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

Botts, 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 Botts surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Botts in America

Botts is the 7274th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Botts surname appeared 4,582 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Botts.

We can also compare 2010 data for Botts 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 Botts

The surname Botts is of English origin, first appearing in records during the late medieval period, around the 13th century. It is believed to have originated as a locational name, derived from a place called Bott or Botts, though the precise location of this settlement has been lost to history. Some suggest it may have been a reference to a small hamlet or farmstead located near a boggy or marshy area, as the name is thought to be related to the Old English word "bot," meaning a dwelling or humble abode.

One of the earliest documented references to the Botts surname can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire, compiled in 1273, which mentions a William de Bottis. The Hundred Rolls were administrative records maintained by the English government at the time, listing landowners and their holdings. This suggests that the Botts family had already established itself as landowners in the county of Bedfordshire by the late 13th century.

In the 14th century, the Botts name appears in various legal and ecclesiastical records. For instance, a John Botts is mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1334, and a Robert Botts is recorded as a landowner in the Feet of Fines for Warwickshire in 1349. These entries indicate that the family had spread across several counties in England by this time.

One notable figure bearing the Botts surname was Sir William Botts (1425-1491), a prominent English landowner and military commander during the Wars of the Roses. He fought on the Yorkist side and was knighted for his service to Edward IV after the Battle of Tewkesbury in 1471. Sir William Botts was also a Member of Parliament for Gloucestershire in 1472.

Another historical figure of note was John Botts (1592-1649), an English clergyman and author who served as the rector of St. Giles-without-Cripplegate in London. He published several theological works, including "The Workes of Mr. John Botts Minister of the Word" in 1634, which was a collection of his sermons and writings.

In the 17th century, the Botts surname appears to have been particularly concentrated in the counties of Gloucestershire and Warwickshire, as evidenced by parish records and wills from that period. One prominent individual was Richard Botts (1610-1678), a wealthy landowner and justice of the peace in Warwickshire, who served as the High Sheriff of the county in 1664.

As time progressed, the Botts name continued to be found throughout various parts of England, with families settling in different regions. By the 19th century, there were numerous variations in spelling, including Bott, Bots, Botts, and Bottes, though Botts remained the most common form.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Botts

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

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

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

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