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

Bobo, 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 Bobo surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bobo in America

Bobo is the 3828th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bobo surname appeared 9,254 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Bobo.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bobo 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 Bobo

The surname Bobo has its origins in Spain, dating back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Spanish word "bobo," which means "fool" or "simpleton." The name likely originated as a nickname or descriptive term for someone who was considered foolish or simple-minded.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Bobo can be found in the Cartas de Población, a collection of documents from the 13th and 14th centuries related to the repopulation of certain areas in Spain after the Reconquista. These documents mention individuals with the surname Bobo, indicating that the name was already in use by that time.

During the 16th century, the Bobo surname appeared in various historical records and documents in Spain, such as baptismal records, marriage registers, and property deeds. Some notable individuals bearing the surname Bobo from this period include Juan Bobo (1520-1582), a Spanish painter and sculptor known for his religious works, and Pedro Bobo (1548-1622), a Spanish soldier and explorer who participated in the conquest of the Philippines.

In the 17th century, the Bobo surname spread beyond Spain to other parts of Europe and the Americas. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name in the New World is that of Diego Bobo, a Spanish settler who arrived in Mexico in the early 1600s and established a family in the region.

Throughout the centuries, several notable individuals have carried the Bobo surname. These include:

1. Pedro Bobo (1566-1635), a Spanish writer and poet known for his satirical works.
2. Juan Bobo (1712-1788), a Spanish architect and engineer who designed several important buildings in Madrid.
3. María Bobo (1825-1892), a Spanish painter and art teacher who helped establish one of the first art academies for women in Spain.
4. Enrique Bobo (1891-1968), a Mexican politician and diplomat who served as the ambassador to the United States and the United Kingdom.
5. José Bobo (1901-1978), a Spanish painter and illustrator known for his depictions of rural life in Spain.

While the surname Bobo may have originated as a derogatory nickname, it has since become a well-established and respectable surname, with bearers from various walks of life throughout history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bobo

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

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

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

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