Bloom
An occupational surname referring to an iron worker or a person who worked with metal or armor.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 27,969 Americans carry the last name Bloom. That puts it at #1,483 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 8.16 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 12,255 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Bloom surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
28K
1 in 12,255
Census rank
#1,483
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
8.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
24K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 24,081 bearers of the surname Bloom in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 8.16 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 1483rd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Bloom, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.5%) and Black (2.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Bloom
The surname Bloom originated in England and has its roots traced back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English word 'blom', meaning a mass of metal or a lump, referring to a person living near a smelting area or forge. Some early spellings of the name include Blome, Bloome, and Blum.
The name Bloom is first recorded in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, which list landowners and their properties. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was John Blome, who lived in Gloucestershire, England, during the late 13th century.
The Bloom surname has ties to various place names in England, such as Bloomfield and Bloomsbury. The latter was originally recorded as 'Blomesbury' in the Domesday Book of 1086, referring to a manor owned by a person named Blome.
Notable figures bearing the surname Bloom include:
1. Molly Bloom (1892-1964), a renowned American artist's model and actress, known for her involvement in the French Renaissance.
2. Harold Bloom (1930-2019), an influential American literary critic and Yale University professor, best known for his work 'The Western Canon'.
3. Orlando Bloom (born 1977), a renowned British actor famous for his roles in the 'Lord of the Rings' and 'Pirates of the Caribbean' film series.
4. Claire Bloom (born 1931), an English actress who has appeared in numerous stage, film, and television productions, including 'The King's Speech'.
5. John Bloom (1782-1855), an English writer and editor who co-founded the 'Quarterly Review' literary magazine.
Over the centuries, the Bloom surname has spread across various parts of the English-speaking world, with significant populations in the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Bloom
Among Census respondents with the surname Bloom, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.5%) and Black (2.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Bloom bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Bloom surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.0%
- Hispanic or Latino2.5%
- Black or African American2.2%
- Two or more races1.4%
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6%
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.3%
Year on year
2000 vs 2010 Census
How has the Bloom surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2000 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #1,362 | #1,483 | -8.9% |
| Count | 23,879 | 24,081 | 0.8% |
| Per 100K | 8.85 | 8.16 | -7.8% |
Between the 2000 and 2010 Census, the number of Bloom bearers went from 23,879 to 24,081 (+0.8% change). The surname moved down 121 positions in the national ranking, going from #1,362 to #1,483.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Bloom
FAQ
Bloom surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Bloom?
The surname Bloom holds position #1,483 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 27,969 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 8.16 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Bloom surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Bloom, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.5%) and Black (2.2%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.