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

Bleakney, 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 Bleakney surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bleakney in America

Bleakney is the 54637th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bleakney surname appeared 377 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 Bleakney.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bleakney 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 Bleakney

The surname Bleakney originated in the Scottish Lowlands during the Middle Ages. It is believed to be a locational name derived from the lands of Blaiken or Blaiquhanne in Renfrewshire. The name likely evolved from the Gaelic words "blár" meaning "field" and "ceann" meaning "head" or "end," potentially referring to a settlement situated at the end of a field or clearing.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which list a John de Blaykeny swearing fealty to King Edward I of England. This suggests that the Bleakney family had already established itself in Scotland by the late 13th century.

In the 16th century, the Bleakney name appeared in the records of the Burgh of Prestwick, where a Robert Bleikney is mentioned as a burgess in 1575. This indicates that the family had gained a degree of prominence and status within the local community.

During the 17th century, the Bleakney family extended their influence to Ulster, Ireland, as part of the Plantation of Ulster. One notable figure from this period was John Bleakney, a Presbyterian minister who served as the rector of Ahoghill Parish in County Antrim from 1662 until his death in 1688.

In the 18th century, the Bleakney name gained further recognition with the birth of Samuel Bleakney (1733-1805), a prominent merchant and landowner in County Antrim. He was instrumental in the development of the linen industry in Ulster and served as a Justice of the Peace.

Another notable individual was Thomas Bleakney (1792-1862), a distinguished Irish mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the study of the orbit of Halley's Comet. He served as the Astronomer Royal of Ireland from 1828 until his death.

In the 19th century, the Bleakney family continued to make its mark, with individuals such as James Bleakney (1822-1897), a successful industrialist and philanthropist who funded the construction of several churches and schools in County Antrim.

While the Bleakney surname has its roots in Scotland, it has since spread to various parts of the world, including North America, where many descendants of the original Scottish and Ulster families have settled.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bleakney

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

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

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

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