Surname Bosse - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'B'
DNA Test Sheds a New Light on the Bosse Family Lineage
The DNA test at iGENEA revealed unexpected connections to the Viking era and the Middle East for the Bosse family lineage, dramatically altering my understanding of my ancestry and reshaping my self-perception.
P. Bosse
read moreBosse: What does the surname Bosse mean?
The last name Bosse is of French origin, and is derived from the Old French word bos, meaning "wood or forest". This surname was often used to distinguish a person who had made their living in the woodcutting trades, such as lumberjacks, lumber merchants, and carpenters. The name may also be used to denote someone who lived near a forest, or who derived their livelihood from the forest in another way, such as hunting or animal husbandry.
The Bosse name has spread around the world as families immigrated, first to Canada, then to the United States. In the United States, Bosse families tend to settle in the Midwest and the Mid-Atlantic states, and particularly in the states of Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, Kansas, New York and Pennsylvania. A number of members from the Bosse family also settled in parts of the West Coast, in Oregon and California.
The Bosse surname is often traced to Huguenot immigration in the 1600s, with some of the earliest recorded examples being found in New York in 1790. The Bosse name also has historical connections with the family of Alexander Hamilton, the first Secretary of the United States Treasury.
Today, the Bosse name remains a proud heritage for many families, and while the original sources of the name have changed over time, many individuals still proudly carry the Bosse name.
Order DNA origin analysisBosse: Where does the name Bosse come from?
The last name Bosse is most commonly associated with German or Dutch origins and can be found in numerous locations throughout Europe today. Perhaps the most significant prevalence is in Holland, where Bosse was the 23rd most common surname reported in the 2007 National Census. It is also very widespread in Germany, especially in the northern region, where it is the 267th most popular surname.
Furthermore, the surname is found throughout Scandinavia, particularly in Sweden. Interestingly, it is also found in Hungary, dating back to the 15th century when immigrants from Günzburg and Bavaria settled in the region.
In North America, Bosse is most common in the United States. The 2000 Census reported Bosse as the 15,700th most popular surname. It is most notably found among the French-speaking communities of Quebec, New Brunswick, Louisiana and other French-speaking areas of Canada.
Finally, the surname is also found in South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and Singapore. However, in all of these countries, it is quite rare. It is possible that the Bosse surname in these countries originated from the Dutch settlers who travelled to these regions in the 17th and 18th centuries.
Overall, the surname Bosse is quite widespread and can be found in numerous locations throughout the world. It is most common in Europe, particularly Holland and Germany, yet it can be found in North America, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and other countries as well.
Variations of the surname Bosse
The surname Bosse is of French origin and is derived from the name Bossu, which translates as “humpback”. It can be found in many variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin. These include Boss, Bose, Bossi, Bosseau, Bousseau, Bossard, Bossart, Bouce, Boce, Boche, Bouchard, Bouché, Boucher, Boucheron, Bousquet, and Boussault.
Boss is the most common form, which is derived from the Old French Bossu. It is found in both French and English speaking countries. Bose is another variant of the surname, which is found mainly in France. Bossi is a variation of the Boss surname, which is mainly found in Italy. Bosseau is a variant which has its roots in Anjou, France.
Bousseau can be found in Normandy, France and is derived from the nickname "busse", which translates to "bushy eyebrows". Bossard is another variant and is derived from German. The French version of Bossard is Boussard and is found mainly in the southwestern region of the country. Bossart is derived from the nickname “bossard”, which translates to “hunchbacked”. Bouce is a variant found in Switzerland and is derived from the Old French “bouci”, which means “coat of arms”.
The variants Boce and Boche can be found mainly in Germany, while Bouchard is found mainly in France. The French Bouché surname is derived from the Old French “bouchier”, which translates to “butcher”. Boucher and Boucheron are also from France, with the former being derived from Old French “bouchier” again and the latter being derived from “boucherel”, which translates to “little butcher”.
Finally, Bousquet and Boussault are two other variations of the surname Bosse. The former is derived from Old French "bousquet" which translates to “small forest”, while the latter is derived from the French “boussault” meaning “humped”.
Famous people with the name Bosse
- Simon Bosse: German middle distance runner, won gold medals in both the 1500 m and 5000 m at the 2009 European Athletics U23 Championships.
- Olof von Dalin: Swedish poet, essayist and nobleman, known for his works The Sorrows of Young Werther and Every Man his Own Historian.
- Anke Bosse: German actress and model, known for roles in the German television series Verbotene Liebe and Ein Fall für Zwei.
- Rainer Bosse: German cyclist, competed at the 2006 Summer Olympics in the men's individual time trial event.
- John Bosse: American athlete, competed at the 1952 Summer Olympics in the men’s coxless four boat event.
- Gilles Bosse: Canadian vocalist, best known as a former member of the band Misteur Valaire.
- Paul Bosse: American engineer and inventor, best known for his development of the AC motor in the late 19th century.
- Mike Bosse: American ice hockey player, played college hockey for the Saint Lawrence University from 1978 to 1982.
- Sarah Bosse: American actress, known for her role as Hannah in the television series Life with Boys.
- Scott Bosse: Canadian actor, known for his role as Alan in the Canadian television series Degrassi: The Next Generation.