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

Blessett, 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 Blessett surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Blessett in America

Blessett is the 132206th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Blessett surname appeared 128 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 Blessett.

We can also compare 2010 data for Blessett 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 Blessett

The surname Blessett is of English origin, with its roots traced back to the medieval period. It is believed to have emerged from the Old English words "blæd" and "set," which together translate to "blessed settlement" or "blessed homestead."

During the Norman Conquest of England in the 11th century, many Norman families settled in various parts of the country, bringing with them their unique names and customs. The Blessett name is thought to have originated in one of these early Norman settlements, where the family likely established their homestead on a particularly fertile or blessed piece of land.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the Blessett surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of landowners and property holdings commissioned by William the Conqueror. This historic document lists a landowner named Radulfus Blessett, who held lands in Gloucestershire.

In the 13th century, records show a William Blessett residing in Oxfordshire, indicating the name's spread across different regions of England. By the 14th century, the Blessett family had established a significant presence in Norfolk, where they owned several manors and estates.

Notable individuals bearing the Blessett surname include Sir John Blessett (1465-1537), a prominent knight and landowner in Warwickshire, who served as a member of the Privy Council under King Henry VIII. Another notable figure was Elizabeth Blessett (1592-1667), a wealthy heiress from Suffolk, whose marriage to Sir Thomas Woodhouse united two influential families.

During the English Civil War in the 17th century, a Captain Richard Blessett (1610-1678) fought for the Parliamentarian forces and gained recognition for his bravery on the battlefield. In the 18th century, the Blessett family continued to hold significant landholdings in Norfolk, with Samuel Blessett (1725-1802) serving as a respected local magistrate and JP.

Throughout its long history, the Blessett surname has been subject to various spellings, including Blesset, Bleset, and Blessit, reflecting the phonetic variations and regional dialects of different areas of England. However, the core meaning of a "blessed settlement" has remained a consistent thread throughout its evolution.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Blessett

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

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

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

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