NameCensus.

UK surname

Bola

A Spanish surname derived from the word "bola" meaning ball or sphere.

In the 1881 census there were 1 people recorded with the Bola surname, ranking it #34,027 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 361, ranked #12,841, up from #34,027 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Derby and South Derbyshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bola is 362 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 36000.0%.

1881 census count

1

Ranked #34,027

Modern count

361

2016, ranked #12,841

Peak year

2014

362 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bola had 1 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #34,027 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 361 in 2016, ranked #12,841.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Suburban Professionals.

Bola surname distribution map

The map shows where the Bola surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Bola surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bola over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1861 historical 3 #33,861
1881 historical 1 #34,027
1891 historical 2 #34,436
1901 historical 2 #34,263
1911 historical 2 #34,020
1997 modern 217 #16,761
1998 modern 232 #16,508
1999 modern 244 #16,052
2000 modern 248 #15,827
2001 modern 239 #15,963
2002 modern 268 #15,081
2003 modern 271 #14,787
2004 modern 276 #14,684
2005 modern 290 #14,140
2006 modern 303 #13,834
2007 modern 316 #13,566
2008 modern 329 #13,286
2009 modern 341 #13,214
2010 modern 356 #13,071
2011 modern 347 #13,167
2012 modern 332 #13,501
2013 modern 347 #13,260
2014 modern 362 #12,955
2015 modern 361 #12,857
2016 modern 361 #12,841

Geography

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Where Bolas are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Derby and South Derbyshire. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Derby 029 Derby
2 Derby 021 Derby
3 Derby 020 Derby
4 South Derbyshire 003 South Derbyshire
5 Derby 026 Derby

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bola

These lists show first names that appear often with the Bola surname in historical and recent records.

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bola

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Bola, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals

Group

Suburban Professionals

Nationally, the Bola surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Suburban Professionals, within Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals. This does not mean every Bola household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Employment in this Group is typically in managerial and professional occupations, and education to degree level is common. Residents are typically of working age, many of whom identify with an Indian ethnicity. Households are unlikely to be of Mixed or Multiple ethnicities, and English is not the main language used in some households. This Group is found on the outskirts of most conurbations as well as in the suburbs of some free-standing towns.

Wider pattern

Those working within the managerial, professional and administrative occupations typically reflect a wide range of ethnic groups, and reside in detached or semi-detached housing. Their residential locations at the edges of cities and conurbations and car-based lifestyles are more characteristic of Supergroup membership than birthplace or participation in child-rearing. Houses are typically owner-occupied and marriage rates are lower than the national average. This Supergroup is found throughout suburban UK.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Bola is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, part of Suburban Asian Communities. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Bola is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Bola falls in decile 2 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Bola is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
Asian - Indian

This describes the area pattern most associated with Bola, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Bola

The surname "BOLA" is believed to have originated in Italy during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Italian word "bola," which means "bubble" or "sphere." The name was likely given to someone who worked with spherical objects or lived near a place where bubbles or spheres were a prominent feature.

The earliest recorded instance of the surname BOLA can be traced back to a document from the city of Bologna in the year 1275. This document mentions a "Giovanni Bola," who was a merchant dealing in glass and glassware. It is possible that the name was given to him or his ancestors due to their association with the glass-making trade, which involves working with spherical objects.

In the 14th century, the surname BOLA appeared in several records from the town of Bola, located in the Piedmont region of northern Italy. This suggests that the name may have originated as a locative surname, referring to someone who came from or lived in the town of Bola.

One of the earliest notable individuals with the surname BOLA was Giacomo Bola, a Renaissance painter who lived in Venice in the late 15th century. His works can still be found in various churches and museums throughout Italy.

During the 16th century, the BOLA surname was also found in Spain, where it is believed to have been introduced by Italian immigrants. One famous bearer of the name was Pedro Bola, a Spanish explorer who accompanied Christopher Columbus on his second voyage to the Americas in 1493.

In the 17th century, the BOLA surname spread to other parts of Europe, including France and Germany. Jean-Baptiste Bola, a French mathematician and astronomer, was born in 1670 and made significant contributions to the study of celestial mechanics and the calculation of orbits.

Another notable figure with the surname BOLA was Johann Michael Bola, a German composer and organist who lived in the 18th century. He is known for his contributions to the development of baroque music and his compositions for the organ.

As the centuries progressed, the BOLA surname continued to spread across different regions and countries, with bearers of the name making their mark in various fields, from science and the arts to politics and business.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bola families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bola surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Somerset leads with 1 Bolas recorded in 1881 and an index of 64.52x.

County Total Index
Somerset 1 64.52x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Taunton St Mary in Somerset leads with 1 Bolas recorded in 1881 and an index of 3333.33x.

Place Total Index
Taunton St Mary 1 3333.33x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Bola surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Ellen 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Bola households.

Occupation Count
Machinist 1

FAQ

Bola surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bola surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1 people were recorded with the Bola surname. That placed it at #34,027 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bola surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 361 in 2016. That gives Bola a modern rank of #12,841.

What does the Bola surname mean?

A Spanish surname derived from the word "bola" meaning ball or sphere.

What does the Bola map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Bola bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.