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

Bulls, 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 Bulls surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bulls in America

Bulls is the 37646th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bulls surname appeared 591 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 Bulls.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bulls 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 Bulls

The surname BULLS is of English origin, with its earliest roots traced back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "bule," which referred to a male bovine animal or a bull. This occupational surname was initially given to individuals who were responsible for tending or herding bulls, either on farms or in livestock markets.

The surname BULLS can be found in various historical records from the 13th century onwards. One of the earliest documented instances is in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1273, which mentions a person named Laurence le Bule. The Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey conducted in 1086, does not explicitly record the surname BULLS, but it does include several place names with the word "bule" or variations of it, suggesting the presence of individuals associated with bulls in those areas.

In the 14th century, the surname BULLS appeared in several administrative records, such as the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire in 1379, which listed individuals like Johannes Bule and Willelmus Bule. The variation "Bull" was also commonly used during this period, as seen in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield from 1315, which mentions a person named Adam Bull.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname BULLS can be found in the birth record of John Bulls, born in 1570 in Lincolnshire, England. Another notable individual was William Bulls, a merchant and landowner who lived in the late 16th and early 17th centuries in Hertfordshire.

Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the surname BULLS. One example is John Bulls (1562-1628), an English composer and musician who served as a lay vicar at Exeter Cathedral. Another prominent individual was Thomas Bulls (1605-1676), an English clergyman and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford from 1663 to 1665.

In the 18th century, William Bulls (1738-1814) was a prominent English architect who designed several notable buildings, including the Royal Pavilion in Brighton. Additionally, Thomas Bulls (1772-1857) was a British politician and Member of Parliament for Marlborough from 1812 to 1835.

The surname BULLS has also been associated with various place names and locations throughout England. For instance, the village of Bulls Cross in Hertfordshire is believed to have derived its name from an early settlement of individuals with the surname BULLS in that area.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bulls

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

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

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

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