NameCensus.

UK surname

Blois

A geographical surname derived from the French city of Blois.

In the 1881 census there were 97 people recorded with the Blois surname, ranking it #20,127 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 115, ranked #28,348, down from #20,127 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Minster, Wivenhoe and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include West Somerset, Suffolk Coastal and Broadland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Blois is 134 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 18.6%.

1881 census count

97

Ranked #20,127

Modern count

115

2016, ranked #28,348

Peak year

1901

134 bearers

Map years

6

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Blois had 97 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #20,127 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 115 in 2016, ranked #28,348.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 134 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Blois surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Blois surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Blois 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 39 #26,319
1861 historical 32 #29,944
1881 historical 97 #20,127
1891 historical 100 #24,045
1901 historical 134 #19,288
1911 historical 132 #19,313
1997 modern 105 #26,188
1998 modern 118 #25,041
1999 modern 118 #25,227
2000 modern 122 #24,698
2001 modern 120 #24,615
2002 modern 120 #25,110
2003 modern 117 #25,282
2004 modern 124 #24,559
2005 modern 123 #24,663
2006 modern 122 #25,010
2007 modern 119 #25,747
2008 modern 119 #26,067
2009 modern 118 #26,766
2010 modern 132 #25,519
2011 modern 131 #25,430
2012 modern 121 #26,829
2013 modern 123 #26,974
2014 modern 120 #27,646
2015 modern 119 #27,684
2016 modern 115 #28,348

Geography

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Where Blois' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Minster, Wivenhoe, London parishes, Shadingfield and All Saints Poplar. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to West Somerset, Suffolk Coastal, Broadland, Basildon and Canterbury. 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 Minster Kent
2 Wivenhoe Essex
3 London parishes London 3
4 Shadingfield Suffolk
5 All Saints Poplar London (East Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 West Somerset 004 West Somerset
2 Suffolk Coastal 001 Suffolk Coastal
3 Broadland 001 Broadland
4 Basildon 021 Basildon
5 Canterbury 007 Canterbury

Forenames

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First names often paired with Blois

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Blois

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Blois, 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 Blois surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Blois 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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Blois is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Blois is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Blois falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Blois is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Blois

The surname Blois has its origins in France and dates back to the medieval period. It is believed to have originated from the city of Blois, which is situated in the northern part of the Loire Valley region. The name Blois is derived from the Gaulish word "blaidus," meaning "wolf."

Blois was an important city during the Middle Ages, and it is mentioned in several historical records, including the Domesday Book, which was compiled in 1086 under the orders of William the Conqueror. The Domesday Book contains references to individuals bearing the surname Blois, indicating that the name was in use at that time.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the surname Blois can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire from the 12th century, where a person named Robert de Blois is mentioned. This suggests that the name was already well-established by that period.

The surname Blois has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One of the most prominent figures was Henry of Blois (c. 1096-1171), who served as the Bishop of Winchester and was a powerful figure in the court of King Henry II. Another notable bearer of the name was Stephen of Blois (c. 1092-1154), who was a claimant to the English throne during the Anarchy period of the 12th century.

In the 13th century, a French nobleman named Jean de Blois (c. 1230-1292) played a significant role in the Crusades and was also a renowned poet and troubadour. During the 15th century, Louis de Blois (1506-1566) was a renowned Roman Catholic theologian and spiritual writer.

Another notable figure was Pierre de Blois (c. 1135-1212), who was a renowned scholar, diplomat, and writer during the 12th century. He served as the secretary to several English kings, including Henry II and Richard I.

The surname Blois has also been associated with various place names and older spellings of place names. For example, the town of Blois in France was formerly known as Blæsæ or Bledæ in ancient times, and these variations may have influenced the spelling of the surname.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Blois families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Blois 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. Suffolk leads with 23 Blois' recorded in 1881 and an index of 19.75x.

County Total Index
Suffolk 23 19.75x
Middlesex 21 2.20x
Essex 20 10.60x
Kent 13 3.99x
Sussex 11 6.83x
Derbyshire 4 2.67x
Durham 2 0.70x
Berkshire 1 1.39x
Devon 1 0.50x
Lancashire 1 0.09x
Royal Navy 1 8.78x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Poplar London in Middlesex leads with 15 Blois' recorded in 1881 and an index of 83.15x.

Place Total Index
Poplar London 15 83.15x
Minster In Sheppey 13 240.74x
Wivenhoe 9 1200.00x
Hove 8 113.15x
West Ham 7 16.80x
Newton 4 2666.67x
Sutton Cum Duckmanton 4 2500.00x
Bacton 3 1428.57x
Ipswich St Margaret 3 75.95x
Rottingdean 3 545.45x
Southwold 3 434.78x
Boyton 2 2222.22x
Colchester St Giles 2 107.53x
Harrow On The Hill 2 104.71x
Mile End Old Town London 2 9.83x
Stranton 2 20.90x
Willingham 2 4000.00x
Wyverstone 2 2222.22x
Chilton 1 1111.11x
Colchester St Mary At 1 149.25x
Great Crosby 1 32.36x
Greenstead 1 370.37x
Hayes 1 102.04x
Royal Navy 1 10.27x
Sandhurst 1 71.94x
Shoreditch London 1 2.41x
Stowmarket 1 74.07x
West Teignmouth 1 65.79x
Westhorpe 1 1428.57x
Wickham Market 1 208.33x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 4
Alice 3
Eliza 3
Sarah 3
Ellen 2
Emma 2
Georgina 2
Ada 1
Adeline 1
Ann 1
B. 1
Ceciley 1
Chandris 1
Clara 1
Constance 1
Elizabeth 1
Emeline 1
Emily 1
Ethel 1
Fanny 1
Florence 1
Gertrude 1
Harriet 1
Harriett 1
Helen 1
Henrietta 1
Lilian 1
Lizzie 1
Lucy 1
Margaret 1
Maria 1
Maude 1
Nora 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 10
John 5
Benjamin 3
George 3
Albert 2
Alfred 2
Charles 2
James 2
Jarvis 2
Nathan 2
Richard 2
Walter 2
Alex 1
Dudley 1
Eardley 1
Earnest 1
Edward 1
Ernest 1
Eustace 1
Fredrick 1
Harry 1
Henry 1
Hy. 1
Joseph 1
Ralph 1
Samuel 1
Stephen 1

FAQ

Blois surname: questions and answers

How common was the Blois surname in 1881?

In 1881, 97 people were recorded with the Blois surname. That placed it at #20,127 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Blois surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 115 in 2016. That gives Blois a modern rank of #28,348.

What does the Blois surname mean?

A geographical surname derived from the French city of Blois.

What does the Blois map show?

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