Bolger (English)

Where does "Bolger" come from?

The English surname Bolger has two main origins[1]. One path derives from the Old French 'boulgier', which was an occupational term for a leather worker formed from 'boulge' meaning 'leather bag'[1]. The other path is an anglicized form of the Irish 'Ó Bolghuidhir' or 'Ó Bolguidhir', meaning a descendant of 'Bolgodhar', a personal name built from the elements 'bolg' meaning 'belly' and 'odhar' meaning 'yellow' or 'sallow'[1].

Full etymology tree

• Bolger (English), 'A surname.'
  • borrowed boulgier (Old French)
    • derived boulge (Old French), 'alternative form of bouge'
  • borrowed Ó Bolghuidhir (Irish)
    • derived Bolgodhar (Irish)
      • compound bolg (Irish), 'belly, stomach, abdomen'
      • compound odhar (Irish), 'dun'

Sources

1. Bolger (English) - Wiktionary

Updated October 2026

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Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris