Boorman
A surname derived from an Old English word meaning peasant or countryman.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 720 Americans carry the last name Boorman. That puts it at #35,721 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.21 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 476,048 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Boorman 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
720
1 in 476,048
Census rank
#35,721
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
629
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 629 bearers of the surname Boorman in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.21 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 35721st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Boorman, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.7%) and Two or More Races (1.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Boorman
The surname Boorman is of English origin and dates back to the late medieval period. It is thought to derive from the Old English words "bur" meaning a cottage or dwelling, and "mann" meaning a person or man. Thus, the name likely referred to someone who lived in a small cottage or humble dwelling.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1285, where a Richard Boreman is mentioned. The spelling variations at this time included Boreman, Bourman, and Burman. These early spellings reflect the name's roots in the Old English language.
In the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, a Thomas Burman is listed, indicating the spread of the name across different regions of England. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 also reference a John Burman, further cementing the name's presence in historical records.
During the 16th century, the more modern spelling of Boorman began to emerge. One notable figure from this period was Richard Boorman, a merchant and alderman of London, who was born around 1530 and passed away in 1593.
In the 17th century, the surname can be found in various parish records across England. One example is John Boorman, who was born in 1612 in Worcestershire and served as a member of the English Parliament in the 1650s.
The 18th century saw the rise of Sir Nathan Boorman, a prominent British naval officer who was born in 1720. He played a significant role in several military campaigns and was knighted for his service in 1779.
Moving into the 19th century, the name Boorman continued to be represented across various fields. One notable figure was John Boorman, a British writer and poet who was born in 1806 and published several works throughout his lifetime.
Another individual of note was Walter Boorman, a British artist and illustrator who was born in 1855. He gained recognition for his landscape paintings and illustrations, particularly those depicting rural English scenes.
As the name spread beyond England, it also gained a foothold in other parts of the world. For instance, in the United States, one of the earliest recorded instances of the name was Richard Boorman, who was born in 1630 in Massachusetts and was among the early English settlers in the region.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Boorman
Among Census respondents with the surname Boorman, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.7%) and Two or More Races (1.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Boorman 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 Boorman surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.6%
- Hispanic or Latino2.7%
- Unknown or suppressed1.3%
- Two or more races1.3%
- Black or African American1.1%
Year on year
2000 vs 2010 Census
How has the Boorman 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 | #33,054 | #35,721 | -8.1% |
| Count | 653 | 629 | -3.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.24 | 0.21 | -12.5% |
Between the 2000 and 2010 Census, the number of Boorman bearers went from 653 to 629 (-3.7% change). The surname moved down 2,667 positions in the national ranking, going from #33,054 to #35,721.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Boorman
FAQ
Boorman surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Boorman?
The surname Boorman holds position #35,721 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 720 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.21 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Boorman surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Boorman, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.7%) and Two or More Races (1.3%). 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.