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

Bonas, 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 Bonas surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bonas in America

Bonas is the 69392nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bonas surname appeared 283 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Bonas.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bonas 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 Bonas

The surname BONAS is believed to have originated in England, with its roots dating back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Old French word "bon," meaning "good" or "kind," and may have initially been used as a descriptive nickname for someone with a pleasant or agreeable demeanor.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name BONAS can be found in the Domesday Book, a manuscript compiled in 1086 by order of William the Conqueror. This comprehensive record of land holdings and inhabitants in England at the time mentions a person named Reginald Bonus, which is likely a variant spelling of the same surname.

During the 13th century, the name BONAS appeared in various historical documents, including the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which listed landowners and taxpayers. One notable figure from this era was Sir Roger Bonas, a knight who fought in the Crusades and was recorded as a landowner in Oxfordshire in 1275.

In the 14th century, the surname BONAS was sometimes spelled as "Bonace" or "Bonasse," reflecting regional variations in pronunciation and spelling conventions of the time. A notable bearer of the name during this period was John Bonace, a merchant and alderman in the city of London, who was mentioned in records from 1345.

The 16th century saw the emergence of several distinguished individuals with the surname BONAS. One such person was Sir Thomas Bonas (1515-1589), a prominent lawyer and judge who served as Chief Baron of the Exchequer during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

Another notable figure from this era was Richard Bonas (1528-1605), a clergyman and author who served as the Dean of Lichfield Cathedral and published several works on theology and ecclesiastical law.

In the 17th century, the BONAS surname continued to be well-represented in various fields. One example is Captain John Bonas (1610-1677), a military officer who fought in the English Civil War and later served as a member of the Virginia House of Burgesses in the American colonies.

Moving into the 18th century, we find Dr. William Bonas (1725-1802), a renowned physician and scientist who made significant contributions to the study of botany and was a fellow of the Royal Society.

As the surname BONAS spread across different regions, it also underwent variations in spelling, with forms such as "Bonis," "Bonnis," and "Bonass" appearing in historical records from various parts of England and Scotland.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bonas

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

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

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

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