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

Bliss, 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 Bliss surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bliss in America

Bliss is the 2471st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bliss surname appeared 14,588 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 5 people would have the surname Bliss.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bliss 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 Bliss

The surname Bliss originated in England and can be traced back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old English word "blis" or "bliss," which means "joy" or "gladness." The name likely referred to someone with a cheerful or happy disposition.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Bliss appears in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1195, where a person named William Bliss is mentioned. The surname is also found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, which lists a Robert le Blys.

In the 13th century, the name was commonly spelled as "Blys" or "Blis," reflecting the Old English pronunciation. Over time, the spelling evolved to the modern "Bliss." The name was particularly prevalent in the counties of Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, and Warwickshire.

The Bliss surname is associated with several notable historical figures. One of the earliest was Sir William Bliss (c. 1390-1465), a member of the English gentry and a supporter of the House of Lancaster during the Wars of the Roses. Another prominent Bliss was Sir James Bliss (1535-1587), an English diplomat and Member of Parliament during the reign of Elizabeth I.

In the 17th century, the Bliss family established themselves in New England, with Thomas Bliss (1580-1640) being one of the early settlers in Massachusetts. His son, Reverend Jonathan Bliss (1597-1684), was a prominent Puritan minister and co-founder of the town of Rehoboth, Massachusetts.

Other notable individuals with the surname Bliss include Philip Paul Bliss (1838-1876), an American writer of hymns and gospel songs, and Sir Arthur Bliss (1891-1975), an English composer and conductor who was Master of the Queen's Music from 1953 to 1975.

The Bliss surname has also been associated with several place names, such as Bliss Nook in Gloucestershire and Bliss Mill in Oxfordshire, reflecting the historical presence of the family in these regions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bliss

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

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

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

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