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

Board, 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 Board surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Board in America

Board is the 8388th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Board surname appeared 3,946 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Board.

We can also compare 2010 data for Board 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 Board

The surname BOARD has its origins in England, with records dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to be an occupational name derived from the Old English word "bord," meaning a plank or board, indicating that the original bearers were likely carpenters or woodworkers.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1273, where a Robert le Bord is mentioned. The prefix "le" before the surname indicates it was originally a descriptive name, referring to the individual's occupation or some other distinguishing characteristic.

The BOARD surname is also found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, where it appears as "Bord." This variation in spelling was common during the Middle Ages, as surnames were not standardized until much later.

Historical records show that the name was prevalent in various regions of England, including Oxfordshire, Worcestershire, and Somerset. In the late 14th century, a John Board is mentioned in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of Somerset, indicating the presence of the surname in that region.

One notable individual bearing the BOARD surname was Sir Christopher Board (1516-1590), a British politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for Somerset during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

Another historically significant figure was Thomas Board (1598-1673), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Rector of Compton Pauncefoot in Somerset and authored several religious works.

In the 17th century, the BOARD surname is found in various parish records, such as the baptism of John Board in 1628 in St. Giles, Cripplegate, London, and the marriage of William Board and Elizabeth Harwood in 1669 in Warrington, Lancashire.

The Visitation of Somerset in 1623 also mentions a family named Board, indicating their presence and status in the county at the time.

During the 18th century, the BOARD surname continued to be prominent in various regions of England, with individuals like William Board (1734-1805), a clockmaker from Worcestershire, and John Board (1755-1832), a notable architect from London who designed several churches and public buildings.

As the centuries progressed, the BOARD surname spread to other parts of the world, including North America and Australia, carried by individuals who emigrated from England in search of new opportunities.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Board

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

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 Board 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 Board 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 Board was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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