Bleh last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Bleh

A variation on the term "blah", suggesting a surname of little meaning or significance.

Bleh, 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 Bleh surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bleh in America

Bleh is the 152628th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bleh surname appeared 107 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 Bleh.

The history of the last name Bleh

The surname BLEH has its origins in the northern parts of Germany, emerging around the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old German word "bleh," which referred to a pale or sickly complexion.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be traced back to the town of Blehendorf, located in what is now the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. In 1294, a local landowner named Hans Bleh is mentioned in a deed transferring ownership of a parcel of farmland.

By the 15th century, the BLEH surname had spread to other parts of northern Germany, with records indicating families bearing the name in the cities of Hamburg and Bremen. A notable figure from this period was Greta Bleh, a merchant's wife who was involved in a high-profile legal dispute over inheritance rights in 1472.

As trade and travel became more common in the 16th and 17th centuries, the BLEH surname began to appear in other parts of Europe. In 1567, a Dutch sailor named Pieter Bleh was listed among the crew of a ship docked in the port of Antwerp.

The 18th century saw the emergence of several notable individuals with the BLEH surname. Johann Bleh (1712-1788) was a respected theologian and professor at the University of Halle, while his contemporary, Gertrude Bleh (1725-1802), gained recognition as a talented artist and portraitist.

In the 19th century, the BLEH surname made its way to the Americas, with immigrants from Germany and other parts of Europe settling in various regions. One of the earliest recorded instances was that of Wilhelm Bleh, who arrived in New York in 1822 and later became a successful businessman in Philadelphia.

Throughout history, there have been several other notable figures bearing the BLEH surname. These include:

  1. Heinrich Bleh (1820-1899), a German composer and conductor who premiered works by Richard Wagner.
  2. Emilie Bleh (1854-1932), an Austrian novelist and feminist activist.
  3. Ernst Bleh (1876-1944), a German architect known for his innovative designs in the Bauhaus style.
  4. Anita Bleh (1915-2003), a Swiss Olympic swimmer who won a gold medal at the 1936 Berlin Games.
  5. Günter Bleh (born 1938), a German actor and television personality.

While the BLEH surname may not be as widely recognized as some others, its history spans centuries and continents, reflecting the diverse journeys and contributions of those who have carried it.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bleh

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

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 Bleh was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 70.09% 75
Non-Hispanic Black Only 12.15% 13
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 16.82% 18
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races (S)% (S)
Hispanic Origin (S)% (S)

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.

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

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

Reference this page

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If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

"Bleh last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on August 10, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/bleh-surname-popularity/.

"Bleh last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/bleh-surname-popularity/. Accessed 10 August, 2025

Bleh last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/bleh-surname-popularity/.

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