2000
#9,467
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,151
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.17
Rare Last name
Bulger
A nickname-derived surname referring to someone with a large, bulging belly or someone who was short and stout.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,711 Americans carry the last name Bulger. That puts it at #9,603 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.08 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 92,362 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Bulger 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 Bulger with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
3.7K
1 in 92,362
Census rank
#9,603
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.2K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,236 bearers of the surname Bulger in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.08 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 9603rd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Bulger, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.4%. The next largest groups are Black (10.5%) and Hispanic (3.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Bulger
The surname Bulger is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "bulgra," which means "bag" or "leather pouch." This occupational name was likely given to those who were involved in the trade of making or selling bags and pouches.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Bulger can be found in the Domesday Book, a survey of landholdings in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name appears as "Bulgar," suggesting its ancient lineage.
During the 13th century, the Bulger family settled in various regions across England, including Yorkshire, Leicestershire, and Cambridgeshire. Historical records from this period show variations in the spelling of the name, such as "Bulger," "Bulgar," and "Boulger."
In the late 14th century, a notable figure named John Bulger (c. 1350-1420) was recorded as a merchant and landowner in the city of York. He played a significant role in local affairs and left a substantial estate upon his passing.
Another prominent individual with the Bulger surname was Sir Edward Bulger (1586-1645), a Member of Parliament during the reign of King Charles I. He was a staunch Royalist and fought for the King's cause during the English Civil War.
The Bulger name has also been associated with various place names in England, such as Bulger Hill in Staffordshire and Bulger's Green in Middlesex. These locations likely derived their names from early Bulger families who settled in those areas.
In the 19th century, the Bulger family spread across the globe, with many members immigrating to the United States, Canada, and Australia in search of new opportunities. Notable individuals from this period include:
1. John Bulger (1803-1867), an Irish-American politician who served as a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives.
2. William Bulger (1873-1948), a Scottish-American architect known for designing several notable buildings in New York City.
3. Jane Bulger (1822-1890), an English novelist and poet whose works explored themes of social injustice and women's rights.
Throughout history, the Bulger surname has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including merchants, politicians, architects, and authors. While its origins can be traced back to medieval England, the name has since spread worldwide, leaving an indelible mark on the tapestry of human history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Bulger
Among Census respondents with the surname Bulger, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.4%. The next largest groups are Black (10.5%) and Hispanic (3.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Bulger 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 Bulger surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White81.4% · 2,633
- Black or African American10.5% · 341
- Hispanic or Latino3.9% · 125
- Two or more races3.2% · 103
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.0% · 32
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Bulger
Bulger 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
#9,427
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,450
+299 bearers (+9.5%)
Per 100,000 1.17
Rank movement Up 40 places
2020
#9,603
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,236
-214 bearers (-6.2%)
Per 100,000 1.08
Rank movement Down 176 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #9,467 | 3,151 | 1.17 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #9,427 | 3,450 | 1.17 | +299 bearers (+9.5%) | Up 40 places |
| 2020 | #9,603 | 3,236 | 1.08 | -214 bearers (-6.2%) | Down 176 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 Bulger 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 | #9,427 | #9,603 | -1.9% |
| Count | 3,450 | 3,236 | -6.2% |
| Per 100K | 1.17 | 1.08 | -7.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Bulger bearers went from 3,450 to 3,236 (-6.2% change). The surname moved down 176 positions in the national ranking, going from #9,427 to #9,603.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Bulger
FAQ
Bulger surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Bulger?
Name Census estimates that about 3,711 living Americans carry the surname Bulger. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 92,362 residents.
How common is Bulger?
Bulger ranks #9,603 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.08 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 3,236 people with the surname Bulger. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,711), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.08 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.08 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Bulger.
Has Bulger become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Bulger went from 3,450 recorded bearers to 3,236. That is a decrease of 214 (-6.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #9,427 to #9,603.
What does the Census say about the background of Bulger?
Among Census respondents with the surname Bulger, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.4%. The next largest groups are Black (10.5%) and Hispanic (3.9%). 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 Bulger in the 2020 Census, accounting for 81.4% (2,633 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Bulger appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (81.4%), Black (10.5%), Hispanic (3.9%). 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 Bulger (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 Bulger mean?
A nickname-derived surname referring to someone with a large, bulging belly or someone who was short and stout. 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 Bulger (1.08 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 have the last name Bulger?
You can see how common the surname Bulger is on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.