The Blue surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 24,341 people carried this name — #1,466 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 12,100 people counted. That is up 9% from 22,422 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Blue surname

A surname from German. An anglicization of German Blau.

From the German surname, Americanized from Blau or its French cognate bleu.

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Blue» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a nickname: ‘the blue’.

His entry covers Blew and Blue.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 111 · public domain.

In print

Blue in American newspapers,
1915–1926.

Newspaper page from Okolona Messenger carrying the name Blue
Okolona Messenger 1919-11-20
Newspaper page from The Bozeman Courier carrying the name Blue
The Bozeman Courier 1926-10-15
Newspaper page from Daily Kennebec Journal carrying the name Blue
Daily Kennebec Journal 1915-06-02

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 3,011 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Blue in Australian newspapers,
1820s–1990s.

58,347 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Blue. The most, 11,369, date from the 1930s. New South Wales 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 Western Australia, at 1.7 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 21,011
Victoria 10,197
Queensland 9,233
Western Australia 8,710
South Australia 6,328
Tasmania 2,024
ACT (Canberra) 625
Northern Territory 45

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

Who carried it

People named Blue,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Richard W. Blue
    Richard W. Blue 1841–1907 · judge
  • Victor Blue
    Victor Blue 1865–1928 · military officer
  • Rupert Blue
    Rupert Blue 1868–1948 · surgeon
  • Albert Blue
    Albert Blue 1881–1967
  • Monte Blue
    Monte Blue 1887–1963 · actor
  • Jane Blue 1824–1894

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Blue,
in the records of 6 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 States1,305 records

1,305 records of the Blue name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 655
  • U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 311
  • Other U.S. records 339
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record David E. Blue

    Born 1911 in North Carolina. Enlisted 1942 at Fort Bragg; cook from New Hanover County. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1965, buried at Wilmington National Cemetery, North Carolina.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Billie S. Blue

    Born 1931; from Greene County, Pennsylvania. U.S. Army, light weapons infantry leader; killed in action 1953 in North Korea.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Agnes Blue

    Arrived at New York in 1863 aboard the Hecla from Liverpool, aged 25; matron. From England.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 1,305 records for Blue in the United States.

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

Canada188 records

188 records of the Blue name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 157
  • Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver 11
  • Other Canadian records 20
  1. The first page of an emigration file from Gündlingen, Baden, 1883
    Example: German emigration file, 1883
    Emigration record Phillis Blue

    Left New York in 1783 aboard the London Frigate, bound for Port Roseway, aged 24.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record John Blue

    Came to Ontario in 1866 aboard the From Prince Edward Island, bound for Goderich, Ontario; Scotch.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  3. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Margaret Blue

    Buried in 1930 at Mount Hermon Cemetery, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, aged 45.

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

Showing 3 of 188 records for Blue 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. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Contains information provided by the City of Waterloo under licence. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Emigration file, Gündlingen, 1883, Landesarchiv Baden-Württemberg, Staatsarchiv Freiburg B 694/1 Nr. 1389 (CC BY 4.0); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0).

Australia161 records

161 records of the Blue name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 103
  • Queensland State Archives indexes 23
  • Other Australian records 35
  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 Ann Blue

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Harmony, sailing from Downs in 1828. Native of Glasgow, Lanarkshire.

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

    Arrived in Victoria in 1861 aboard the Shackamaxon, aged 29; Scottish.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Allan Neil Blue

    Retired bank officer of Port Melbourne, Victoria; died 1980.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 161 records for Blue in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). 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); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain).

New Zealand7 records

7 records of the Blue name in New Zealand Christchurch City cemetery records
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record George William Blue

    Died 1946, aged 34; buried at Bromley Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Archie Henry Blue

    Died 1991, aged 87; buried at Waimairi 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 George Blue

    Died 1911, aged 36; buried at Sydenham Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 7 records for Blue in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

United Kingdom4 records

4 records of the Blue name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 3
  • Scottish rolls of honour, First World War 1
  1. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record A. Blue

    Seaforth Highlanders. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)
  2. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record V. Blue

    Corporal, Royal Scots Fusiliers. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

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

    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 4 records for Blue in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

France3 records

3 records of the Blue name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Madeleine Albertine Blue

    Born 1906 in Pezou; died 1992 in Vendôme (Loir-et-Cher).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Pierre Eugene Blue

    Born 1903 in Choisy-le-Roi; died 1991 in Villeneuve-Saint-Georges (Val-de-Marne).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  3. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Marie Louise Gabrielle Blue

    Born 1906 in Courbeveille; died 1998 in Cossé-le-Vivien (Mayenne).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Blue.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Blue 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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