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

Bullard, 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 Bullard surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bullard in America

Bullard is the 1509th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bullard surname appeared 23,755 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 8 people would have the surname Bullard.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bullard 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 Bullard

The surname Bullard originated in England, and its earliest recorded use dates back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "bul" and "hierde," meaning "bull herd" or "keeper of bulls." This suggests that the name's earliest bearers were likely employed as herdsmen or cattle farmers.

The Bullard surname is thought to have originated in the county of Wiltshire, particularly in the village of Bulkerton, which was once known as "Bullards-town." This place name is believed to have influenced the development of the surname over time.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Bullard surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from the year 1191, where a person named Robert Bullard is mentioned. Another early reference is found in the Feet of Fines of Oxfordshire from 1270, which mentions a John Bullard.

In the 13th century, the Bullard surname appeared in various forms, such as Bulhard, Bullehird, and Bulleheurd, reflecting the regional dialects and spelling variations of the time. The Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327 include an entry for a Hugo Bullard, while the Subsidy Rolls of Warwickshire from 1332 mention a Thomas Bullard.

One notable early bearer of the Bullard surname was William Bullard, who was born in Oxfordshire around 1480. He is recorded as having served as a yeoman in the household of King Henry VIII.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Bullard surname gained prominence in several English counties, including Wiltshire, Gloucestershire, and Somerset. In 1642, a Robert Bullard from Gloucestershire was appointed as a commissioner for raising money for the defense of the county during the English Civil War.

Benjamin Bullard, born in Wiltshire in 1659, was a notable Puritan minister who later emigrated to New England, where he served as a pastor in several Massachusetts towns, including Weston and Medfield.

Another prominent figure was Sir Edward Bullard, who was born in Somerset in 1685. He served as a member of parliament for the borough of Heytesbury and was knighted in 1714 for his services to the crown.

In the 18th century, the Bullard surname continued to be well-represented in various regions of England. One example is John Bullard, a prominent merchant and landowner from Gloucestershire, who lived from 1725 to 1802.

Throughout its history, the Bullard surname has been associated with a variety of occupations, including agriculture, clergy, politics, and commerce, reflecting the diverse paths taken by its bearers over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bullard

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

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

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

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