NameCensus.

UK surname

Bolitho

A locational surname derived from the Cornish place name meaning "dwelling near the wolf's path."

In the 1881 census there were 404 people recorded with the Bolitho surname, ranking it #7,919 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 397, ranked #11,941, down from #7,919 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff and Mawgan in Meneage. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cornwall.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bolitho is 460 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 1.7%.

1881 census count

404

Ranked #7,919

Modern count

397

2016, ranked #11,941

Peak year

1911

460 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bolitho had 404 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,919 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 397 in 2016, ranked #11,941.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 460 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Bolitho surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bolitho surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bolitho 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
1851 historical 358 #6,604
1861 historical 316 #8,054
1881 historical 404 #7,919
1891 historical 368 #9,464
1901 historical 456 #8,624
1911 historical 460 #8,357
1997 modern 366 #11,781
1998 modern 399 #11,354
1999 modern 389 #11,678
2000 modern 409 #11,221
2001 modern 402 #11,183
2002 modern 406 #11,315
2003 modern 408 #11,115
2004 modern 415 #10,989
2005 modern 409 #10,999
2006 modern 398 #11,304
2007 modern 409 #11,182
2008 modern 406 #11,328
2009 modern 406 #11,586
2010 modern 403 #11,925
2011 modern 398 #11,907
2012 modern 385 #12,061
2013 modern 412 #11,647
2014 modern 414 #11,708
2015 modern 410 #11,686
2016 modern 397 #11,941

Geography

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Where Bolithos are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Mawgan in Meneage, Wendron and Madron. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cornwall. 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 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
3 Mawgan in Meneage Cornwall
4 Wendron Cornwall
5 Madron Cornwall

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cornwall 012 Cornwall
2 Cornwall 059 Cornwall
3 Cornwall 069 Cornwall
4 Cornwall 013 Cornwall
5 Cornwall 071 Cornwall

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bolitho

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bolitho

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Bolitho, 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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Bolitho surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Bolitho household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Bolitho is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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 scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Bolitho is most concentrated in decile 6 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Bolitho falls in decile 4 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Bolitho is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Bolitho

The surname Bolitho is of Cornish origin, having its roots in the county of Cornwall, England, dating back to the 16th century. The name is believed to be derived from the Cornish place name "Bolithow" or "Bolithon," which translates to "the dwelling of the ox" or "the oxen's house."

The earliest recorded instance of the name Bolitho can be found in the parish records of St. Columb Major in Cornwall, where a certain Richard Bolitho was mentioned in 1586. This record serves as one of the earliest known references to this surname.

During the 17th century, the Bolitho family established itself as a prominent landowner in the parish of St. Ervan, near Padstow, Cornwall. The family's ancestral home, known as Penhargard, was located in this area and remained in their possession for several generations.

In the 18th century, a notable member of the Bolitho family was Thomas Bolitho (1698-1774), a wealthy merchant and ship owner from Penzance. He played a significant role in the growth of the town's maritime industry and left a lasting legacy through his philanthropic endeavors.

Another well-known figure was Sir Edward Bolitho (1828-1899), a Conservative Party politician who served as a Member of Parliament for St. Ives, Cornwall, from 1857 to 1865. He was also a prominent figure in the mining industry and held various positions in Cornish mining companies.

The Bolitho surname also gained recognition in the literary world through the works of Hector Bolitho (1897-1974), a British author and biographer. He wrote several acclaimed biographies, including those of Alfred, Lord Tennyson and Queen Victoria.

In the 20th century, the name Bolitho gained further prominence through the fictional character of Captain Richard Bolitho, the protagonist of a series of historical naval adventure novels written by Douglas Reeman (1924-2017), under the pen name Alexander Kent.

While the surname Bolitho is predominantly found in Cornwall and the neighboring counties of Devon and Somerset, it has also been carried by individuals across various parts of the United Kingdom and beyond, thanks to migration and family dispersal over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bolitho families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bolitho 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. Cornwall leads with 276 Bolithos recorded in 1881 and an index of 61.26x.

County Total Index
Cornwall 276 61.26x
Glamorgan 29 4.18x
Devon 25 3.02x
Lancashire 16 0.34x
Middlesex 12 0.30x
Yorkshire 11 0.28x
Essex 9 1.15x
Channel Islands 7 5.94x
Gloucestershire 7 0.90x
Lincolnshire 6 0.94x
Somerset 4 0.62x
Surrey 4 0.21x
Hampshire 2 0.25x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wendron in Cornwall leads with 64 Bolithos recorded in 1881 and an index of 1022.36x.

Place Total Index
Wendron 64 1022.36x
Falmouth 26 163.01x
St Just In Penwith 22 251.72x
Illogan 19 159.26x
St Cleer 19 485.93x
Madron 17 467.03x
Plymouth St Andrew 14 21.94x
Mawgan In Meneage 13 1111.11x
Gulval 10 344.83x
Lofthouse 10 169.78x
St Martin In Meneage 10 1851.85x
Swansea Town 9 15.84x
West Ham 9 5.19x
St Mellion 8 1904.76x
St Stithians 7 282.26x
Camborne 6 32.31x
Louth 6 41.15x
Merthyr Tydfil 6 9.01x
Ruan Minor 6 1500.00x
Accrington 5 11.65x
Barrow In Furness 5 7.78x
Callington 5 190.11x
Clifton 5 12.67x
Madron Penzance 5 30.53x
St Keverne 5 201.61x
Swansea Higher 5 69.25x
Aberdare 4 8.41x
Bedminster 4 6.64x
Clase 4 15.52x
Constantine 4 152.67x
Kirkdale 4 5.04x
Paddington London 4 2.73x
St Clement 4 85.11x
St Peter Port 4 18.33x
St Winnow 4 259.74x
Kenwyn 3 25.47x
Paul 3 36.63x
St Anne 3 142.18x
St George Martyr London 3 37.22x
St Martins 3 625.00x
Camberwell 2 0.79x
Helston 2 42.74x
Jacobstow 2 344.83x
Kensington London 2 0.90x
Ludgvan 2 55.71x
Mylor 2 66.23x
St Budeaux 2 77.52x
Totnes 2 41.24x
West Derby 2 1.45x
Alverstoke 1 3.39x
Bristol St James In 1 8.71x
Dartmouth Townstall 1 29.67x
Devonport 1 10.50x
Ermington 1 33.22x
Harrow On The Hill 1 12.58x
Holy Trinity 1 1.05x
Horfield 1 12.72x
Islington London 1 0.26x
Lambeth 1 0.29x
Lanivet 1 71.43x
Lidford 1 26.88x
Redruth 1 7.84x
Sithney 1 21.98x
Southwark St George Martyr 1 1.25x
St Stephens By Saltash 1 51.55x
Stonehouse East 1 23.81x
Titchfield 1 16.26x
Tiverton 1 7.01x
Towednack 1 113.64x
Twickenham 1 5.86x
Wolborough 1 9.55x
Ystradyfodwg 1 1.65x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 35
Elizabeth 26
Jane 10
Eliza 8
Susan 8
Ann 7
Annie 7
Emily 7
Emma 6
Sarah 6
Catherine 4
Edith 4
Margaret 4
Minnie 4
Amelia 3
Bessie 3
Caroline 3
Ellen 3
Honor 3
Louisa 3
Agnes 2
Alice 2
Christiana 2
Grace 2
Harriet 2
Maggie 2
Margret 2
Selina 2
Angelina 1
Augusta 1
Avis 1
Beatrice 1
Charity 1
Charlotte 1
Clara 1
Elizebeth 1
Elizh.Mary 1
Elizth. 1
Esther 1
Georgina 1
Hamah 1
Harriett 1
Jemina 1
Julia 1
Kate 1
Katie 1
Lilly 1
Loveday 1
Lucy 1
Violet 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 33
William 29
James 21
Thomas 18
Richard 8
Edward 5
Henry 5
Alfred 4
Walter 4
Charles 3
Francis 3
Frederick 3
Simon 3
Albert 2
Anthony 2
Edwin 2
George 2
Joseph 2
Martin 2
Thos. 2
Wm. 2
Arthur 1
Ed.G. 1
Edwd. 1
Elliot 1
Emanuel 1
Emily 1
Harry 1
Henery 1
Herbert 1
J.T. 1
Jas. 1
Jethro 1
Joe. 1
Jonathon 1
Josiah 1
Nicholas 1
Patrick 1
Percival 1
Peter 1
Philip 1
Richd. 1
Richd.A. 1
Richd.F. 1
Robert 1
Robt.Jno. 1
Selina 1
Sidney 1
Tho. 1
Wm.John 1

FAQ

Bolitho surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bolitho surname in 1881?

In 1881, 404 people were recorded with the Bolitho surname. That placed it at #7,919 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bolitho surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 397 in 2016. That gives Bolitho a modern rank of #11,941.

What does the Bolitho surname mean?

A locational surname derived from the Cornish place name meaning "dwelling near the wolf's path."

What does the Bolitho map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Bolitho 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.