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

Blocher, 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 Blocher surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Blocher in America

Blocher is the 16560th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Blocher surname appeared 1,733 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Blocher.

We can also compare 2010 data for Blocher 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 Blocher

The surname Blocher is of German origin and can be traced back to the late 15th century. It is believed to have originated in the southern regions of Germany, particularly in the areas around Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. The name is derived from the Old High German word "bloch," which means "log" or "block of wood." This suggests that the name may have been an occupational surname given to woodcutters, loggers, or individuals who worked with wood.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Blocher can be found in a document from the town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, dated around 1492. In this document, a certain Matthias Blocher is mentioned as a resident of the town. Additionally, there are references to the surname in various church records and tax registers from the 16th and 17th centuries in southern German cities and towns.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the Blocher surname began to spread across different parts of Europe, including Switzerland and France. In Switzerland, a notable individual bearing this surname was Johann Kaspar Blocher (1609-1688), a Protestant theologian and author from Zurich.

In the 19th century, a prominent figure with the Blocher surname was Gottfried Blocher (1832-1897), a Swiss industrialist and politician from Canton Aargau. He played a significant role in the development of the Swiss railway system and served as a member of the National Council, Switzerland's lower house of parliament.

Another notable individual with this surname was Ernst Blocher (1870-1956), a Swiss architect and painter from Zurich. He was known for his contributions to the Art Nouveau movement and designed several iconic buildings in Switzerland.

Moving into the 20th century, Christoph Blocher (born 1940) is a Swiss politician and businessman who served as a member of the Swiss Federal Council from 2004 to 2008. He was a prominent figure in the Swiss People's Party and played a significant role in shaping Switzerland's political landscape.

It is worth noting that the surname Blocher has also been found in other parts of the world, possibly due to migration and intermarriage. However, its origins can be traced back to the German-speaking regions of Europe, where it was initially derived from an occupational surname related to the wood industry.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Blocher

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

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

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

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