The Black surname
In the 2010 U.S. Census, 154,738 people carried this name — #174 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 1,910 people counted. That is up 3% from 150,186 in 2000.
What the name means
The meaning of the Black surname
From Middle English blak (“black”). Also a variant of Blake, from Old English blāc (“pale”) and Blanc, from Old French blanc (“white”).
From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Black» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.
In Ireland’s birth registers, 1890
Ireland registered 116 births for the Black name in 1890.
They were registered in all four provinces, most of all in Ulster. By the Registrar-General’s own method — births multiplied by 44.38 — that is about 5,100 people bearing the name in Ireland at the time. The Registrar-General’s note on the name: “Antrim, Armagh, Tyrone, and Down.”
Where it concentrates, on the mapWhere they were born, 1890
Registrar-General for Ireland, «Special Report on Surnames in Ireland» (R. E. Matheson, 1894), births index of 1890 — public domain.
In France’s civil register
France’s register of deaths holds 160 people named Black.
56 of them were born outside France. Those born in France came from 22 départements, most often Nord.
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they were born
Fichier des personnes décédées, INSEE — Licence Ouverte 2.0 · deaths recorded in France since 1970, by place of birth.
In Argentina’s national register
At least 140 people named Black live in Argentina.
RENAPER only publishes a name in a province when more than ten people there share it, so the real number is higher. Most of them live in Buenos Aires Province.
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they live today
RENAPER (National Registry of Persons, Argentina), surnames of residents by province, December 2021 — CC BY 4.0.
In Switzerland’s population statistics
89 people named Black live in Switzerland.
They live in 11 of Switzerland’s 26 cantons, most of all in Zurich.
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they live today
Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO), «Surnames of the permanent resident population by canton», 2025, opendata.swiss/en/dataset/nachnamen-der-standigen-wohnbevolkerung-nach-kanton3 · names with fewer than 3 bearers in a canton are not published.
In Poland’s population register
38 people named Black have a registered home in Poland.
Of the 134 in Poland’s national register, these are the ones with a permanent address on file. They live in 8 of Poland’s 16 voivodeships, most of all in Warmian-Masurian.
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they live today
PESEL register, Ministry of Digital Affairs of Poland (dane.gov.pl) — CC0 · living people by voivodeship of permanent residence, 20 January 2026.
In Belgium’s population register
At least 29 people named Black live in Belgium.
Statbel only publishes a name in a municipality when five or more people there share it, so the real number is higher. Most of them live in Brussels-Capital.
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they live today
Statbel (Statistics Belgium), family names of the population by municipality, 1 January 2026 — CC BY 4.0.
In the Nordic population registers
78 people named Black is counted in Sweden.
Sweden’s figure is from 31 December 2022, the last count Statistics Sweden published.
Counted, by country
Own calculations based on data from Statistics Sweden (SCB), surnames with at least two bearers, 31 December 2022 — CC BY 4.0 (names with 20 or more bearers shown).
In print
Black in American newspapers,
1892–1927.
Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 8,256,961 pages in all carry the name.
Who carried it
People named Black,
with a public archive behind them.
-
Ernest Black d. 1931 · tennis player
-
Hillel Black d. 2016 · editor
-
Kevin Black d. 2025 · basketball player
-
Josiah Black d. 2020 · screenwriter
-
John Black d. 1566 · friar
-
James Black d. 1829 · painter
Wikidata (CC0) · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.
Nearby in the index
Surnames next to Black.
- Bizeau 112 · U.S. census
- Bizette 100 · U.S. census
- Bizon 253 · U.S. census
- Bizzarri 181 · U.S. census
- Blache 343 · U.S. census
- Blacher 166 · U.S. census
- Blaes 312 · U.S. census
- Blaess 180 · U.S. census
- Blagojevic 335 · U.S. census
- Blain 4,764 · U.S. census
- Blaire 248 · U.S. census
- Blais 5,718 · U.S. census
When the index is not enough
This page says where Black is.
A volume says what happened to it.
Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.