2010
#146,201
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Bols
A locational surname likely of Dutch origin indicating someone from the village of Bols.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 117 Americans carry the last name Bols. That puts it at #154,755 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,929,524 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Bols 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
117
1 in 2,929,524
Census rank
#154,755
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
102
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 102 bearers of the surname Bols in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 154755th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Bols, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.3%. The next largest groups are Black (6.9%) and Hispanic (2.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Bols
The surname BOLS is of Dutch origin, tracing its roots back to the 16th century in the Netherlands. It is believed to have derived from the Dutch word "bol," which means "ball" or "round." This suggests that the name may have been initially given as a nickname or occupation descriptor for someone who worked with spherical objects or had a round physique.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the BOLS surname can be found in the Dutch city of Leiden, where the Bols family established a renowned distillery in the late 16th century. The family's distillery, founded in 1575, became renowned for producing high-quality liquors, particularly the iconic Bols Genever, a traditional Dutch gin. This association with the distilling industry likely contributed to the widespread recognition of the BOLS name.
In the 17th century, the BOLS surname gained prominence in Amsterdam, where several notable individuals bearing this name emerged. Johannes Bols (1617-1671), a Dutch painter known for his landscapes and still lifes, was one such figure. Another was Pieter Bols (1645-1716), a successful merchant and banker who played a significant role in the city's economic affairs.
During the 18th century, the BOLS surname spread to other parts of the Netherlands and beyond. In the 19th century, the name appeared in historical records from neighboring countries like Belgium and Germany, likely due to migration and trade connections.
One of the most famous individuals with the BOLS surname was Lucas Bols (1652-1719), a renowned Dutch distiller who significantly contributed to the development of the Bols distillery and its reputation for excellence. His grandson, also named Lucas Bols (1705-1776), continued the family legacy and further expanded the business.
Another notable figure was Jacobus Bols (1818-1898), a Dutch politician and lawyer who served as a member of the House of Representatives in the Netherlands. He was instrumental in shaping various legal reforms during his tenure.
Throughout its history, the BOLS surname has been associated with various professions, including distilling, painting, merchanting, and politics. While its origins can be traced back to the Netherlands, the name has since spread globally, reflecting the Dutch diaspora and the influence of Dutch culture and commerce.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Bols
Among Census respondents with the surname Bols, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.3%. The next largest groups are Black (6.9%) and Hispanic (2.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Bols 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 Bols surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White87.3% · 89
- Black or African American6.9% · 7
- Hispanic or Latino2.9% · 3
- Two or more races2.0% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Bols
Bols appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#154,755
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 102
-11 bearers (-9.7%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 8,554 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #146,201 | 113 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #154,755 | 102 | 0.03 | -11 bearers (-9.7%) | Down 8,554 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 Bols 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 | #146,201 | #154,755 | -5.9% |
| Count | 113 | 102 | -9.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -14.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Bols bearers went from 113 to 102 (-9.7% change). The surname moved down 8,554 positions in the national ranking, going from #146,201 to #154,755.
FAQ
Bols surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Bols?
Name Census estimates that about 117 living Americans carry the surname Bols. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,929,524 residents.
How common is Bols?
Bols ranks #154,755 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 102 people with the surname Bols. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (117), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Bols.
Has Bols become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Bols went from 113 recorded bearers to 102. That is a decrease of 11 (-9.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #146,201 to #154,755.
What does the Census say about the background of Bols?
Among Census respondents with the surname Bols, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.3%. The next largest groups are Black (6.9%) and Hispanic (2.9%). 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 Bols in the 2020 Census, accounting for 87.3% (89 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Bols appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (87.3%), Black (6.9%), Hispanic (2.9%). 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 Bols (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 Bols mean?
A locational surname likely of Dutch origin indicating someone from the village of Bols. 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 Bols (0.03 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 Bols?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.