NameCensus.

UK surname

Boulden

A surname suggesting someone from any of several places in England named Bouldon or Bowden.

In the 1881 census there were 297 people recorded with the Boulden surname, ranking it #9,792 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 280, ranked #15,491, down from #9,792 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Keverne, London parishes and Faversham, Ospring Liberty. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Ashford, Hounslow and North Devon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Boulden is 331 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 5.7%.

1881 census count

297

Ranked #9,792

Modern count

280

2016, ranked #15,491

Peak year

1911

331 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Boulden had 297 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,792 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 280 in 2016, ranked #15,491.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 331 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Boulden surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Boulden surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Boulden 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 277 #8,112
1861 historical 291 #8,653
1881 historical 297 #9,792
1891 historical 314 #10,694
1901 historical 318 #11,187
1911 historical 331 #10,654
1997 modern 280 #14,136
1998 modern 296 #13,997
1999 modern 294 #14,140
2000 modern 282 #14,532
2001 modern 267 #14,839
2002 modern 259 #15,453
2003 modern 266 #14,987
2004 modern 269 #14,955
2005 modern 258 #15,323
2006 modern 269 #14,952
2007 modern 272 #14,994
2008 modern 284 #14,687
2009 modern 288 #14,838
2010 modern 292 #15,018
2011 modern 276 #15,471
2012 modern 262 #16,001
2013 modern 271 #15,875
2014 modern 284 #15,455
2015 modern 273 #15,789
2016 modern 280 #15,491

Geography

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Where Bouldens are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Keverne, London parishes, Faversham, Ospring Liberty and Margate. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Ashford, Hounslow, North Devon, Guildford and Kingston upon Thames. 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 St Keverne Cornwall
2 London parishes London 1
3 Faversham, Ospring Liberty Kent
4 London parishes London 3
5 Margate Kent

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Ashford 010 Ashford
2 Hounslow 024 Hounslow
3 North Devon 005 North Devon
4 Guildford 002 Guildford
5 Kingston upon Thames 020 Kingston upon Thames

Forenames

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First names often paired with Boulden

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Boulden

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Boulden surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Boulden 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 comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Boulden is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Boulden 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

Boulden falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Boulden 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 - British

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

Meaning and origin of Boulden

The surname Boulden is of English origin, derived from a place name. It is believed to have originated in the region of Buckinghamshire, England, during the medieval period.

The name Boulden is thought to be a variant spelling of the place name Bullingdon, which is a village located near Oxford. Bullingdon is derived from the Old English words "bulling" meaning "a bull" and "dun" meaning "a hill or down."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Boulden appears in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, where it is listed as "Robert de Bolingdon." This historical record provides evidence of the name's existence during the 13th century.

In the 16th century, the name Boulden was found in the parish records of Buckinghamshire, suggesting that the name had become established in that region by that time.

One notable individual with the surname Boulden was Sir Samuel Boulden (1677-1744), an English merchant and politician who served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1738.

Another person of historical significance was Richard Boulden (1779-1848), an English engraver and painter who was known for his landscape etchings and illustrations of works by Sir Walter Scott.

In the 18th century, the name Boulden was also found in the records of the British colonies in North America. One example is John Boulden (1728-1795), a colonial American farmer and landowner in Virginia.

The surname Boulden has also been associated with the village of Bouldon, located in the county of Kent, England. This place name is derived from the Old English words "bold" meaning "a dwelling" and "dun" meaning "a hill or down."

Another notable figure with the surname Boulden was James Boulden (1843-1910), an English-born Australian cricketer who played for the New South Wales cricket team in the late 19th century.

While the surname Boulden is of English origin, it has since spread to various parts of the world due to migration and diaspora, yet its roots can be traced back to the medieval period in England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Boulden families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Boulden 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. Kent leads with 111 Bouldens recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.23x.

County Total Index
Kent 111 11.23x
Cornwall 64 19.51x
Surrey 50 3.54x
Middlesex 16 0.55x
Yorkshire 13 0.45x
Lancashire 11 0.32x
Devon 9 1.49x
Hampshire 7 1.18x
Sussex 7 1.43x
Hertfordshire 2 1.00x
Lanarkshire 2 0.21x
Lincolnshire 2 0.43x
Berkshire 1 0.46x
Derbyshire 1 0.22x
Gloucestershire 1 0.18x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Keverne in Cornwall leads with 27 Bouldens recorded in 1881 and an index of 1491.71x.

Place Total Index
St Keverne 27 1491.71x
Boughton Monchelsea 17 1559.63x
Margate St John Baptist 15 82.87x
Putney 13 98.48x
Chart Sutton 12 1764.71x
Bermondsey 9 10.43x
Sittingbourne 9 115.24x
Sutton Stoneferry 9 109.62x
Camborne 8 59.22x
Epsom 8 116.28x
Willesden 8 29.29x
Dockenfield 7 3333.33x
Brenchley 6 169.49x
Castleton 6 17.48x
Stoke Damerel 6 14.21x
Ticehurst 6 200.67x
Tonbridge 6 16.83x
Woolwich 6 16.43x
Boughton Under Blean 5 301.20x
Camberwell 5 2.70x
Cranbrook 5 119.33x
East Malling 5 211.86x
St Erth 5 251.26x
Warrington 5 12.27x
Nether Hallam 4 10.30x
Rochester St Nicholas 4 129.87x
Southwark St Saviour 4 26.86x
St Cleer 4 140.85x
Falmouth 3 25.84x
Grade 3 1034.48x
Islington London 3 1.07x
Lambeth 3 1.19x
Mawgan In Meneage 3 352.94x
Penshurst 3 180.72x
Plymouth Charles The 3 11.29x
Southwark St George Martyr 3 5.15x
St Gluvias 3 163.04x
St Martin In Meneage 3 769.23x
Staplehurst 3 185.19x
Aldington 2 298.51x
Barnes 2 33.50x
Boxley 2 131.58x
Chatham 2 7.36x
Croydon 2 2.55x
Faversham 2 21.21x
Govan 2 0.86x
Herne 2 45.66x
Landewednack 2 344.83x
Rochester St Margaret 2 19.19x
Spalding 2 21.76x
Stanstead Abbots 2 165.29x
Battersea 1 0.94x
Bray 1 15.65x
Bromley London 1 1.57x
Cirencester 1 13.00x
Crowan 1 38.46x
Glossop Dale 1 4.71x
Hackney London 1 0.62x
Hove 1 4.67x
Kingsnorth 1 163.93x
Liskeard 1 18.21x
Maidstone 1 3.40x
Ruan Major 1 1111.11x
Sholden 1 263.16x
St Giles Cripplegate 1 25.97x
St Marylebone London 1 0.65x
Westminster St Margaret 1 7.15x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 19
Elizabeth 13
Alice 8
Harriet 7
Sarah 7
Eliza 6
Jane 6
Charlotte 5
Ellen 5
Emily 5
Ann 4
Annie 4
Caroline 4
Clara 4
Louisa 4
Catherine 3
Esther 3
Jemima 3
Amelia 2
Anne 2
Edith 2
Emma 2
Fanny 2
Hester 2
Maria 2
Martha 2
Susanna 2
Allice 1
Anna 1
Bertha 1
Christiana 1
Eleanor 1
Elina 1
Elisabeth 1
Elizth. 1
Flora 1
Frances 1
George 1
Georgina 1
Hannah 1
Harriett 1
Jessie 1
Julia 1
Kate 1
Laveania 1
Lilly 1
Lordy 1
Louies 1
Lovedy 1
Mabel 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 14
William 14
John 12
Samuel 8
James 6
Richard 6
Thomas 6
Albert 4
Arthur 4
Henry 4
Benjamin 3
Charles 3
Edwin 3
Joseph 3
Walter 3
Alfred 2
Arnold 2
David 2
Dennis 2
Ernest 2
Frederick 2
Harry 2
Herbert 2
Sampson 2
Christopher 1
Edward 1
Geo. 1
Gilbert 1
Humphry 1
Infant 1
Isaac 1
Josiah 1
Philip 1
Ralph 1
Richd.H. 1
Samual 1
Stephen 1
T. 1
Thos. 1
Thos.D. 1
Thos.Tonge 1
Tom 1
Wilm. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Boulden surname: questions and answers

How common was the Boulden surname in 1881?

In 1881, 297 people were recorded with the Boulden surname. That placed it at #9,792 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Boulden surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 280 in 2016. That gives Boulden a modern rank of #15,491.

What does the Boulden surname mean?

A surname suggesting someone from any of several places in England named Bouldon or Bowden.

What does the Boulden map show?

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