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

Bodfish, 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 Bodfish surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bodfish in America

Bodfish is the 92719th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bodfish surname appeared 198 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 Bodfish.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bodfish 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 Bodfish

The surname BODFISH is of English origin and can be traced back to the 16th century. It is believed to be a locational name derived from the now-lost hamlet of Bodfis or Bodfys, located near Padstow in Cornwall. The name is thought to be derived from the Cornish words "bod" meaning dwelling or abode, and "fys" meaning either a stream or a personal name.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the BODFISH surname appears in the Cornish Subsidy Rolls of 1597, where a Thomas Bodfyshe is listed as a resident of Padstow. The name is also found in various parish records from the 17th and 18th centuries in the same region, often spelled as Bodfis, Bodfys, or Bodfyshe.

In the late 16th century, a John Bodfish was mentioned in the records of the Bodmin Assizes, suggesting that the family may have had connections to the nearby town of Bodmin. However, no specific details about this individual are known.

Notable individuals bearing the BODFISH surname include William Bodfish (1611-1683), a wealthy merchant and landowner from Padstow, who was instrumental in establishing the town's thriving fishing industry. His son, Samuel Bodfish (1642-1712), was a prominent figure in the local government and served as a justice of the peace.

Another figure of note is Thomas Bodfish (1765-1832), a sailor and explorer who was part of the crew of the HMS Resolution during Captain James Cook's third voyage to the Pacific Ocean. He later settled in Australia and is believed to have been one of the earliest European settlers in the colony of New South Wales.

In the literary world, Elizabeth Bodfish (1823-1897) was a notable English poet and author, best known for her collection of romantic verses titled "Echoes of the Heart" published in 1865. Her contemporary, John Bodfish (1820-1899), was a respected academic and scholar who served as the headmaster of Eton College from 1872 to 1888.

While the BODFISH surname is relatively uncommon today, it remains a part of the rich tapestry of English family names, with its roots firmly planted in the historic county of Cornwall and its associations with the maritime traditions of that region.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bodfish

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

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

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

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