Bullock last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Bullock

An occupational surname referring to a keeper or herder of bulls or bullocks (young bulls).

Bullock, 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 Bullock surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bullock in America

Bullock is the 770th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bullock surname appeared 44,740 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 15 people would have the surname Bullock.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bullock 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 770 722 6.43%
Count 44,740 43,021 3.92%
Proportion per 100k 15.17 15.95 -5.01%

The history of the last name Bullock

The surname Bullock originates from England and dates back to the medieval period. It is an occupational name derived from the Old English word "bulluc," meaning a young bull or male calf. The name was initially given to individuals who worked with bullocks, such as herdsmen, farmers, or traders.

The earliest recorded instances of the Bullock surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Bulloc" and "Buloc." This suggests that the name was already in use by the late 11th century in various parts of England.

During the Middle Ages, the name was particularly prevalent in counties like Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Nottinghamshire, where cattle farming and trade were essential economic activities. The Bullock family was well-established in these regions, with several members holding positions of prominence in local communities.

One notable figure from the 14th century was John Bullock, a wealthy landowner and member of the gentry in Nottinghamshire. Born around 1330, he served as a Justice of the Peace and was involved in several legal disputes over land ownership.

In the 16th century, the Bullock surname appeared in various historical records, including the Subsidy Rolls of 1524 in Gloucestershire and the Muster Rolls of 1539 in Yorkshire. These documents provide evidence of the name's widespread use across different parts of England.

The Bullocks of Shropshire were a prominent family during the 17th century. Sir Richard Bullock (1610-1667) was a renowned politician and Member of Parliament who played a significant role in the English Civil War, supporting the Parliamentarian cause.

Another notable figure was William Bullock (1773-1849), a celebrated English traveler, naturalist, and writer. He was born in London and is best known for his extensive explorations of Mexico and his published works on the natural history and antiquities of the region.

In the 19th century, the Bullock surname continued to be well-represented in various fields. One example is William Bullock (1813-1867), an English missionary who founded the first Anglican church in British Columbia, Canada.

Throughout history, the Bullock surname has been associated with various occupations, including farming, cattle trading, politics, exploration, and religious service. While the name originated from a humble occupation, it has been carried by individuals who have made significant contributions to their respective fields.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bullock

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

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 Bullock was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 61.59% 27,555
Non-Hispanic Black Only 32.96% 14,746
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 0.46% 206
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.61% 273
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 2.23% 998
Hispanic Origin 2.15% 962

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 Bullock has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 61.59% 64.13% -4.04%
Black 32.96% 32.00% 2.96%
Asian and Pacific Islander 0.46% 0.33% 32.91%
American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.61% 0.53% 14.04%
Two or More Races 2.23% 1.66% 29.31%
Hispanic 2.15% 1.34% 46.42%

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

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

Reference this page

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If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

"Bullock last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on December 2, 2024. http://namecensus.com/last-names/bullock-surname-popularity/.

"Bullock last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/bullock-surname-popularity/. Accessed 2 December, 2024

Bullock last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/bullock-surname-popularity/.

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