2000
#10,357
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,849
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.06
Rare Last name
Bose
A surname of Indian origin, derived from the Sanskrit word "vasu," meaning "wealth," "prosperity," or "one who bestows wealth."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 4,235 Americans carry the last name Bose. That puts it at #8,551 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.24 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 80,934 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Bose surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Bose with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
4.2K
1 in 80,934
Census rank
#8,551
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.7K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,693 bearers of the surname Bose in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.24 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 8551st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Bose, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 48.3%. The next largest groups are White (40.2%) and Black (4.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Bose
The surname Bose originates from India, where it has been in use since ancient times. It is derived from the Sanskrit word "bhos," which means "light" or "radiance." The name is particularly prevalent in the eastern states of West Bengal and Odisha, indicating its roots in the Bengali and Odia cultures.
In the medieval period, the Bose surname was associated with the Brahmin caste, who were revered as scholars and priests. Historical records from the 11th century mention Bose families residing in the regions of Bengal and Odisha, where they held positions of influence in local governance and religious institutions.
One of the earliest known references to the Bose surname can be found in the Pala inscriptions of the 8th century CE. These inscriptions document the existence of Bose scholars and poets who contributed to the rich literary traditions of the time.
The name gained further prominence during the Mughal era, when several Bose individuals held prominent positions in the imperial court. Anandram Bose, a 17th-century poet and philosopher, was highly regarded for his works on Hindu philosophy and ethics.
In the 19th century, the Bose family played a significant role in the Bengali Renaissance and the Indian independence movement. Jagadish Chandra Bose (1858-1937), a renowned scientist and polymath, is widely celebrated for his pioneering work in the field of biophysics and his contributions to the study of plant life.
Another notable figure is Subhas Chandra Bose (1897-1945), a leading figure in the Indian independence movement and the founder of the Indian National Army. His unwavering dedication to India's freedom struggle and his charismatic leadership made him a revered figure in the country's history.
Other distinguished individuals with the Bose surname include Amar Nath Bose (1929-2013), the founder of the Bose Corporation and a pioneer in audio technology; Buddhadeb Bose (1944-), a renowned Bengali poet and former Chief Minister of West Bengal; and Nirmala Sitharaman (1959-), the current Finance Minister of India.
The Bose surname has also been associated with various place names in India, such as Bose Pukur and Bose Para in West Bengal, which further attests to the historical significance and widespread presence of the name in the region.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Bose
Among Census respondents with the surname Bose, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 48.3%. The next largest groups are White (40.2%) and Black (4.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Bose bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 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.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
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 Bose surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander48.3% · 1,785
- White40.2% · 1,483
- Black or African American4.9% · 180
- Two or more races3.6% · 132
- Hispanic or Latino2.5% · 94
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.5% · 19
Timeline
Historical Census data for Bose
Bose appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#9,547
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,406
+557 bearers (+19.6%)
Per 100,000 1.15
Rank movement Up 810 places
2020
#8,551
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,693
+287 bearers (+8.4%)
Per 100,000 1.24
Rank movement Up 996 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #10,357 | 2,849 | 1.06 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #9,547 | 3,406 | 1.15 | +557 bearers (+19.6%) | Up 810 places |
| 2020 | #8,551 | 3,693 | 1.24 | +287 bearers (+8.4%) | Up 996 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Bose surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #9,547 | #8,551 | 10.4% |
| Count | 3,406 | 3,693 | 8.4% |
| Per 100K | 1.15 | 1.24 | 7.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Bose bearers went from 3,406 to 3,693 (+8.4% change). The surname moved up 996 positions in the national ranking, going from #9,547 to #8,551.
FAQ
Bose surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Bose?
Name Census estimates that about 4,235 living Americans carry the surname Bose. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 80,934 residents.
How common is Bose?
Bose ranks #8,551 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.24 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 3,693 people with the surname Bose. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (4,235), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.24 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.24 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Bose.
Has Bose become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Bose went from 3,406 recorded bearers to 3,693. That is an increase of 287 (+8.4%). In the national ranking it rose from #9,547 to #8,551.
What does the Census say about the background of Bose?
Among Census respondents with the surname Bose, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 48.3%. The next largest groups are White (40.2%) and Black (4.9%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
Asian/Pacific Islander is the largest self-reported group for the surname Bose in the 2020 Census, accounting for 48.3% (1,785 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Bose appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (48.3%), White (40.2%), Black (4.9%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Bose (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Bose mean?
A surname of Indian origin, derived from the Sanskrit word "vasu," meaning "wealth," "prosperity," or "one who bestows wealth." The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Bose (1.24 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the last name Bose?
If you just want to know how many people have the last name Bose, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.