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

Blizzard, 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 Blizzard surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Blizzard in America

Blizzard is the 7481st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Blizzard surname appeared 4,453 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Blizzard.

We can also compare 2010 data for Blizzard 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 Blizzard

The surname Blizzard is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the late 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "blizzen," meaning "to blow," or the Middle English word "blizze," referring to a blustering wind or a severe storm. The name was likely given as a descriptive nickname to someone who lived in an area prone to heavy snowstorms or harsh winter conditions.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Blizzard surname can be found in the parish records of Gloucestershire, England, where a John Blizzard was mentioned in 1592. The name also appears in the records of the nearby county of Wiltshire, suggesting its early presence in the southwest region of England.

During the 17th century, the Blizzard surname began to spread across various parts of England. In 1674, a marriage record in the village of Weston-under-Penyard, Herefordshire, documented the union between Robert Blizzard and Mary Phelps. Another notable entry comes from the 1683 Hearth Tax Rolls of Leicestershire, which lists a Thomas Blizzard as a household resident.

As the name evolved, it took on variations in spelling, such as Blizard, Blissard, and Blisserd. These variations can be found in historical records from different regions of England, reflecting the influence of local dialects and phonetic adaptations.

One of the earliest notable figures bearing the Blizzard surname was Sir William Blizzard (1743-1835), a renowned English physician and medical writer. He served as the President of the Royal College of Physicians and made significant contributions to the field of medicine through his published works.

Another distinguished individual was Sir Leigh Blizzard (1788-1869), a British naval officer who achieved the rank of Admiral. He played a pivotal role in several naval campaigns during the Napoleonic Wars and received numerous honors for his service.

In the literary world, the name Blizzard is associated with Sir William Blizzard Bateman (1826-1910), an English novelist and playwright. He authored several popular works, including "The Vivian Romance" and "Through the Long Night," which gained critical acclaim during the Victorian era.

Thomas Ellice Blizzard (1890-1964) was a notable Australian politician who served as a member of the House of Representatives for over two decades, representing the Labor Party. He made significant contributions to shaping policies related to social welfare and veterans' affairs.

Lastly, Sir Hugh Blizzard (1891-1958) was a British civil servant who held the position of Clerk of the House of Commons from 1950 to 1958. He played a crucial role in overseeing the administrative and procedural operations of the House during a period of significant political changes in the United Kingdom.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Blizzard

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

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

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

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