NameCensus.

UK surname

Bloomer

An occupational surname referring to a person who bleaches or whitens cloth or fabric.

In the 1881 census there were 900 people recorded with the Bloomer surname, ranking it #4,238 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,358, ranked #4,439, down from #4,238 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rowley Regis, Dudley and Halesowen (all except Hunnington, Romsley; partly in Halesowen, Worcestershire). In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Dudley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bloomer is 1,420 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 50.9%.

1881 census count

900

Ranked #4,238

Modern count

1,358

2016, ranked #4,439

Peak year

1999

1,420 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bloomer had 900 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,238 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,358 in 2016, ranked #4,439.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,235 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Bloomer surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bloomer surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bloomer 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 362 #6,537
1861 historical 463 #5,613
1881 historical 900 #4,238
1891 historical 946 #4,377
1901 historical 1,136 #4,277
1911 historical 1,235 #3,827
1997 modern 1,361 #4,230
1998 modern 1,413 #4,242
1999 modern 1,420 #4,255
2000 modern 1,391 #4,309
2001 modern 1,356 #4,314
2002 modern 1,375 #4,353
2003 modern 1,372 #4,290
2004 modern 1,358 #4,333
2005 modern 1,329 #4,357
2006 modern 1,343 #4,333
2007 modern 1,331 #4,401
2008 modern 1,307 #4,491
2009 modern 1,358 #4,433
2010 modern 1,357 #4,523
2011 modern 1,386 #4,396
2012 modern 1,345 #4,436
2013 modern 1,367 #4,457
2014 modern 1,370 #4,473
2015 modern 1,361 #4,449
2016 modern 1,358 #4,439

Geography

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Where Bloomers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rowley Regis, Dudley, Halesowen (all except Hunnington, Romsley; partly in Halesowen, Worcestershire), Birmingham Town: Birmingham and Birmingham Town: Aston. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Dudley. 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 Rowley Regis Staffordshire
2 Dudley Staffordshire
3 Halesowen (all except Hunnington, Romsley; partly in Halesowen, Worcestershire) Staffordshire
4 Birmingham Town: Birmingham Warwickshire
5 Birmingham Town: Aston Warwickshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Dudley 025 Dudley
2 Dudley 033 Dudley
3 Dudley 032 Dudley
4 Dudley 017 Dudley
5 Dudley 020 Dudley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bloomer

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bloomer

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

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Bloomer surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Bloomer 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 comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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, Bloomer 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

Bloomer is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Bloomer falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Bloomer

The surname Bloomer originated in England and is derived from the Old English word "blōman" meaning "a bloom" or "a flowering plant". It was initially an occupational name given to those who cultivated or sold flowers and blossoms, or it might have been a nickname for someone with a florid complexion.

The earliest recorded instance of the name Bloomer can be traced back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Blomer" in the county of Hertfordshire. This suggests that the name was already established in England by the late 11th century.

In the 13th century, records show variations of the name such as "Blomere" and "Blummere" in various counties across England, including Essex, Norfolk, and Cambridgeshire. These variations reflect the regional dialects and spelling variations of the time.

One notable historical figure bearing the surname Bloomer was Richard Bloomer (c. 1570-1629), an English clergyman and theologian who served as the Warden of New College, Oxford, from 1624 until his death.

Another early bearer of the name was John Bloomer (c. 1585-1652), an English merchant who traded with the Dutch East Indies and was involved in the establishment of the East India Company.

In the 18th century, a prominent figure with this surname was Robert Bloomer (1720-1792), an English architect and surveyor who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Royal College of Surgeons.

The 19th century saw the rise of Amelia Jenks Bloomer (1818-1894), an American women's rights activist and advocate of dress reform, who popularized the "bloomer" costume, a type of loose trousers worn under a short skirt.

Another noteworthy bearer of the Bloomer name was George Percival Bloomer (1857-1938), an English cricketer who played for Gloucestershire County Cricket Club and was regarded as one of the finest wicket-keepers of his era.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bloomer families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bloomer 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 233 Bloomers recorded in 1881 and an index of 20.39x.

County Total Index
Worcestershire 233 20.39x
Staffordshire 230 7.79x
Warwickshire 117 5.30x
Yorkshire 98 1.13x
Lancashire 92 0.89x
Durham 32 1.23x
Middlesex 20 0.23x
Lanarkshire 17 0.60x
Derbyshire 12 0.88x
Kent 9 0.30x
Surrey 8 0.19x
Cumberland 5 0.66x
Northumberland 5 0.38x
Berkshire 4 0.61x
Herefordshire 4 1.11x
Devon 3 0.16x
Cheshire 2 0.10x
Hampshire 2 0.11x
Essex 1 0.06x
Fife 1 0.19x
Leicestershire 1 0.10x
Royal Navy 1 0.96x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Kingswinford in Staffordshire leads with 111 Bloomers recorded in 1881 and an index of 103.51x.

Place Total Index
Kingswinford 111 103.51x
Gradley 93 1684.78x
Aston 74 12.18x
Rowley Regis 61 74.11x
Cradley 56 542.11x
Dudley 24 17.28x
Oldham 24 7.16x
Birmingham 23 3.13x
Wolverley 22 219.34x
Edgbaston 18 26.31x
Darlington 15 14.92x
Gateshead 15 7.70x
Accrington 13 13.77x
Halifax 13 10.21x
Doncaster 12 18.94x
Ecclesall Bierlow 12 6.80x
Litchurch 12 21.77x
Walsall Foreign 12 7.87x
Harborne 9 9.51x
Midgley 9 97.40x
Ashton Under Lyne 8 3.53x
Kensington London 8 1.64x
Lapal 8 761.90x
Sheffield 8 2.90x
Upperswinford 8 82.73x
Wednesbury 8 10.84x
Barony 7 0.98x
Chadderton 7 13.79x
Saddleworth 7 10.47x
Cambuslang 6 21.03x
Eccleston In Prescot 6 11.51x
Handsworth 6 8.24x
Kings Norton 6 5.86x
Pedmore 6 400.00x
Tipton 6 6.63x
Walsall Borough 6 26.17x
Wardleworth 6 10.11x
Chorlton On Medlock 5 3.03x
Crosscanonby 5 20.07x
Rushall 5 28.77x
Skircoat 5 14.62x
Stretford 5 8.75x
Battersea 4 1.24x
Hulme 4 1.85x
Hunslet 4 2.96x
Hurst 4 46.51x
Leominster 4 26.94x
Salford 4 1.31x
Wapping London 4 59.88x
Warley 4 15.96x
Cadder 3 14.35x
Elswick 3 2.89x
Northfield 3 13.84x
Southowram 3 11.33x
Thornton In Bradford 3 10.40x
Wadsworth 3 21.26x
Woolwich 3 2.72x
Wortley In Bramley 3 4.37x
Bilston 2 3.49x
Crossgate 2 17.57x
Devonport 2 9.56x
Halesowen 2 19.94x
Huncoat 2 71.68x
Kidderminster Foreign 2 12.38x
Kilham 2 54.95x
Northowram 2 3.29x
Preston 2 0.72x
Ramsgate 2 4.10x
St Marylebone London 2 0.43x
Sutton Stoneferry 2 8.06x
Ventnor 2 11.72x
York Holy Trinity 2 26.70x
Chelsea London 1 0.38x
Deal 1 3.93x
Fulwood 1 8.91x
Kidderminster Borough 1 1.50x
Kinver 1 11.74x
Marden 1 14.29x
Royal Navy 1 1.12x
St George Bloomsbury 1 1.99x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

FAQ

Bloomer surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bloomer surname in 1881?

In 1881, 900 people were recorded with the Bloomer surname. That placed it at #4,238 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bloomer surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,358 in 2016. That gives Bloomer a modern rank of #4,439.

What does the Bloomer surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to a person who bleaches or whitens cloth or fabric.

What does the Bloomer map show?

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