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

Bolyard, 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 Bolyard surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bolyard in America

Bolyard is the 9969th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bolyard surname appeared 3,235 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 Bolyard.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bolyard 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 Bolyard

The surname Bolyard is believed to have originated in France during the medieval period, potentially derived from the Old French words "boille" (bubble) and "yard" (yard or garden). This combination suggests an association with someone who lived near or worked with bubbling springs or fountains in a yard or garden area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land and property commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The entry mentions a landowner named Willelmus Boillart, whose name likely evolved into the modern spelling of Bolyard over the centuries.

As the name spread across Europe, variations in spelling emerged, including Boillard, Boilliard, and Boillard. These variations were often influenced by regional dialects and local pronunciation differences.

In the 13th century, records from the French region of Normandy mention a nobleman named Robert Boillard, who held substantial land holdings and was known for his contributions to the local community.

During the 16th century, the Bolyard surname gained prominence in England, where it was associated with a family of merchants and landowners. One notable figure was Sir William Bolyard (1542-1612), a successful trader and philanthropist who founded several schools and hospitals in London.

In the 17th century, the Bolyard name found its way to the American colonies, with several families settling in the Mid-Atlantic region. Among them was John Bolyard (1625-1698), a farmer and early settler in what is now Pennsylvania.

Another significant figure in the history of the Bolyard name was Marie-Anne Bolyard (1768-1842), a French horticulturist and botanist renowned for her work in cultivating and documenting rare plant species.

During the 19th century, the Bolyard surname gained recognition in the literary world with the publication of "The Bolyard Chronicles," a series of historical novels written by James Bolyard (1824-1898), chronicling the adventures of his ancestors during the American Revolutionary War.

The name Bolyard has also been associated with various locations and place names throughout history, such as Boillard Creek in Arkansas and Bolyard Hill in West Virginia, further solidifying its geographical and cultural significance.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bolyard

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

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

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

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