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

Bluford, 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 Bluford surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bluford in America

Bluford is the 24305th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bluford surname appeared 1,032 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Bluford.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bluford 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 Bluford

The surname Bluford is thought to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "blu" meaning blue and "ford" referring to a shallow river crossing or ford, suggesting that the name may have referred to someone who lived near a blue-colored ford or river crossing.

Early records show variations in the spelling, such as Blueford, Blufort, and Blufford, reflecting the inconsistencies in written English at the time. The name appears to have been concentrated in the counties of Warwickshire, Gloucestershire, and Oxfordshire, although its exact place of origin is uncertain.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is found in the Pipe Rolls of Warwickshire from 1196, which mention a Richard de Bluford. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 also include references to individuals with the Bluford surname in Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire.

In the 14th century, the name appears in the Subsidy Rolls of 1327 for Gloucestershire, where a John Bluford is listed as a taxpayer. Additionally, the Lay Subsidy Rolls of 1334 for Oxfordshire mention a Thomas Bluford.

Notably, Sir John Bluford (c. 1360-1420) was a prominent figure during the reign of Henry IV. He served as a member of parliament for Gloucestershire and was appointed to various commissions and judicial roles.

Another notable bearer of the name was William Bluford (c. 1500-1570), a landowner and yeoman from Warwickshire who is mentioned in several court records and manorial documents from the 16th century.

In the 17th century, the name appears in the parish records of Stratford-upon-Avon, where a Thomas Bluford (1612-1683) was a respected member of the local community and served as a churchwarden.

While the Bluford surname is not among the most common in England, its roots can be traced back to the medieval period and its presence in various historical records and prominent individuals throughout the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bluford

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

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

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

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