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

Blithe, 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 Blithe surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Blithe in America

Blithe is the 129825th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Blithe surname appeared 131 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 Blithe.

We can also compare 2010 data for Blithe 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 Blithe

The surname Blithe originated in England, emerging in the early medieval period around the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "blithe," meaning "cheerful" or "joyful." This surname was likely used as a descriptive name for someone with a cheerful demeanor or a happy disposition.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Blithe surname can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire, dating back to 1273. The name appears as "Adam le Blithe," indicating that it was already in use during that time. Additionally, the Blithe surname has been associated with various place names, such as Blitheborough in Staffordshire and Blithelow in Derbyshire, suggesting a connection to specific locations.

In the 14th century, the Blithe surname appeared in the Placita de Quo Warranto, a legal record documenting inquiries into the rights and privileges of certain landowners and officials. This reference suggests that some individuals bearing the Blithe surname held positions of authority or owned property during that period.

Renowned historical figures with the Blithe surname include John Blithe (c. 1530-1592), an English Protestant reformer and writer who authored several theological works, and William Blithe (1790-1855), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars and the War of 1812.

Another notable individual was Sir Richard Blithe (1612-1684), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Wiltshire and played a significant role in the English Civil War. Additionally, Robert Blithe (1798-1876), a British architect, designed several notable buildings in London, including St. Andrew's Church in Holborn.

The Blithe surname has also been recorded in various historical documents across different regions of England, such as parish registers, tax records, and court records, further solidifying its presence and significance throughout the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Blithe

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

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

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

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