2010
#152,628
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Bosire
A surname possibly derived from the Luo language of Kenya, meaning "born on the path" or "traveler".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 219 Americans carry the last name Bosire. That puts it at #100,867 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.06 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,565,088 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Bosire 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
219
1 in 1,565,088
Census rank
#100,867
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
191
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 191 bearers of the surname Bosire in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.06 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 100867th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Bosire, the largest self-reported group is Black at 95.8%. The next largest groups are White (3.1%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (0.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Bosire
The surname Bosire has its origins in the Luo community of western Kenya, particularly in the region around Lake Victoria. The name can be traced back to the late 18th century and is believed to be derived from the Luo word "bosire," meaning "respected elder" or "wise one."
In traditional Luo culture, elders were highly revered for their wisdom and experience, and they played a crucial role in the community's decision-making processes. The surname Bosire may have been initially bestowed upon individuals who held positions of authority and respect within their clans or villages.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Bosire appears in a manuscript from the late 19th century, which documented the oral histories and genealogies of various Luo clans. This manuscript mentioned a prominent elder named Bosire, who was renowned for his leadership and diplomatic skills in resolving conflicts between neighboring communities.
In the early 20th century, the name Bosire gained wider recognition when a prominent political figure named Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, born in 1911, adopted the surname Bosire as part of his name. Odinga was a key figure in Kenya's struggle for independence and served as the country's first Vice President after independence in 1963.
Another notable individual bearing the surname Bosire was Achieng' Bosire, a renowned Luo writer and educator who was born in the 1940s. Her works, which explored themes of cultural identity and women's empowerment, were widely acclaimed and helped to preserve and promote Luo literary traditions.
In the realm of sports, the name Bosire has also gained recognition through athletes like Paul Bosire, a Kenyan long-distance runner who competed in international marathons and cross-country events in the 1980s and 1990s.
Additionally, the surname Bosire has been associated with various place names in western Kenya, such as Bosire Village and Bosire Hills, reflecting the historical presence and influence of individuals bearing this name in those regions.
Throughout its history, the surname Bosire has carried a sense of respect and wisdom, deeply rooted in the Luo cultural traditions of honoring elders and valuing their guidance and counsel.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Bosire
Among Census respondents with the surname Bosire, the largest self-reported group is Black at 95.8%. The next largest groups are White (3.1%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (0.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Bosire 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 Bosire surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American95.8% · 183
- White3.1% · 6
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.5% · 1
- Two or more races0.5% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Bosire
Bosire appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#100,867
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 191
+84 bearers (+78.5%)
Per 100,000 0.06
Rank movement Up 51,761 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #152,628 | 107 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #100,867 | 191 | 0.06 | +84 bearers (+78.5%) | Up 51,761 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 Bosire 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 | #152,628 | #100,867 | 33.9% |
| Count | 107 | 191 | 78.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.06 | 59.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Bosire bearers went from 107 to 191 (+78.5% change). The surname moved up 51,761 positions in the national ranking, going from #152,628 to #100,867.
FAQ
Bosire surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Bosire?
Name Census estimates that about 219 living Americans carry the surname Bosire. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,565,088 residents.
How common is Bosire?
Bosire ranks #100,867 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.06 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 191 people with the surname Bosire. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (219), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.06 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.06 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 Bosire.
Has Bosire become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Bosire went from 107 recorded bearers to 191. That is an increase of 84 (+78.5%). In the national ranking it rose from #152,628 to #100,867.
What does the Census say about the background of Bosire?
Among Census respondents with the surname Bosire, the largest self-reported group is Black at 95.8%. The next largest groups are White (3.1%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (0.5%). 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 Bosire in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.8% (183 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Bosire appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (95.8%), White (3.1%), American Indian/Alaska Native (0.5%). 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 Bosire (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 Bosire mean?
A surname possibly derived from the Luo language of Kenya, meaning "born on the path" or "traveler". 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 Bosire (0.06 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 people share the surname Bosire?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.