NameCensus.

UK surname

Bosman

A Dutch surname derived from the word "bosman" meaning a woodsman or forester.

In the 1881 census there were 59 people recorded with the Bosman surname, ranking it #25,281 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 188, ranked #20,417, up from #25,281 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Riding of Yorkshire, Bracknell Forest and Gateshead.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bosman is 206 in 2012. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 218.6%.

1881 census count

59

Ranked #25,281

Modern count

188

2016, ranked #20,417

Peak year

2012

206 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bosman had 59 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #25,281 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 188 in 2016, ranked #20,417.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 86 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Bosman surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bosman surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bosman 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 31 #27,734
1861 historical 53 #27,253
1881 historical 59 #25,281
1891 historical 64 #28,781
1901 historical 74 #25,958
1911 historical 86 #24,243
1997 modern 123 #23,792
1998 modern 138 #22,814
1999 modern 138 #22,983
2000 modern 133 #23,462
2001 modern 132 #23,230
2002 modern 141 #22,794
2003 modern 142 #22,460
2004 modern 151 #21,720
2005 modern 155 #21,318
2006 modern 156 #21,399
2007 modern 161 #21,201
2008 modern 170 #20,672
2009 modern 172 #20,950
2010 modern 197 #19,640
2011 modern 191 #19,871
2012 modern 206 #18,837
2013 modern 203 #19,327
2014 modern 203 #19,504
2015 modern 194 #19,994
2016 modern 188 #20,417

Geography

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Where Bosmans 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 East Riding of Yorkshire, Bracknell Forest, Gateshead, Walsall and Eastleigh. 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 East Riding of Yorkshire 039 East Riding of Yorkshire
2 Bracknell Forest 008 Bracknell Forest
3 Gateshead 002 Gateshead
4 Walsall 029 Walsall
5 Eastleigh 014 Eastleigh

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bosman

These lists show first names that appear often with the Bosman 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 Bosman

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Bosman surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Bosman household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Bosman 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

Bosman 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

Bosman falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Bosman is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Bosman

The surname Bosman originates from the Netherlands and is derived from the Dutch word "bos," meaning "forest" or "woods," and "man," meaning "man." It is believed to have emerged during the medieval period, likely between the 12th and 15th centuries, as a descriptive name for someone who lived or worked in or near a forest.

The earliest known record of the surname Bosman can be found in the Dutch province of Gelderland, where a certain Henric Bosman was mentioned in a document dated 1363. Another early reference comes from the city of Leiden, where a man named Gheraert Bosman was recorded in 1420.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Bosman name began to spread across the Netherlands and into other parts of Europe. One notable figure from this period was Bartholomeus Bosman, a Dutch poet and playwright born in Leiden in 1583. He is best known for his satirical works, which often criticized the social and political climate of his time.

As the Dutch Empire expanded its influence through global trade and exploration, the Bosman surname also found its way to other parts of the world. In the 17th century, a Dutch settler named Willem Bosman established a trading post on the Gold Coast of West Africa (now Ghana). His account of the region, titled "A New and Accurate Description of the Coast of Guinea," published in 1705, became a valuable source of information for historians and traders.

Another prominent figure bearing the Bosman name was Jan Bosman, a Dutch Reformed minister and author who lived from 1706 to 1767. He wrote several theological works and served as a pastor in various Dutch communities.

In the 19th century, the Bosman surname gained recognition through the works of Hendrik Bosman, a Dutch-Afrikaner writer and poet born in 1905 in the town of Kuilsrivier, South Africa. His short stories and novels, which often explored the lives of rural Afrikaner communities, are considered classics of Afrikaans literature.

Other notable individuals with the Bosman surname include Dirk Bosman, a Dutch painter and etcher who lived from 1604 to 1668, and Gerrit Bosman, a South African cricketer who played for the national team in the early 20th century.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bosman families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bosman 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. Middlesex leads with 32 Bosmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.56x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 32 5.56x
Yorkshire 23 4.03x
Warwickshire 2 1.38x
Northamptonshire 1 1.85x
Nottinghamshire 1 1.29x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Whitechapel London in Middlesex leads with 18 Bosmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 317.46x.

Place Total Index
Whitechapel London 18 317.46x
Holmpton 7 17500.00x
Roos 6 5454.55x
Winestead 6 20000.00x
Islington London 4 7.17x
Kensington London 4 12.50x
Willesden 3 55.35x
Coventry Holy Trinity 2 46.19x
Patrington 2 740.74x
St Botolph Aldgate London 2 168.07x
Newark Upon Trent 1 35.84x
Sculcoates 1 11.06x
Sunk Island 1 1250.00x
Watford 1 1111.11x
Westminster St Margaret 1 35.97x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 5
Annie 3
Emily 2
Sarah 2
Ada 1
Ann 1
Anne 1
Charlotte 1
Elizabeth 1
Esther 1
Fanny 1
Harriet 1
Jessie 1
M. 1
Maria 1
Marria 1
Martha 1
Rachel 1
Ruth 1
Theresa 1

Top male names

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

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 Bosman households.

FAQ

Bosman surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bosman surname in 1881?

In 1881, 59 people were recorded with the Bosman surname. That placed it at #25,281 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bosman surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 188 in 2016. That gives Bosman a modern rank of #20,417.

What does the Bosman surname mean?

A Dutch surname derived from the word "bosman" meaning a woodsman or forester.

What does the Bosman map show?

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