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

Bullis, 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 Bullis surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bullis in America

Bullis is the 10314th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bullis surname appeared 3,124 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Bullis.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bullis 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 Bullis

The surname BULLIS is of Anglo-Saxon origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval period in England. It is believed to have originated from the Old English word "bulla," which referred to a young bull or a steer. This suggests that the name may have initially been given as a nickname or descriptive name for someone who exhibited bull-like characteristics or perhaps worked with cattle.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name BULLIS can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Bulla" and "Bulle." This important historical document, commissioned by William the Conqueror, provides valuable insights into the distribution and prevalence of surnames in 11th-century England.

During the Middle Ages, the name BULLIS also had variations such as "Bul," "Bulle," and "Bulles," reflecting the fluid nature of surname spellings in those times. These variations often resulted from regional dialects, scribal errors, or personal preferences.

Notably, the BULLIS surname has been associated with several historical figures over the centuries. One such figure is John Bullis, a prominent landowner and member of the gentry in Cambridgeshire, England, who lived in the late 15th century. Another individual of note is Thomas Bullis, a merchant and alderman in the city of London during the 16th century.

In the realm of literature, the name BULLIS appears in the works of Geoffrey Chaucer, the renowned English poet and author of "The Canterbury Tales." In his poem "The Reeve's Tale," Chaucer mentions a character named "Symkyn the Bullys-sone," which may be an early reference to the surname.

The BULLIS surname has also been linked to various place names in England, such as Bullington and Bullingham, which may have influenced the evolution of the surname or vice versa. These place names often derived from Old English words related to cattle or bulls, further strengthening the connection between the surname and its agricultural origins.

Other notable individuals with the BULLIS surname include:

1. William Bullis (1639-1701), an early settler in colonial America and one of the founders of the town of Woodbury, Connecticut.
2. Erastus Bullis (1778-1857), an American businessman and landowner in New York State.
3. Harry Bullis (1892-1963), a Canadian professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey Association and the National Hockey League.
4. Irene Bullis (1899-1985), an American actress and vaudeville performer active in the early 20th century.
5. Robert Bullis (1910-1987), an American architect and designer known for his innovative residential and commercial projects in the mid-20th century.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bullis

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

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

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

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