2000
#2,600
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 12,763
First available Census row
Per 100,000 4.73
Uncommon Last name
Bonds
An English occupational surname referring to a peasant farmer or husbandman in the feudal system.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 14,800 Americans carry the last name Bonds. That puts it at #2,725 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 4.32 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 23,159 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Bonds surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Bonds with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
15K
1 in 23,159
Census rank
#2,725
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
4.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
13K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 12,906 bearers of the surname Bonds in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 4.32 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 2725th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Bonds, the largest self-reported group is Black at 46.2%. The next largest groups are White (44.5%) and Two or More Races (5.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Bonds
The surname Bonds has its origins in England, dating back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "bonda," which referred to a peasant or tenant farmer who was bound to the land they cultivated. In some cases, the name may have also been given to someone who worked as a bondsman, responsible for delivering summonses or apprehending individuals.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Bonda" in the county of Norfolk. This document, commissioned by William the Conqueror, served as a comprehensive survey of land ownership and taxation in England.
During the 13th and 14th centuries, variations of the name emerged, such as "Bonde," "Bund," and "Bound." These spellings were often influenced by regional dialects and the preferences of scribes who recorded them.
In the 15th century, the surname took on its more modern spelling of "Bonds." This form can be found in various historical records, including parish registers and court documents from that time period.
One notable early bearer of the name was John Bonds, a merchant and alderman in the city of London who lived in the late 15th century. He was a prominent figure in the city's government and played a role in the negotiations between King Henry VII and the Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I.
Another individual of historical significance was Thomas Bonds, a Puritan minister born in 1563 in Suffolk, England. He was a leading figure in the Puritan movement and authored several theological works before his death in 1639.
In the 17th century, the name Bonds appeared in various parts of England, including the counties of Lincolnshire, Yorkshire, and Staffordshire. Some of these bearers may have been connected to the village of Bond's Hill in Worcestershire, which likely derived its name from an early resident with the surname.
One notable example from this period is Sir Thomas Bonds, a member of the English gentry who lived in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. He served as a Member of Parliament and was knighted by King James I in 1603.
Moving into the 18th century, the Bonds surname continued to be well-represented in various regions of England. William Bonds, born in 1675 in Gloucestershire, was a notable figure in the Church of England and served as the Bishop of Bath and Wells from 1717 until his death in 1735.
As the centuries progressed, the Bonds surname spread to other parts of the world, carried by individuals who emigrated from England. Today, it can be found in many countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Bonds
Among Census respondents with the surname Bonds, the largest self-reported group is Black at 46.2%. The next largest groups are White (44.5%) and Two or More Races (5.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Bonds bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Bonds surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American46.2% · 5,960
- White44.5% · 5,740
- Two or more races5.5% · 716
- Hispanic or Latino3.0% · 388
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.4% · 55
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4% · 47
Timeline
Historical Census data for Bonds
Bonds appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#2,643
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 13,620
+857 bearers (+6.7%)
Per 100,000 4.62
Rank movement Down 43 places
2020
#2,725
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 12,906
-714 bearers (-5.2%)
Per 100,000 4.32
Rank movement Down 82 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #2,600 | 12,763 | 4.73 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #2,643 | 13,620 | 4.62 | +857 bearers (+6.7%) | Down 43 places |
| 2020 | #2,725 | 12,906 | 4.32 | -714 bearers (-5.2%) | Down 82 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Bonds surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #2,643 | #2,725 | -3.1% |
| Count | 13,620 | 12,906 | -5.2% |
| Per 100K | 4.62 | 4.32 | -6.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Bonds bearers went from 13,620 to 12,906 (-5.2% change). The surname moved down 82 positions in the national ranking, going from #2,643 to #2,725.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Bonds
FAQ
Bonds surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Bonds?
Name Census estimates that about 14,800 living Americans carry the surname Bonds. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 23,159 residents.
How common is Bonds?
Bonds ranks #2,725 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 4.32 per 100,000 residents, which is about 4 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 12,906 people with the surname Bonds. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (14,800), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 4.32 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 4.32 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 4 of them to have the surname Bonds.
Has Bonds become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Bonds went from 13,620 recorded bearers to 12,906. That is a decrease of 714 (-5.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #2,643 to #2,725.
What does the Census say about the background of Bonds?
Among Census respondents with the surname Bonds, the largest self-reported group is Black at 46.2%. The next largest groups are White (44.5%) and Two or More Races (5.5%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
Black is the largest self-reported group for the surname Bonds in the 2020 Census, accounting for 46.2% (5,960 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Bonds appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (46.2%), White (44.5%), Two or More Races (5.5%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Bonds (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Bonds mean?
An English occupational surname referring to a peasant farmer or husbandman in the feudal system. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Bonds (4.32 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many Americans have the surname Bonds?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.