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

Bovis, 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 Bovis surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bovis in America

Bovis is the 144141st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bovis surname appeared 115 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Bovis.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bovis 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 Bovis

The surname BOVIS is believed to have originated in England, particularly in the counties of Warwickshire, Gloucestershire, and Worcestershire. It can be traced back to the late 12th century, when it was recorded as a toponymic name derived from the Old English words "bov" and "hus," meaning a cattle house or a place where cattle were kept.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Hundredorum Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1279, where a person named Walter de la Bovehus is mentioned. This suggests that the name may have initially been a descriptive term for someone who lived near or worked in a cattle shed or barn.

In the 13th century, the name was also found in various forms, such as Bovehus, Bovehous, and Bovehouse, reflecting the evolution of spelling and pronunciation over time. Some examples include Robert le Bovehous, recorded in the Assize Rolls of Staffordshire in 1283, and John de Bovehous, mentioned in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327.

During the medieval period, the name appeared to have spread across different regions of England, with variations in spelling emerging. For instance, in the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire in 1379, a person named Johannes Bowhous is recorded, while the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1525 mention a William Bovis.

Notable individuals with the surname BOVIS include:

1. John Bovis (c. 1520-1585), an English politician and Member of Parliament for Shaftesbury during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.
2. William Bovis (1605-1679), a wealthy landowner and benefactor from Gloucestershire, who funded the construction of a school and almshouses in his hometown.
3. Sir Thomas Bovis (1757-1832), a prominent British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars.
4. Elizabeth Bovis (1820-1895), a renowned English poet and author, known for her works depicting rural life in the Cotswolds region.
5. Sir Edward Bovis (1872-1948), a successful businessman and philanthropist, who established the Bovis Construction Group, one of the largest construction companies in Britain during the early 20th century.

While the name BOVIS may have evolved in spelling and pronunciation over the centuries, its origins can be traced back to the Old English vocabulary, reflecting the agricultural roots and connection to cattle farming in the regions where it first emerged.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bovis

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

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

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

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