2010
#138,304
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 121
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Bozhko
A surname derived from the Ukrainian word "bozh" meaning God or divine.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 155 Americans carry the last name Bozhko. That puts it at #131,120 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.05 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,211,318 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Bozhko 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
155
1 in 2,211,318
Census rank
#131,120
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
135
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 135 bearers of the surname Bozhko in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.05 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 131120th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Bozhko, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.0%. The next largest groups are Black (0.7%) and Hispanic (0.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Bozhko
The surname Bozhko originated in Ukraine, with its roots traced back to the 16th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old Ukrainian word "bozhka," which means "little god" or "idol." This name likely originated as a nickname for someone who was particularly devoted to religious practices or had a strong spiritual inclination.
During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Bozhko name was concentrated in the western regions of Ukraine, particularly in the areas around Lviv and Ternopil. It is possible that the name was initially associated with members of the clergy or those involved in religious orders or institutions.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Bozhko surname can be found in a church register from the village of Zholkva, near Lviv, dating back to 1612. The entry mentions a certain Ivan Bozhko, who was a member of the local parish.
In the 18th century, the Bozhko name began to spread more widely across Ukraine, with records showing individuals bearing this surname in various regions, including Kyiv, Poltava, and Kharkiv. During this period, the name was also occasionally spelled as "Bozhkov" or "Bozhkiv."
A notable figure in Ukrainian history with the Bozhko surname was Hryhoriy Bozhko (1784-1854), a prominent writer and philosopher who played a significant role in the development of Ukrainian literature and cultural identity. His works explored themes of national identity, language, and the preservation of Ukrainian traditions.
Another prominent individual with this surname was Mykola Bozhko (1868-1945), a Ukrainian politician and statesman who served as a member of the Central Rada, the revolutionary parliament established during the Ukrainian National Republic in 1917-1918.
In the 19th century, the Bozhko surname also gained recognition in the field of art and culture. Oleksandr Bozhko (1825-1892) was a renowned Ukrainian painter and sculptor, known for his portraiture and depictions of Ukrainian folk life.
Ivan Bozhko (1901-1978) was a prominent Ukrainian writer and playwright, whose works explored themes of social justice, class struggle, and the lives of ordinary Ukrainians during the tumultuous years of the early 20th century.
Lastly, Volodymyr Bozhko (1922-1995) was a celebrated Ukrainian architect and urban planner, responsible for the design and development of several iconic buildings and public spaces in Kyiv during the Soviet era.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Bozhko
Among Census respondents with the surname Bozhko, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.0%. The next largest groups are Black (0.7%) and Hispanic (0.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Bozhko 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 Bozhko surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White97.0% · 131
- Black or African American0.7% · 1
- Hispanic or Latino0.7% · 1
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 1
- Two or more races0.7% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Bozhko
Bozhko appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#131,120
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 135
+14 bearers (+11.6%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Up 7,184 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #138,304 | 121 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #131,120 | 135 | 0.05 | +14 bearers (+11.6%) | Up 7,184 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 Bozhko 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 | #138,304 | #131,120 | 5.2% |
| Count | 121 | 135 | 11.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.05 | 12.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Bozhko bearers went from 121 to 135 (+11.6% change). The surname moved up 7,184 positions in the national ranking, going from #138,304 to #131,120.
FAQ
Bozhko surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Bozhko?
Name Census estimates that about 155 living Americans carry the surname Bozhko. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,211,318 residents.
How common is Bozhko?
Bozhko ranks #131,120 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.05 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 135 people with the surname Bozhko. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (155), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.05 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.05 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Bozhko.
Has Bozhko become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Bozhko went from 121 recorded bearers to 135. That is an increase of 14 (+11.6%). In the national ranking it rose from #138,304 to #131,120.
What does the Census say about the background of Bozhko?
Among Census respondents with the surname Bozhko, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.0%. The next largest groups are Black (0.7%) and Hispanic (0.7%). 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 Bozhko in the 2020 Census, accounting for 97.0% (131 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Bozhko appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (97.0%), Black (0.7%), Hispanic (0.7%). 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 Bozhko (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 Bozhko mean?
A surname derived from the Ukrainian word "bozh" meaning God or divine. 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 Bozhko (0.05 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 people have the last name Bozhko?
Find out how many people have the last name Bozhko on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.