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

Blige, 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 Blige surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Blige in America

Blige is the 72332nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Blige surname appeared 269 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 Blige.

We can also compare 2010 data for Blige 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 Blige

The surname Blige originated in France, specifically in the region of Normandy. It can be traced back to the 12th century and is believed to have derived from the Old French word "blige," which refers to a type of coarse woolen fabric. This suggests that the name may have originally been associated with someone who worked with this particular fabric, perhaps a weaver or a merchant.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Livre des Bourgeois de Rouen, a 13th-century manuscript that documented the citizens of Rouen, a city in Normandy. In this manuscript, the name appears as "Blige," indicating that the modern spelling was likely established at that time.

During the Middle Ages, the Blige family appears to have been well-established in the region of Normandy. Records from the 14th century mention a Jean Blige, who was a landowner in the village of Blignicourt, which may have derived its name from the Blige family.

In the 15th century, the name Blige gained prominence with the birth of Jacques Blige (1420-1498), a renowned scholar and theologian who served as the Bishop of Avranches in Normandy. His writings and contributions to the church during this period have been well-documented.

Another notable figure with the surname Blige was Étienne Blige (1565-1631), a French explorer and navigator who accompanied Samuel de Champlain on several expeditions to the Americas. Blige played a crucial role in establishing trade routes and settlements in what is now Quebec, Canada.

In the 17th century, the Blige family expanded beyond France as members of the family emigrated to other parts of Europe and the Americas. One such figure was Henri Blige (1625-1698), who settled in the Dutch colony of New Netherland (present-day New York) and became a prominent merchant and landowner.

As the centuries passed, the Blige surname continued to spread across the world, with notable individuals bearing the name in various fields. One example is Emily Blige (1821-1897), a British writer and social reformer who advocated for women's rights and education.

Throughout its history, the surname Blige has been associated with a diverse range of individuals, from clergymen and scholars to explorers and merchants, reflecting the rich tapestry of human experiences and contributions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Blige

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

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

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

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