Goldblum
A German surname referring to a blooming golden flower or plant.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 377 Americans carry the last name Goldblum. That puts it at #60,960 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.11 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 909,163 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Goldblum 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
377
1 in 909,163
Census rank
#60,960
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
330
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 330 bearers of the surname Goldblum in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.11 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 60960th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Goldblum, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Goldblum
The surname Goldblum originates from Germany, dating back to the 17th century. It is derived from the German words "gold," meaning gold, and "blum," meaning flower or blossom. The name likely referred to a person who lived near a field of yellow flowers or worked with gold.
Goldblum is a relatively rare surname, but it has been recorded in various historical documents throughout the centuries. One of the earliest known references to the name can be found in the Kirchenbücher (church records) of the city of Nuremberg, where a family by the name of Goldblum was recorded in the late 1600s.
In the 18th century, the Goldblum name appeared in several parish registers and tax records in the regions of Bavaria and Saxony. A notable individual from this time period was Johann Goldblum, a master craftsman born in Regensburg in 1742, who was renowned for his intricate woodcarvings.
As the 19th century dawned, the Goldblum family spread across various German states, with some members settling in the Rhine region and others migrating to neighboring countries like Austria and Switzerland. One of the most prominent figures of this era was Friedrich Goldblum, a philosopher and educator born in Heidelberg in 1813, who published several influential works on ethics and moral philosophy.
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, many Goldblums immigrated to the United States and other parts of the world, seeking new opportunities. One such individual was Max Goldblum, a German-born American businessman born in 1875, who established a successful textile manufacturing company in New York City.
Another notable figure was Theodor Goldblum, a Swiss economist and political scientist born in 1890, who made significant contributions to the study of international trade and economic cooperation.
Throughout the 20th century, the Goldblum name continued to be carried by a diverse range of individuals, including artists, writers, and academics. One of the most famous contemporary figures with this surname is Jeff Goldblum, the American actor born in 1952, known for his roles in films such as Jurassic Park and The Fly.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Goldblum
Among Census respondents with the surname Goldblum, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Goldblum 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 Goldblum surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White95.8%
- Hispanic or Latino2.1%
Year on year
2010 vs 2010 Census
How has the Goldblum 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 | 2010 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #60,960 | #60,960 | 0.0% |
| Count | 330 | 330 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.11 | 0.11 | 0.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2010 Census, the number of Goldblum bearers went from 330 to 330 (+0.0% change). The surname held its position in the national ranking, going from #60,960 to #60,960.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Goldblum
FAQ
Goldblum surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Goldblum?
The surname Goldblum holds position #60,960 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 377 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.11 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Goldblum surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Goldblum, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.1%). 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.