Bolton
An English toponymic surname derived from any of the places named Bolton, meaning "settlement with a bolt-on".
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 38,114 Americans carry the last name Bolton. That puts it at #1,068 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 11.12 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 8,993 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Bolton surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, 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
38K
1 in 8,993
Census rank
#1,068
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
11.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
33K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 32,815 bearers of the surname Bolton in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 11.12 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 1068th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Bolton, the largest self-reported group is White at 73.5%. The next largest groups are Black (20.9%) and Hispanic (2.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Bolton
The surname Bolton is of Anglo-Saxon origin and can be traced back to the early medieval period in England. The name derives from the Old English words "bold" meaning "dwelling" and "tun" meaning "town" or "enclosure". It is believed to have originated as a place name referring to a settlement or fortified town.
Bolton is a common place name in England, with towns and villages bearing this name found across various counties, including Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Northumberland, and Yorkshire. The earliest recorded reference to the name Bolton appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Boulton" and "Bodelton".
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Bolton was Robert de Bolton, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Nottinghamshire in 1194. Another notable figure was William Bolton, a 14th-century English prelate who served as Bishop of Bath and Wells from 1333 to 1363.
During the Tudor period, Sir Richard Bolton (c. 1570-1648) was a prominent English lawyer and politician who served as Lord Chancellor of Ireland from 1639 to 1648. In the realm of literature, Edmund Bolton (1575-1634) was an English historian, philosopher, and scholar known for his work "Hypercritica" (1618).
In the 18th century, Robert Bolton (1691-1763) was an English clergyman and author who wrote the influential book "A Treatise on Comforting Afflicted Consciences" (1631). During the same period, Sarah Bolton (1714-1795) was a renowned English actress who performed at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane.
Another notable individual with the surname Bolton was Sarah Knowles Bolton (1841-1916), an American author, and journalist who wrote extensively on women's issues and social reform. She is particularly known for her book "Famous Leaders Among Men" (1889), which celebrated the achievements of notable women throughout history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Bolton
Among Census respondents with the surname Bolton, the largest self-reported group is White at 73.5%. The next largest groups are Black (20.9%) and Hispanic (2.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Bolton bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 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.
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 Bolton surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White73.5%
- Black or African American20.9%
- Hispanic or Latino2.4%
- Two or more races2.1%
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.5%
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.5%
Year on year
2000 vs 2010 Census
How has the Bolton surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2000 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #994 | #1,068 | -7.4% |
| Count | 31,995 | 32,815 | 2.6% |
| Per 100K | 11.86 | 11.12 | -6.2% |
Between the 2000 and 2010 Census, the number of Bolton bearers went from 31,995 to 32,815 (+2.6% change). The surname moved down 74 positions in the national ranking, going from #994 to #1,068.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Bolton
FAQ
Bolton surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Bolton?
The surname Bolton holds position #1,068 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 38,114 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 11.12 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Bolton surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Bolton, the largest self-reported group is White at 73.5%. The next largest groups are Black (20.9%) and Hispanic (2.4%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.