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Bull Family History

Bull Surname Meaning

English: nickname for a strong aggressive bull-like man from Middle English bule bole. Occasionally the name may denote a keeper of a bull (compare Bulman) or possibly someone who lived at a building distinguished by the sign of a bull.

German (mainly northern): from Middle Low German bulle 'bull' used as a nickname for a cattle breeder, keeper, or dealer. Compare South German Ochs.

South German: nickname for a short fat man, a variant of Bolle or a nickname for a man with the physical characteristics of a bull.

North German (Büll): see Buell. Native American: translation into English (and shortening) of a personal name based on a word such as Lakota and Dakota Sioux tataŋka and Cheyenne hotoa'e meaning ‘bull’ or ‘buffalo’.

The importance of the buffalos to Plains Indians is reflected in their traditional personal names, many of which were adopted as surnames (translated into English), e.g. Two Bulls (see Twobulls) and White Bull (see Whitebull). See also Buffalo.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: 

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Where is the Bull family from?

You can see how Bull families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Bull family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Bull families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 2,619 Bull families living in London. This was about 19% of all the recorded Bull's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Bull families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Bull surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Bull ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Bull. 7% of Bull men worked as a General Labourer and 68% of Bull women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Bull were Gardener and Incapacitated.

View Census Data for Bull | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • General Labourer
    7%
  • Bricklayer
    4%
  • Builders Labourer
    3%
  • Gardener
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    68%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Housewife
    3%
  • Incapacitated
    2%

What Bull family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 407,000 census records available for the last name Bull. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Bull census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Bull

Passenger Lists

There are 40,000 immigration records available for the last name Bull. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Bull immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 35,000 military records available for the last name Bull. For the veterans among your Bull ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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You've only scratched the surface of Bull family history

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What is the average Bull lifespan?

Between 1941 and 2004, in the United States, Bull life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1942, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for Bull in 1941 was 45, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Bull

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Bull ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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