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Bligh Family History

Bligh Name Meaning

English (of Norman origin): variant of Blythe with Anglo-Norman loss of th. Irish and Manx: Anglicized form of Ó Blighe ‘descendant of Blighe’ probably a Gaelicized form of the Old Norse byname Blígr (from blígja ‘to gaze’). Cornish: nickname from Cornish blyth ‘wolf’. Compare Blethen .

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


Similar surnames: Blick, Sligh, Bliss, Bough, Blight, High, Haigh, Bleigh, Klich, Klish

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Bligh family from?

You can see how Bligh families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Bligh family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Bligh families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 138 Bligh families living in London. This was about 24% of all the recorded Bligh's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Bligh families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Bligh surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Bligh ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Retired and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Bligh. 18% of Bligh men worked as a Retired and 76% of Bligh women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Bligh were Barman and Cook. .

View Census Data for Bligh | 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

  • Retired
    18%
  • Commercial Traveller
    9%
  • Builders Labourer
    9%
  • Barman
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    76%
  • Housewife
    5%
  • Private Means
    4%
  • Cook
    3%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Bligh family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 20,000 census records available for the last name Bligh. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Bligh census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Bligh

Passenger Lists

There are 4,000 immigration records available for the last name Bligh. 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 Bligh immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 2,000 military records available for the last name Bligh. For the veterans among your Bligh ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Bligh military records

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What is the average Bligh lifespan?

Between 1958 and 2004, in the United States, Bligh life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1958, and highest in 2002. The average life expectancy for Bligh in 1958 was 47, and 78 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Bligh

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