Blakely
A surname usually understood as local in origin, especially from Blackley near Manchester, though some writers also connect it with Blake-ney or with a descriptive “black” element.
The #3,077 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 26,459 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Most historical sources treat Blakely as a locational surname. It is commonly taken from Blackley, a township in the old parish of Manchester, with the place-name based on Old English elements meaning “black” plus “woodland clearing” or a related topographic term. Some older writers also linked it to Blake-ney/Blakeney-type names, so the form may reflect more than one local source in different families.
History
The name appears in English and Scottish surname lists, and 19th-century writers note it as a recognized variant beside Blackley, Blakeley, and Blakeney. In some cases the spelling was influenced by pronunciation, especially where Blackley was commonly spoken as “Blakeley.” The surname later spread to North America and remains relatively uncommon in the United States.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
One 19th-century source explicitly notes that Blackley was often pronounced “Blakeley,” which helps explain the surname’s spelling drift.
From the historical record
“Blackley, Blakeley, Bleaok- ley, Bleckly, Blakely, Bleak- ley.— (i) Local, *of Blackley' ^usually pronounced Blakeley), a township in the old parish of Manchester, (a) Local, * of Blake- ney/ q.v. This corruption was an”
— A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames (alternate scan)