2000
#10,757
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,722
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.01
Rare Last name
Boese
Derived from the Middle High German word "boese" meaning "angry, unpleasant, or wicked."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,572 Americans carry the last name Boese. That puts it at #13,069 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.75 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 133,264 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Boese surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
2.6K
1 in 133,264
Census rank
#13,069
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.8
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.2K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,243 bearers of the surname Boese in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.75 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 13069th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Boese, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.1%) and Two or More Races (3.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Boese
The surname "Boese" is of German origin, with its roots traced back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to have derived from the Middle High German word "boese," which translates to "wicked" or "evil." The name likely originated as a nickname given to someone with a perceived unpleasant or ill-tempered disposition.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name "Boese" can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae Regiae, a collection of medieval documents from Saxony, dating back to the 13th century. This suggests that the name was already in use during that time period, primarily in the regions of present-day Germany.
In the 14th century, a notable figure bearing the name "Boese" was Hans Boese, a German merchant and trader from the city of Lübeck. His name appeared in various trade records and contracts from that era, indicating the prominence of his business ventures.
Moving forward to the 16th century, the name "Boese" gained further recognition with the birth of Johannes Boese (1504-1569), a German Lutheran theologian and reformer. He played a significant role in the Protestant Reformation and authored several influential works on theology and religious doctrine.
Another notable individual with the surname "Boese" was Carl Boese (1887-1958), a German film director and producer active during the early 20th century. He directed numerous silent films and was a pioneering figure in the German film industry of that era.
In the realm of literature, the name "Boese" is associated with Erich Boese (1890-1969), a German author and poet known for his works exploring themes of social criticism and political commentary. His writings provided valuable insights into the cultural and political landscape of his time.
While the surname "Boese" has its origins in Germany, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and diaspora. However, the historical records and notable figures mentioned above demonstrate the deep-rooted connection of this name to its German heritage.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Boese
Among Census respondents with the surname Boese, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.1%) and Two or More Races (3.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Boese bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Boese surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.6% · 2,076
- Hispanic or Latino3.1% · 69
- Two or more races3.0% · 67
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 15
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4% · 9
- Black or African American0.3% · 7
Timeline
Historical Census data for Boese
Boese appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#11,578
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,715
-7 bearers (-0.3%)
Per 100,000 0.92
Rank movement Down 821 places
2020
#13,069
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,243
-472 bearers (-17.4%)
Per 100,000 0.75
Rank movement Down 1,491 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #10,757 | 2,722 | 1.01 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #11,578 | 2,715 | 0.92 | -7 bearers (-0.3%) | Down 821 places |
| 2020 | #13,069 | 2,243 | 0.75 | -472 bearers (-17.4%) | Down 1,491 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Boese surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #11,578 | #13,069 | -12.9% |
| Count | 2,715 | 2,243 | -17.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.92 | 0.75 | -18.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Boese bearers went from 2,715 to 2,243 (-17.4% change). The surname moved down 1,491 positions in the national ranking, going from #11,578 to #13,069.
FAQ
Boese surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Boese?
Name Census estimates that about 2,572 living Americans carry the surname Boese. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 133,264 residents.
How common is Boese?
Boese ranks #13,069 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.75 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 2,243 people with the surname Boese. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,572), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.75 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.75 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Boese.
Has Boese become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Boese went from 2,715 recorded bearers to 2,243. That is a decrease of 472 (-17.4%). In the national ranking it fell from #11,578 to #13,069.
What does the Census say about the background of Boese?
Among Census respondents with the surname Boese, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.1%) and Two or More Races (3.0%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Boese in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.6% (2,076 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Boese appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.6%), Hispanic (3.1%), Two or More Races (3.0%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Boese (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Boese mean?
Derived from the Middle High German word "boese" meaning "angry, unpleasant, or wicked." The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Boese (0.75 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the surname Boese?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.