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

Blacks, 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 Blacks surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Blacks in America

Blacks is the 86314th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Blacks surname appeared 216 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 Blacks.

We can also compare 2010 data for Blacks 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 Blacks

The surname BLACKS is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "blæc," meaning "black" or "dark-haired." It was initially given as a descriptive nickname to someone with dark hair or a swarthy complexion. This surname emerged in various regions of England during the medieval period.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the BLACKS surname dates back to the 13th century in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire, England, where a person named William le Black was documented. The use of the prefix "le" before the surname was a common practice at the time, indicating the individual's occupation, physical appearance, or place of origin.

In the renowned Domesday Book, a survey of landholdings commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, several individuals with similar surnames such as Blac, Blache, and Blacc are mentioned. These entries suggest the existence of the BLACKS surname or its variations during the Norman era in England.

The BLACKS surname can also be traced back to place names in England, such as Black Torrington in Devon and Black Notley in Essex. These locations likely derived their names from prominent families or landowners with the BLACKS surname, further solidifying the surname's historical roots.

Notable individuals with the BLACKS surname throughout history include:

1. John Blacks (c. 1515-1586), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Warden of Christ's College, Manchester.
2. Thomas Blacks (1615-1692), an English Puritan minister and author known for his work "The Sick Man's Choice."
3. William Blacks (1809-1873), a Scottish landscape painter renowned for his depictions of Scottish scenery.
4. Clementina Black (1853-1922), an English novelist and author of several popular books, including "A Daughter of Heth" and "The Princess Désirée."
5. Archibald Blacks (1920-2008), a Scottish architect and urban planner who significantly influenced the reconstruction of Glasgow's city center after World War II.

The BLACKS surname has endured through the centuries, carrying a rich historical legacy rooted in England's medieval era and beyond. Its origins as a descriptive nickname and association with place names have contributed to its widespread adoption and recognition.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Blacks

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

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

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

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