Youngblood
An English-language descriptive surname that likely began as a nickname for a youthful or spirited person.
The #1,982 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 16,967 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Youngblood is transparent in form: it combines Middle English and modern English "young" with "blood," a common older word for descent, lineage, or temperament. As a surname, it was probably first applied as a nickname, either for a young person or for someone seen as vigorous, impetuous, or "hot-blooded." The name is not usually treated as a literal reference to blood, but rather as a figurative descriptive compound.
History
The surname is established in North America by the 19th century, and the historical excerpts place bearers in New York and Canada. Later surname dictionaries list it alongside other descriptive compounds such as Trueblood and Hotblood, showing that it was understood as part of a broader nickname tradition. It remains relatively uncommon but is well represented in the United States today.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
It belongs to a colorful family of English compound surnames that includes names like Trueblood and Hotblood.
From the historical record
“Newgate (1651) was not an escaped convict; nor does it appear that Mr. Selman (1674) was a slaveholder. JMr. Mothersell lives at Kingston, C.W. No clerical associations surround the name of Rev. William Youngblood of New York. A Dr. Younjjblood lives at Sandwich, C.W. Pleasant JNI. INIask of Holly Springs, INIiss.…”
— Patronymica Britannica: a dictionary of the family names of the United Kingdom