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

Bugtong, 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 Bugtong surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bugtong in America

Bugtong is the 147253rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bugtong surname appeared 112 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 Bugtong.

The history of the last name Bugtong

The surname BUGTONG is believed to have originated in the Philippines during the 16th century. It is derived from the Tagalog word "bugtong," which means a type of traditional Filipino riddle or puzzle. The name likely referred to someone who was skilled in creating or solving these puzzles.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname BUGTONG can be found in a 17th-century document from the Spanish colonial era in the Philippines. This document mentions a man named Juan BUGTONG, who was a respected elder in a village near Manila.

During the 18th century, the BUGTONG name was particularly prevalent in the provinces of Bulacan and Pampanga, where it is believed to have originated. A notable figure from this time period was Francisco BUGTONG, a renowned poet and playwright who was born in Bulacan in 1720 and died in 1795.

In the 19th century, the BUGTONG name appeared in various records from the Philippines, including land deeds and church records. One such record mentions a Maria BUGTONG, who was born in 1812 in the town of Bacolor, Pampanga.

As the Philippines transitioned from Spanish colonial rule to American occupation in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, several notable individuals with the BUGTONG surname emerged. These included:

1. Emilio BUGTONG (1875-1943), a prominent lawyer and politician who served as a member of the Philippine Assembly during the American colonial period.
2. Josefa BUGTONG (1890-1972), a renowned educator and women's rights activist who founded several schools in Pampanga.
3. Marcos BUGTONG (1901-1985), a celebrated writer and journalist who authored several novels and short stories in Tagalog.

In the mid-20th century, a branch of the BUGTONG family settled in the town of Malolos, Bulacan, where they established a successful business in the textile industry. One member of this family, Enrique BUGTONG (1920-2005), became a prominent philanthropist and donated a significant portion of his wealth to various educational and charitable causes in the region.

While the BUGTONG surname has its roots in the Philippines, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to immigration and diaspora communities. However, the name remains closely tied to its Tagalog origins and the cultural significance of riddles and puzzles in Filipino tradition.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bugtong

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

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 Bugtong 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.

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

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

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