Explore the Family Name Bowditch
The meaning of Bowditch
English: habitational name from Bowditch in Chardstock (Devon, formerly in Dorset). The placename probably derives from Middle English bove the diche ‘above the ditch’ (Old English būfan dīce). History: The surname Bowditch is well known in New England. Nathaniel Bowditch (1773–1838), author of The Practical Navigator (1772), a standard work that went through more than sixty editions, was born in Salem, MA, the son of a shipmaster. The family can be traced back, via a clothier who settled in New England in 1671, to Thorncombe in Devon in the early 16th century.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Bowditch in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Bowditch decreased in popularity from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, it was ranked 39,240, with a count of 528 individuals carrying the name. However, by 2010, its rank fell to 41,959 and the count dropped slightly to 518, representing a decrease of approximately 1.89%. The proportion of people with the Bowditch surname per 100,000 also saw a decline of 10.0% over the same period.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #39,240 | #41,959 | -6.93% |
| Count | 528 | 518 | -1.89% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.2 | 0.18 | -10% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Bowditch
The ethnic identity associated with the surname has also seen shifts as per the Decennial U.S. Census data. While no changes were observed among Asian/Pacific Islander or American Indian and Alaskan Native groups, there were significant changes among other ethnicities. The percentage of individuals identifying as White decreased marginally from 84.09% in 2000 to 82.43% in 2010. Similarly, those identifying as Black also declined from 12.50% to 11.20%. However, an increase was noted among those identifying with two or more races, which rose from 2.27% to 2.70%. The most significant change was seen among those identifying as Hispanic, where the percentage surged from 0.95% in 2000 to 2.90% in 2010, marking an impressive growth of 205.26%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 84.09% | 82.43% | -1.97% |
| Black | 12.5% | 11.2% | -10.4% |
| Hispanic | 0.95% | 2.9% | 205.26% |
| Two or More Races | 2.27% | 2.7% | 18.94% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |