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

Bonham, 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 Bonham surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bonham in America

Bonham is the 5123rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bonham surname appeared 6,832 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Bonham.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bonham 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 Bonham

The surname Bonham has its origins in England, where it first emerged in the late medieval period. The name is thought to have derived from the Old English words "bun" meaning "a boundary" and "ham" meaning "a homestead or village." This suggests that the name originally referred to someone who lived near a boundary or at the edge of a settlement.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Bonham appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of landholdings in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. In this record, the name is spelled "Boneham," referring to a place in Nottinghamshire. The variation in spelling was common in those times, as standardized spellings had not yet been established.

The Bonham surname is associated with several notable figures throughout history. One such figure was Sir John Bonham, a renowned English military commander who lived during the late 16th century (c. 1555-1629). He played a crucial role in the Anglo-Spanish War and was knighted for his bravery and service to the Crown.

Another significant bearer of the Bonham name was Robert Bonham (1711-1776), an influential American planter and politician from South Carolina. He served as a delegate to the Continental Congress and was an active supporter of the American Revolutionary cause.

In the literary realm, Robert Bonham Carter (1891-1957) was a British author and journalist who wrote extensively on World War I and the interwar period. His memoir, "Old Brantonian," published in 1956, offers a fascinating glimpse into the life and times of the early 20th century.

The name Bonham has also been associated with several notable places. For instance, Bonham, Texas, a city located in Fannin County, was named after James Butler Bonham, an early settler and defender of the Alamo during the Texas Revolution.

Throughout its history, the surname Bonham has undergone various spellings and variations, including Bonham, Bonnam, Bonnham, and Bonnam, reflecting the fluid nature of surname spellings in earlier times. Despite these variations, the name's origins remain firmly rooted in the English countryside, where it first emerged as a descriptor of one's place of residence near a boundary or settlement edge.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bonham

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

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

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

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