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

Blair, 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 Blair surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Blair in America

Blair is the 416th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Blair surname appeared 78,026 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 26 people would have the surname Blair.

We can also compare 2010 data for Blair 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 Blair

The surname Blair is of Scottish origin, derived from the Gaelic word "blar" meaning "field" or "plain." It is thought to have originated as a descriptive name for someone who lived near a field or plain.

The earliest recorded instances of the name date back to the 12th century, with mentions in various Scottish charters and records. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was William de Blair, who was granted lands in Ayrshire, Scotland, in the late 12th century.

The Blair family played a significant role in Scottish history, with several members holding prominent positions. One of the most notable figures was Sir James Blair, who served as a Scottish knight and fought alongside Robert the Bruce during the Wars of Scottish Independence in the early 14th century.

Another notable bearer of the name was Reverend James Blair, who was born in Scotland in 1655 and later became the founder and first president of the College of William and Mary in Virginia, USA. He played a crucial role in the establishment of the college, which is one of the oldest institutions of higher education in America.

The name Blair has also been associated with various place names in Scotland, such as Blair Atholl, Blair Drummond, and Blair Gowrie. These place names are derived from the Gaelic word "blar" and reflect the connection between the surname and the geographical features of the areas where the name originated.

Other notable individuals with the surname Blair include:

1. Eric Blair (1903-1950), better known by his pen name George Orwell, the renowned English novelist and essayist who wrote classics such as "Animal Farm" and "Nineteen Eighty-Four."

2. Tony Blair (born 1953), a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1997 to 2007.

3. Cherie Blair (born 1954), a British barrister and wife of Tony Blair.

4. Dennis Rodman Blair (born 1947), an American former Navy admiral and former Director of National Intelligence.

5. Mary Gilmore Rendlesham Blair (1911-1978), an American artist and illustrator best known for her children's book illustrations, including for the "Lionni" series.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Blair

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

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

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

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