Find out how popular the last name Bonifield is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Bonifield.
A surname possibly derived from the French phrase "bon fiels" meaning "good follower" or "good vassal".
Bonifield, 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 Bonifield surname is from the 2010 census data.
Bonifield is the 53316th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.
The Bonifield surname appeared 388 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 Bonifield.
We can also compare 2010 data for Bonifield 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.
| 2010 | 2000 | Change (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | 53316 | 46523 | 13.61% |
| Count | 388 | 431 | -10.50% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.13 | 0.16 | -20.69% |
The surname Bonifield has its origins in the British Isles, likely emerging in the 13th or 14th century. The name is believed to be derived from the Anglo-Norman French phrase "bon fieu," which translates to "good fief" or "good estate." This suggests that the Bonifield name may have been initially associated with landowners or those who held fiefs from their feudal lords.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Bonifield surname can be found in the Nottinghamshire County Records from the year 1327. The entry mentions a Robert de Bonyfelde, indicating that variations such as "Bonyfelde" were used during that time. Additionally, the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire from 1379 list a John de Bonfeld, further showcasing the name's evolution.
The Bonifield surname also appears in the famous Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of landowners and tenants commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. However, the spelling found in the Domesday Book is slightly different, with the name recorded as "Bonefelde."
Notable individuals with the Bonifield surname throughout history include Sir Richard Bonifield (1535-1609), a renowned English judge and legal scholar during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. Another prominent figure was William Bonifield (1698-1768), a successful merchant and landowner in colonial Virginia, United States.
In the 16th century, the Bonifield family established roots in the village of Longford, Derbyshire, where they were prominent landowners. One member of this line, John Bonifield (1620-1689), served as the High Sheriff of Derbyshire in 1679.
Moving to the 19th century, Samuel Bonifield (1789-1862) was a respected Baptist minister and author from Pennsylvania, known for his influential sermons and religious writings.
It is also worth noting that variations of the Bonifield surname have been found in historical records, such as Bonyfield, Bonifield, and Bonefield. These spellings likely emerged due to regional dialects and the inconsistencies in record-keeping during earlier periods.
We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Bonifield.
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:
For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Bonifield was:
| Race/Ethnicity | Percentage | Total Occurrences |
|---|---|---|
| Non-Hispanic White Only | 93.81% | 364 |
| Non-Hispanic Black Only | 0.00% | 0 |
| Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only | 1.29% | 5 |
| Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native | 1.80% | 7 |
| Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races | 1.29% | 5 |
| Hispanic Origin | 1.80% | 7 |
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 Bonifield has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.
| 2010 | 2000 | Change (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 93.81% | 95.59% | -1.88% |
| Black | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Asian and Pacific Islander | 1.29% | (S)% | (S)% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 1.80% | (S)% | (S)% |
| Two or More Races | 1.29% | (S)% | (S)% |
| Hispanic | 1.80% | 2.09% | -14.91% |
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 Bonifield was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.
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