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

Bland, 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 Bland surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bland in America

Bland is the 1315th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bland surname appeared 26,722 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 9 people would have the surname Bland.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bland 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 Bland

The surname Bland has its origins in England, emerging in the late 12th century. It is thought to derive from the Old French word "blund", meaning pale or fair-haired. The name likely referred to someone with a light complexion or blonde hair.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1194, where a Richard le Blund is mentioned. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 also list several individuals with the surname Blund or Blunt in various counties across England.

The Domesday Book, compiled in 1086, does not contain any direct references to the surname Bland, as it predates the widespread use of hereditary surnames in England. However, it does include place names that may have influenced the development of the surname, such as Blandford in Dorset.

In the 13th century, the surname appeared in various spellings, including Blund, Blunt, and Blond, reflecting the evolution of the English language. The modern spelling of Bland emerged in the 15th century.

Notable individuals with the surname Bland include:

1. John Bland (c. 1515-1588), an English merchant and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1575.
2. Theodric Bland (1629-1670), an English colonial leader and landowner in Virginia.
3. Richard Bland (1710-1776), an American planter, politician, and scholar, known as one of the most learned men in colonial Virginia.
4. Humphrey Bland (1686-1763), an English mathematician and philosopher, best known for his work on quadratic equations.
5. Robert Bland (1779-1838), an English writer and philosopher, author of the influential work "Collections from the Greek Anthology".

These individuals, spanning several centuries, demonstrate the enduring presence of the Bland surname across various fields, from politics and commerce to academia and literature.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bland

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

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

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

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