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

Bolívar, 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 Bolívar surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bolívar in America

Bolívar is the 10671st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bolívar surname appeared 2,997 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Bolívar.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bolívar 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 Bolívar

The surname Bolivar is of Spanish origin, with its roots tracing back to the 15th century. It is believed to have originated from the town of Bolívar, located in the Spanish province of Cádiz, Andalusia. The name itself is derived from the Arabic word "Banu-l-Bar," which translates to "the sons of the desert."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Bolivar can be found in the "Libro de la Montería" (Book of the Hunt), a 14th-century manuscript detailing hunting practices in the region. This document mentions a certain "Juan Martínez de Bolívar" who was a prominent figure in the area.

During the 16th century, the Bolivar surname gained prominence as a result of the Spanish conquest of the Americas. One notable individual was Simón Bolívar (1783-1830), a Venezuelan military and political leader who played a pivotal role in the independence of several South American countries from Spanish rule. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of Latin America.

Another historical figure bearing the Bolivar name was Juan Vicénte Bolívar y Ponte (1677-1742), a Spanish painter and engraver known for his religious works and portraits. His contributions to the artistic landscape of Spain during the Baroque period were significant.

In the realm of literature, Andrés Bello (1781-1865), a Venezuelan poet, philosopher, and educator, carried the Bolivar surname. He is recognized as a prominent figure in the Spanish-American literary canon and played a crucial role in the development of education in several South American countries.

The name Bolivar has also been associated with various places, such as Bolívar, a city in Colombia, and the Bolivar Department, an administrative region in northern Colombia. Additionally, the Bolivar Peninsula, located in Texas, United States, bears this name in honor of Simón Bolívar.

Throughout history, the surname Bolivar has been carried by numerous individuals, including military leaders, artists, intellectuals, and political figures, reflecting its diverse and influential presence across various fields.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bolívar

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

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

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

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