Explore the Family Name Boule
The meaning of Boule
1. French (Boulé): variant of Boulay and, in North America, (also) an altered form of this. 2. French: from Old French boule ‘ball’ (from Latin bulla), a nickname for a short rotund man. 3. French (Boulé): from a derivative of Old French bouler ‘to play ball’ (see 2 above), a metonymic occupational name for a bowls player. 4. French: from the feminine form of Old French boul ‘birch tree’ (from Late Latin bettulus), a topographic name for someone who lived by a birch tree. 5. In some cases possibly also English: at least in part of French (Huguenot) origin (see above). Alternatively, a variant of Bull or Boll. This surname is very rare in Britain. Some characteristic forenames: French Normand, Adelard, Jean-Marie, Lucien, Marcelle, Theophile, Yvon.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Boule in the United States?
The surname Boule, according to data from the Decennial U.S. Census, has seen a decline in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Boule was ranked 40,987th in terms of popularity, but by 2010 it had fallen to 44,576th, a decrease of 8.76%. The count of people with this surname also dropped from 502 in 2000 to 482 in 2010, indicating a 3.98% decrease. This shift reflects a reduction in the proportion of individuals named Boule per 100,000 people, which fell from 0.19 in 2000 to 0.16 in 2010, marking a 15.79% drop.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #40,987 | #44,576 | -8.76% |
| Count | 502 | 482 | -3.98% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.19 | 0.16 | -15.79% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Boule
In terms of ethnicity, the data from the Decennial U.S. Census reveals that the majority of individuals with the surname Boule identify as White. In 2000, this group accounted for 87.45% of all Boules, increasing slightly to 88.17% in 2010. The second most common ethnic identity within the Boule surname is Black, growing from 8.76% in 2000 to 9.96% in 2010, a change of 13.70%. There were no recorded individuals of Asian/Pacific Islander or American Indian and Alaskan Native descent in either year. The percentage of people identifying as two or more races was 1.99% in 2000, but there were no such individuals reported in 2010. Similarly, the Hispanic representation fell from 1% in 2000 to zero in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 87.45% | 88.17% | 0.82% |
| Black | 8.76% | 9.96% | 13.7% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Two or More Races | 1.99% | 0% | 0% |
| Hispanic | 1% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |