Explore the Family Name Bly
The meaning of Bly
1. English (Norfolk and Suffolk): variant of Bligh 1. 2. Americanized form of German Blei ‘lead’ or of its cognate Bley. 3. Americanized and Flemish form of Dutch Blij ‘merry, gay, happy’ (see Blei). Compare Bley. 4. Swedish: of German origin (see 2 above) or a soldier’s name. 5. Americanized form of Norwegian Bleie: habitational name from a farmstead in Hardanger named Bleie, from a river name from Old Norse bleikr ‘gray, pale’ + vin ‘meadow’.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Bly in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Bly has seen some modest shifts between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it ranked 6631 in terms of prevalence, dropping to a rank of 6955 in 2010 - a decrease of around 4.89%. Despite this drop in rank, the actual count of individuals bearing the Bly surname increased from 4705 to 4823 over the decade, marking a growth of 2.51%. However, when considering the proportion per 100,000 people, there was a downward trend of about 5.75%, moving from 1.74 to 1.64.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #6,631 | #6,955 | -4.89% |
| Count | 4,705 | 4,823 | 2.51% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.74 | 1.64 | -5.75% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Bly
Looking at the ethnic identity associated with the Bly surname, also based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, there were several noticeable changes from 2000 to 2010. The majority of individuals identified as White, although this percentage decreased slightly from 85.12% in 2000 to 83.14% in 2010. There was also a small increase in those identifying as Black, from 10.58% to 10.66%. Notably, there were significant increases in those reporting multiple races (growing from 1.40% to 2.47%) and Hispanic ethnicity (rising from 1.47% to 2.38%). Those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander also saw a slight increase from 0.83% to 0.87%. However, the percentage identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native fell by 20%, from 0.60% to 0.48%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 85.12% | 83.14% | -2.33% |
| Black | 10.58% | 10.66% | 0.76% |
| Two or More Races | 1.4% | 2.47% | 76.43% |
| Hispanic | 1.47% | 2.38% | 61.9% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.83% | 0.87% | 4.82% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.6% | 0.48% | -20% |
Bly 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 Bly is British & Irish, which comprises 44.3% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (25.6%) and Scandinavian (7.6%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Spanish & Portuguese, Italian, Ashkenazi Jewish, and Filipino & Austronesian.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 44.3% |
| French & German | 25.6% |
| Scandinavian | 7.6% |
| Other | 22.6% |
Possible origins of the surname Bly
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 Bly have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 78.60% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 78.60% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 78.60% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 78.60% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 77.90% |
What Bly 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 Bly is R-Z8, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-Z8 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-L1 and R-L21, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Atkins, Bell, Arthur, Bishop, Hale, Shepherd, Worth, Heath, Wilkerson, Vincent.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Bly surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343
Your paternal lineage may be linked to King Louis XVI
The rule of France by men of the House of Bourbon began with King Henri IV in 1589 C.E. and continued until the beheading of his direct paternal descendant King Louis XVI in 1793. Several years ago, researchers analyzed a mummified head and a blood-soaked cloth that they believed might belong to the two kings, and concluded that the royal paternal line belonged to haplogroup G. In a more recent study, however, a different set of researchers tested three living men who are direct descendants of the Bourbon kings. Their efforts revealed that the male lineage of the House of Bourbon is actually a branch of haplogroup R-M405.
Your 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 Bly 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.
"Bly" Surname 42.1%
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.
"Bly" Surname 21.9%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Bly" Surname 30.6%
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.
"Bly" Surname 15.5%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Bly?
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 Bly are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition