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

Blum, 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 Blum surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Blum in America

Blum is the 2072nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Blum surname appeared 17,458 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 6 people would have the surname Blum.

We can also compare 2010 data for Blum 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 Blum

The surname Blum originated in Germany, likely in the 13th century. It is derived from the German word "blume," meaning "flower." The name may have been given to someone who lived near a flower garden or meadow, or perhaps it was an occupational surname for a gardener or florist.

In medieval times, surnames were often descriptive, referring to a person's physical appearance, occupation, or place of residence. The name Blum could have been initially used as a nickname before becoming an established surname.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Blum can be found in the Württemberg tax records of 1359, where a certain Hans Blum is mentioned. In the 15th century, there is a record of a Konrad Blum in the city of Heidelberg.

The name Blum has been associated with several notable figures throughout history. Johann Friedrich Blumenbach (1752-1840) was a German anthropologist and naturalist who is considered one of the founders of scientific racism. Johann Blum (1798-1848) was a German revolutionary and republican who played a significant role in the Revolutions of 1848.

Robert Blum (1807-1848) was a German writer, poet, and politician who was executed by firing squad for his involvement in the Revolutions of 1848. His death sparked outrage across Germany and became a rallying cry for the revolutionary movement.

Robert Blum (1857-1903) was a German composer and music teacher known for his works for piano and chamber ensembles. He was also a respected music critic and writer on musical theory.

Walter Blum (1895-1964) was an American architect who designed several iconic buildings in New York City, including the Associated Press Building and the Museum of Modern Art's first permanent home.

These are just a few examples of notable individuals who have carried the surname Blum throughout history. The name's origins in Germany and its connection to the word "flower" have endured for centuries, making it a unique and distinctive surname with a rich cultural heritage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Blum

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!