The Bolton surname
In the 2010 U.S. Census, 32,815 people carried this name — #1,068 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 8,990 people counted. That is up 3% from 31,995 in 2000.
In Ireland’s birth registers, 1890
Ireland registered 22 births for the Bolton name in 1890.
They were registered in all four provinces, most of all in Leinster. By the Registrar-General’s own method — births multiplied by 44.38 — that is about 1,000 people bearing the name in Ireland at the time.
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they were born, 1890
Registrar-General for Ireland, «Special Report on Surnames in Ireland» (R. E. Matheson, 1894), births index of 1890 — public domain.
In Argentina’s national register
At least 63 people named Bolton live in Argentina.
RENAPER only publishes a name in a province when more than ten people there share it, so the real number is higher. Most of them live in Buenos Aires Province.
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they live today
RENAPER (National Registry of Persons, Argentina), surnames of residents by province, December 2021 — CC BY 4.0.
In France’s civil register
France’s register of deaths holds 53 people named Bolton.
Most of them — 34 — were born outside France. Those born in France came from 6 départements, most often Paris.
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they were born
Fichier des personnes décédées, INSEE — Licence Ouverte 2.0 · deaths recorded in France since 1970, by place of birth.
In Switzerland’s population statistics
35 people named Bolton live in Switzerland.
They live in 5 of Switzerland’s 26 cantons, most of all in Vaud.
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they live today
Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO), «Surnames of the permanent resident population by canton», 2025, opendata.swiss/en/dataset/nachnamen-der-standigen-wohnbevolkerung-nach-kanton3 · names with fewer than 3 bearers in a canton are not published.
In the Nordic population registers
59 people named Bolton are counted in Sweden and Finland.
Sweden’s figure is from 31 December 2022, the last count Statistics Sweden published. Finland counts its citizens, at home or abroad.
Counted, by country
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) · Digital and Population Data Services Agency (DVV), Finland, surname statistics, August 2026 — CC BY 4.0.
In print
Bolton in American newspapers,
1857–1917.
Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 256,926 pages in all carry the name.
Who carried it
People named Bolton,
with a public archive behind them.
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Nathaniel Bolton d. 1858 · writer
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William Bolton d. 1817 · military personnel
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John Bolton d. 1426 · politician
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John Bolton d. 1556 · politician
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William Bolton d. 1680
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Thomas Bolton d. 1852
Wikidata (CC0) · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.
Nearby in the index
Surnames next to Bolton.
- Bollmann 461 · U.S. census
- Bollo 161 · U.S. census
- Bollon 120 · U.S. census
- Bologna 1,827 · U.S. census
- Bolognini 117 · U.S. census
- Bolon 427 · U.S. census
- Boltz 3,350 · U.S. census
- Bolvin 176 · U.S. census
- Bolze 144 · U.S. census
- Bomba 967 · U.S. census
- Bombard 2,032 · U.S. census
- Bombardier 827 · U.S. census
When the index is not enough
This page says where Bolton 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.