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

Boulware, 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 Boulware surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Boulware in America

Boulware is the 8464th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Boulware surname appeared 3,903 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 Boulware.

We can also compare 2010 data for Boulware 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 Boulware

The surname Boulware is believed to have originated in England, likely during the medieval period. Its roots can be traced back to the Old English words "bul" and "waer," which together mean "bull protector" or "bull keeper." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who was responsible for tending or guarding bulls, perhaps on a farm or estate.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Boulware can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from the 13th century, where a person named Willelmus Boulware was mentioned. The name also appears in various other historical records from that era, such as the Court Rolls of Wiltshire and the Feet of Fines for Essex.

The Boulware surname has undergone several spelling variations over the centuries, including Boulwer, Bolware, and Bulware. These variations likely emerged due to regional dialects, linguistic evolutions, and inconsistencies in record-keeping practices.

One notable figure bearing the Boulware name was Sir John Boulware, a knight who lived in the 14th century and was known for his military exploits during the Hundred Years' War between England and France. Records indicate that he participated in several battles, including the Battle of Crécy in 1346.

Another prominent individual was William Boulware, a 16th-century merchant and landowner from Gloucestershire, England. Historical documents suggest that he amassed considerable wealth through his trading ventures and acquired substantial landholdings in the region.

In the 17th century, the Boulware surname can be found in the parish records of various English counties, such as Wiltshire, Dorset, and Somerset. This indicates that the name had spread across different parts of the country by that time.

One noteworthy figure from this period was Robert Boulware, a clergyman who served as the rector of St. Mary's Church in Warwick from 1632 to 1658. He was known for his scholarly pursuits and authored several theological treatises.

As the British Empire expanded, the Boulware name also found its way to other parts of the world. In the 18th century, there are records of individuals with the surname Boulware residing in colonial America, particularly in Virginia and the Carolinas.

Throughout its history, the Boulware surname has been associated with various occupations, including agriculture, trade, clergy, and military service. While not a particularly common name, it has left its mark on the historical records of England and beyond, reflecting the diverse experiences and contributions of those who have borne this surname over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Boulware

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

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

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

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