19,387
2011 modern 185 #20,288
2012 modern 184 #20,291
2013 modern 188 #20,352
2014 modern 191 #20,302
2015 modern 189 #20,345
2016 modern 192 #20,118

Geography

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Where Blizards are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Elmey Castle, London parishes, Pershore Holy Cross, Pershore St Andrew and Grafton Flyford. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Shropshire, Rotherham, Worcester and Wychavon. 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 Elmey Castle Worcestershire
2 London parishes London 1
3 Pershore Holy Cross, Pershore St Andrew Worcestershire
4 London parishes London 3
5 Grafton Flyford Worcestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Shropshire 016 Shropshire
2 Rotherham 033 Rotherham
3 Shropshire 018 Shropshire
4 Worcester 009 Worcester
5 Wychavon 019 Wychavon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Blizard

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Blizard

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

Small Town Suburbia

Nationally, the Blizard surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Small Town Suburbia, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Blizard 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 is predominantly comprised of married couples with no resident dependent children, living in areas characterised neither by under-occupancy nor overcrowding throughout the UK in or adjacent to small towns. White ethnic groups and affiliation with Christianity predominates. Housing tends to be predominantly semi-detached or detached and workers are employed principally in managerial and professional occupations, with semi-skilled occupations also in evidence. These areas of the Supergroup are of higher population density.

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Blizard is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Blizard is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Blizard falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Blizard

The surname BLIZARD is of English origin, with roots dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "blizard," which referred to a person who had a particular facial feature or complexion resembling a blizzard or snowstorm.

This surname is primarily associated with the northern counties of England, particularly Yorkshire and Lancashire. One of the earliest documented references to this name can be found in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Returns of 1379, which lists a Thomas Blizard residing in the village of Skitby.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the BLIZARD name appeared in various parish records and legal documents across northern England. Notably, a Richard Blizard was mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Lancashire in 1589, indicating the presence of the family in the region.

The BLIZARD surname has also been linked to several place names, such as Blizard's Hill in Lincolnshire and Blizard's Farm in Yorkshire. These locations may have influenced or been influenced by families bearing the BLIZARD name, further solidifying their connection to the region.

Among the notable individuals who bore this surname throughout history, one can mention Sir William Blizard (1743-1835), a renowned English surgeon and anatomist who founded the London Hospital Medical College. Another distinguished figure was Thomas Blizard (1752-1838), a fellow of the Royal Society and a respected mathematician.

In the literary realm, William Blizard (1809-1888) was an English author and poet, best known for his works "The Poetical Works of William Blizard" and "The Lays of a Idler." The BLIZARD name also found its way into the arts through the painter John Blizard (1782-1854), whose works were exhibited at the Royal Academy.

Additionally, the military history of England includes several notable figures bearing the BLIZARD surname, such as Captain John Blizard (1775-1830), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars, and Major General Thomas Blizard (1777-1858), who fought in the Peninsular War and the Crimean War.

While the BLIZARD surname may have evolved in spelling and distribution over the centuries, its origins can be traced back to the rugged landscapes of northern England, where it has left an indelible mark on the region's history and cultural heritage.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Blizard families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Blizard 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. Worcestershire leads with 61 Blizards recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.56x.

County Total Index
Worcestershire 61 14.56x
Middlesex 58 1.81x
Warwickshire 41 5.07x
Surrey 39 2.49x
Gloucestershire 36 5.72x
Lancashire 30 0.79x
Hampshire 23 3.50x
Berkshire 8 3.32x
Kent 7 0.64x
Yorkshire 6 0.19x
Essex 5 0.79x
Somerset 4 0.77x
Buckinghamshire 2 1.03x
Devon 2 0.30x
Glamorgan 2 0.36x
Cheshire 1 0.14x
Cumberland 1 0.36x
Staffordshire 1 0.09x
Suffolk 1 0.26x
Sussex 1 0.18x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Aston in Warwickshire leads with 21 Blizards recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.42x.

Place Total Index
Aston 21 9.42x
St Mary Extra 21 396.98x
Chelsea London 17 17.58x
Richmond 16 73.03x
Elmley Castle 15 3658.54x
Grafton Flyford 14 5600.00x
Clapham 12 29.91x
Stow On The Wold 11 785.71x
Bishampton 9 1914.89x
Gloucester Barton St Mary 9 78.13x
Kempsey 9 566.04x
Severn Stoke 9 1184.21x
Twickenham 8 58.14x
Birmingham 7 2.60x
Camberwell 7 3.41x
Kenilworth 7 153.51x
Paddington London 7 5.93x
Abingdon St Helen 6 85.23x
Clitheroe 6 53.52x
Rowington 6 659.34x
St Pancras London 6 2.32x
Tewkesbury 6 106.76x
Elmstead 5 490.20x
Hulme 5 6.29x
Litherland 5 62.81x
Margate St John Baptist 5 24.94x
Pershore St Andrew 5 216.45x
St Marylebone London 5 2.92x
Adlingfleet 4 1818.18x
Fishwick 4 169.49x
Kensington London 4 2.24x
Taunton St Mary 4 42.19x
Cheltenham 3 6.18x
Myerscough 3 714.29x
Preston 3 2.94x
Rotherhithe 3 7.57x
St George Hanover Square 3 5.31x
Wotton Under Edge 3 80.86x
Clerkenwell London 2 2.64x
Ecclesall Bierlow 2 3.09x
Hammersmith London 2 2.53x
Hampstead Norris 2 132.45x
Huyton With Roby 2 44.84x
Islington London 2 0.64x
Salford 2 1.79x
St George Bloomsbury 2 10.86x
Alton 1 20.16x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 1 1.69x
Burton Upon Trent 1 3.95x
Clifton 1 3.14x
Cockermouth 1 17.18x
Cowlinge 1 133.33x
Great Marlow 1 19.08x
Hougham 1 15.36x
Hove 1 4.21x
Hyde 1 4.78x
Lambeth 1 0.36x
Leckhampton 1 25.77x
Lewisham 1 1.71x
Llanwonno 1 4.98x
Merthyr Tydfil 1 1.86x
Nursling 1 95.24x
Rangeworthy 1 370.37x
Stoke Damerel 1 2.14x
Taplow 1 85.47x
Tormoham 1 3.54x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 18
Elizabeth 14
Ann 13
Sarah 12
Jane 11
Alice 8
Emma 8
Annie 6
Caroline 6
Eliza 6
Charlotte 4
Ellen 4
Emily 3
Louisa 3
Lucy 3
Agnes 2
Betsy 2
Elizth. 2
Elizth.A. 2
Fanny 2
Florence 2
Frances 2
Hannah 2
Harriett 2
Isabella 2
Martha 2
Minnie 2
Nellie 2
Selina 2
Anna 1
Anne 1
Bertha 1
Catherne 1
Edith 1
Eleanor 1
Ethel 1
Flora 1
Georgina 1
Helen 1
Henrietta 1
Jessie 1
Joanna 1
Laura 1
Lilly 1
Lydia 1
Margaret 1
Matilda 1
Maude 1
Ruth 1
Violetta 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 19
John 15
George 14
Thomas 14
Henry 13
Charles 11
Alfred 7
James 7
Robert 7
Walter 6
Harry 4
Richard 3
Allen 2
Arthur 2
Francis 2
Fredrick 2
Job 2
Albert 1
Benjm. 1
Chas. 1
Colin 1
Conway 1
Dennis 1
Edgar 1
Edmund 1
Edward 1
Edwin 1
Ernest 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Fredk.A. 1
Geo.J. 1
Herbert 1
Hubert 1
Isaac 1
Joseph 1
Martin 1
Nathan 1
Samuel 1
Stephen 1
Vernon 1
Willie 1

FAQ

Blizard surname: questions and answers

How common was the Blizard surname in 1881?

In 1881, 329 people were recorded with the Blizard surname. That placed it at #9,107 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Blizard surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 192 in 2016. That gives Blizard a modern rank of #20,118.

What does the Blizard surname mean?

A derivation of the French surname Blizart, potentially referring to wheat farmers or millers.

What does the Blizard map show?

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