2000
#139,757
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 110
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Bullerwell
A topographic surname indicating someone who lived near a spring or well.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 131 Americans carry the last name Bullerwell. That puts it at #146,495 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,616,445 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Bullerwell 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Bullerwell with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
131
1 in 2,616,445
Census rank
#146,495
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
114
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 114 bearers of the surname Bullerwell in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 146495th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Bullerwell, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.8%) and Two or More Races (4.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Bullerwell
The surname Bullerwell originated in England during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English words "bullere," meaning a small stream or brook, and "well," referring to a well or spring. This suggests that the name likely originated in an area where a stream or brook was located near a well or spring.
The earliest known written record of the surname Bullerwell dates back to the 13th century. In 1273, a document from the county of Staffordshire mentions a person named William de Bullerwell. This indicates that the name was already in use by that time.
In the 14th century, the surname appeared in various forms, such as Bullerwelle, Bullerewelle, and Bullerswelle, reflecting the variations in spelling common during that era. One notable person bearing this name was John Bullerwell, who was a merchant and landowner in the city of York in the late 1300s.
During the 15th century, the surname Bullerwell continued to be found in various parts of England. In 1462, a man named Thomas Bullerwell was recorded as a landowner in the village of Biddulph, Staffordshire.
The 16th century saw the rise of a notable family bearing the Bullerwell name. Richard Bullerwell, born in 1525, was a prominent clergyman and author who served as the Archbishop of Dublin from 1578 until his death in 1590.
In the 17th century, the surname Bullerwell was associated with several places in England, including the village of Bullerwell in Derbyshire and the hamlet of Bullerwell in Staffordshire. One notable figure from this period was Edward Bullerwell, born in 1635, who was a renowned mathematician and astronomer.
The 18th century saw the continued presence of the Bullerwell surname in various parts of England. In 1782, a man named John Bullerwell was recorded as the owner of a manor house in the village of Bullerwell in Derbyshire.
Throughout the 19th century, the surname Bullerwell remained relatively uncommon, but it was still found in various parts of England. One notable individual from this period was William Bullerwell, born in 1812, who was a renowned architect and designed several notable buildings in London.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Bullerwell
Among Census respondents with the surname Bullerwell, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.8%) and Two or More Races (4.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Bullerwell 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 Bullerwell surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White84.2% · 96
- Hispanic or Latino8.8% · 10
- Two or more races4.4% · 5
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.8% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Bullerwell
Bullerwell 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
#149,395
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 110
+0 bearers (+0.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 9,638 places
2020
#146,495
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 114
+4 bearers (+3.6%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 2,900 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #139,757 | 110 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #149,395 | 110 | 0.04 | +0 bearers (+0.0%) | Down 9,638 places |
| 2020 | #146,495 | 114 | 0.04 | +4 bearers (+3.6%) | Up 2,900 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 Bullerwell 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 | #149,395 | #146,495 | 1.9% |
| Count | 110 | 114 | 3.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -4.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Bullerwell bearers went from 110 to 114 (+3.6% change). The surname moved up 2,900 positions in the national ranking, going from #149,395 to #146,495.
FAQ
Bullerwell surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Bullerwell?
Name Census estimates that about 131 living Americans carry the surname Bullerwell. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,616,445 residents.
How common is Bullerwell?
Bullerwell ranks #146,495 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 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 114 people with the surname Bullerwell. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (131), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 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 Bullerwell.
Has Bullerwell become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Bullerwell went from 110 recorded bearers to 114. That is an increase of 4 (+3.6%). In the national ranking it rose from #149,395 to #146,495.
What does the Census say about the background of Bullerwell?
Among Census respondents with the surname Bullerwell, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.8%) and Two or More Races (4.4%). 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 Bullerwell in the 2020 Census, accounting for 84.2% (96 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Bullerwell appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (84.2%), Hispanic (8.8%), Two or More Races (4.4%). 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 Bullerwell (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 Bullerwell mean?
A topographic surname indicating someone who lived near a spring or well. 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 Bullerwell (0.04 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 share the surname Bullerwell?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.