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

Bloch, 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 Bloch surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bloch in America

Bloch is the 6965th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bloch surname appeared 4,817 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 Bloch.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bloch 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 Bloch

The surname Bloch is of German origin, deriving from the Middle High German word "bloch," meaning a wooden block or log. It is believed to have originated as an occupational surname for a woodcutter or logger.

The name Bloch first appeared in the 13th century in the regions of Bavaria and Swabia in southern Germany. It was recorded in various medieval documents and records, such as the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae Regiae, which dates back to the 12th century.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Hans Bloch, a woodcutter from the town of Nürnberg, who was mentioned in a document from 1412. Another notable early figure was Jörg Bloch, a master carpenter from Augsburg, who constructed several churches and buildings in the city during the late 15th century.

The name Bloch also has ties to various place names in Germany, such as Blochingen, a village in Baden-Württemberg, and Blochau, a town in Saxony-Anhalt. These place names likely derived from the same root word as the surname, suggesting a connection to the occupation of woodcutting or logging in those areas.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname Bloch. One of the most famous was the German composer and music theorist Ernst Bloch (1885-1977), known for his philosophical works and compositions inspired by socialist and utopian ideals.

Another notable figure was the French painter and printmaker Albert Bloch (1882-1961), who was part of the early 20th century Modernist movement and is known for his colorful and abstract works.

In the field of science, the Swiss-American biochemist Konrad Bloch (1912-2000) made significant contributions to the study of cholesterol and fatty acid metabolism, for which he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1964.

The name Bloch has also been associated with the world of literature, with writers such as the German-American author and philosopher Jean-Richard Bloch (1884-1947), known for his works exploring existentialism and spirituality.

Lastly, the American businessman and philanthropist Felix Bloch (1905-1983) co-founded the investment firm Oppenheimer & Co. and was a prominent supporter of Jewish causes and organizations.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bloch

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

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

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

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