2000
#51,809
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 377
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.14
Very Rare Last name
Bilson
A toponymic surname originating from a place name derived from an old English word meaning "hill settlement".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 561 Americans carry the last name Bilson. That puts it at #46,865 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.16 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 610,970 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Bilson surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Bilson with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
561
1 in 610,970
Census rank
#46,865
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
489
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 489 bearers of the surname Bilson in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.16 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 46865th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Bilson, the largest self-reported group is White at 78.3%. The next largest groups are Black (13.3%) and Two or More Races (4.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Bilson
The surname Bilson has its origins in England, with records dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "bill" or "bild," meaning battle or sword, and "son," meaning son. This suggests that the name may have originated as a nickname for someone who was a skilled warrior or swordsman.
One of the earliest references to the name Bilson can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Staffordshire from 1199, where a person named Robert Bilson is mentioned. The name also appears in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which were records of landowners and their holdings, indicating that the Bilson family had established itself as landowners during that time.
In the 14th century, the Bilson surname was prominent in the county of Staffordshire, with records showing various members of the family holding positions of importance. Thomas Bilson, born around 1536, was a notable figure who served as the Bishop of Winchester from 1597 until his death in 1616.
The name Bilson has also been associated with several place names, such as Bilston, a town in the West Midlands region of England. This town's name is believed to have derived from the same Old English roots as the surname Bilson, suggesting a connection between the surname and the place name.
Another notable individual with the surname Bilson was John Bilson, born in 1856, who was a successful businessman and philanthropist in the city of Leicester. He was instrumental in the establishment of several charitable institutions in the area and was awarded the Order of the British Empire in recognition of his contributions.
In the literary world, Bruce Bilson, born in 1928, was a renowned American novelist and screenwriter. His works included the novel "Time and Again" and the screenplay for the film "Looker," both of which received critical acclaim.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Bilson surname in the United States can be traced back to William Bilson, who arrived in Virginia in 1635. This suggests that the name had already spread from its English origins to the American colonies by the 17th century.
Throughout history, the surname Bilson has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including clergy, businessmen, writers, and pioneers. While the exact origin and meaning of the name may have evolved over time, its roots remain firmly grounded in the rich linguistic heritage of Old English.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Bilson
Among Census respondents with the surname Bilson, the largest self-reported group is White at 78.3%. The next largest groups are Black (13.3%) and Two or More Races (4.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Bilson bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Bilson surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White78.3% · 383
- Black or African American13.3% · 65
- Two or more races4.5% · 22
- Hispanic or Latino2.7% · 13
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 4
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Bilson
Bilson appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#58,182
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 349
-28 bearers (-7.4%)
Per 100,000 0.12
Rank movement Down 6,373 places
2020
#46,865
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 489
+140 bearers (+40.1%)
Per 100,000 0.16
Rank movement Up 11,317 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #51,809 | 377 | 0.14 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #58,182 | 349 | 0.12 | -28 bearers (-7.4%) | Down 6,373 places |
| 2020 | #46,865 | 489 | 0.16 | +140 bearers (+40.1%) | Up 11,317 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Bilson surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #58,182 | #46,865 | 19.5% |
| Count | 349 | 489 | 40.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.12 | 0.16 | 36.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Bilson bearers went from 349 to 489 (+40.1% change). The surname moved up 11,317 positions in the national ranking, going from #58,182 to #46,865.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Bilson
FAQ
Bilson surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Bilson?
Name Census estimates that about 561 living Americans carry the surname Bilson. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 610,970 residents.
How common is Bilson?
Bilson ranks #46,865 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.16 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 489 people with the surname Bilson. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (561), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.16 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.16 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Bilson.
Has Bilson become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Bilson went from 349 recorded bearers to 489. That is an increase of 140 (+40.1%). In the national ranking it rose from #58,182 to #46,865.
What does the Census say about the background of Bilson?
Among Census respondents with the surname Bilson, the largest self-reported group is White at 78.3%. The next largest groups are Black (13.3%) and Two or More Races (4.5%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Bilson in the 2020 Census, accounting for 78.3% (383 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Bilson appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (78.3%), Black (13.3%), Two or More Races (4.5%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Bilson (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Bilson mean?
A toponymic surname originating from a place name derived from an old English word meaning "hill settlement". The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Bilson (0.16 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people are called Bilson?
You can see how many people have the surname Bilson on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.