Find out how popular the last name Balmain is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Balmain.

Balmain, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Balmain surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Balmain in America

Balmain is the 126765th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Balmain surname appeared 135 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Balmain.

We can also compare 2010 data for Balmain to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Balmain

The surname Balmain originated in Scotland, with roots dating back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Gaelic words "baile" meaning village or town, and "mòine" meaning peat or moss, suggesting a connection to a settlement or locality with peaty soil.

Balmain was initially a territorial name associated with lands in the parish of Holywood, near Dumfries, Scotland. The earliest recorded spelling of the name was found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, where it appeared as "Bauemun" and "Bawemun."

In the 14th century, the name Balmain was prominently mentioned in the historical records of the Clan Douglas, one of the most powerful families in Scotland at the time. Sir John Balmain was a distinguished knight who served under Sir James Douglas, also known as the "Black Douglas," during the Scottish Wars of Independence against England.

The Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, does not mention the name Balmain, as it was primarily a Scottish surname. However, there are records of the Balmain family holding lands and possessions in various parts of Scotland throughout the centuries.

One notable figure bearing the Balmain surname was Sir John Balmain (1562-1633), a Scottish politician and diplomat who served as Lord Clerk Register of Scotland and was involved in negotiations with England during the reign of King James VI and I.

Another prominent individual was Sir Michael Balmain (1750-1828), a British naval officer who distinguished himself in several battles during the Napoleonic Wars. He rose to the rank of Admiral and was knighted for his service.

In the literary realm, Bessie Balmain (1888-1975) was a Scottish novelist and short story writer known for her works depicting rural life in the Scottish Borders. Her novel "Nights in a Moorish Harem" gained widespread popularity in the early 20th century.

The Balmain surname has also been associated with various place names, such as Balmain, a suburb of Sydney, Australia, named after William Balmain, a Scottish-born explorer and naval surgeon who lived in the late 18th century.

Other notable individuals with the Balmain surname include Pierre Balmain (1914-1982), a renowned French fashion designer, and Stuart Balmain (1875-1939), a Scottish artist and illustrator known for his depictions of rural life and landscapes.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Balmain

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Balmain.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Balmain was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Balmain has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Balmain was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Balmain, please contact us.

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