The Blackwood surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 8,407 people carried this name — #4,213 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 35,100 people counted. That is up 7% from 7,837 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Blackwood surname

An English and Scottish habitational surname derived from the placename.

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Blackwood» (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 7 births for the Blackwood name in 1890.

Most were registered in Ulster. By the Registrar-General’s own method — births multiplied by 44.38 — that is about 300 people bearing the name in Ireland at the time. The Registrar-General’s note on the name: “Antrim.”

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they were born, 1890

Ulster 7

Registrar-General for Ireland, «Special Report on Surnames in Ireland» (R. E. Matheson, 1894), births index of 1890 — public domain.

In Scotland’s registers today

Blackwood was recorded 45 times in Scotland’s registers of births, marriages and deaths in 2025.

That made it the 579th most common name in those registers, shared with others on the same count. In 1975, the first year of the series, the count was 69. Each birth counts the child’s surname, each marriage both partners’ and each death the surname of the person who died — a yearly count of registrations, not of the people who live in Scotland.

National Records of Scotland, «Most Common Surnames, 2025» (published 26 May 2026): every surname recorded 10 or more times in the 2025 registers, and the series from 1975 · different spellings are counted separately — © Crown copyright 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

In print

Blackwood in American newspapers,
1912–1925.

Newspaper page from The Day Book carrying the name Blackwood
The Day Book 1912-04-15
Newspaper page from The Omaha Morning Bee carrying the name Blackwood
The Omaha Morning Bee 1925-01-14
Newspaper page from The Omaha Morning Bee carrying the name Blackwood
The Omaha Morning Bee 1924-07-20

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 91,419 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Blackwood in Australian newspapers,
1820s–2000s.

29,964 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Blackwood. The most, 4,416, date from the 1930s. Victoria has the most articles, but weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, the name stands out most in Tasmania, at 1.9 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

Victoria 11,187
New South Wales 8,425
Tasmania 3,589
South Australia 2,481
Queensland 2,423
Western Australia 1,782
ACT (Canberra) 30
Northern Territory 16

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Blackwood.

Who carried it

People named Blackwood,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Henry Blackwood d. 1614 · physician
  • Peter Blackwood d. 1587 · Christian minister
  • William Blackwood d. 1916 · soldier
  • Alexander Blackwood d. 1918 · soldier
  • John Blackwood d. 1917 · soldier
  • Archibald Blackwood d. 1918 · soldier

Wikidata (CC0) · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Blackwood,
in the records of 5 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States798 records

798 records of the Blackwood name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 274
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 159
  • Other U.S. records 365
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Kedric L. Blackwood

    Born 1919 in South Carolina. Enlisted 1941 at Spartanburg; farm hand. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1994, buried at Good Shepherd Memorial Pk, Spartanburg, South Carolina.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Lizzie Blackwood

    Arrived at New York in 1885 aboard the Adriatic from Liverpool, aged 17; servant. From Liverpool, England.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)
  3. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Gordon Byron Blackwood

    Born 1938; from Palo Verde, California. U.S. Air Force, flight training instructor; declared dead 1967 in North Vietnam.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain)

Showing 3 of 798 records for Blackwood in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · City of Asheville (public domain, PDDL) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain).

Australia977 records

977 records of the Blackwood name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 553
  • Tasmanian Names Index 228
  • Other Australian records 196
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Jean Blackwood

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Nautilus, sailing from Woolwich in 1838. Native of Edinburgh, Midlothian. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1848.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record William Blackwood

    Died 1883 in Sorell, Tasmania, aged 39. Will registered in Tasmania in 1883.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record John Blackwood

    Arrived in Victoria in 1852 aboard the Cuthberts, aged 27; Scottish.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 977 records for Blackwood in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Canada170 records

170 records of the Blackwood name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 132
  • Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver 16
  • Other Canadian records 22
  1. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Thos Blackwood

    Came to Ontario in 1881 aboard the Canadian, landing at Quebec, bound for Harriston, Ontario; Scotch.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Civil record Thomas Blackwood

    Killed in 1914 at the Allan Mine, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  3. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record David Blackwood

    Buried in 1907 at Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, Nova Scotia, aged 73.

    Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax.

Showing 3 of 170 records for Blackwood in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0).

United Kingdom30 records

30 records of the Blackwood name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 12
  • Stirling Council burial records 11
  • Other British records 7
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record James Blackwood

    Died 1994, aged 90; buried at Gargunnock Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland.

    Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record William Blackwood

    Buried in 1815 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 28.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record J. Blackwood

    Lance Corporal, York and Lancaster Regiment. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 3 of 30 records for Blackwood in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

New Zealand5 records

5 records of the Blackwood name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 2
  • Thames-Coromandel District cemetery records 2
  • Timaru and Mackenzie District cemetery records 1
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Francis Peter Blackwood

    Buried in 1952 at Buffalo Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato, aged 66.

    Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Florrie Josephine Blackwood

    Died 1989, aged 90; buried at Le Bons Bay Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record William B. Blackwood

    Died 1932, aged 67; buried at Bromley Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 5 records for Blackwood in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0) · Canterbury Maps (Environment Canterbury), Timaru and Mackenzie District Councils (CC BY 3.0 NZ). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Blackwood.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Blackwood 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.

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