Find out how popular the last name Bleak is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Bleak.
A surname denoting someone who lived near a bleak or bare area.
Bleak, 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 Bleak surname is from the 2010 census data.
Bleak is the 52169th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.
The Bleak surname appeared 398 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 Bleak.
We can also compare 2010 data for Bleak 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 | 52169 | 54385 | -4.16% |
Count | 398 | 355 | 11.42% |
Proportion per 100k | 0.13 | 0.13 | 0.00% |
The surname Bleak is believed to have originated in England, with its roots tracing back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old English word "blæc," which means pale or light in color, often referring to a person's complexion or hair color. The name may have been initially used as a nickname or a descriptive term for someone with a pale or fair appearance.
The earliest known record of the Bleak surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landholdings and population records compiled during the reign of William the Conqueror. This suggests that the name was already in use by the 11th century.
In the 13th century, the surname appeared in various historical documents, including the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which recorded the names of landowners and tenants across different counties in England. One notable entry from this period was that of William Blek, who held land in Buckinghamshire.
During the 14th and 15th centuries, the surname underwent various spelling variations, such as Bleke, Blake, and Bleake. These variations were common due to the lack of standardized spelling conventions at the time.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the Bleak surname was John Bleke, who was born around 1350 and served as a member of the Parliament of England, representing the county of Kent in the late 14th century.
Another notable figure was Sir Walter Bleak, a prominent English knight who lived during the 15th century. He was known for his military service and played a significant role in the Wars of the Roses, supporting the House of Lancaster.
In the 16th century, the Bleak surname was associated with several notable individuals, including William Bleak, a merchant and alderman in the city of London, who was born in 1520 and served as Sheriff of London in 1567.
During the 17th century, the Bleak surname gained prominence in various fields. One notable individual was Robert Bleak, born in 1635, who was a renowned architect and contributed to the rebuilding efforts in London after the Great Fire of 1666.
In the 18th century, the Bleak surname continued to be well-represented in various professions. One notable figure was Elizabeth Bleak, born in 1742, who was a celebrated writer and poet known for her poignant works on nature and the human condition.
As the surname spread across different regions of England and later to other parts of the British Isles, it became associated with various place names and locations, further contributing to its historical significance.
We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Bleak.
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 Bleak was:
Race/Ethnicity | Percentage | Total Occurrences |
---|---|---|
Non-Hispanic White Only | 94.22% | 375 |
Non-Hispanic Black Only | 0.00% | 0 |
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only | (S)% | (S) |
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native | (S)% | (S) |
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races | 0.00% | 0 |
Hispanic Origin | 4.52% | 18 |
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 Bleak has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.
2010 | 2000 | Change (%) | |
---|---|---|---|
White | 94.22% | 94.37% | -0.16% |
Black | 0.00% | (S)% | (S)% |
Asian and Pacific Islander | (S)% | (S)% | (S)% |
American Indian and Alaskan Native | (S)% | (S)% | (S)% |
Two or More Races | 0.00% | (S)% | (S)% |
Hispanic | 4.52% | 3.66% | 21.03% |
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 Bleak was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.
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