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

Bowlds, 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 Bowlds surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bowlds in America

Bowlds is the 37391st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bowlds surname appeared 596 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 Bowlds.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bowlds 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 Bowlds

The surname BOWLDS is an English variation of the more common name Bowles, which has its origins in the Old English word "bolle" or "bolla" meaning "bowl" or "round vessel." This name likely arose as an occupational surname, referring to someone who made or sold bowls.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be traced back to the late 12th century in various counties of England, including Yorkshire, Gloucestershire, and Oxfordshire. One of the earliest known references comes from the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1190, which mentions a William Bolle.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in several medieval records, such as the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where a John Bolle was listed in Oxfordshire. The Subsidy Rolls of 1327 also mentioned a Richard Bolle in Gloucestershire.

The variant spelling BOWLDS likely emerged in the 16th or 17th century as a result of regional dialects and variations in pronunciation. One notable early bearer of this spelling was John Bowlds, a merchant from Bristol, England, who was recorded in the city's archives in 1587.

Throughout the centuries, several individuals with the BOWLDS surname have made their mark in various fields. One such figure was Sir William Bowlds (1604-1678), an English politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for Gloucestershire in the 17th century.

Another noteworthy individual was Charlotte Bowlds (1786-1854), a British author and educator who wrote several books on education and child-rearing in the early 19th century.

In the realm of sports, Thomas Bowlds (1832-1901) was a prominent English cricketer who played for Gloucestershire County Cricket Club in the mid-19th century.

Moving into the 20th century, William Bowlds (1920-2005) was a respected American journalist and author who covered various international conflicts and wrote several books on foreign policy and global affairs.

More recently, Edward Bowlds (born 1968) is a contemporary British artist known for his abstract paintings and sculptures, which have been exhibited in galleries across Europe.

The BOWLDS surname, while not as widespread as its parent name Bowles, has a rich history spanning several centuries, with bearers making contributions in various fields across different parts of the world.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bowlds

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

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

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

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