Explore the Family Name Blackhawk

The meaning of Blackhawk

Native American (also Black Hawk): translation into English of a personal name such as Lakota Sioux Četaŋ Sapa, composed of četaŋ ‘hawk’ and sapa ‘black’, or Sauk Ma-ka-tai-me-she-kia-kiak, an Anglicized form of a name also translated into English as ‘Black Sparrow Hawk’. See also Hawk 4. History: Ma-ka-tai-me-she-kia-kiak was the name of a famous war leader of the Sauk tribe (1767–1838), who is known in English as Black Hawk. His children were surnamed Blackhawk.

Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.

How common is the last name Blackhawk in the United States?

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Blackhawk has seen a rise in its popularity from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, Blackhawk ranked 83,618, but by 2010, it had jumped up to a rank of 69,793, an overall increase of 16.53%. The count of individuals with this surname also grew significantly during this period, going from 209 in 2000 to 281 in 2010, a growth rate of 34.45%. Consequently, the proportion per 100,000 people carrying the Blackhawk surname increased by 25% over the decade.

20002010Change
Rank#83,618#69,79316.53%
Count20928134.45%
Proportion per 100k0.080.125%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Blackhawk

In terms of ethnicity, according to the Decennial U.S. Census data, the majority of individuals with the Blackhawk surname identified as American Indian and Alaskan Native. This group constituted 59.33% in 2000 and slightly decreased to 58.72% in 2010. The second largest ethnic identity was those identifying as two or more races, which saw an increase from 10.53% in 2000 to 13.88% in 2010, reflecting a growth of 31.81%. The percentage of Blacks with the Blackhawk surname also rose from 6.22% to 8.90%, an increase of 43.09%. However, the White population bearing this surname showed a significant decrease from 18.18% to 11.39% over the decade. There were no recorded instances of Asians/Pacific Islanders or Hispanics under the surname Blackhawk during either census year.

20002010Change
American Indian and Alaskan Native59.33%58.72%-1.03%
Two or More Races10.53%13.88%31.81%
White18.18%11.39%-37.35%
Black6.22%8.9%43.09%
Asian/Pacific Islander0%0%0%
Hispanic0%0%0%