NameCensus.

UK surname

Blomeley

An English locational surname derived from a place name meaning "the clearing in the forest".

In the 1881 census there were 135 people recorded with the Blomeley surname, ranking it #16,515 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 136, ranked #25,377, down from #16,515 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Bury and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Lincolnshire, Tameside and Wandsworth.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Blomeley is 214 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 0.7%.

1881 census count

135

Ranked #16,515

Modern count

136

2016, ranked #25,377

Peak year

1911

214 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Blomeley had 135 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,515 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 136 in 2016, ranked #25,377.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 214 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Blomeley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Blomeley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Blomeley 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 65 #21,747
1861 historical 99 #21,294
1881 historical 135 #16,515
1891 historical 185 #15,803
1901 historical 149 #18,146
1911 historical 214 #14,333
1997 modern 168 #19,642
1998 modern 168 #20,181
1999 modern 170 #20,153
2000 modern 173 #19,889
2001 modern 164 #20,279
2002 modern 156 #21,348
2003 modern 150 #21,669
2004 modern 144 #22,379
2005 modern 137 #23,110
2006 modern 143 #22,619
2007 modern 144 #22,804
2008 modern 144 #23,037
2009 modern 139 #24,161
2010 modern 138 #24,801
2011 modern 136 #24,819
2012 modern 139 #24,485
2013 modern 144 #24,323
2014 modern 146 #24,274
2015 modern 139 #24,956
2016 modern 136 #25,377

Geography

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Where Blomeleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Bury, Manchester, Bury (Walmersley and Tottington, Heap),Middleton (Birtle with Bamford, Pilsworth) and Chatham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Lincolnshire, Tameside, Wandsworth, Ribble Valley and Stockport. 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 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 Bury Lancashire
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Bury (Walmersley and Tottington, Heap),Middleton (Birtle with Bamford, Pilsworth) Lancashire
5 Chatham Kent

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Lincolnshire 001 North Lincolnshire
2 Tameside 001 Tameside
3 Wandsworth 012 Wandsworth
4 Ribble Valley 008 Ribble Valley
5 Stockport 024 Stockport

Forenames

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First names often paired with Blomeley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Blomeley

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Young Families in Industrial Towns

Nationally, the Blomeley surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Blomeley household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Blomeley is most associated with areas classed as Inner London Working Professionals, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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 primarily Inner London neighbourhoods are more densely populated than the Supergroup average. Residents have a younger over-all age profile than the Supergroup as a whole, and are less likely to be owner occupiers. Full time employment is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup and multiple car ownership is uncommon. Chinese and non-EU-born European migrants are less in evidence than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Blomeley 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

Blomeley 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 Blomeley 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 - British

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

Meaning and origin of Blomeley

The surname Blomeley originated in England, with records dating back to the late 16th century. It is believed to be a locational name derived from a place called Blomeley, a township in the parish of Eccleston, Cheshire. This place name is thought to come from the Old English words "bloma" meaning "a bloom or blossom" and "leah" meaning "a meadow or clearing."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Registers of St. Oswald's Parish Church in Chester, where a William Blomeley was christened in 1580. In the 17th century, the name was also found in the nearby village of Eccleston, with the birth of Thomas Blomeley recorded in 1632.

The Blomeley family had a notable presence in the area around Chester and Cheshire during the 17th and 18th centuries. John Blomeley (1644-1718) was a respected clergyman who served as the Rector of Christleton, Cheshire, for over 40 years. His son, William Blomeley (1677-1741), followed in his footsteps and became the Vicar of Christleton.

Another prominent figure was Richard Blomeley (1778-1858), a wealthy landowner and farmer from Eccleston who played a significant role in the local community. He served as a magistrate and was involved in various agricultural societies.

In the 19th century, the name spread beyond its original region, with records showing Blomeleys residing in other parts of England. One notable individual was James Blomeley (1820-1892), a successful businessman from Liverpool who made his fortune in the shipping industry.

The Blomeley surname has also been found with various spelling variations over the centuries, such as Blomeley, Blomeley, Blomily, and Blomiley, reflecting the evolution of language and regional dialects.

While the name may have originated from a specific location, the Blomeley family has left its mark on various aspects of English history, including religious leadership, agriculture, and commerce, spanning several centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Blomeley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Blomeley 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. Lancashire leads with 100 Blomeleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.80x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 100 6.80x
Kent 14 3.31x
Gloucestershire 5 2.06x
Middlesex 4 0.32x
Cheshire 3 1.10x
Surrey 1 0.17x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Newton in Lancashire leads with 37 Blomeleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 326.57x.

Place Total Index
Newton 37 326.57x
Bury 14 83.38x
Gillingham 8 91.85x
Manchester 8 12.10x
Beswick 7 186.17x
Pendleton In Salford 7 39.98x
Salford 7 16.19x
Greenwich 6 30.43x
Thornham 6 750.00x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 5 21.86x
Hackney London 4 5.76x
Middleton In Oldham 4 90.70x
Blackley 3 116.28x
Bollington In 3 123.46x
Harpurhey 3 147.06x
Heap 3 38.46x
Lambeth 1 0.93x
Rusholme 1 25.51x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 9
Sarah 6
Alice 5
Jane 4
Ann 3
Emma 3
Hannah 3
Betty 2
Edith 2
Elizabeth 2
Ellen 2
Emily 2
Margaret 2
Annie 1
Clara 1
Elizabth. 1
Esther 1
Georgina 1
Helen 1
Isabel 1
Jennie 1
Kate 1
Kerenhappuch 1
Louisa 1
M.E. 1
Margt. 1
Martha 1
Matilda 1
Richmal 1
Teresa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 8
Thomas 7
William 7
James 5
Edward 4
Richard 4
Arthur 3
Garside 3
Henry 3
Samuel 3
Harry 2
Josiah 2
Abel 1
Charles 1
E. 1
Edmund 1
Frederick 1
Fredrick 1
George 1
Jas. 1
Joseph 1
Matt. 1
Matthew 1
Robert 1
Walter 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Blomeley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Blomeley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 135 people were recorded with the Blomeley surname. That placed it at #16,515 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Blomeley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 136 in 2016. That gives Blomeley a modern rank of #25,377.

What does the Blomeley surname mean?

An English locational surname derived from a place name meaning "the clearing in the forest".

What does the Blomeley map show?

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