2000
#30,199
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 732
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.27
Very Rare Last name
Bosh
A Yiddish surname derived from the German word "Bosch" meaning "defective" or "unsatisfactory".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 951 Americans carry the last name Bosh. That puts it at #30,224 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.28 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 360,415 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Bosh 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.
Bearers in the US
951
1 in 360,415
Census rank
#30,224
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
829
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 829 bearers of the surname Bosh in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.28 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 30224th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Bosh, the largest self-reported group is White at 80.9%. The next largest groups are Black (7.6%) and Hispanic (7.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Bosh
The surname Bosh is believed to have originated in the Normandy region of France during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old French word "bosche," meaning a thicket or small woods. The name likely referred to someone who lived near or worked in a densely wooded area.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Bosco." This document, commissioned by William the Conqueror, was a survey of land ownership across England. The presence of the name suggests that Bosh may have been brought to England by Norman settlers following the conquest in 1066.
In the 12th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as Bosshe, Bossche, and Bosche, reflecting the different spellings used during that time. The Hundred Rolls of 1273, a census-like record of landowners in England, mentions individuals with the surname spelled as Bosse and Bos.
One notable figure with the surname Bosh was Jan van der Bosh, a Dutch Renaissance painter born in 1450 in the town of 's-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands. His surname was derived from the town's name, which means "the Duke's Forest" in Dutch, further reinforcing the connection between the name and wooded areas.
Another prominent individual was Hieronymus Bosh, also known as Hieronymus Bosch, a renowned Dutch painter born around 1450 in the same town as Jan van der Bosh. His surreal and enigmatic works, such as "The Garden of Earthly Delights," have captivated audiences for centuries.
In England, the name Bosh appeared in various records throughout the centuries. One notable example is Thomas Bosh, a merchant and alderman in London during the late 16th century. He was involved in the city's governance and trade affairs.
During the 17th century, the name Bosh was found in various parts of England, including Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. One individual, Robert Bosh, born in 1623 in Lincolnshire, was a successful farmer and landowner.
In the 18th century, William Bosh, born in 1745 in Yorkshire, was a respected scholar and writer who published several works on history and philosophy.
These examples illustrate the diverse backgrounds and occupations of individuals bearing the surname Bosh throughout history, while also highlighting its enduring presence across different regions and time periods.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Bosh
Among Census respondents with the surname Bosh, the largest self-reported group is White at 80.9%. The next largest groups are Black (7.6%) and Hispanic (7.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Bosh 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 Bosh surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White80.9% · 671
- Black or African American7.6% · 63
- Hispanic or Latino7.0% · 58
- Two or more races3.3% · 27
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.2% · 10
Timeline
Historical Census data for Bosh
Bosh 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
#30,701
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 759
+27 bearers (+3.7%)
Per 100,000 0.26
Rank movement Down 502 places
2020
#30,224
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 829
+70 bearers (+9.2%)
Per 100,000 0.28
Rank movement Up 477 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #30,199 | 732 | 0.27 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #30,701 | 759 | 0.26 | +27 bearers (+3.7%) | Down 502 places |
| 2020 | #30,224 | 829 | 0.28 | +70 bearers (+9.2%) | Up 477 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 Bosh 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 | #30,701 | #30,224 | 1.6% |
| Count | 759 | 829 | 9.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.26 | 0.28 | 6.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Bosh bearers went from 759 to 829 (+9.2% change). The surname moved up 477 positions in the national ranking, going from #30,701 to #30,224.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Bosh
FAQ
Bosh surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Bosh?
Name Census estimates that about 951 living Americans carry the surname Bosh. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 360,415 residents.
How common is Bosh?
Bosh ranks #30,224 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.28 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 829 people with the surname Bosh. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (951), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.28 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.28 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Bosh.
Has Bosh become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Bosh went from 759 recorded bearers to 829. That is an increase of 70 (+9.2%). In the national ranking it rose from #30,701 to #30,224.
What does the Census say about the background of Bosh?
Among Census respondents with the surname Bosh, the largest self-reported group is White at 80.9%. The next largest groups are Black (7.6%) and Hispanic (7.0%). 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?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Bosh in the 2020 Census, accounting for 80.9% (671 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Bosh appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (80.9%), Black (7.6%), Hispanic (7.0%). 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 Bosh (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 Bosh mean?
A Yiddish surname derived from the German word "Bosch" meaning "defective" or "unsatisfactory". 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 Bosh (0.28 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 Bosh?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.