Black History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms 

Origins Available: 
  England 
  Scotland 
  Ireland 


The origins of the Black surname date from the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. Their name originated with an early member who was a person associated with the color black. The name Black may have referred to someone with black hair or clothing, or to somone who worked in a profession such as chimney sweeping, which left its practitioners covered in soot.

Early Origins of the Black family

The surname Black was first found in Lincolnshire where they held a family seat from very ancient times, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D. It is said that the first family of Black were converted to Christianity by Paulinus, the head of the family being Prefect of Lincoln, about 628. They moved northward, however, and were well established in Scotland by 1175 A.D.

Early History of the Black family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Black research. Another 165 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1756, 1760, 1778, 1797, 1854, 1886 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Black History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Black Spelling Variations

The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries; therefore, spelling variations are common among early Anglo-Saxon names. As the form of the English language changed, even the spelling of literate people's names evolved. Black has been recorded under many different variations, including Black, Blacke and others.

Early Notables of the Black family

Notables of the family at this time include

Black World Ranking

In the United States, the name Black is the 149th most popular surname with an estimated 156,681 people with that name. 1 However, in Canada, the name Black is ranked the 198th most popular surname with an estimated 18,981 people with that name. 2 And in Australia, the name Black is the 124th popular surname with an estimated 21,615 people with that name. 3 New Zealand ranks Black as 95th with 4,119 people. 4 The United Kingdom ranks Black as 180th with 30,597 people. 5

Migration of the Black family to Ireland

Some of the Black family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 61 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


Black migration to the United States +

For many English families, the political and religious disarray that shrouded England made the far away New World an attractive prospect. On cramped disease-ridden ships, thousands migrated to those British colonies that would eventually become Canada and the United States. Those hardy settlers that survived the journey often went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Black or a variant listed above:

Black Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
Black Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
Black Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Black migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Black Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
Black Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Black migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Black Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
Black Settlers in Australia in the 20th Century

Black migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Black Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Contemporary Notables of the name Black (post 1700) +


Suggested Readings for the name Black +
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