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

Bolt, 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 Bolt surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bolt in America

Bolt is the 4726th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bolt surname appeared 7,504 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Bolt.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bolt 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 Bolt

The surname Bolt is believed to have originated in England, likely during the medieval period. It is thought to be a locational name derived from a place name, possibly referring to a hamlet or village where people lived near a bolt or bar used for securing a gate or door.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Bolt can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Staffordshire in 1199, where a Roger Bolt is mentioned. The surname also appears in the Rotuli Hundredorum of 1273, which was a census-like survey of households in England, indicating its widespread use by that time.

The name Bolt may also be connected to the Old English word "bolt," which referred to a short, thick arrow or missile used in archery or warfare. This could suggest that the name may have been an occupational surname given to someone involved in the making or using of such bolts.

In the 13th century, the name was recorded in various spellings, such as Bolte, Boulte, and Bult, reflecting regional variations in pronunciation and spelling practices of the time.

Notable individuals with the surname Bolt throughout history include:

1. Robert Bolt (1924-1995), an English playwright and screenwriter best known for his works "A Man for All Seasons" and "The Mission."

2. Usain Bolt (born 1986), a Jamaican sprinter widely regarded as one of the greatest athletes of all time, holding world records in the 100m and 200m sprints.

3. Richard Bolt (1911-2002), an American physicist and acoustician who made significant contributions to the development of early computer graphics and the field of computer music.

4. Benjamin Bolt (1797-1859), an English architect and surveyor who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Church of St. Peter in Eaton Square.

5. John Bolt (1920-2005), an American theologian and professor at Calvin Theological Seminary, known for his work on the theology of the Dutch philosopher Herman Bavinck.

While the name Bolt has its roots in England, it has since spread to various parts of the world, including the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean, among other regions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bolt

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

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

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

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