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

Bolaños, 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 Bolaños surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bolaños in America

Bolaños is the 3029th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bolaños surname appeared 11,829 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 Bolaños.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bolaños 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 Bolaños

The surname Bolanos originated in Spain during the medieval period. It is derived from the Spanish word "bolano," which means "belonging to the marsh." This suggests that the name likely originated from a specific geographic location or region characterized by marshlands.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Bolanos can be traced back to the 12th century in various medieval documents and records from the Iberian Peninsula. Some of these documents include the "Libro de las Behetrías" (Book of Majordoms) and the "Fuero Viejo de Castilla" (Old Charter of Castile), both of which mention individuals bearing the Bolanos surname.

One notable historical figure with the surname Bolanos was Juan de Bolanos, a Spanish conquistador who participated in the conquest of Mexico alongside Hernán Cortés in the early 16th century. Juan de Bolanos was born in Salamanca, Spain, around 1490 and played a significant role in the subjugation of the Aztec Empire.

Another prominent individual with the Bolanos surname was Miguel de Bolanos, a Spanish painter and engraver who lived in the 17th century. Born in Seville in 1612, Miguel de Bolanos was renowned for his religious paintings and engravings, many of which adorned churches and monasteries throughout Spain.

In the 18th century, Francisco de Bolanos y Novoa, a Spanish military officer and administrator, served as the governor of the Captaincy General of Guatemala from 1783 to 1789. He was born in Galicia, Spain, in 1738 and played a crucial role in the administration of the Spanish colonies in Central America.

During the 19th century, José María Bolanos y Cacho, a Mexican politician and lawyer, served as the governor of the state of Jalisco from 1857 to 1859. He was born in Guadalajara, Jalisco, in 1810 and was a prominent figure in the liberal movement in Mexico during that era.

Lastly, in the 20th century, Rubén Bolanos, a Mexican writer and poet, gained recognition for his literary works, including the novel "La Virgen de los Sicarios" (Our Lady of the Assassins). Born in Guadalajara, Jalisco, in 1927, Bolanos explored themes of violence, drug trafficking, and societal decay in his writings.

While the surname Bolanos has its roots in Spain, it has since spread to various parts of the world, particularly Latin America, due to the Spanish colonization and migration patterns over the centuries. The name has endured as a testament to its rich historical and cultural heritage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bolaños

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

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

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

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