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

Bleigh, 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 Bleigh surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bleigh in America

Bleigh is the 85357th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bleigh surname appeared 219 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 Bleigh.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bleigh 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 Bleigh

The surname Bleigh is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the 14th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "blæc," meaning "pale" or "white," often used to describe someone with fair complexion or light-colored hair.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1379, where a certain Willelmus Bleygh is mentioned as a landowner. This suggests that the name had already been established in the region by that time.

In the 15th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as Bleygh, Blyghe, and Bleyghe, reflecting the fluid nature of spelling conventions during that era. One notable individual bearing this name was John Bleyghe, a merchant from Bristol, who was recorded in the city's guild records in 1478.

The surname Bleigh is also linked to several place names in England, particularly in the counties of Yorkshire and Derbyshire. For instance, the village of Bleakhey in Derbyshire is thought to have influenced the spelling of the name in that region.

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was Thomas Bleigh, born in 1542 in Yorkshire. He was a renowned scholar and mathematician, known for his contributions to the field of navigation and his work on the calculation of longitude.

Another notable figure was Sir William Bleigh, born in 1607 in Derbyshire. He was a military commander who served in the English Civil War and played a pivotal role in the defence of Newark during the Siege of Newark in 1643-1646.

In the 18th century, the name gained prominence with the explorer and naval officer William Bligh, born in 1754 in Plymouth. He is best known for his role in the infamous mutiny on the HMS Bounty in 1789, which led to his remarkable open-boat journey across the Pacific Ocean.

The 19th century saw the emergence of Sir John Bleigh, born in 1823 in Yorkshire. He was a prominent industrialist and philanthropist, responsible for establishing several factories and contributing significantly to the local economy and community.

Finally, one cannot overlook the legacy of Mary Bleigh, born in 1875 in Derbyshire. She was a pioneering feminist and social reformer who dedicated her life to advocating for women's rights and improving the living conditions of the working class.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bleigh

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

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

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

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