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

Boland, 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 Boland surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Boland in America

Boland is the 3092nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Boland surname appeared 11,631 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 4 people would have the surname Boland.

We can also compare 2010 data for Boland 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 Boland

The surname Boland has its origins in Ireland, with the earliest records dating back to the 12th century. It is an anglicized version of the Irish Gaelic name "Ó Bólann" or "Ó Bóláin," which means "descendant of Bólann" or "descendant of Bóláin." The name is believed to have derived from the Irish word "bóla," meaning "boor" or "rustic."

The Boland family was primarily concentrated in County Wexford, where they were among the most prominent and influential families in the region. The name is also found in County Kilkenny and other parts of Leinster. Some variations of the name include Bolan, Boland, Boulland, and Boullan.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Boland can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history. In the entry for the year 1264, a member of the Boland family named Donnchadh Ó Bólann is mentioned as being involved in a conflict between rival Irish clans.

The Boland family played a significant role in Irish history, particularly during the Norman invasion of Ireland in the 12th century. Sir Oliver Boland (c. 1250 - c. 1320) was a prominent member of the family who fought alongside the Norman forces and was later granted lands in County Wexford.

Other notable individuals with the surname Boland include:

1. Patrick Boland (1605 - 1674), an Irish Catholic priest and ecclesiastical writer.
2. John Boland (1670 - 1743), an Irish politician and member of the Irish Parliament.
3. Charles Boland (1768 - 1848), an Irish politician and landowner, who served as Member of Parliament for Wexford.
4. John Boland (1844 - 1917), an Irish-born Australian politician and Premier of Victoria.
5. Harry Boland (1887 - 1922), an Irish republican and close friend of Michael Collins, who played a crucial role in the Irish War of Independence.

The surname Boland is also associated with several place names in Ireland, such as Bolandsborough and Bolands Crossroads in County Wexford, which further highlights the family's historical significance and influence in the region.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Boland

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

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

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

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