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

Boswell, 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 Boswell surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Boswell in America

Boswell is the 1591st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Boswell surname appeared 22,540 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 8 people would have the surname Boswell.

We can also compare 2010 data for Boswell 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 Boswell

The surname Boswell is of Scottish origin, originating from the lands of Bosseville or Bosville in Berwickshire, Scotland. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "bos" meaning a dwelling or house, and "vill" meaning a farm or village, essentially translating to "farm dwelling."

The name can be traced back to the 12th century, with records indicating that a family bearing the name resided in the lands of Bosseville during that period. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which lists those who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England, including a "Walter de Bosevill."

In the 13th century, the spelling of the name varied, with forms such as "Bosvile," "Bosewell," and "Boswell" being used. The Boswell family eventually established themselves as landowners and played a significant role in the history of the Scottish Borders region.

One notable member of the Boswell family was Sir Alexander Boswell (1775-1822), a Scottish song collector and editor who published a collection of Scottish ballads and songs. Another prominent figure was James Boswell (1740-1795), a Scottish biographer and diarist best known for his biography of Samuel Johnson, titled "The Life of Samuel Johnson, LL.D.," published in 1791.

The Boswells also had a presence in England, with Sir William Boswell (1504-1592) serving as the English ambassador to the Netherlands and later as the Secretary of State under Queen Elizabeth I. Another member of the family, Sir William Boswell (1578-1650), was a Member of Parliament and a supporter of King Charles I during the English Civil War.

In the United States, one of the earliest recorded instances of the Boswell surname was in 1635 when Thomas Boswell settled in Virginia. The name also appears in the records of the Massachusetts Bay Colony in the late 17th century.

Throughout history, the Boswell surname has been associated with various professions, including writers, politicians, military leaders, and landowners. While the name originated in Scotland, it has since spread to various parts of the world, though its roots can be traced back to the ancient lands of Bosseville in the Scottish Borders.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Boswell

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

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

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

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