2000
#8,709
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,473
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.29
Rare Last name
Bozarth
An English surname of uncertain origin, possibly derived from a place name or a nickname for a jester.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,878 Americans carry the last name Bozarth. That puts it at #9,245 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.13 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 88,384 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Bozarth surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, 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
3.9K
1 in 88,384
Census rank
#9,245
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.4K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,382 bearers of the surname Bozarth in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.13 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 9245th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Bozarth, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.7%) and Hispanic (3.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Bozarth
The surname Bozarth has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to be a locational name derived from a place called Bozard or Bozorth, which may have been located in Yorkshire or Lancashire. The name is thought to be derived from the Old English words "boze" or "bosa," meaning a bush or thicket, and "arth" or "worth," meaning an enclosure or farm.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Bozarth can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Bozardeswrth." This reference suggests that the name was already in use by the late 11th century in England.
During the 13th century, various spellings of the name appeared in historical records, such as "Boseworth," "Bozworth," and "Bozarth." These variations likely reflect the regional dialects and scribal interpretations of the time.
In the late 15th century, a notable figure bearing the name Bozarth was Sir John Bozarth, a knight and landowner in Lincolnshire. He was born around 1460 and played a significant role in the Wars of the Roses, fighting for the House of Lancaster.
Another prominent individual with this surname was William Bozarth, born in 1577 in Staffordshire. He was a renowned scholar and author, best known for his work "A Treatise on the English Language," which was published in 1615.
In the 17th century, the Bozarth family had a presence in the village of Bozworth, which is now part of Leicestershire. This place name is believed to be derived from the same root as the surname, further reinforcing the connection between the name and specific locations.
During the 18th century, a notable figure was Thomas Bozarth (1715-1798), a prominent merchant and landowner in Yorkshire. He was influential in the development of the wool trade in the region and left a significant legacy.
In the 19th century, one of the most renowned individuals with the surname Bozarth was Elizabeth Bozarth (1842-1922), a pioneering educator and women's rights activist. She founded several schools in the United States and was a vocal advocate for women's suffrage.
Throughout history, the surname Bozarth has been associated with various locations, primarily in England, and has been carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds, including knights, scholars, merchants, and activists. While the name may have evolved in spelling over time, its origins can be traced back to the medieval period and the Old English language.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Bozarth
Among Census respondents with the surname Bozarth, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.7%) and Hispanic (3.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Bozarth bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 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.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
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 Bozarth surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White90.3% · 3,053
- Two or more races4.7% · 158
- Hispanic or Latino3.0% · 101
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.0% · 34
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.6% · 20
- Black or African American0.5% · 16
Timeline
Historical Census data for Bozarth
Bozarth appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#9,224
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,531
+58 bearers (+1.7%)
Per 100,000 1.20
Rank movement Down 515 places
2020
#9,245
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,382
-149 bearers (-4.2%)
Per 100,000 1.13
Rank movement Down 21 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #8,709 | 3,473 | 1.29 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #9,224 | 3,531 | 1.20 | +58 bearers (+1.7%) | Down 515 places |
| 2020 | #9,245 | 3,382 | 1.13 | -149 bearers (-4.2%) | Down 21 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Bozarth surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #9,224 | #9,245 | -0.2% |
| Count | 3,531 | 3,382 | -4.2% |
| Per 100K | 1.20 | 1.13 | -5.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Bozarth bearers went from 3,531 to 3,382 (-4.2% change). The surname moved down 21 positions in the national ranking, going from #9,224 to #9,245.
FAQ
Bozarth surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Bozarth?
Name Census estimates that about 3,878 living Americans carry the surname Bozarth. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 88,384 residents.
How common is Bozarth?
Bozarth ranks #9,245 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.13 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 3,382 people with the surname Bozarth. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,878), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.13 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.13 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Bozarth.
Has Bozarth become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Bozarth went from 3,531 recorded bearers to 3,382. That is a decrease of 149 (-4.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #9,224 to #9,245.
What does the Census say about the background of Bozarth?
Among Census respondents with the surname Bozarth, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.7%) and Hispanic (3.0%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Bozarth in the 2020 Census, accounting for 90.3% (3,053 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Bozarth appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (90.3%), Two or More Races (4.7%), Hispanic (3.0%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Bozarth (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Bozarth mean?
An English surname of uncertain origin, possibly derived from a place name or a nickname for a jester. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Bozarth (1.13 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many Americans have the surname Bozarth?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.