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

Bunce, 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 Bunce surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bunce in America

Bunce is the 8023rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bunce surname appeared 4,126 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 Bunce.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bunce 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 Bunce

The surname Bunce originated in England and is believed to have derived from the Old English word "bunc," which means a lump or a hill. This name likely referred to a person who lived on or near a hill or a ridge.

The earliest known recording of the name Bunce dates back to the late 12th century, appearing in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1195 as "Robert de la Bunce." This entry suggests that the name was initially used as a descriptive term for someone residing near a distinctive hill or mound.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, a record of landholders in England commissioned by William the Conqueror, there are several references to place names that may have influenced the surname Bunce. For instance, the village of Bunce in Norfolk and the manor of Bunce in Buckinghamshire are mentioned, indicating that the name was likely associated with these locations.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname Bunce was Sir Thomas Bunce, born in 1369 in Gloucestershire. He was a prominent landowner and served as a Member of Parliament for Gloucestershire in 1390.

Another notable figure was John Bunce, a clergyman born in 1615 in Staffordshire. He authored several religious works and served as the rector of St. Michael's Church in Stoke-on-Trent.

In the 17th century, Edward Bunce (1620-1684) was a renowned English architect who designed several churches and public buildings in London, including the Church of St. Stephen Walbrook.

Mary Bunce (1731-1804), born in Suffolk, was a notable writer and playwright in the 18th century. Her most famous work was the play "The Victim," which tackled themes of gender inequality and social injustice.

In the 19th century, Sir Maurice Bunce (1828-1907) was a prominent British diplomat who served as the ambassador to several countries, including France and Russia.

Over the centuries, the surname Bunce has undergone various spelling variations, such as Bunse, Buncie, and Bonce, reflecting regional dialects and linguistic changes. However, the core meaning and origin of the name have remained consistent, rooted in the Old English reference to a hill or mound.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bunce

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

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!