NameCensus.

UK surname

Blue

A descriptive surname likely referring to someone with blue eyes, blue clothing, or a connection to the color blue.

In the 1881 census there were 516 people recorded with the Blue surname, ranking it #6,607 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 758, ranked #7,224, down from #6,607 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to North Bute and Rothesay, Govan Combination and Mearns. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Oban South, Townhead and Wyndford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Blue is 758 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 46.9%.

1881 census count

516

Ranked #6,607

Modern count

758

2016, ranked #7,224

Peak year

2016

758 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Blue had 516 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,607 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 758 in 2016, ranked #7,224.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 545 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Blue surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Blue surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Blue 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 474 #5,250
1861 historical 478 #5,458
1881 historical 516 #6,607
1891 historical 514 #7,262
1901 historical 545 #7,575
1911 historical 105 #22,064
1997 modern 502 #9,273
1998 modern 511 #9,431
1999 modern 525 #9,307
2000 modern 526 #9,272
2001 modern 513 #9,280
2002 modern 542 #9,074
2003 modern 531 #9,084
2004 modern 534 #9,057
2005 modern 530 #9,054
2006 modern 541 #8,930
2007 modern 539 #9,025
2008 modern 550 #8,965
2009 modern 576 #8,851
2010 modern 597 #8,814
2011 modern 568 #9,043
2012 modern 616 #8,423
2013 modern 656 #8,153
2014 modern 700 #7,768
2015 modern 718 #7,573
2016 modern 758 #7,224

Geography

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Where Blues are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around North Bute and Rothesay, Govan Combination, Mearns, Saddell and Skipness and Edinburgh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Oban South, Townhead, Wyndford, Bellshill Central and Castlemilk. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 North Bute and Rothesay Bute
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Mearns Renfrew
4 Saddell and Skipness Argyll
5 Edinburgh Edinburgh

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Oban South Argyll and Bute
2 Townhead North Lanarkshire
3 Wyndford Glasgow City
4 Bellshill Central North Lanarkshire
5 Castlemilk Glasgow City

Forenames

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First names often paired with Blue

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Blue

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

Legacy Communities

Group

Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities

Nationally, the Blue surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Blue household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Households in these areas often include divorced or separated parents and commonly include children and young adults. The age structure is heavily skewed towards the most advanced age groups. Individuals identifying as members of ethnic minorities are not present in large numbers. Flats predominate, with some terraced, semi-detached, and detached units. Multiple car ownership is low, and housing is predominantly in the private and social rented sectors. Employment is less skewed towards traditional routine industrial occupations. Levels of educational attainment are generally low. The Group occurs principally in the Central Lowlands of Scotland and other Scottish towns.

Wider pattern

These neighbourhoods characteristically comprise pockets of flats that are scattered across the UK, particularly in towns that retain or have legacies of heavy industry or are in more remote seaside locations. Employed residents of these neighbourhoods work mainly in low-skilled occupations. Residents typically have limited educational qualifications. Unemployment is above average. Some residents live in overcrowded housing within the social rented sector and experience long-term disability. All adult age groups are represented, although there is an overall age bias towards elderly people in general and the very old in particular. Individuals identifying as belonging to ethnic minorities or Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups are uncommon.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Blue 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

Blue 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

Blue 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 Blue is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Blue

The surname BLUE is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "blæwen" or "blæu," meaning "dark-colored" or "blue-colored." It is believed to have originated in the 12th or 13th century as a descriptive name, likely referring to someone with blue eyes, dark hair, or who wore blue clothing.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name BLUE can be found in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, where a person named Roger le Blew is mentioned. The use of the prefix "le" before the name indicates its early adoption as a hereditary surname.

In the 14th century, the surname BLUE appeared in various spelling variations, such as Blew, Blewe, and Bleu, reflecting the diversity of regional dialects and scribal interpretations. The Subsidy Rolls of 1327 list a John le Bleu from Gloucestershire, and the Poll Tax Returns of 1379 include a Thomas Blew from Yorkshire.

In the 15th century, the name BLUE gained prominence in several historical records. The Patent Rolls of 1403 mention a John Blew, a merchant from London, and the Feet of Fines for Lincolnshire in 1443 reference a William Blew.

Notable individuals with the surname BLUE throughout history include:

1. Nicholas Blue (c. 1500-1580), an English Catholic priest and martyr executed during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. 2. Ralph Blue (1672-1716), an English playwright and author best known for his work "The Luck of a Batchelor." 3. Sarah Blue (1801-1864), an American pioneer and one of the first settlers in what is now Tulsa, Oklahoma. 4. Victor Blue (1865-1928), a French artist known for his Impressionist paintings of Parisian scenes. 5. Rupert Blue (1915-1997), a British military officer who served in World War II and later became a distinguished author and historian.

The surname BLUE has also been associated with various place names, such as Blue Anchor in Somerset, England, and Blue Bell Hill in Kent, England. These locations likely derived their names from individuals bearing the surname BLUE who resided or owned land in those areas.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Blue families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Blue 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. Lanarkshire leads with 134 Blues recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.22x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 134 8.22x
Argyllshire 97 69.09x
Renfrewshire 92 23.54x
Ayrshire 46 12.19x
Buteshire 43 140.71x
Midlothian 27 4.00x
Durham 15 1.00x
Lancashire 10 0.17x
Angus 9 1.93x
Devon 6 0.57x
Glamorgan 5 0.57x
Middlesex 5 0.10x
Norfolk 4 0.52x
Cornwall 3 0.53x
Flintshire 3 2.21x
Monmouthshire 3 0.82x
Worcestershire 2 0.30x
Yorkshire 2 0.04x
Berwickshire 1 1.64x
Channel Islands 1 0.67x
Cheshire 1 0.09x
Cumberland 1 0.23x
Dunbartonshire 1 0.74x
East Lothian 1 1.50x
Kincardineshire 1 1.63x
Northumberland 1 0.13x
Somerset 1 0.12x
Staffordshire 1 0.06x
Stirlingshire 1 0.54x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Barony in Lanarkshire leads with 45 Blues recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.90x.

Place Total Index
Barony 45 10.90x
Campbeltown 45 265.64x
Govan 45 11.16x
Rothesay 40 270.27x
West Greenock 36 51.32x
Glasgow 30 10.36x
Mearns 23 335.77x
Dalry 21 118.24x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 19 6.99x
Rutherglen 12 50.15x
Westoe 11 12.93x
Dundee 9 5.16x
Saddell Skipness 9 450.00x
Farnworth 8 22.31x
Largs 8 89.99x
Port Glasgow 8 42.35x
Girvan 7 73.92x
Killean Kilchenzie 7 292.89x
Dunoon Kilmun 6 54.79x
Eaglesham 6 251.05x
Kilbirnie 6 66.23x
Southend 6 363.64x
Duddingston 5 36.87x
Knapdale South 5 103.73x
Washfield 5 724.64x
Ystradyfodwg 5 6.49x
Eastwood 4 16.62x
Glassary 4 52.91x
Kilcalmonell 4 125.79x
Kyo 4 56.66x
Shoreditch London 4 1.83x
Thorpe Next Norwich 4 48.66x
Abbey 3 5.03x
Chepstow 3 48.31x
Colonsay Oronsay 3 434.78x
Edinburgh High Church 3 70.75x
Flint 3 38.96x
Inverkip 3 32.57x
Kilfinan 3 80.00x
Ardrossan New 2 1538.46x
Bowmore 2 61.92x
Halesowen 2 34.60x
Neilston 2 10.19x
Renfrew 2 15.49x
St Mary Magdalene 2 47.62x
Aberlady 1 57.80x
Ayton 1 28.25x
Balfron 1 43.48x
Beith 1 8.88x
Cathcart 1 4.73x
Chester St Martin 1 56.50x
Chorlton On Medlock 1 1.05x
Claife 1 105.26x
Cumbrae 1 31.15x
East Kilbride 1 14.33x
Elswick 1 1.67x
Gigha Cara 1 151.52x
Greenock Newor Middle 1 285.71x
Hockworthy 1 188.68x
Horninglow 1 12.47x
Kensington London 1 0.36x
Kilbrandon Kilchattan 1 2500.00x
Kilmalcolm 1 21.37x
Kilmarnock 1 2.23x
Kilmory 1 22.47x
Kingarth 1 45.45x
Kinning Park 1 434.78x
Knapdale North 1 62.50x
Marykirk 1 39.53x
Old Kilpatrick 1 6.25x
Paisley Low Church 1 8.08x
Paisley Middle Church 1 4.40x
South Petherwin 1 69.93x
St Saviour 1 12.11x
Sutton On Forest 1 101.01x
Taunton St Mary 1 6.71x
Wakefield 1 2.61x
Whitehaven 1 4.32x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 5
Margaret 4
Elizabeth 3
Ellen 2
Janet 2
Alice 1
Amelia 1
Annie 1
Barbara 1
Bessie 1
Elizth. 1
France.J. 1
Josepha 1
Kate 1
Margt. 1
Rosann 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 9
John 6
William 5
Henry 3
Neil 3
Jas. 2
Alexander 1
Alfred 1
Archibald 1
Charles 1
George 1
Patrick 1
Richard 1
Samuel 1
Wm. 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Blue households.

FAQ

Blue surname: questions and answers

How common was the Blue surname in 1881?

In 1881, 516 people were recorded with the Blue surname. That placed it at #6,607 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Blue surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 758 in 2016. That gives Blue a modern rank of #7,224.

What does the Blue surname mean?

A descriptive surname likely referring to someone with blue eyes, blue clothing, or a connection to the color blue.

What does the Blue map show?

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