History of your Surname
Get access to Blair family records.Start a free trial

Blair Family History

Blair Name Meaning

Scottish: habitational name from any of numerous places in Scotland called Blair named with Scottish Gaelic blàr (genitive blàir) ‘plain field’ especially a battlefield (Irish blár). There were families of this name in the Middle Ages taking their names from any of the places called Blair in Dysart parish Fife Dalry parish Ayrshire and Blairgowrie in Perthshire. Americanized form of French Belair and Blais .

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: Blain, Blamer, Adair, Blake, Baar, Brain, Nair, Braid, Baird, Bail

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Blair family from?

You can see how Blair families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Blair family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Blair families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 487 Blair families living in Lancashire. This was about 20% of all the recorded Blair's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Blair families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Blair surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Blair ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Blair. 10% of Blair men worked as a General Labourer and 70% of Blair women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Blair were Incapacitated and Unpaid Domestic. .

View Census Data for Blair | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • General Labourer
    10%
  • Builders Labourer
    4%
  • Farmer
    3%
  • Incapacitated
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    70%
  • Housewife
    3%
  • Private Means
    2%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    2%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Blair family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 461,000 census records available for the last name Blair. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Blair census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Blair

Passenger Lists

There are 65,000 immigration records available for the last name Blair. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Blair immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 83,000 military records available for the last name Blair. For the veterans among your Blair ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Blair military records

You've only scratched the surface of Blair family history

Discover More

What is the average Blair lifespan?

Between 1941 and 2004, in the United States, Blair life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for Blair in 1941 was 36, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Blair

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Blair family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Blair last name

Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial