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

Balman, 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 Balman surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Balman in America

Balman is the 101737th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Balman surname appeared 177 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 Balman.

We can also compare 2010 data for Balman 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 Balman

The surname Balman has its origins in England, dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have originated from the Old English words "bæl" meaning "blazing fire" and "mann" meaning "man," potentially referring to a person who worked as a charcoal burner or a blacksmith.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Balman can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex, England, in 1296, where a person named John Baleman is mentioned. This suggests that the name was already well-established in that region by the late 13th century.

In the 14th century, the Balman surname appeared in various records, including the Hundred Rolls of Norfolk in 1275, where a person named Roger Baleman is listed. The Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327 also mention a William Baleman.

The name Balman has undergone several spelling variations over the centuries, including Balmain, Balmayne, and Baulman, reflecting regional dialects and scribal interpretations.

Historically, the Balman surname has been associated with a few notable individuals. One example is Sir William Balman, a prominent knight who lived in the 15th century and was known for his military service during the War of the Roses.

Another notable figure is John Balman, a merchant and alderman of London in the 16th century, who played a significant role in the city's trade and governance during the reign of Elizabeth I.

In the 17th century, the Balman family established themselves in various parts of England, with records showing individuals bearing the name in counties such as Somerset, Gloucestershire, and Wiltshire.

One interesting figure from this period is Edward Balman, born in 1645, who was a renowned clockmaker and inventor based in London. He is credited with several innovations in timekeeping and is widely regarded as a pioneer in the field of horology.

During the 18th century, the Balman surname continued to spread across England, with some members of the family migrating to other parts of the British Isles and eventually to the American colonies.

A notable Balman from this era was Thomas Balman, born in 1712, who was a prominent landowner and magistrate in Gloucestershire. He was known for his involvement in local politics and his advocacy for agricultural reforms.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Balman

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

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 Balman 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 Balman 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 Balman was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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