The Bolling surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 6,414 people carried this name — #5,429 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 46,100 people counted. That is up 7% from 5,995 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Bolling surname

Originally a nickname for someone with a large head with close-cut hair, similar to a bolling/pollard.

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Bolling» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a baptismal name, from a given name: ‘the son of Bolling’ — the first of the origins he gives.

His entry covers Bolling and Boling.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 116 · public domain.

In the Nordic population registers

227 people named Bolling is counted in Sweden.

Sweden’s figure is from 31 December 2022, the last count Statistics Sweden published.

Counted, by country

Sweden (2022) 227

Own calculations based on data from Statistics Sweden (SCB), surnames with at least two bearers, 31 December 2022 — CC BY 4.0 (names with 20 or more bearers shown).

In the first U.S. census, 1790

89 families named Bolling, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 487 people lived in those households, 5.5 to a family on average. The table counts it together with 14 other spellings. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

Virginia 27
North Carolina 15
South Carolina 12
Pennsylvania 10
Maryland 10
New York 7
Maine 4
Vermont 2
Massachusetts 2

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 230 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Bolling in American newspapers,
1915.

Newspaper page from The Montgomery Advertiser carrying the name Bolling
The Montgomery Advertiser 1915-12-19
Newspaper page from The Birmingham Age-herald carrying the name Bolling
The Birmingham Age-herald 1915-12-19
Newspaper page from The Wheatland World carrying the name Bolling
The Wheatland World 1915-12-17

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain.

In print

Bolling in Australian newspapers,
1850s–1950s.

184 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Bolling. The most, 39, date from the 1910s. Weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, it stands out most in New South Wales, at 1.4 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 83
Victoria 45
Queensland 23
Tasmania 10
Western Australia 10
South Australia 9
ACT (Canberra) 3
Northern Territory 1

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Bolling.

Who carried it

People named Bolling,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Robert Bolling
    Robert Bolling 1646–1709
  • John Bolling
    John Bolling 1676–1729 · politician
  • John Bolling Jr.
    John Bolling Jr. 1700–1757
  • Jane Bolling
    Jane Bolling 1703–1766
  • Elizabeth Bolling Robertson
    Elizabeth Bolling Robertson 1758–1830
  • Leonhard Bolling 1604–1667 · politician

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Bolling,
in the records of 7 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States507 records

507 records of the Bolling name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 220
  • U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 111
  • Other U.S. records 176
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record George F. Bolling

    Born 1918 in Virginia. Enlisted 1944 at Richmond; tool sharpener. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1987, buried at Calverton National Cemetery, New York.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Johann Bolling

    Arrived at New Orleans in 1851 aboard the John Hancock from Havre, aged 33; farmer. From Bavaria, Germany; bound for New Orleans.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)
  3. A U.S. Army record of death and interment, Camp Nelson, Kentucky, 1864
    Example: U.S. burial record, 1864
    Burial record Palmer M. Bolling

    U.S. Air Force veteran of the Korean War and the Vietnam War. Born 1931, died 1997; buried at Byron Cemetery, Xenia, Ohio.

    U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)

Showing 3 of 507 records for Bolling in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Record of death and interment, Camp Nelson, Kentucky, 1864, U.S. National Archives (public domain).

Netherlands339 records

339 records of the Bolling name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 221
  • Dutch population registers 105
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 13
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Barteld Bolling

    Married in 1853 in Dwingeloo; farmer, born 1827 in Dwingeloo. Died 1899 in Westeinde (Dwingeloo), aged 72; farmer.

    Open Archives, Drents Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Jan Jans Bolling

    Married in 1815 in Staphorst; farmer, born 1780 in Zuidwolde. Died 1850 in Ijhorst (Staphorst), aged 69; farmer.

    Open Archives, Collectie Overijssel locatie Zwolle (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Jan Bolling

    Married in 1830 in Staphorst; farmer, born 1806 in Ijhorst (Staphorst). Died 1882 in Schottershuizen (Zuidwolde), aged 76; farmer.

    Open Archives, Collectie Overijssel locatie Zwolle (CC BY 4.0); Open Archives, Drents Archief (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 339 records for Bolling in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain).

Germany152 records

152 records of the Bolling name in Germany Germany's First World War casualty lists, 1914–1919
  1. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Karl Friedrich Bölling

    Born 1898; from Haspe, Hagen. Reported missing in the Prussian casualty list of 30 November 1918 (Reserve Infantry Regiment No. 56).

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)
  2. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Heinrich Bölling

    From Hamborn. Reported missing in the Prussian casualty list of 3 December 1914; then reported dead in the list of 30 March 1915 (Infantry Regiment No. 57).

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)
  3. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Erich Bölling

    Born 1897; from Berlin-Schöneberg. Reported missing in the Prussian casualty list of 18 February 1919 (Reserve Infantry Regiment No. 48).

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)

Showing 3 of 152 records for Bolling in Germany.

Counts: Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Deutsche Verlustlisten, Prussian list 1116, 18 April 1918 (scan via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0).

Norway34 records

34 records of the Bolling name in Norway Norway's 1910 census
  1. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Census record Aslaug Bolling

    Census of 1910: Eidet, Lierne; housemaid, born 1892 in Lierne.

    Arkivverket, Digitalarkivet, 1910 census (CC BY 3.0 NO)
  2. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Census record John Bolling

    Census of 1910: Sverresgate, Stenkjær; labourer, born 1850 in Sparbu.

    Arkivverket, Digitalarkivet, 1910 census (CC BY 3.0 NO)
  3. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Census record Johan Arnt Bolling

    Census of 1910: Eidet, Lierne; trader, born 1886 in Vikten.

    Arkivverket, Digitalarkivet, 1910 census (CC BY 3.0 NO)

Showing 3 of 34 records for Bolling in Norway.

Counts: Arkivverket, Digitalarkivet, 1910 census (CC BY 3.0 NO). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain).

Australia9 records

9 records of the Bolling name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 6
  • Tasmanian Names Index 2
  • Queensland State Archives indexes 1
  1. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Bn Bolling

    Sailed from Victoria in 1863 aboard the Solway, aged 26.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Priscilla Bolling

    Died 1856 in Hobart, Tasmania, aged 72.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Jacob Bolling

    Died 1874; inquest held in Queensland.

    Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 9 records for Bolling in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

Canada7 records

7 records of the Bolling name in Canada Nova Scotia Archives name indexes
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Susie Peppett Bolling

    Died 1933 in Sydney, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Randolph Bolling

    Married 1905 in North Sydney, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  3. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Elizabeth Bolling

    Married 1870 in Guysborough, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.

Showing 3 of 7 records for Bolling in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain).

France2 records

2 records of the Bolling name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Jean Frederic Henri Bolling

    Born 1894 in Paris; died 1984 in Vaux-sur-Lunain (Seine-et-Marne).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 1 of 2 records for Bolling in France.

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Bolling.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Bolling is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

See the Bolling volume
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