Explore the Family Name Blacksmith
The meaning of Blacksmith
1. English: occupational name for a smith, from Middle English blaksmith ‘blacksmith’, denoting one who worked in iron (‘black metal’), as opposed to tin (‘white metal’). This was never common as a surname in England or Scotland. 2. Native American (e.g. Sioux): from English blacksmith (see 1 above), adopted as an occupational name for a blacksmith (compare Smith). 3. Americanized form of German Blechschmidt. 4. Americanized form (translation into English) of various European surnames meaning ‘blacksmith’ (see Smith).
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Blacksmith in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname "Blacksmith" has shown a slight increase from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, the surname was ranked 32,094 in terms of popularity but moved up to 31,587 by 2010, representing a change of 1.58%. The count of individuals bearing the surname also increased from 678 in 2000 to 732 by 2010. This represents an approximate growth of 8%, but the proportion per 100,000 people remained constant at 0.25.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #32,094 | #31,587 | 1.58% |
| Count | 678 | 732 | 7.96% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.25 | 0.25 | 0% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Blacksmith
With regards to ethnicity, data derived from the Decennial U.S. Census indicates some changes for those with the surname "Blacksmith". Individuals identifying as White make up the majority, although their representation decreased from 54.13% in 2000 to 48.63% in 2010. Those identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native saw a slight increase from 34.07% to 34.70%, while those identifying as Black saw an increase from 5.75% to 8.33%. Notably, the group identifying with two or more races nearly doubled, increasing from 3.10% to 6.15%. However, no individuals identified as Asian/Pacific Islander or Hispanic in 2010, data for which was suppressed in 2000 for privacy reasons.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 54.13% | 48.63% | -10.16% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 34.07% | 34.7% | 1.85% |
| Black | 5.75% | 8.33% | 44.87% |
| Two or More Races | 3.1% | 6.15% | 98.39% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Hispanic | 2.95% | 0% | 0% |