NameCensus.

UK surname

Bloss

An English topographic surname referring to someone who lived near an open space in a forest.

In the 1881 census there were 201 people recorded with the Bloss surname, ranking it #12,791 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 264, ranked #16,172, down from #12,791 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Braintree, London parishes and Marlesford. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Suffolk Coastal, Thurrock and Southend-on-Sea.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bloss is 327 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 31.3%.

1881 census count

201

Ranked #12,791

Modern count

264

2016, ranked #16,172

Peak year

2002

327 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bloss had 201 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,791 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 264 in 2016, ranked #16,172.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 322 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Bloss surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bloss surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bloss 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 143 #13,343
1861 historical 115 #18,880
1881 historical 201 #12,791
1891 historical 283 #11,573
1901 historical 288 #11,973
1911 historical 322 #10,873
1997 modern 322 #12,914
1998 modern 317 #13,392
1999 modern 320 #13,398
2000 modern 314 #13,516
2001 modern 312 #13,392
2002 modern 327 #13,217
2003 modern 295 #13,964
2004 modern 297 #13,971
2005 modern 281 #14,411
2006 modern 276 #14,700
2007 modern 272 #14,994
2008 modern 274 #15,063
2009 modern 280 #15,141
2010 modern 296 #14,877
2011 modern 290 #14,933
2012 modern 272 #15,586
2013 modern 273 #15,802
2014 modern 276 #15,788
2015 modern 268 #16,007
2016 modern 264 #16,172

Geography

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Where Bloss' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Braintree, London parishes, Marlesford, Coppenhall and Thurrock, Grays. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Suffolk Coastal, Thurrock and Southend-on-Sea. 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 Braintree Essex
2 London parishes London 3
3 Marlesford Suffolk
4 Coppenhall Cheshire
5 Thurrock, Grays Essex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Suffolk Coastal 005 Suffolk Coastal
2 Thurrock 012 Thurrock
3 Suffolk Coastal 010 Suffolk Coastal
4 Southend-on-Sea 006 Southend-on-Sea
5 Thurrock 014 Thurrock

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bloss

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bloss

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Bloss surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Bloss household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Bloss is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

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

Bloss 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

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

Meaning and origin of Bloss

The surname BLOSS originated in England in the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English word 'bloss', meaning a blossom or bloom. This name likely referred to someone who lived near a blossoming tree or field of flowers.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name BLOSS appears in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1230, which mention a William Bloss. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 also list a John le Bloss in Huntingdonshire.

The BLOSS surname is believed to have originated in the counties of Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, and Berkshire in southern England. Early spellings included Blos, Blosse, and Blossee. Some variations may have arisen from the Norman-French influence after the Norman Conquest of 1066.

In the 16th century, the Bloss family held land and estates in the village of Tew in Oxfordshire. A prominent member was Sir Ralph Bloss (1537-1607), who served as a Member of Parliament for Oxfordshire in 1597.

Another notable BLOSS was John Bloss (1686-1752), a British architect who designed several churches and country houses in Gloucestershire and Worcestershire during the early 18th century.

The BLOSS surname also appears in early records from the American colonies. Thomas Bloss (1668-1738) was one of the first settlers in Pennsylvania, arriving from England in 1682 with William Penn's expedition.

During the 19th century, members of the BLOSS family were active in the abolitionist movement in the United States. William Bloss (1795-1873) was a Quaker abolitionist from Pennsylvania who helped enslaved people escape to freedom on the Underground Railroad.

Other notable individuals with the BLOSS surname include Alfred Bloss (1859-1927), a British artist and painter known for his landscape scenes, and Edgar Bloss (1889-1942), an Australian cricketer who played Test matches for the national team in the 1920s.

While the BLOSS name has roots stretching back over 700 years, it remains a relatively uncommon surname today, particularly outside of England and the United States.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bloss families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bloss 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 70 Bloss' recorded in 1881 and an index of 29.31x.

County Total Index
Suffolk 70 29.31x
Middlesex 51 2.60x
Essex 28 7.24x
Surrey 20 2.09x
Cheshire 9 2.08x
Kent 7 1.05x
Durham 3 0.51x
Yorkshire 3 0.15x
Cambridgeshire 2 1.61x
Gloucestershire 2 0.52x
Lancashire 2 0.09x
Anglesey 1 2.88x
Derbyshire 1 0.33x
Shropshire 1 0.59x
Sussex 1 0.30x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Braintree in Essex leads with 16 Bloss' recorded in 1881 and an index of 461.10x.

Place Total Index
Braintree 16 461.10x
Islington London 16 8.42x
Camberwell 15 11.98x
Dennington 12 2264.15x
Ipswich St Clement 9 148.27x
Ipswich St Mathew 7 104.63x
Ratcliffe London 7 64.64x
Limehouse London 6 27.88x
Monks Coppenhall 6 36.74x
Newmarket St Mary 6 327.87x
St Pancras London 5 3.17x
Romford 4 65.36x
Syleham 4 2105.26x
Bethnal Green London 3 3.52x
Bishopwearmouth 3 5.99x
Deptford St Paul 3 5.82x
Elmswell 3 588.24x
Grays Thurrock 3 83.33x
Ipswich St Mary Stoke 3 135.14x
Marlesford 3 1250.00x
Sandbach 3 81.30x
Southwark Christchurch 3 32.64x
Swefling 3 1578.95x
Whitwood 3 108.70x
Woolwich 3 12.14x
Bury St Edmunds St James 2 31.35x
Dagenham 2 86.96x
Hacheston 2 689.66x
Ipswich St Peter 2 62.31x
Lowestoft 2 17.73x
Melton 2 212.77x
Mendlesham 2 263.16x
Mildenhall 2 78.74x
Mile End Old Town London 2 4.79x
Poplar London 2 5.41x
Shoreditch London 2 2.35x
Tolleshunt Knights 2 645.16x
Westminster St John 2 8.38x
Wood Ditton 2 192.31x
Bourton On The Water 1 128.21x
Bromley London 1 2.32x
Broughton In Salford 1 4.70x
Cheltenham 1 3.37x
Crumpsall 1 18.25x
Elmsett 1 344.83x
Enfield 1 7.78x
Forest Gate 1 185.19x
Halesworth 1 59.17x
Ipswich St Helen 1 35.34x
Lambeth 1 0.59x
Leiston 1 60.98x
Linton 1 123.46x
Llandegfan 1 140.85x
Minster In Sheppey 1 9.03x
Oswestry Town 1 18.45x
Saxstead 1 434.78x
St Clement Danes London 1 24.63x
St George Hanover Square 1 2.90x
St Marylebone London 1 0.96x
Streatham 1 6.87x
Swilland 1 714.29x
Tottenham 1 3.20x
Worthing 1 270.27x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 9
Mary 8
Sarah 7
Ellen 6
Emma 5
Louisa 5
Annie 4
Harriet 3
Alice 2
Ann 2
Catherine 2
Charlotte 2
Eliza 2
Harriett 2
Jane 2
Maria 2
Matilda 2
Susan 2
Ada 1
Agness 1
Amy 1
Beatrice 1
Bessie 1
Betsy 1
Caroline 1
Clair 1
E. 1
Elizbeth 1
Elizth.Louisa 1
Emily 1
Esther 1
Fannie 1
Francis 1
Gertrude 1
Harriot 1
Jesse 1
Lilley 1
Louie 1
Lucy 1
Lydia 1
Mabel 1
Margaret 1
Maryan 1
Minnie 1
Octavia 1
Patricia 1
Pricilla 1
Rebecca 1
Rosey 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 15
John 14
William 8
Henry 7
Charles 5
Frederick 5
Herbert 4
James 4
Robert 4
Thomas 4
David 2
Francis 2
Henery 2
Hugh 2
Richard 2
Stephen 2
Walter 2
Zechariah 2
Albert 1
Alfred 1
Ambrose 1
C. 1
Dennis 1
Earnest 1
Edward 1
Edwin 1
Ernest 1
Fras.Edwd. 1
Fredk. 1
Harold 1
Hedly 1
Issace 1
Norris 1
Samuel 1
Willie 1

FAQ

Bloss surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bloss surname in 1881?

In 1881, 201 people were recorded with the Bloss surname. That placed it at #12,791 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bloss surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 264 in 2016. That gives Bloss a modern rank of #16,172.

What does the Bloss surname mean?

An English topographic surname referring to someone who lived near an open space in a forest.

What does the Bloss map show?

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