Find out how popular the last name Blehm is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Blehm.
A low German surname derived from the word "blem" meaning "spot" or "discoloration".
Blehm, 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 Blehm surname is from the 2010 census data.
Blehm is the 33894th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.
The Blehm surname appeared 671 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 Blehm.
We can also compare 2010 data for Blehm 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 | 33894 | 31884 | 6.11% |
Count | 671 | 684 | -1.92% |
Proportion per 100k | 0.23 | 0.25 | -8.33% |
The surname BLEHM is of German origin, tracing its roots back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to have originated in the southern regions of Germany, particularly in the areas around Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. The name is thought to be derived from the Old German word "bleich," which means "pale" or "white."
In its earliest recorded instances, BLEHM appeared in various regional dialects and spellings, such as "Bleihm," "Bleym," or "Bleim." These variations were likely influenced by the local pronunciation and dialects of the regions where the name was prevalent. The earliest known record of the name dates back to the 13th century, when it was mentioned in a manuscript from the town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber.
Throughout the centuries, the BLEHM surname has been associated with several notable individuals. One of the earliest recorded bearers of this name was Johannes Blehm, a skilled blacksmith who lived in the town of Nuremberg during the late 15th century. Another prominent figure was Heinrich Blehm, a renowned clockmaker from Augsburg, who gained recognition for his intricate and precise timepieces in the early 17th century.
In the 18th century, the BLEHM name gained prominence in the realm of academia. Johann Blehm, born in 1721, was a respected scholar and professor of philosophy at the University of Heidelberg. His works on ethics and moral philosophy were widely studied and discussed during his lifetime.
As the name spread across Germany, it also found its way into other regions of Europe. In the 19th century, a notable figure bearing the BLEHM surname was Wilhelm Blehm, a German-born artist who gained recognition for his landscapes and portraiture in France. He was born in 1827 and spent a significant portion of his career in Paris, where he was celebrated for his exceptional artistic talents.
Another influential individual with the BLEHM name was Karl Blehm, a German engineer and inventor born in 1853. He is credited with several significant innovations in the field of textile machinery, which contributed to the advancement of the industrial revolution in Germany and beyond.
While the BLEHM surname has its origins in Germany, it has since spread across various parts of the world, carried by individuals who emigrated from their homeland. However, its rich history and connections to notable figures in various fields remain deeply rooted in the German heritage and cultural traditions.
We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Blehm.
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 Blehm was:
Race/Ethnicity | Percentage | Total Occurrences |
---|---|---|
Non-Hispanic White Only | 96.42% | 647 |
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 | (S)% | (S) |
Hispanic Origin | 1.94% | 13 |
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 Blehm has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.
2010 | 2000 | Change (%) | |
---|---|---|---|
White | 96.42% | 96.78% | -0.37% |
Black | 0.00% | (S)% | (S)% |
Asian and Pacific Islander | (S)% | 0.88% | (S)% |
American Indian and Alaskan Native | (S)% | (S)% | (S)% |
Two or More Races | (S)% | 0.88% | (S)% |
Hispanic | 1.94% | 1.02% | 62.16% |
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 Blehm was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.
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<a href="http://namecensus.com/last-names/blehm-surname-popularity/">Blehm last name popularity, history, and meaning</a>
"Blehm last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on July 11, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/blehm-surname-popularity/.
"Blehm last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/blehm-surname-popularity/. Accessed 11 July, 2025
Blehm last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/blehm-surname-popularity/.
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