NameCensus.

UK surname

Blythe

A surname of English origin referring to a person with a happy, cheerful, or pleasant demeanor.

In the 1881 census there were 2,277 people recorded with the Blythe surname, ranking it #1,963 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,459, ranked #1,964, down from #1,963 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Gateshead and Sheffield. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Dover, Carlisle and East Lindsey.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Blythe is 3,583 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 51.9%.

1881 census count

2,277

Ranked #1,963

Modern count

3,459

2016, ranked #1,964

Peak year

1998

3,583 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Blythe had 2,277 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,963 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,459 in 2016, ranked #1,964.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,065 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Blythe surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Blythe surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Blythe 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 1,301 #2,204
1861 historical 1,489 #1,897
1881 historical 2,277 #1,963
1891 historical 2,497 #1,895
1901 historical 3,014 #1,857
1911 historical 3,065 #1,696
1997 modern 3,489 #1,858
1998 modern 3,583 #1,888
1999 modern 3,541 #1,919
2000 modern 3,529 #1,924
2001 modern 3,462 #1,918
2002 modern 3,562 #1,904
2003 modern 3,437 #1,925
2004 modern 3,411 #1,938
2005 modern 3,355 #1,944
2006 modern 3,341 #1,955
2007 modern 3,335 #1,979
2008 modern 3,377 #1,972
2009 modern 3,456 #1,975
2010 modern 3,557 #1,955
2011 modern 3,508 #1,957
2012 modern 3,441 #1,959
2013 modern 3,510 #1,959
2014 modern 3,524 #1,959
2015 modern 3,476 #1,962
2016 modern 3,459 #1,964

Geography

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Where Blythes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Gateshead, Sheffield, Coventry Holy Trinity (incl. Radford), Coventry St Michael, Wyken and Mansfield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Dover, Carlisle, East Lindsey, North Tyneside and Sunderland. 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 London parishes London 3
2 Gateshead Durham
3 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Coventry Holy Trinity (incl. Radford), Coventry St Michael, Wyken Warwickshire
5 Mansfield Nottinghamshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Dover 011 Dover
2 Carlisle 009 Carlisle
3 East Lindsey 003 East Lindsey
4 North Tyneside 027 North Tyneside
5 Sunderland 009 Sunderland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Blythe

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Blythe

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

Blythe is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Blythe falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Blythe

The surname Blythe originated in England and is derived from the Old English word "blyth" meaning "blissful" or "joyful." It was initially a descriptive surname given to someone with a cheerful or happy demeanor.

The name can be traced back to the 13th century, with early recordings including Richard le Blithe in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1273 and John Blythe mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire in 1301.

Blythe was also used as a place name, referring to locations with pleasant or joyful surroundings. One such example is the village of Blyth in Northumberland, recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as "Blida."

In the 14th century, the surname appeared in various spellings, such as Blythe, Blithe, and Blith, reflecting the changes in pronunciation and spelling conventions over time.

Notable individuals with the surname Blythe throughout history include:

1. Samuel Blythe (1753-1835), an American Revolutionary War soldier and early settler in Tennessee. 2. Geoffrey Blythe (c. 1280-1348), an English clergyman and author who wrote the "Venerable Life of Christ." 3. James Blythe (1765-1842), a Scottish-born American merchant and politician who served as the 24th Governor of South Carolina. 4. Benjamin Blythe (1819-1905), an English cricketer who played for Surrey and represented the English national team. 5. Samuel Blythe (1868-1939), an American author and journalist known for his works "The Jackpot" and "The Widow's Might."

While the name Blythe continues to be used today, its historical roots can be traced back to its Old English origins, reflecting the joyful and pleasant connotations associated with this surname.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Blythe families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Blythe 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. Yorkshire leads with 366 Blythes recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.66x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 366 1.66x
Middlesex 206 0.93x
Norfolk 172 5.04x
Lancashire 142 0.54x
Warwickshire 137 2.45x
Cheshire 134 2.74x
Nottinghamshire 114 3.81x
Northumberland 104 3.15x
Lincolnshire 102 2.87x
Surrey 81 0.75x
Durham 78 1.18x
Kent 59 0.78x
Derbyshire 53 1.53x
Suffolk 39 1.44x
Essex 38 0.87x
Cornwall 29 1.15x
Roxburghshire 29 7.21x
Cumberland 28 1.47x
Leicestershire 28 1.14x
Sussex 26 0.69x
Ayrshire 24 1.45x
Hampshire 20 0.44x
Lanarkshire 20 0.28x
Devon 19 0.41x
Fife 16 1.22x
Midlothian 13 0.44x
Northamptonshire 13 0.62x
Worcestershire 12 0.41x
Angus 10 0.49x
Montgomeryshire 10 1.97x
Staffordshire 10 0.13x
Westmorland 10 2.05x
Berwickshire 9 3.35x
Brecknockshire 9 2.03x
Dumfriesshire 9 1.84x
Gloucestershire 9 0.21x
Rutland 9 5.52x
Hertfordshire 8 0.52x
Shropshire 8 0.42x
Bedfordshire 7 0.61x
Berkshire 7 0.42x
East Lothian 6 2.04x
Kirkcudbrightshire 6 1.87x
Selkirkshire 6 2.99x
Denbighshire 5 0.60x
Flintshire 5 0.84x
Kincardineshire 4 1.48x
Cambridgeshire 3 0.21x
Perthshire 3 0.30x
Renfrewshire 3 0.17x
Buckinghamshire 2 0.15x
Glamorgan 2 0.05x
Royal Navy 2 0.76x
Somerset 2 0.06x
Stirlingshire 2 0.24x
West Lothian 2 0.60x
Dorset 1 0.07x
Dunbartonshire 1 0.17x
Herefordshire 1 0.11x
Kinross-shire 1 1.78x
Wiltshire 1 0.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Brightside Bierlow in Yorkshire leads with 50 Blythes recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.59x.

Place Total Index
Brightside Bierlow 50 11.59x
Bermondsey 36 5.45x
Birmingham 36 1.93x
Aston 31 2.01x
Cromer 28 230.83x
Nottingham St Mary 28 3.62x
Selby 28 60.92x
St Pancras London 27 1.51x
Headingley Cum Burley 25 17.66x
Birkenhead 23 5.89x
Oldham 23 2.71x
Horsham St Faith 22 385.96x
Bethnal Green London 20 2.07x
Mansfield 20 19.32x
Westoe 19 5.08x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 18 8.79x
Buckland In Dover 18 71.74x
Toxteth Park 17 1.91x
Hoole 16 86.39x
Alvanley 15 602.41x
Deptford St Paul 15 2.57x
Hawes 15 104.31x
Hutton Cranswick 15 162.16x
Islington London 15 0.70x
Skegby 15 81.88x
Alfreton 14 13.26x
Coventry Holy Trinity 14 8.38x
Derby St Werburgh 14 6.98x
Marsh Chapel 14 320.37x
Alnmouth 13 320.20x
Bridlington 13 25.82x
Lambeth 13 0.67x
Marsham 13 308.79x
Stoke Newington London 13 7.52x
Tottenham 13 3.68x
Great Grimsby 12 5.33x
Micklefield 12 227.27x
Horton In Bradford 11 3.20x
Leeds 11 0.89x
Radford 11 7.24x
St George Hanover Square 11 2.81x
St George Martyr London 11 24.47x
Binbrooke 10 113.12x
Camberwell 10 0.71x
Claughton With Grange 10 44.82x
Elswick 10 3.79x
Hunslet 10 2.92x
Newchurch 10 4.64x
Sancton Houghton 10 355.87x
Shipley 10 8.76x
St Thomas Apostle 10 129.20x
Sutton In Ashfield 10 15.41x
Birtley 9 33.41x
Coventry St Michael 9 5.01x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 9 0.75x
Heanor 9 17.32x
Heworth 9 6.92x
Largs 9 23.00x
Lewisham 9 2.23x
Llanafan Fawr 9 183.30x
Melrose 9 25.90x
Newcastle On Tyne St 9 5.26x
Norham 9 122.78x
Norwich St Martin At Oak 9 43.37x
Norwich St Paul 9 44.05x
Ryhall 9 166.05x
St Cuthbert W O 9 9.66x
Wramplingham 9 642.86x
Yetholm 9 113.35x
Alnwick 8 14.09x
Ashton Under Lyne 8 1.39x
Bow London 8 2.83x
Brighton 8 1.06x
Camborne 8 7.73x
Great Yarmouth 8 2.83x
Horncastle 8 21.85x
Little Waldingfield 8 253.16x
Llanidloes 8 21.23x
St Gilesin Fields London 8 42.60x
Stevenston 8 18.48x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 151
Elizabeth 98
Sarah 80
Jane 45
Ann 44
Alice 36
Eliza 32
Ellen 30
Emma 24
Annie 23
Margaret 23
Martha 22
Hannah 21
Emily 20
Edith 17
Harriet 17
Florence 14
Frances 14
Maria 11
Susan 11
Caroline 10
Fanny 10
Isabella 10
Kate 10
Susannah 10
Eleanor 9
Ada 8
Agnes 8
Catherine 8
Charlotte 8
Lucy 8
Clara 7
Harriett 7
Anne 6
Louisa 6
Minnie 6
Rebecca 6
Rose 6
Amy 5
Betsy 5
Jessie 5
Lizzie 5
Sophia 5
Amelia 4
Bessie 4
Ethel 4
Adelaide 3
Margt. 3
Matilda 3
Phoebe 3

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 127
William 124
George 76
Thomas 58
Charles 47
James 45
Joseph 44
Henry 43
Edward 32
Robert 32
Walter 32
Alfred 23
Samuel 19
Frederick 17
Arthur 15
Richard 13
Albert 11
Benjamin 11
David 11
Edwin 9
Harry 9
Herbert 9
Matthew 9
Francis 8
Ernest 6
Stephen 6
Fred 5
Joshua 5
Sidney 5
Thos. 5
Willie 5
Wm. 5
Andrew 4
Daniel 4
Edmund 4
Fredk. 4
Fredrick 4
Frank 3
Geo. 3
Michael 3
Tom 3
Augustine 2
Austin 2
Jas. 2
Mark 2
Patrick 2
Peter 2
Philip 2
Solomon 2
Stephan 2

FAQ

Blythe surname: questions and answers

How common was the Blythe surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,277 people were recorded with the Blythe surname. That placed it at #1,963 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Blythe surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,459 in 2016. That gives Blythe a modern rank of #1,964.

What does the Blythe surname mean?

A surname of English origin referring to a person with a happy, cheerful, or pleasant demeanor.

What does the Blythe map show?

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