Explore the Family Name Bowlby
The meaning of Bowlby
English (Yorkshire): habitational name from Boulby in North Yorkshire or Bulby in Lincolnshire, both of which are named with the Old Norse byname Boli (from boli ‘bull’) + Old Norse bȳ ‘farmstead, settlement’.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Bowlby in the United States?
The surname 'Bowlby' experienced a slight shift in popularity between the years 2000 and 2010 based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census. In terms of rank, it fell from 15,771 to 16,407, marking a decrease of roughly 4.03 percent. However, the overall count of individuals bearing this surname increased by approximately 3.3 percent, rising from 1,698 to 1,754. Despite this growth, the proportion per 100,000 people decreased by 6.35 percent, indicating that although the number of people with the Bowlby surname grew, its prevalence relative to other surnames diminished.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #15,771 | #16,407 | -4.03% |
| Count | 1,698 | 1,754 | 3.3% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.63 | 0.59 | -6.35% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Bowlby
In terms of ethnicity, the Bowlby name saw some changes over the same decade, as reported by the Decennial U.S. Census. The most significant change was observed within the Hispanic community where there was an increase of 132.39 percent. The second-largest increase was seen among those identifying as two or more races, with an increase of 42.05 percent. While no Asian/Pacific Islanders were recorded with the surname in 2000, by 2010, they accounted for 0.51 percent of the Bowlbys. Similarly, no American Indian and Alaskan Natives were reported with this surname in 2000, but they represented 0.29 percent of the population by 2010. On the other hand, the percentage of white individuals with the surname slightly decreased by 1.68 percent. No Black individuals were recorded with this surname in either year.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 97.94% | 96.29% | -1.68% |
| Hispanic | 0.71% | 1.65% | 132.39% |
| Two or More Races | 0.88% | 1.25% | 42.05% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0.51% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0.29% | 0% |
| Black | 0% | 0% | 0% |