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

Bothwell, 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 Bothwell surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bothwell in America

Bothwell is the 13330th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bothwell surname appeared 2,288 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Bothwell.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bothwell 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 Bothwell

The surname Bothwell originates from Scotland and dates back to the 12th century. It is derived from the place name Bothwell, which is a town situated in South Lanarkshire, near the city of Glasgow. The name Bothwell itself is believed to come from the Gaelic words "both" meaning "a dwelling" and "well" referring to a spring or stream, suggesting that the name refers to a settlement built near a well or water source.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Bothwell surname appears in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which were a series of historical documents containing the names of Scottish nobles who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England during the Scottish Wars of Independence. The Ragman Rolls mention a "Walter de Bothwell" from the town of Bothwell.

The Bothwell family was influential in Scotland during the medieval period. One notable member was James Hepburn, 4th Earl of Bothwell (1536-1578), who was a Scottish nobleman and the third husband of Mary, Queen of Scots. Bothwell played a significant role in the turbulent events surrounding Mary's reign, including her forced abdication and imprisonment.

Another prominent figure with the Bothwell surname was Adam Bothwell (1527-1593), who was a Scottish reformer and Protestant theologian. He was a prominent figure during the Scottish Reformation and served as the minister of the Canongate Kirk in Edinburgh.

In the 16th century, the Bothwell family had strong ties to the town of Bothwell, and their name was associated with the Bothwell Castle, a medieval fortress located near the town. The castle played a role in several significant historical events, including the Wars of Scottish Independence and the Jacobite Risings.

Other notable individuals with the Bothwell surname include:

1. Francis Bothwell (1599-1654), a Scottish minister and Principal of the University of Edinburgh.
2. John Bothwell (1585-1637), a Scottish theologian and writer who served as the minister of Holyrood Abbey in Edinburgh.
3. William Bothwell (1654-1707), a Scottish mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the field of celestial mechanics.
4. Thomas Bothwell (1744-1823), a Scottish-born American soldier who served in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War.
5. James Bothwell (1822-1886), a Scottish businessman and philanthropist who made his fortune in the textile industry and founded the town of Bothwell, Ontario, in Canada.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bothwell

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

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

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

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