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

Blanchard, 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 Blanchard surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Blanchard in America

Blanchard is the 920th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Blanchard surname appeared 37,695 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 13 people would have the surname Blanchard.

We can also compare 2010 data for Blanchard 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 Blanchard

The surname Blanchard is of French origin, derived from the Old French word "blanchart," which means "white" or "fair-haired." This name likely originated as a descriptive nickname for someone with pale skin or light hair.

The earliest known record of the name Blanchard dates back to the 11th century in Normandy, France. It is believed that the name was first used by the Norman aristocracy, who often adopted descriptive surnames based on physical characteristics or location.

The name Blanchard is mentioned in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. This suggests that the Blanchards were among the Norman settlers who accompanied William to England during the Norman Conquest.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Blanchard can be found in the 12th century, when a knight named Guillaume Blanchard fought alongside Richard the Lionheart during the Third Crusade (1189-1192).

In the 13th century, a prominent French architect named Hugues Blanchard was responsible for the construction of several notable buildings, including the Château de Vincennes and parts of the Louvre in Paris.

During the 15th century, a French military commander named Jean Blanchard played a significant role in the Hundred Years' War between England and France. He was known for his bravery and tactical skills on the battlefield.

Another notable figure with the surname Blanchard was François Blanchard, a French Jesuit missionary who lived in the 17th century. He was sent to the New World and worked among the indigenous populations of Canada and the Great Lakes region.

In the 18th century, Jean-Pierre Blanchard became the first person to cross the English Channel by hot air balloon, accomplishing this feat in 1785 alongside American aviator John Jeffries.

Over the centuries, the name Blanchard has evolved and adopted various spellings, such as Blancherd, Blancharde, and Blaunchard, reflecting regional dialects and language changes. Additionally, the name has been associated with various place names, such as Blanchardville and Blanchard Springs, further contributing to its geographical spread and diversity.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Blanchard

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

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

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

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