Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Blakeney 1230 Pat 1535 VE

• Blakeneye 1265to1409 Pat 1272 Abbr 1286 Ass 1357,1361,1377 Fine 1372 Cl

• Blakenye 1242 Pat

• Blakene 1265,1276,1321 Pat 1376 Ipm 1288 NoLeet

• Blakne 1301 Cl

• Blakenaye 1362,1379 Fine 1377 Cl

• Blakney 1450 Past

• Blackney 1637 Camden

Etymology

This looks like a compound of OE  blæc 'black', weakly inflected, and ēg 'island', i.e. 'the dark-coloured island'. Ekwall reckons with the alternative possibility that the first element is the OE  pers.n. Blaca (v. Redin 44).

The church of Blakeney, known as a sea-mark, also served as a lighthouse. A beacon was at one time installed in a separate stone tower. A convent of Carmelite friars was established in 1296 by a grant from Sir William Roos and his wife. This monastic house was suppressed towards the close of 1538 (v. VH Nf II 425).