Find out how popular the last name Bo is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Bo.

Bo, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Bo surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bo in America

Bo is the 19911th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bo surname appeared 1,348 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Bo.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bo to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Bo

The surname "Bo" is believed to have originated in Sweden and Denmark during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old Norse word "bo," meaning "dwelling" or "abode." This suggests that the name may have been initially used to identify individuals who lived in a particular location or farmstead.

In Sweden, the earliest recorded instance of the name "Bo" dates back to the 13th century. One notable individual was Bo Jonsson Grip, a Swedish statesman and military leader who lived from around 1329 to 1386. He played a prominent role in the struggles between Sweden and Denmark during the late 14th century.

Another early Swedish figure with the surname "Bo" was Bo Jonsson Grip's contemporary, Bo Stensson, a nobleman and military commander who lived from around 1330 to 1386. He was involved in various conflicts and political intrigues of the time.

In Denmark, the surname "Bo" can be traced back to the 14th century. One of the earliest recorded individuals with this name was Bo Falkdal, a Danish nobleman who lived in the late 14th century. He served as a royal councilor and was involved in several diplomatic missions.

During the 15th century, the name "Bo" appeared in several historical records and manuscripts in both Sweden and Denmark. For example, the Swedish clergyman Bo Pedersson Grip, who lived from around 1420 to 1484, was mentioned in various ecclesiastical documents.

In the 16th century, the surname "Bo" became more widespread, and several notable individuals bore this name. One such person was the Swedish clergyman and writer Bo Pedersson Rålamb, who lived from 1548 to 1604. He is known for his contributions to the translation of the Bible into Swedish.

Another prominent figure with the surname "Bo" was the Danish nobleman and admiral Joachim Bo, who lived from 1625 to 1696. He played a significant role in the naval battles between Denmark and Sweden during the Scanian War (1675-1679).

As the surname "Bo" spread across Scandinavia, it also evolved into various forms and spellings, such as "Boe," "Boë," and "Boh." These variations reflected regional dialects and linguistic influences.

It is worth noting that while the surname "Bo" has its roots in Sweden and Denmark, it has also been adopted by individuals in other parts of the world, particularly through migration and cultural exchange. However, the historical origins and earliest recorded instances of this surname can be traced back to the medieval period in Scandinavia.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bo

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Bo.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Bo was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Bo has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Bo was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Bo, please contact us.

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