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

Bowling, 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 Bowling surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bowling in America

Bowling is the 1311th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bowling surname appeared 26,762 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 9 people would have the surname Bowling.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bowling 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 Bowling

The surname Bowling is of English origin, derived from the Old English words "bol" and "ing," which together mean "a dweller by the bowl-shaped hill or hollow." It dates back to the 11th century, when it first appeared in records from the county of Derbyshire.

During the medieval period, the name was found in various parts of central and northern England, particularly in the counties of Derbyshire, Yorkshire, and Lancashire. It was often associated with people living in or near villages or settlements with names containing the element "bowl," such as Bollington, Bowland, or Bowling.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Bolinges." This entry refers to a place in Derbyshire, which was likely the origin of the surname for some families.

In the 13th century, the name was recorded as "Bolingbroke" or "Bollingbroke," a place name that later became associated with the Plantagenet dynasty of English kings. Henry IV, who reigned from 1399 to 1413, was famously known as Henry Bolingbroke before ascending to the throne.

Notable individuals with the surname Bowling include:

1. William Bowling (1590-1661), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Master of Christ's College, Cambridge.
2. John Bowling (1677-1756), a British naval officer and explorer who commanded several voyages to the West Indies and the Americas.
3. Mary Bowling (1753-1828), an English writer and poet known for her works on botany and natural history.
4. Thomas Bowling (1784-1861), an English industrialist and entrepreneur who founded the Bowling Iron Company in Bradford, Yorkshire.
5. Edmund Bowling (1865-1941), a British military officer and recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the British armed forces.

While the surname Bowling has its origins in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, including North America and Australia, through migration and immigration.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bowling

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

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

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

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