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

Bligh, 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 Bligh surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bligh in America

Bligh is the 34427th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bligh surname appeared 658 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 Bligh.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bligh 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 Bligh

The surname BLIGH is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "blæc," meaning "black" or "dark." This name likely originated in medieval times, given to individuals with dark hair or complexion or potentially as a distinguishing feature related to occupation or location.

The earliest recorded instances of the BLIGH surname date back to the 13th century, found in various historical records and county rolls. One notable example is John Blygh, mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1275.

In the Domesday Book, a great survey of England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, there are references to places with similar spellings, such as "Blie" and "Bliga," which may have contributed to the development of the BLIGH surname.

During the Tudor period, the BLIGH surname was particularly prevalent in the counties of Staffordshire and Worcestershire. The manor of Blyth in Staffordshire is believed to have derived its name from the Old English word "blæc," suggesting a connection to the BLIGH surname's origins.

Notable individuals with the BLIGH surname throughout history include:

1. William Bligh (1754-1817), a British naval officer and the infamous captain of HMS Bounty, whose crew mutinied against him in 1789 during the ship's voyage to Tahiti.

2. Reginald Bligh (1828-1888), a British painter and illustrator known for his depictions of rural English life.

3. Sir John Bligh (1561-1615), an English politician and Member of Parliament for Worcestershire during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

4. Esmé Bligh (1879-1976), a British aviator and one of the first women to obtain a pilot's license in the United Kingdom.

5. Robert Bligh (1619-1682), an English landowner and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Worcestershire during the English Civil War and the Restoration period.

While the BLIGH surname has been present in various parts of England, it has maintained a strong connection to its roots in the counties of Staffordshire and Worcestershire, where many early instances of the name were recorded.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bligh

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

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

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

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