Boselli
An Italian surname meaning "small woods" or "little forest".
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 240 Americans carry the last name Boselli. That puts it at #88,336 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.07 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,428,143 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Boselli 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
240
1 in 1,428,143
Census rank
#88,336
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
210
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 210 bearers of the surname Boselli in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.07 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 88336th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Boselli, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.7%) and Two or More Races (2.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Boselli
The surname Boselli originated in Italy during the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Italian word "bosco," meaning "forest" or "woods." This suggests that the name may have been initially given to someone who lived near or worked in a heavily wooded area.
The earliest recorded instances of the Boselli surname can be traced back to the 13th century in the regions of Piedmont and Lombardy, located in the northwestern part of Italy. The name was particularly prevalent in the cities of Turin and Milan, where several notable families bearing the Boselli surname resided.
One of the earliest known references to the name Boselli can be found in the historical records of the city of Pavia, where a man named Guglielmo Boselli was mentioned in a document dated 1265. This indicates that the surname was already well-established in the region by the 13th century.
During the Renaissance period, the Boselli family gained prominence in the city of Milan. Cristoforo Boselli (1490-1556) was a renowned Italian architect and sculptor who contributed to the design of several significant buildings in Milan, including the Basilica of Sant'Ambrogio.
Another notable figure with the Boselli surname was Paolo Boselli (1838-1932), an Italian statesman and politician who served as the Prime Minister of Italy from 1916 to 1917. He played a crucial role in leading Italy during the latter stages of World War I.
In the 19th century, the Boselli surname also found its way to France, where it was adopted by several families of Italian descent. One of the most famous French individuals with this surname was Jacques Boselli (1912-2002), a renowned painter and sculptor whose works are displayed in numerous museums and galleries across Europe.
Throughout the centuries, the Boselli surname has been associated with various noble families and influential individuals in Italy, particularly in the regions of Piedmont and Lombardy. While the name may have originated from a connection to forested areas, it has since become a distinguished surname with a rich historical legacy.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Boselli
Among Census respondents with the surname Boselli, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.7%) and Two or More Races (2.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Boselli 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 Boselli surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.0%
- Hispanic or Latino5.7%
- Two or more races2.9%
- Unknown or suppressed0.5%
Year on year
2000 vs 2010 Census
How has the Boselli 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 | #106,477 | #88,336 | 17.0% |
| Count | 155 | 210 | 35.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.06 | 0.07 | 16.7% |
Between the 2000 and 2010 Census, the number of Boselli bearers went from 155 to 210 (+35.5% change). The surname moved up 18,141 positions in the national ranking, going from #106,477 to #88,336.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Boselli
FAQ
Boselli surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Boselli?
The surname Boselli holds position #88,336 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 240 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.07 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Boselli surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Boselli, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.7%) and Two or More Races (2.9%). 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.