Bodell last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Bodell

A locational surname derived from a place name, possibly of English or Germanic origin.

Bodell, 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 Bodell surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bodell in America

Bodell is the 24718th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bodell surname appeared 1,009 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 Bodell.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bodell 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 24718 24784 -0.27%
Count 1,009 943 6.76%
Proportion per 100k 0.34 0.35 -2.90%

The history of the last name Bodell

The surname Bodell is believed to have originated in England, with roots tracing back to the 13th century. It is thought to be a locational name derived from a place called Budle, located in Northumberland. The name may have evolved from the Old English words "bu" and "dell," meaning a dwelling or shelter in a valley.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Bodell appears in the Pipe Rolls of Northumberland in 1230, where a Robert de Bodhill is mentioned. This suggests that the name may have been initially spelled as Bodhill or Boddill before evolving into its current form.

In the late 14th century, the Bodell family held lands in the village of Budle, near the River Tweed. Records from this period indicate that a John Bodell was a prominent landowner in the area.

The Domesday Book, a historic manuscript commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, does not contain any direct references to the surname Bodell. However, it does mention the village of Budle, lending credence to the theory that the name originated from this location.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Bodell was John Bodell, who was born in Budle around 1450. He is mentioned in local records as a farmer and landowner in the area.

In the 16th century, a notable figure with the Bodell surname was William Bodell (1535-1592). He was a prominent merchant and alderman in the city of London and was involved in the wool trade.

During the 17th century, the Bodell family had a strong presence in Northumberland and the surrounding areas. Robert Bodell (1610-1672) was a respected landowner and justice of the peace in the county.

In the 18th century, a significant individual with the Bodell surname was Thomas Bodell (1725-1798). He was a successful merchant and shipowner based in Newcastle upon Tyne and played a crucial role in the region's maritime trade.

Another noteworthy figure was Elizabeth Bodell (1790-1865), who was a renowned philanthropist and social reformer. She dedicated her life to improving the living conditions of the poor in her native Northumberland.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bodell

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

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 Bodell was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 95.84% 967
Non-Hispanic Black Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 0.59% 6
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 0.89% 9
Hispanic Origin 2.28% 23

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 Bodell has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 95.84% 96.18% -0.35%
Black (S)% 0.53% (S)%
Asian and Pacific Islander 0.59% (S)% (S)%
American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% (S)% (S)%
Two or More Races 0.89% 0.95% -6.52%
Hispanic 2.28% 2.01% 12.59%

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

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

Reference this page

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If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

"Bodell last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on June 16, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/bodell-surname-popularity/.

"Bodell last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/bodell-surname-popularity/. Accessed 16 June, 2025

Bodell last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/bodell-surname-popularity/.

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