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

Bowlus, 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 Bowlus surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bowlus in America

Bowlus is the 53072nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bowlus surname appeared 390 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 Bowlus.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bowlus 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 Bowlus

The surname Bowlus originates from England and dates back to the 11th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "bol" meaning bowl or curved object, and "hus" meaning house or dwelling. Thus, the name likely referred to someone who lived in a house with a distinctive curved or rounded shape.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Bolehus". This entry suggests that the name was already established in certain regions of England by the time of the Norman Conquest.

As the English language evolved over the centuries, the spelling of the name underwent various changes, including Boolhous, Bowlehous, and eventually settling into the modern form of Bowlus.

In the 13th century, records show a John de Bolehus who was a landowner in Gloucestershire. Around the same time, a Richard Boolhous was mentioned in legal documents from Oxfordshire.

During the 16th century, the name Bowlus appeared in the parish records of several English villages, indicating its widespread presence across the country. Notable individuals from this period include William Bowlus (1520-1587), a prominent merchant in London, and Elizabeth Bowlus (1545-1621), who was involved in the establishment of a local church in Warwickshire.

In the 17th century, the name gained prominence with the birth of Samuel Bowlus (1638-1714), a renowned theologian and author who wrote extensively on religious matters. His works were widely read and influential during his lifetime.

As the British Empire expanded, the Bowlus name traveled to other parts of the world. In the late 18th century, records show a John Bowlus (1765-1842) who served as a captain in the British East India Company and later settled in India.

Another notable figure bearing the Bowlus surname was Margaret Bowlus (1810-1888), a pioneer in women's education who founded one of the first schools for girls in the American state of Ohio.

Throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries, the Bowlus name continued to be associated with various notable individuals, including authors, artists, and even a renowned aviation engineer named Hawley Bowlus (1887-1967), who designed and built several innovative aircraft.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bowlus

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

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

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

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