Explore the Family Name Boo
The meaning of Boo
1. Chinese: possibly Teochew or Hokkien form of the surnames 武 and 巫, see Wu 3 and 4. This pronunciation is found in eastern Guangdong, Fujian and Taiwan from where some people migrated to Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and other parts of Southeast Asia. 2. Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 傅, see Fu 1. 3. Korean: variant of Pu 6. 4. Swedish: topographic or ornamental name from an ornamental spelling of bo ‘residence’, or a habitational name from the placename Bo(o) or a placename containing bo. 5. American shortened form of Dutch De Boo (see Deboo). 6. Galician: nickname from boo, an archaic form of bo ‘good’. Some characteristic forenames: Southeast Asian Chi, Chin, Ming, Sang, Soon, Sung. Korean Jinyoung, Kyung Sook, Myong, Sung Chul, Sungtae, Youngil.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Boo in the United States?
According to data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname 'Boo' increased in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, 'Boo' was ranked as the 50,572nd most popular surname, but by 2010, it had improved its ranking to the 42,640th position, marking a positive change of 15.68%. Similarly, the count of individuals bearing this surname also grew significantly during this period. There were 388 people with the surname 'Boo' in 2000, and by 2010, this number had risen to 508, reflecting an increase of 30.93%. The proportion of people named 'Boo' per 100,000 also rose by 21.43%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #50,572 | #42,640 | 15.68% |
| Count | 388 | 508 | 30.93% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.14 | 0.17 | 21.43% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Boo
As per the Decennial U.S. Census data, there were shifts in the ethnic identities associated with the surname 'Boo'. Between 2000 and 2010, the percentage of Asian/Pacific Islander identify increased from 31.96% to 38.98%, marking a growth of 21.96%. The surname began to be identified with two or more races in 2010, which was not the case in 2000. At the same time, the proportion of White identity decreased from 59.02% to 48.43%, marking a decline of 17.94%. On the other hand, Hispanic and Black identities saw slight increases, with Hispanic going from 5.15% to 5.31% and Black from 2.32% to 2.56%. Significantly, the American Indian and Alaskan Native identity emerged in 2010 with 2.76%, whereas it was absent in 2000.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 59.02% | 48.43% | -17.94% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 31.96% | 38.98% | 21.96% |
| Hispanic | 5.15% | 5.31% | 3.11% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 2.76% | 0% |
| Black | 2.32% | 2.56% | 10.34% |
| Two or More Races | 0% | 1.97% | 0% |