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

Blow, 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 Blow surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Blow in America

Blow is the 9100th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Blow surname appeared 3,590 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 Blow.

We can also compare 2010 data for Blow 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 Blow

The surname "BLOW" is of English origin and is believed to have emerged in the 13th century. It is thought to have derived from an Old English word "blæc," meaning "black" or "swarthy." This suggests that the name may have originally been a descriptive surname, referring to someone with a dark complexion or perhaps someone who worked with soot or charcoal.

In medieval England, surnames were often derived from physical characteristics, occupations, or locations. The earliest recorded instance of the surname "BLOW" can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire in 1273, where it appears as "Blowe."

Another possible origin of the name could be linked to the Old English word "blāwan," meaning "to blow" or "to puff." This could indicate that the name may have originally referred to someone who worked as a bellows operator or a glassblower.

The surname "BLOW" has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One of the earliest recorded bearers of this name was John Blow (1649-1708), an English composer and organist who served as a Gentleman of the Chapel Royal under James II and William III.

Another prominent figure was Richard Blow (1708-1784), an English engraver and cartographer known for his intricate maps and charts of various regions, including the West Indies and North America.

In the 19th century, Detmar Jennings Blow (1867-1939) was a British architect and designer who played a significant role in the Arts and Crafts movement. He is renowned for his work on several notable buildings, such as the Savile Club in London.

The name "BLOW" has also been associated with literary figures, such as Susan Blow (1843-1916), an American educator and pioneer of the kindergarten movement in the United States. She played a crucial role in establishing the first public kindergarten in St. Louis, Missouri.

More recently, Isabella Blow (1958-2007) was a British fashion editor and stylist known for her eccentric style and her role in discovering and mentoring designers like Alexander McQueen and Philip Treacy.

While the surname "BLOW" may have originated as a descriptive term or an occupational reference, it has since become a well-established surname with bearers from various backgrounds and professions throughout history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Blow

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

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

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

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