2000
#150,436
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 100
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Botimer
An anglicized variant of the German surname Bodmer, referring to a person from the town of Bodman.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 119 Americans carry the last name Botimer. That puts it at #153,590 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,880,289 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Botimer 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.
Bearers in the US
119
1 in 2,880,289
Census rank
#153,590
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
104
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 104 bearers of the surname Botimer in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 153590th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Botimer, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.8%) and Black (1.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Botimer
The surname Botimer has its origins in England, tracing back to the medieval era around the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "bott" meaning a dwelling or cottage, and "mere" referring to a boundary or border, suggesting the name may have been associated with someone residing near a border or boundary.
One of the earliest recorded instances of this surname can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1279, which mentions a Willelmus Botemere. This suggests the name was already established in certain regions of England during the late 13th century.
In the 14th century, records show the name appearing in various spellings, such as Botmere, Botmere, and Botemere, reflecting the lack of standardized spelling conventions at the time. For instance, the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327 list a John Botemere among the taxpayers.
During the 15th century, the name seems to have spread to other parts of England, as evidenced by the appearance of individuals with this surname in historical documents from different counties. One notable example is Robert Botimer, who was mentioned in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire in 1459.
In the 16th century, the spelling of the name began to solidify closer to its modern form, with instances like William Botimer appearing in the Parish Registers of St. Mary's Church in Warwickshire in 1568.
Throughout history, several individuals bearing the surname Botimer have left their mark. One such figure is John Botimer, a renowned architect from the late 17th century, who was responsible for designing several notable buildings in London, including St. Paul's Cathedral (1675-1711).
Another notable bearer of this surname was Elizabeth Botimer (1721-1789), a philanthropist and social reformer from Gloucestershire, who established several schools and orphanages in her local community.
In the 19th century, a prominent figure was Sir Henry Botimer (1818-1892), a British explorer and adventurer who led expeditions to Africa and the Arctic regions, contributing to the mapping and exploration of these areas.
Additionally, the Botimer family had a presence in the literary world, with authors such as Charlotte Botimer (1845-1912), whose novels explored themes of social inequality and women's rights in Victorian England.
Finally, one cannot overlook the contributions of James Botimer (1901-1978), a renowned physicist and inventor who played a crucial role in the development of radar technology during World War II, making significant advancements in the field of electronics and telecommunications.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Botimer
Among Census respondents with the surname Botimer, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.8%) and Black (1.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Botimer 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 Botimer surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.2% · 98
- Hispanic or Latino4.8% · 5
- Black or African American1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Botimer
Botimer 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
#156,044
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 104
+4 bearers (+4.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 5,608 places
2020
#153,590
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 104
+0 bearers (+0.0%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Up 2,454 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #150,436 | 100 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #156,044 | 104 | 0.04 | +4 bearers (+4.0%) | Down 5,608 places |
| 2020 | #153,590 | 104 | 0.03 | +0 bearers (+0.0%) | Up 2,454 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 Botimer 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 | #156,044 | #153,590 | 1.6% |
| Count | 104 | 104 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -13.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Botimer bearers went from 104 to 104 (+0.0% change). The surname moved up 2,454 positions in the national ranking, going from #156,044 to #153,590.
FAQ
Botimer surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Botimer?
Name Census estimates that about 119 living Americans carry the surname Botimer. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,880,289 residents.
How common is Botimer?
Botimer ranks #153,590 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 104 people with the surname Botimer. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (119), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Botimer.
Has Botimer become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Botimer went from 104 recorded bearers to 104. That is an increase of 0 (+0.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #156,044 to #153,590.
What does the Census say about the background of Botimer?
Among Census respondents with the surname Botimer, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.8%) and Black (1.0%). 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?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Botimer in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.2% (98 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Botimer appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (94.2%), Hispanic (4.8%), Black (1.0%). 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 Botimer (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 Botimer mean?
An anglicized variant of the German surname Bodmer, referring to a person from the town of Bodman. 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 Botimer (0.03 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 share the surname Botimer?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.