2000
#14,976
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,811
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.67
Rare Last name
Bolster
An occupational surname for a maker or seller of bolsters, pillows, or cushions.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,076 Americans carry the last name Bolster. That puts it at #15,549 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.61 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 165,103 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Bolster 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Bolster with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
2.1K
1 in 165,103
Census rank
#15,549
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.8K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,810 bearers of the surname Bolster in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.61 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 15549th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Bolster, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.3%) and Two or More Races (2.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Bolster
The surname Bolster is of English origin and dates back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old English word "bolster," which referred to a long, cylindrical cushion or pillow used for support or comfort.
In its earliest recorded instances, the name was often spelled "Bolstere" or "Bolstre" and was associated with individuals who were involved in the production or trade of bolsters and other bedding materials. Over time, the name evolved into its modern spelling, "Bolster."
One of the earliest recorded references to the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1194, which mention a person named Richard Bolstre. Another early record is found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1279, where a John Bolstre is listed.
The Bolster surname is also associated with various locations in England, such as Bolster's Green in Hertfordshire and Bolster's Farm in Sussex. These place names likely originated from individuals bearing the Bolster surname who once lived or owned land in those areas.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the Bolster surname. One such person was William Bolster (c. 1450-1505), an English Protestant martyr who was burned at the stake for his religious beliefs during the reign of Henry VII.
Another prominent figure was Sir Arthur Bolster (1598-1672), an English landowner and Member of Parliament who served as High Sheriff of Worcestershire in 1641. He played a role in the English Civil War, initially siding with the Royalists but later switching his allegiance to the Parliamentarians.
In the 18th century, John Bolster (1703-1786) was a wealthy merchant and philanthropist from Bristol, England. He made significant contributions to the city, including funding the construction of a hospital and almshouses.
Moving into the 19th century, John Bolster Jr. (1811-1887) was an American businessman and politician who served as the 17th Mayor of Philadelphia from 1863 to 1866.
Finally, William Bolster (1872-1951) was a British trade unionist and Labour Party politician who represented the constituency of West Ham Plaistow in the House of Commons from 1923 to 1931.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Bolster
Among Census respondents with the surname Bolster, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.3%) and Two or More Races (2.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Bolster 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 Bolster surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.3% · 1,653
- Hispanic or Latino4.3% · 77
- Two or more races2.7% · 49
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 16
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.8% · 14
- Black or African American0.1% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Bolster
Bolster appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#14,902
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,986
+175 bearers (+9.7%)
Per 100,000 0.67
Rank movement Up 74 places
2020
#15,549
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,810
-176 bearers (-8.9%)
Per 100,000 0.61
Rank movement Down 647 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #14,976 | 1,811 | 0.67 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #14,902 | 1,986 | 0.67 | +175 bearers (+9.7%) | Up 74 places |
| 2020 | #15,549 | 1,810 | 0.61 | -176 bearers (-8.9%) | Down 647 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 Bolster 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 | #14,902 | #15,549 | -4.3% |
| Count | 1,986 | 1,810 | -8.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.67 | 0.61 | -9.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Bolster bearers went from 1,986 to 1,810 (-8.9% change). The surname moved down 647 positions in the national ranking, going from #14,902 to #15,549.
FAQ
Bolster surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Bolster?
Name Census estimates that about 2,076 living Americans carry the surname Bolster. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 165,103 residents.
How common is Bolster?
Bolster ranks #15,549 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.61 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 1,810 people with the surname Bolster. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,076), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.61 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.61 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Bolster.
Has Bolster become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Bolster went from 1,986 recorded bearers to 1,810. That is a decrease of 176 (-8.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #14,902 to #15,549.
What does the Census say about the background of Bolster?
Among Census respondents with the surname Bolster, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.3%) and Two or More Races (2.7%). 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 Bolster in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.3% (1,653 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Bolster appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.3%), Hispanic (4.3%), Two or More Races (2.7%). 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 Bolster (2000, 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 Bolster mean?
An occupational surname for a maker or seller of bolsters, pillows, or cushions. 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 Bolster (0.61 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 are called Bolster?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the last name Bolster on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.