2000
#140,756
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Bovich
A surname likely derived from Slavic roots, indicating geographic origin or occupation.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 127 Americans carry the last name Bovich. That puts it at #148,665 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,698,853 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Bovich 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
127
1 in 2,698,853
Census rank
#148,665
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
111
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 111 bearers of the surname Bovich in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 148665th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Bovich, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.5%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Bovich
The surname BOVICH is of Slavic origin, specifically from the countries of Croatia and Serbia. It dates back to the 15th century and is believed to be derived from the Bosnian word "bov," meaning ox or cattle.
This surname was likely initially associated with individuals who worked as cattle herders, ranchers, or farmers. It may have also been a descriptive name given to someone with a physical resemblance or characteristic similar to an ox.
In the early 16th century, records show several individuals with the surname BOVICH living in the regions of Dalmatia and Slavonia, which were part of the Venetian Republic at the time. These regions are now part of modern-day Croatia.
One of the earliest known references to the name BOVICH can be found in a manuscript from 1523, which mentions a certain Ivan BOVICH, a landowner in the village of Zadar, located in present-day Croatia.
Another notable individual with this surname was Marko BOVICH, born in 1672 in the town of Dubrovnik, Croatia. He was a renowned merchant and trader who established business ties with several Italian cities during the height of the Venetian Republic's influence in the region.
In the 18th century, the BOVICH surname began to spread to other parts of Europe, particularly in the Austro-Hungarian Empire. One notable figure was Josip BOVICH, born in 1785 in Slavonski Brod, Croatia, who served as a military officer in the Austrian army during the Napoleonic Wars.
As the surname traveled eastward, it also became more common in Serbia. One of the earliest recorded individuals with this name in Serbia was Petar BOVICH, born in 1812 in the town of Sremska Mitrovica. He was a prominent businessman and landowner in the region.
Another notable Serbian figure with the BOVICH surname was Milorad BOVICH, a writer and poet born in 1856 in Belgrade. He was known for his contributions to the Serbian literary movement of the late 19th century.
Throughout its history, the BOVICH surname has been associated with various occupations and professions, including farmers, traders, military officers, and artists, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and experiences of those who have carried this name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Bovich
Among Census respondents with the surname Bovich, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.5%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Bovich 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 Bovich surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.9% · 102
- Two or more races4.5% · 5
- Asian and Pacific Islander2.7% · 3
- Hispanic or Latino0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Bovich
Bovich 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
#145,220
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 114
+5 bearers (+4.6%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 4,464 places
2020
#148,665
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 111
-3 bearers (-2.6%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 3,445 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #140,756 | 109 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #145,220 | 114 | 0.04 | +5 bearers (+4.6%) | Down 4,464 places |
| 2020 | #148,665 | 111 | 0.04 | -3 bearers (-2.6%) | Down 3,445 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 Bovich 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 | #145,220 | #148,665 | -2.4% |
| Count | 114 | 111 | -2.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -7.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Bovich bearers went from 114 to 111 (-2.6% change). The surname moved down 3,445 positions in the national ranking, going from #145,220 to #148,665.
FAQ
Bovich surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Bovich?
Name Census estimates that about 127 living Americans carry the surname Bovich. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,698,853 residents.
How common is Bovich?
Bovich ranks #148,665 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 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 111 people with the surname Bovich. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (127), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 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 Bovich.
Has Bovich become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Bovich went from 114 recorded bearers to 111. That is a decrease of 3 (-2.6%). In the national ranking it fell from #145,220 to #148,665.
What does the Census say about the background of Bovich?
Among Census respondents with the surname Bovich, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.5%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.7%). 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 Bovich in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.9% (102 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Bovich appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.9%), Two or More Races (4.5%), Asian/Pacific Islander (2.7%). 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 Bovich (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 Bovich mean?
A surname likely derived from Slavic roots, indicating geographic origin or occupation. 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 Bovich (0.04 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 are called Bovich?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the last name Bovich on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.