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

Blackketter, 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 Blackketter surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Blackketter in America

Blackketter is the 73005th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Blackketter surname appeared 266 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 Blackketter.

We can also compare 2010 data for Blackketter 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 Blackketter

The surname Blackketter is believed to have originated in the northern regions of England during the Middle Ages. It is thought to be derived from the Old English words "blæc" meaning "black" and "cæter" meaning "keeper" or "watchman." This suggests that the name may have been given to someone who was responsible for guarding or keeping watch over something, perhaps a property or a gate, and was identified by their dark appearance or clothing.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield, dated 1275, which mentions a "Robert le Blakketere." This spelling variation highlights the evolution of the name over time, as surnames were not standardized until much later.

In the 14th century, the Blackketter name appears in various historical documents, such as the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire in 1379, which lists a "Johannes Blakketere." This suggests that the name had spread and become more established in the region.

During the 16th century, the Blackketter family seems to have been present in the county of Lancashire. The Metcalfe Visitation of Yorkshire, a genealogical survey conducted in 1584, mentions a "William Blackketter of Boulton," indicating the family's roots in the area.

Notable individuals with the Blackketter surname include:

1. John Blackketter (c. 1510 - 1587), a landowner and merchant from Lancashire, known for his involvement in local affairs and charitable contributions.
2. Elizabeth Blackketter (1623 - 1692), a midwife and herbalist from Yorkshire, renowned for her knowledge of traditional medicine and assistance to the local community.
3. Thomas Blackketter (1745 - 1819), a farmer and militiaman from Northumberland, who participated in the American Revolutionary War and later settled in Upper Canada (present-day Ontario).
4. Mary Blackketter (1798 - 1879), a philanthropist and advocate for women's education from Lancashire, who established several schools and provided financial support for underprivileged students.
5. James Blackketter (1867 - 1942), a renowned architect from Yorkshire, known for his designs of numerous public buildings and churches in the region.

The Blackketter surname has also been associated with various place names in England, such as Blackketter Farm in Cumbria and Blackketter Lane in Lancashire, further emphasizing its historical roots and ties to specific locations.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Blackketter

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

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

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

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