Boxer
An occupational surname derived from the trade of making or selling boxes.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 1,097 Americans carry the last name Boxer. That puts it at #25,810 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.32 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 312,447 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Boxer surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
1.1K
1 in 312,447
Census rank
#25,810
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
954
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 954 bearers of the surname Boxer in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.32 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 25810th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Boxer, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.6%. The next largest groups are Black (3.5%) and Two or More Races (2.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Boxer
The surname Boxer is of English origin, dating back to the late Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old English word "box," which referred to a tree or shrub, specifically the boxwood tree. The name likely originated as a topographic name, given to someone who lived near a prominent boxwood tree or grove.
In its earliest recorded forms, the surname appeared as "Boxter" and "Boxere" in medieval records from the 13th and 14th centuries. These early spellings reflect the Old English pronunciation and the influence of Norman French scribes who documented names at the time.
One of the earliest known references to the name Boxer can be found in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, which list a William Boxere from Oxfordshire. The Subsidy Rolls of 1334 also mention a John Boxer from Nottinghamshire.
The Boxer surname is closely tied to several place names in England, such as Boxford in Berkshire and Boxley in Kent. These locations likely took their names from the abundance of boxwood trees in the area, and the Boxer surname may have originated from these or similar places.
Notable individuals with the Boxer surname include William Boxer (c. 1500-1570), an English merchant and explorer who made voyages to the West Indies and South America in the mid-16th century. Another notable figure was Edward Boxer (1784-1855), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars and later became a Member of Parliament.
In the literary world, Charles Ralph Boxer (1904-2000) was a renowned historian and author who specialized in the Portuguese Empire and maritime history. His seminal work, "The Portuguese Seaborne Empire," published in 1969, is considered a classic in the field.
Other notable Boxers include Mary Boxer (1935-2022), a British author and journalist, and Sarah Boxer (born 1958), an American journalist and critic who has worked for publications such as The New York Times and The Atlantic.
Throughout its history, the Boxer surname has maintained its connection to its English roots and the symbolic boxwood tree, reflecting the rich tapestry of place names, occupations, and individuals who have carried this name over the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Boxer
Among Census respondents with the surname Boxer, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.6%. The next largest groups are Black (3.5%) and Two or More Races (2.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Boxer bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Boxer surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White88.6%
- Black or African American3.5%
- Two or more races2.7%
- Hispanic or Latino2.4%
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.9%
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9%
Year on year
2000 vs 2010 Census
How has the Boxer surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2000 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #23,128 | #25,810 | -11.6% |
| Count | 1,031 | 954 | -7.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.38 | 0.32 | -15.8% |
Between the 2000 and 2010 Census, the number of Boxer bearers went from 1,031 to 954 (-7.5% change). The surname moved down 2,682 positions in the national ranking, going from #23,128 to #25,810.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Boxer
FAQ
Boxer surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Boxer?
The surname Boxer holds position #25,810 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 1,097 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.32 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Boxer surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Boxer, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.6%. The next largest groups are Black (3.5%) and Two or More Races (2.7%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.