History of your Surname
Get access to Blakely family records.Start a free trial

Blakely Family History

Blakely Name Meaning

English and Scottish: habitational name from Blackley north of Manchester in Lancashire or possibly in some instances from Blackley in Yorkshire from apparently a compound of Old English blæc + lēah ‘black clearing’. Some forms suggest the name may be derived from an unrecorded place in Bury or Prestwich called Blakelaw ‘black hill’ (Old English blæc ‘black’ + hlāw ‘hill’) or that Blackley was also known as Blakelaw. Confusion between -law and -ley is not uncommon. The surname was confused with (and may also be a source of) Blakey . English: habitational name from Blakeley Hall in Witton le Wear (County Durham) from Old English blæc ‘black’ + hlāw ‘hill’. English: habitational name probably from Blakeley in Staffordshire with the same etymology as 1 and 2 above.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: Blakeney, Blake, Blakeway, Lake, Akeley, Gravely, Blakeslee, Blakeley

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Blakely family from?

You can see how Blakely families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Blakely family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Blakely families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 220 Blakely families living in Ontario. This was about 75% of all the recorded Blakely's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Blakely families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Blakely surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Blakely ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Stenographer were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Blakely. 55% of Blakely men worked as a Farmer and 37% of Blakely women worked as a Stenographer. Some less common occupations for Americans named Blakely were Student and Teacher. .

View Census Data for Blakely | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1921

  • Farmer
    55%
  • Labourer
    7%
  • Clerk
    6%
  • Student
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Stenographer
    37%
  • Housekeeper
    28%
  • Housekeeping
    19%
  • Teacher
    19%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Blakely family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 60,000 census records available for the last name Blakely. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Blakely census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Blakely

Passenger Lists

There are 6,000 immigration records available for the last name Blakely. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Canada, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Blakely immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 13,000 military records available for the last name Blakely. For the veterans among your Blakely ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Blakely military records

You've only scratched the surface of Blakely family history

Discover More

What is the average Blakely lifespan?

Between 1945 and 2004, in the United States, Blakely life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1956, and highest in 1999. The average life expectancy for Blakely in 1945 was 35, and 72 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Blakely

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Blakely family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Blakely last name

Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial