NameCensus.

UK surname

Blundy

A nickname or locative surname derived from someone with blonde hair or from a location name meaning "blond".

In the 1881 census there were 227 people recorded with the Blundy surname, ranking it #11,858 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 242, ranked #17,177, down from #11,858 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rainham, London parishes and Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wiltshire, Sheffield and Newark and Sherwood.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Blundy is 299 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 6.6%.

1881 census count

227

Ranked #11,858

Modern count

242

2016, ranked #17,177

Peak year

1911

299 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Blundy had 227 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,858 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 242 in 2016, ranked #17,177.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 299 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Blundy surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Blundy surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Blundy 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 156 #12,552
1861 historical 145 #15,715
1881 historical 227 #11,858
1891 historical 232 #13,429
1901 historical 283 #12,117
1911 historical 299 #11,475
1997 modern 281 #14,110
1998 modern 289 #14,208
1999 modern 280 #14,630
2000 modern 272 #14,868
2001 modern 261 #15,066
2002 modern 268 #15,081
2003 modern 257 #15,341
2004 modern 254 #15,540
2005 modern 241 #16,036
2006 modern 237 #16,334
2007 modern 242 #16,296
2008 modern 239 #16,583
2009 modern 243 #16,742
2010 modern 240 #17,230
2011 modern 246 #16,833
2012 modern 244 #16,793
2013 modern 247 #16,935
2014 modern 245 #17,140
2015 modern 241 #17,235
2016 modern 242 #17,177

Geography

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Where Blundys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rainham, London parishes, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Tidcombe and Burbage. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wiltshire, Sheffield, Newark and Sherwood, South Kesteven and Vale of White Horse. 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 Rainham Kent
2 London parishes London 3
3 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
4 Tidcombe Berkshire
5 Burbage Wiltshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wiltshire 029 Wiltshire
2 Sheffield 049 Sheffield
3 Newark and Sherwood 004 Newark and Sherwood
4 South Kesteven 010 South Kesteven
5 Vale of White Horse 009 Vale of White Horse

Forenames

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First names often paired with Blundy

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Blundy

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Blundy, 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 Blundy surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Blundy 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, Blundy 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

Blundy is most concentrated in decile 3 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Blundy falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Blundy

The surname Blundy has its origins in England, where it first emerged during the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "blund" or "blunt," which referred to someone with a rounded or blunt appearance. This may have been a descriptive nickname initially bestowed upon an ancestor with distinctive physical features.

The earliest recorded instances of the Blundy name can be traced back to the 13th century in various county records and tax rolls. One notable mention is found in the Hundred Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1273, which lists a certain Richard Blundy as a resident of the area.

In the 14th century, variations of the name started appearing in other parts of England. The Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327 mention a John Blondy, while the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire from 1348 record a William Blundy.

During the 15th and 16th centuries, the name continued to be recorded in various historical documents, including parish registers and wills. One example is the will of Thomas Blundy of Huntingdonshire, dated 1521, which is preserved in the archives of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury.

Notable individuals bearing the Blundy surname throughout history include:

1. Sir John Blundy (c. 1470-1536), an English landowner and Member of Parliament for Gloucestershire in the early 16th century. 2. Richard Blundy (1543-1602), an English clergyman who served as the Archdeacon of Huntingdon from 1591 until his death. 3. Thomas Blundy (1648-1723), a successful merchant and landowner in Gloucestershire, known for his philanthropic efforts in the local community. 4. William Blundy (1776-1839), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars and was awarded the prestigious Naval General Service Medal. 5. Emily Blundy (1859-1944), a pioneering British educator and advocate for women's rights, who founded the Blundy School for Girls in London in the late 19th century.

While the Blundy surname is not among the most common in England, it has persisted over centuries and can be found scattered across various regions, particularly in the counties of Gloucestershire, Worcestershire, and Huntingdonshire, where it has deep historical roots.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Blundy families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Blundy 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. Lincolnshire leads with 58 Blundys recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.38x.

County Total Index
Lincolnshire 58 16.38x
Berkshire 29 17.45x
Hampshire 27 5.95x
Nottinghamshire 27 9.05x
Kent 20 2.65x
Wiltshire 20 10.21x
Middlesex 15 0.68x
Surrey 14 1.30x
Leicestershire 6 2.44x
Yorkshire 5 0.23x
Lancashire 2 0.08x
Warwickshire 2 0.36x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.71x
Midlothian 1 0.34x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Rainham in Kent leads with 20 Blundys recorded in 1881 and an index of 961.54x.

Place Total Index
Rainham 20 961.54x
Tidcombe Fosbury 11 5238.10x
Folkingham 10 2272.73x
Ulceby 10 1162.79x
Brant Broughton 9 1764.71x
Cliddesden 9 3600.00x
Kintbury 9 703.13x
Bermondsey 8 12.14x
Feltham 8 361.99x
Holme 8 8000.00x
North Waltham 8 2580.65x
Radford 7 46.17x
Ashmansworth 6 3750.00x
Burbage 6 600.00x
Inkpen 6 1153.85x
Mountsorrel 6 1363.64x
Gosberton 5 318.47x
Leckhampstead 5 2083.33x
Dry Doddington 4 2352.94x
Haydor 4 1428.57x
Newark Upon Trent 4 37.28x
Speen 4 147.06x
Bromley London 3 6.16x
Doncaster 3 18.71x
Harby 3 1111.11x
Besthorpe 2 1333.33x
Camberwell 2 1.41x
Claypole 2 392.16x
East Molesey 2 80.00x
Ham 2 1333.33x
Lenton 2 28.45x
Shalbourn 2 322.58x
Sheffield 2 2.86x
Surfleet 2 270.27x
Walcott 2 357.14x
Abbotts Ann 1 196.08x
Bethnal Green London 1 1.04x
Caterham 1 20.96x
Chilton Foliat 1 232.56x
Clarborough 1 44.84x
Devizes St Mary 1 50.51x
Dowsby 1 833.33x
Dunchurch 1 131.58x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 1 0.84x
Great Gonerby 1 109.89x
Hacconby 1 322.58x
Hardwick 1 1666.67x
Kensington London 1 0.81x
Lambeth 1 0.52x
Lavington 1 833.33x
Newbury 1 18.80x
Newnham Regis 1 1111.11x
Norwood 1 19.76x
Parson Drove 1 178.57x
Pickworth 1 588.24x
Portsea 1 1.12x
Preston 1 1.42x
Skirbeck 1 50.51x
Spalding 1 14.22x
St Michael Crooked Lane 1 2000.00x
St Swithin Lincoln 1 17.95x
Tilehurst 1 29.76x
Tottington Lower End 1 8.01x
Vernham Dean 1 222.22x
Whitchurch 1 69.44x
Wragby 1 256.41x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 16
Martha 10
Sarah 10
Ann 8
Elizabeth 7
Jane 7
Harriet 6
Eliza 5
Emily 3
Fanny 3
Alice 2
Emma 2
Hannah 2
Julia 2
Kate 2
Rebecca 2
Ada 1
Anne 1
Annie 1
Caroline 1
Catherine 1
Charlotte 1
Cordelia 1
Ellen 1
Florence 1
Georgenia 1
Harriett 1
Lucy 1
Margaret 1
Maria 1
Marianne 1
Matilda 1
Milicent 1
Rhoda 1
Rose 1
Rossa 1
Ruth 1
Selina 1
Sufire 1
Thirza 1
Vieletta 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 18
Charles 15
George 15
John 10
Thomas 8
Henry 7
James 6
Herbert 4
Samuel 4
Edward 3
Jonas 3
Frederick 2
Richard 2
Robert 2
Abram 1
Albert 1
Alfred 1
Clarrene 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Jesse 1
Jno. 1
Joshua 1
Laurence 1
Major 1
Roland 1
Seymour 1
Stephen 1
Thos. 1

FAQ

Blundy surname: questions and answers

How common was the Blundy surname in 1881?

In 1881, 227 people were recorded with the Blundy surname. That placed it at #11,858 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Blundy surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 242 in 2016. That gives Blundy a modern rank of #17,177.

What does the Blundy surname mean?

A nickname or locative surname derived from someone with blonde hair or from a location name meaning "blond".

What does the Blundy map show?

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