NameCensus.

UK surname

Bluff

A geographical surname indicating the bearer lived on or near a bluff.

In the 1881 census there were 89 people recorded with the Bluff surname, ranking it #21,091 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 308, ranked #14,479, up from #21,091 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rickmansworth, Bolsover and Sheffield. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bolsover, Huntingdonshire and Barnsley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bluff is 308 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 246.1%.

1881 census count

89

Ranked #21,091

Modern count

308

2016, ranked #14,479

Peak year

2016

308 bearers

Map years

6

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bluff had 89 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #21,091 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 308 in 2016, ranked #14,479.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 183 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Bluff surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bluff surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bluff 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 72 #20,720
1861 historical 79 #23,702
1881 historical 89 #21,091
1891 historical 114 #22,006
1901 historical 150 #18,075
1911 historical 183 #15,811
1997 modern 301 #13,492
1998 modern 299 #13,908
1999 modern 295 #14,108
2000 modern 303 #13,829
2001 modern 302 #13,668
2002 modern 295 #14,146
2003 modern 286 #14,259
2004 modern 279 #14,578
2005 modern 282 #14,368
2006 modern 283 #14,432
2007 modern 278 #14,773
2008 modern 282 #14,748
2009 modern 289 #14,809
2010 modern 297 #14,841
2011 modern 303 #14,506
2012 modern 291 #14,806
2013 modern 300 #14,744
2014 modern 306 #14,647
2015 modern 301 #14,727
2016 modern 308 #14,479

Geography

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Where Bluffs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rickmansworth, Bolsover, Sheffield, Manchester and Leighton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bolsover, Huntingdonshire and Barnsley. 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 Rickmansworth Hertfordshire
2 Bolsover Derbyshire
3 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Manchester Cheshire
5 Leighton Huntingdonshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bolsover 004 Bolsover
2 Bolsover 005 Bolsover
3 Huntingdonshire 006 Huntingdonshire
4 Barnsley 025 Barnsley
5 Bolsover 002 Bolsover

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bluff

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bluff

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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Bluff surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Bluff household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Bluff 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

Bluff is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Bluff falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Bluff is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Bluff

The surname BLUFF is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "bluff," which referred to a steep cliff, promontory, or headland. This name was likely given to someone who lived near such a geographical feature or in a place with a corresponding name.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname BLUFF can be found in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, which list a Hugo de la Bluffe in Oxfordshire. This suggests that the name was already in use by the 13th century, with variations in spelling occurring over time.

In the 14th century, the surname appears in various forms, such as Blyff, Blyffe, and Blyve, in records from Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Suffolk. These variations reflect the regional dialects and pronunciations of the time.

The BLUFF surname is also associated with several place names in England, such as Bluff Head in Dorset and Bluff Cove in Cornwall. These locations may have given rise to the surname or been named after individuals bearing the name.

Notable individuals with the surname BLUFF include:

1. Sir John Bluff (c. 1598-1677), an English politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for Ipswich. 2. Walter Bluff (c. 1620-1690), an English religious leader and author who served as the Dean of Ely Cathedral. 3. Mary Bluff (c. 1650-1720), an English businesswoman and entrepreneur who owned a successful inn and brewery in London. 4. Thomas Bluff (1688-1762), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Master of University College, Oxford. 5. Elizabeth Bluff (1726-1808), an English painter and illustrator known for her botanical drawings and watercolors.

The BLUFF surname has been present in various regions of England for centuries, with its origins rooted in the Old English language and the country's diverse geography. While the name has evolved over time, it continues to be a part of the rich tapestry of English surnames.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bluff families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bluff 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. Middlesex leads with 19 Bluffs recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.19x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 19 2.19x
Lancashire 17 1.65x
Yorkshire 14 1.63x
Derbyshire 11 8.10x
Hertfordshire 8 13.37x
Lincolnshire 7 5.04x
Northamptonshire 7 8.57x
Huntingdonshire 6 34.82x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Attercliffe Cum Darnall in Yorkshire leads with 13 Bluffs recorded in 1881 and an index of 162.30x.

Place Total Index
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 13 162.30x
Rickmansworth 8 484.85x
Hammersmith London 7 32.74x
Manchester 7 15.11x
Levenshulme 6 566.04x
Market Deeping 6 1666.67x
St Pancras London 6 8.59x
Stamford Baron St Martin 5 1136.36x
Staveley 5 207.47x
Unstone 5 943.40x
Colne 3 3000.00x
Islington London 3 3.57x
Tottenham 3 21.71x
Leighton 2 2000.00x
Peterborough 2 33.84x
Reddish 2 140.85x
Bluntisham 1 312.50x
Kimberworth 1 20.96x
Salford 1 3.30x
Spalding 1 36.36x
Stapenhill 1 49.51x
Warrington 1 8.19x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 8
Elizabeth 4
Martha 4
Annie 3
Emma 3
Ann 2
Eliza 2
Fanny 2
Jane 2
Ada 1
Elizth 1
Ellen 1
Emily 1
Flora 1
Florance 1
Florence 1
Frances 1
Jennie 1
Katie 1
Lillian 1
Margaret 1
Maud 1
Rosa 1
Rosetta 1
Sarah 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Bluff surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bluff surname in 1881?

In 1881, 89 people were recorded with the Bluff surname. That placed it at #21,091 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bluff surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 308 in 2016. That gives Bluff a modern rank of #14,479.

What does the Bluff surname mean?

A geographical surname indicating the bearer lived on or near a bluff.

What does the Bluff map show?

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