Blackman

Blackman, Originally Blæcmann, is an Old English name meaning "dark-haired" or "dark-complexioned". The name was once given to Danish Vikings who settled in southern Scotland. It is also listed in the genealogy of the kings of Bernicia. Early on, it was commonly used as a first name. Variations: Blackmann, Blachman, Blackmun, Blackmon, Blakeman.

Depending on how the old Anglo-Saxon blaec or blac were translated, the surname could also have had the exact opposite meaning from the above. "Blaec" meant dark/swarthy while blac meant fair/pale. The spelling of both words and their meanings were often confused and, over time, became interchangeable.

In the United States at least, some eastern European immigrants in the early 20th century changed their surnames to "Blackman" as an Anglicisation of their original more conspicuously ethnic names, such as "Blechmann." .

Notable people

 * Alexander Wayne Blackman, British Royal Marine known as 'Marine A' convicted of murdering a Taliban insurgent in 2011
 * Andre Blackman (born 1990), British footballer
 * Andrew Blackman (born 1965), Australian actor
 * Ann Blackman (born 1946), American biographer
 * Avion Blackman (born 1976), American reggae recording artist
 * Aylward M. Blackman (1883–1956), British Egyptologist
 * Bertie Blackman (born 1982), Australian singer, songwriter, and guitarist
 * Bob Blackman (American football) (1918–2000), American football player and coach
 * Bob Blackman (politician) (born 1956), British politician (Harrow East; earlier London)
 * Calvin Blackman Bridges (1889–1938), American geneticist
 * Charles Blackman (1928–2018), Australian artist
 * Cindy Blackman (born 1959), American musician
 * Courtney Blackman KA (born ?), Barbadian economist, international business consultant, and diplomat
 * Damon Blackmon (aka Dame Grease, born ?), American video and music producer
 * Don Blackman (1953–2013), American musician
 * Eric G. Blackman (born 1968) American Astrophysicist
 * Fred Blackman (1884–?), British footballer
 * Frederick Blackman (1866–1947), British botanist (brother of Vernon Herbert Blackman; uncle of Geoffrey Emett Blackman)
 * Garfield Blackman (given name of Ras Shorty I, 1941–2000), Trinidadian musician
 * Geoffrey Emett Blackman (1903–1980), British botanist (son of Vernon Herbert Blackman; nephew of Frederick Blackman)
 * George Blackman (1897–2003), Barbadian soldier in WWI
 * Helena Blackman (born 1982), British actress
 * Henry E. Blackman (born 1820), American politician and farmer
 * Honor Blackman (1925–2020), British actress
 * Jack Blackman (1920–1978), Australian footballer
 * Jeremy Blackman (born 1985), American actor
 * Joan Blackman (born 1938), American actress
 * Joe Blackman (born 1984), British entrepreneur
 * John Blackman (1947–2024), Australian radio and television presenter, and voice actor
 * John Lucie Blackman (1793–1815) British soldier killed at the Battle of Waterloo
 * Ken Blackman (born 1972), American professional football player
 * Lionel Blackman (born ?), British solicitor advocate
 * Liz Blackman (born 1949), British politician (Erewash)
 * Lloyd Blackman (born 1983), British footballer
 * Lloyd Blackman (musician) (1928–2014), Canadian violinist, conductor, composer, and educator
 * Lucie Blackman (?-2000), British club hostess, murdered by Joji Obara
 * Lucy Blackman (born 1972) Australian author and autism advocate
 * Luther Meade Blackman (1834–1919), American tombstone engraver, lawyer, politician, and farmer
 * Malorie Blackman OBE (born 1962), British author of juvenile fiction
 * Margaret B. Blackman (born 1944) American anthropologist
 * Moses Blackman (1908–1983), South African-born British crystallographer
 * Nick Blackman (born 1989), British footballer
 * Nicole Blackman (born 1971), American performance artist, poet, author, and vocalist
 * Paul Blackman (born 1958), British theatrical producer and director
 * Ralph Beebe Blackman (1904–1990), American mathematician and engineer
 * Roberta Blackman-Woods (born 1957), British politician (City of Durham)
 * Robyn Blackman (born 1959), New Zealander field hockey player, Olympian
 * Rolando Blackman (born 1959), Panamanian basketball player and coach
 * Steve Blackman (born 1963), American professional wrestler
 * Ted Blackman (1942–2002), Canadian sports journalist
 * Tim Blackman (born 1956), British academic and vice-chancellor of The Open University London
 * Toni Blackman (born 1968), American rap artist, actress, and writer
 * Thomas Blachman (born 1963), Danish Jazz Musician, music producer, and TV personality
 * Vernon Herbert Blackman (1872–1967), British botanist (brother of Frederick Blackman; father of Geoffrey Emett Blackman)
 * William Blackman (1862–1885), British cricketer