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

Bowles, 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 Bowles surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bowles in America

Bowles is the 1514th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bowles surname appeared 23,713 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 8 people would have the surname Bowles.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bowles 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 Bowles

The surname Bowles is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "bolle," meaning a small rounded hill or knoll. It was likely originally a topographic name, given to someone who lived near or on such a geographical feature.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "de Bolles" in Berkshire and Wiltshire counties. This suggests that the name was already well-established by the late 11th century.

During the Middle Ages, the name was also sometimes spelled as "Boll," "Bolle," or "Boules," reflecting the variations in pronunciation and spelling common at the time. Some early bearers of the name include Robert de Boll, recorded in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1198, and Adam de Bolle, mentioned in the Assize Rolls of Staffordshire in 1275.

The name Bowles has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One of the earliest was Sir Robert Bowles (c. 1492-1573), an English diplomat and Member of Parliament during the reign of Elizabeth I. Another prominent figure was Edward Bowles (1613-1676), an English Presbyterian minister and writer who was ejected from his parish after the Restoration.

In the 18th century, William Bowles (1705-1780) was a renowned English naturalist and writer on natural history, while William Lisle Bowles (1762-1850) was a poet and critic who served as the chaplain to the Prince Regent. Reverend John Bowles (1751-1819) was an English clergyman and author, best known for his work "The Antiquities of Bamburgh."

Moving into the 19th century, Samuel Bowles (1826-1878) was an influential American newspaper publisher and editor who founded the Republican newspaper in Springfield, Massachusetts. His son, Samuel Bowles III (1851-1915), continued the family business and was also a noted philanthropist.

Throughout its history, the name Bowles has been found not only in England but also in other parts of the British Isles, as well as in North America and other English-speaking regions. It has been associated with various occupations and social classes, reflecting the diverse backgrounds of its bearers.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bowles

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

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

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

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