Explore the Family Name Blackburn
The meaning of Blackburn
English: habitational name from any of various places called Blackburn, but especially the one in Lancashire, so named with Old English blæc ‘dark’ + burna ‘stream’. This surname is found mainly in northern England.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Blackburn in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the Blackburn surname has seen a slight decrease in popularity over a decade. In 2000, it ranked 826, but by 2010 it had dropped to 889, a change of -7.63%. However, the actual count of people with this surname increased from 38,137 to 39,097, representing a 2.52% growth. The proportion per 100,000 people also saw a decrease from 14.14 in 2000 to 13.25 in 2010, a decline of -6.29%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #826 | #889 | -7.63% |
| Count | 38,137 | 39,097 | 2.52% |
| Proportion per 100k | 14.14 | 13.25 | -6.29% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Blackburn
In terms of ethnic identity, according to the Decennial U.S. Census data, those who identify as White make up the majority of individuals with the Blackburn surname. Of those surveyed, 88.90% identified as White in 2000, dropping slightly to 87.41% in 2010. During this period, there were notable increases among the Asian/Pacific Islander and Hispanic communities. Asian/Pacific Islanders with the Blackburn surname rose from 0.37% to 0.52%, a 40.54% increase, while those who identified as Hispanic rose from 1.41% to 2.14%, a 51.77% increase. Meanwhile, those identifying as Black or American Indian and Alaskan Native saw modest increases of 4.28% and 9.64%, respectively. The group of individuals identifying with two or more races also increased from 1.47% to 1.71%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 88.9% | 87.41% | -1.68% |
| Black | 7.01% | 7.31% | 4.28% |
| Hispanic | 1.41% | 2.14% | 51.77% |
| Two or More Races | 1.47% | 1.71% | 16.33% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.83% | 0.91% | 9.64% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.37% | 0.52% | 40.54% |
Blackburn ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Blackburn is British & Irish, which comprises 59.8% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (22.7%) and Scandinavian (3.3%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Italian, Spanish & Portuguese, Ashkenazi Jewish, and Nigerian.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 59.8% |
| French & German | 22.7% |
| Scandinavian | 3.3% |
| Other | 14.2% |
Possible origins of the surname Blackburn
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Blackburn have recent ancestry locations all within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 92.00% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 92.00% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 92.00% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 91.90% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 91.70% |
What Blackburn haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Blackburn is R-P311, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-P311 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include E-V13 and R-CTS241, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Pereira, Costa, Powell, Gomes, House, Duarte, Crosby, Gary, Souza, Oliveira.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Blackburn surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette
Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.
What do people with the surname Blackburn have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Blackburn" Surname 45.8%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Blackburn" Surname 33.7%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Blackburn" Surname 24.9%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Blackburn" Surname 19.0%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Blackburn?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Blackburn are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition