The 2010 U.S. Census recorded 12,346 black Americans with Dillard as their last name. That represented 40% of the total of 31,021 entries.
This article tracks their numbers in the census since the Civil War. We also look at historic African American people named Dillard.
We end with a review of early records of black military service in the United States.
After The Civil War
The 1870 census was the first survey after the Civil War and the Emancipation Proclamation. In 1850 and 1860, only free African Americans were recorded in the census. The many enslaved were omitted.
From 1870 onward, all black Americans were included.
1,536 people named Dillard were recorded in the 1870 census as black and 238 as mixed.
There was a total of 4,137 people with the name.
Dillard In The 1900 And 1940 Census
The mixed category was dropped from the census in 1900, so we just need to look at the black numbers this time.
The 1900 census recorded 3,678 people with the last name Dillard as black within a total of 8,368 that year.
By the way, the mixed category returned in the 1910 and 1920 censuses. It was dropped again in 1930, but replaced with extra categories for colored and non-white in a way that seems confusing now.
This changed again in 1940 and we can simply focus on one black category.
The 1940 census recorded 4,537 people named Dillard as black within a total of 14,807.
Historic Black Figures With The Dillard Surname
Here is a notable African American in history with Dillard as their last name.
Sandra Dillard
Sandra Dillard was a co-founder of the National Association of Black Journalists in 1975.
She was the first female African American journalist at the Denver Post.
Dillard In Black Military Records
Military records are a rich resource of information for family history research. Here are examples of the Dillard surname from different military services:
- Buffalo soldiers
- Black civil war sailors
- Tuskegee airmen
Buffalo Soldiers
Five regiments for black soldiers were formed during the Civil War. They were known as the Buffalo Soldiers.
Their records are part of the national archive of military monthly returns. The information includes the year and place of birth, where they enlisted, their occupation, and their height.
One of the earliest military entries for Dillard was in February 1874. Ned Dillard was a Private in the U.S. Ninth Cavalry. He was stationed in February 1874 at Ringgold Barracks, Texas.
Another entry was in April 1914. Louie Dillard was a Private in the U.S. Ninth Cavalry.
If you are researching military ancestors, there is a free index of these records on Ancestry.com and FamilySearch.org.
You have to create an account on either website, but you do not need to pay for the Buffalo Soldiers archive.
Black Civil War Sailors
The National Parks Service has a free archive of African American sailors during the Civil War.
The information includes their age, height, rank, occupation, and where and when they enlisted. It also includes every ship that they served on.
You can search the database on the National Parks website.
Henry Dillard
One of the earliest entries for Dillard was for Henry Dillard from Wilmington, Arkansas. He enlisted in April 1864 at Monroe, Los Angeles when he was aged 17.
The record shows that Henry was assigned on July 1864 to the ship Ouachita.
His occupation before enlisting was as a Fieldhand. His naval rank was Landsman.
“Landsman” was the lowest rank at the time and was given to recruits with little sea experience.
Crawford Dillard
One of the later entries was for a sailor who enlisted at Cairo in January 1865. Crawford was aged 30 and was from Richmond, Virginia.
He was assigned to the ship on .
His occupation before enlisting was as a Boatman. His naval rank was Seaman.
A seaman or “able seaman” in the Navy is a sailor who is not an officer.
Tuskegee Airmen
The Tuskegee Airmen were military personnel who served at the Tuskegee Army Airfield or related programs.
Nearly one thousand black pilots graduated from the Tuskegee Institute. They flew single-engine fighter planes or twin-engine bombers. 352 fought in combat.
James Dillard graduated from the Tuskegee Institute in January 1946. He qualified as a bomber pilot. James was from East Beckley, West Virginia.