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

Blyth, 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 Blyth surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Blyth in America

Blyth is the 26814th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Blyth surname appeared 907 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 Blyth.

We can also compare 2010 data for Blyth 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 Blyth

The surname Blyth originates from England and dates back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "blyđe," which meant "blithe" or "joyous." This suggests that the name may have originally referred to a cheerful or merry person.

In its earliest recorded forms, the surname appeared as Blithe or Blythe. It is found in various ancient records, including the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is mentioned as a place name in Nottinghamshire.

The earliest known bearer of the surname Blyth was Robert de Blythe, who was recorded in the Pipe Rolls of Northumberland in 1197. Another early reference is to Walter de Blythe, mentioned in the Assize Rolls of Yorkshire in 1219.

The name Blyth is also associated with several place names in England, such as Blyth in Northumberland and Blyth in Nottinghamshire. These locations likely derived their names from the Old English word "bliđe," meaning "gentle" or "pleasant," referring to the nature of the area.

One notable bearer of the surname was Sir John Blyth (c. 1465 - c. 1530), an English politician and diplomat who served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1521. Another prominent figure was Geoffrey Blyth (1580 - 1663), an English Puritan minister and author who wrote several religious works.

In the literary world, Samuel Blyth (1784 - 1831) was a Scottish poet and writer, best known for his collection of poems titled "The Cottager's Muse." Another writer was James Blyth (1839 - 1906), a Scottish author and journalist who contributed to various newspapers and magazines.

Lastly, Sir Benjamin Blyth (1819 - 1900) was a British civil servant and administrator who served as the Governor of the Bahamas from 1864 to 1871.

These are just a few examples of notable individuals who have borne the surname Blyth throughout history, highlighting its English origins and the diverse fields in which its bearers have made their mark.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Blyth

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

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

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

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