Find out how popular the last name Blan is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Blan.
A short French surname derived from the word blanc, meaning white or fair.
Blan, 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 Blan surname is from the 2010 census data.
Blan is the 32485th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.
The Blan surname appeared 708 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 Blan.
We can also compare 2010 data for Blan 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.
2010 | 2000 | Change (%) | |
---|---|---|---|
Rank | 32485 | 31774 | 2.21% |
Count | 708 | 687 | 3.01% |
Proportion per 100k | 0.24 | 0.25 | -4.08% |
The surname BLAN has its origins in France, dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old French word "blan," which means "white" or "blond." This surname was likely initially used as a nickname or descriptive name to identify individuals with fair hair or a pale complexion.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the BLAN surname can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of landowners in England compiled in 1086 by order of William the Conqueror. The name appears in various spellings, such as "Blaun" and "Blawn," reflecting the phonetic variations common during that time.
In the 13th century, a notable figure bearing the BLAN surname was Jean Blan, a French poet and troubadour who lived from around 1230 to 1290. His works provide valuable insights into the literary and cultural traditions of medieval France.
During the Renaissance period, the BLAN surname gained prominence in the arts and literature. One notable bearer was François Blan (c. 1500-1570), a French painter known for his vivid portraits and religious works, which can be found in several European galleries and museums.
In the 17th century, the BLAN surname appeared in various historical records, including parish registers and legal documents. One noteworthy individual was Pierre Blan (1625-1698), a French architect who contributed to the design of several prominent buildings in Paris, including the Hôtel de Ville (City Hall).
Moving into the 18th century, the BLAN surname gained recognition in the field of science and exploration. Jacques Blan (1730-1799) was a French naturalist and explorer who accompanied several expeditions to the Americas, making significant contributions to the study of flora and fauna in the New World.
Throughout history, the BLAN surname has been associated with various place names and locations, often reflecting the migration patterns of families bearing this name. For instance, the village of Blancourt in northern France is believed to have derived its name from the BLAN surname, suggesting the presence of families with this name in the region.
We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Blan.
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:
For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Blan was:
Race/Ethnicity | Percentage | Total Occurrences |
---|---|---|
Non-Hispanic White Only | 67.09% | 475 |
Non-Hispanic Black Only | 12.99% | 92 |
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only | 2.40% | 17 |
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native | 1.84% | 13 |
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races | 1.27% | 9 |
Hispanic Origin | 14.41% | 102 |
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 Blan has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.
2010 | 2000 | Change (%) | |
---|---|---|---|
White | 67.09% | 70.45% | -4.89% |
Black | 12.99% | 9.46% | 31.45% |
Asian and Pacific Islander | 2.40% | 1.31% | 58.76% |
American Indian and Alaskan Native | 1.84% | 0.87% | 71.59% |
Two or More Races | 1.27% | 2.77% | -74.26% |
Hispanic | 14.41% | 15.14% | -4.94% |
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 Blan was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.
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<a href="http://namecensus.com/last-names/blan-surname-popularity/">Blan last name popularity, history, and meaning</a>
"Blan last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on May 17, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/blan-surname-popularity/.
"Blan last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/blan-surname-popularity/. Accessed 17 May, 2025
Blan last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/blan-surname-popularity/.
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