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

Borders, 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 Borders surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Borders in America

Borders is the 3928th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Borders surname appeared 9,053 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Borders.

We can also compare 2010 data for Borders 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 Borders

The surname Borders is of Anglo-Saxon origin and has its roots in the Old English word 'bordor', meaning 'boundary' or 'border'. It is believed to have originated in the northern counties of England, particularly in the areas bordering Scotland, during the early medieval period.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as 'Borderer', referring to individuals who lived near the border regions. This suggests that the name was initially used as an occupational descriptor for those who guarded or patrolled the borders.

As the name evolved, it took on various spellings such as Borderer, Borderer, and Bordors before settling into its modern form of Borders. In the 13th century, records from Yorkshire mention a William de Bordere, indicating the name's presence in that region.

Prominent figures bearing the Borders surname include Sir John Borders (c. 1500-1570), an English diplomat and soldier who served under King Henry VIII and was knighted for his services during the Scottish campaigns. Another notable person was Robert Borders (1608-1679), an English clergyman and theologian who served as the Bishop of Oxford.

In Scotland, the Borders surname can be traced back to the 15th century, with mentions of individuals such as John Borders, a merchant from Edinburgh, recorded in 1472. The name is also associated with the Scottish Borders region, which may have contributed to its adoption by families residing in that area.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the Borders name spread across the British Isles and to the American colonies. Notable individuals from this period include William Borders (1685-1758), an English mathematician and surveyor who pioneered the use of theodolites in surveying, and Benjamin Borders (1743-1821), an American soldier who fought in the Revolutionary War.

Throughout history, the Borders surname has been associated with various professions, from soldiers and diplomats to clergymen and academics, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and occupations of those who bore this name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Borders

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

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

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

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