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

Bolden, 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 Bolden surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bolden in America

Bolden is the 1649th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bolden surname appeared 21,819 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 7 people would have the surname Bolden.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bolden 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 Bolden

The surname Bolden has its origins in England, and it likely dates back to the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "boll" and "dun," which together mean "hill with a rounded top." This suggests that the name may have been initially used as a topographic name for someone who lived near such a hill or on a particular rounded hilltop.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Bolden can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of land ownership and taxation in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The Domesday Book mentions a place called "Boledone" in Lancashire, which is likely related to the surname Bolden.

During the Middle Ages, the name Bolden was primarily concentrated in the northern counties of England, particularly in Lancashire and Yorkshire. This is consistent with the name's probable Old English origins, as these regions were heavily influenced by the Angle and Saxon settlers who brought their language and naming traditions with them.

In the 13th century, a man named William de Bolden was recorded as holding lands in Lancashire. This is one of the earliest known individuals to bear the name Bolden. Another notable figure from this era was Sir Richard de Bolden, who lived during the reign of King Edward III in the 14th century and was a knight and landowner in Yorkshire.

One of the most famous individuals with the surname Bolden was Benjamin Bolden (1737-1816), an English clergyman and scholar who served as the Regius Professor of Hebrew at the University of Cambridge from 1778 until his death. He was renowned for his expertise in biblical languages and his contributions to the study of Hebrew literature.

Another significant figure was Sarah Bolden (1846-1925), a British educator and activist who campaigned for women's rights and access to higher education. She played a pivotal role in the establishment of Girton College, one of the first residential colleges for women at the University of Cambridge.

In the United States, one notable individual with the surname Bolden was Buddy Bolden (1877-1931), a legendary cornet player and bandleader from New Orleans who is widely regarded as one of the founding fathers of jazz music. His innovative style and influence on the development of jazz in the early 20th century have been widely recognized.

The surname Bolden has also been associated with several literary figures, including English writer and critic Graham Bolden (1904-1976), who was known for his works on literary criticism and his translations of French literature.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bolden

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

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

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

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