NameCensus.

UK surname

Boam

An English surname derived from the Old English word "beam" meaning a tree or wooden beam.

In the 1881 census there were 378 people recorded with the Boam surname, ranking it #8,288 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 561, ranked #9,145, down from #8,288 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Peter, St Werburgh and Youlgrave. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Derbyshire Dales, South Derbyshire and Newark and Sherwood.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Boam is 634 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 48.4%.

1881 census count

378

Ranked #8,288

Modern count

561

2016, ranked #9,145

Peak year

2002

634 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Boam had 378 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,288 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 561 in 2016, ranked #9,145.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 590 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Boam surname distribution map

The map shows where the Boam surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Boam surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Boam over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 277 #8,112
1861 historical 213 #11,419
1881 historical 378 #8,288
1891 historical 378 #9,277
1901 historical 518 #7,842
1911 historical 590 #6,929
1997 modern 624 #7,925
1998 modern 612 #8,275
1999 modern 626 #8,196
2000 modern 619 #8,249
2001 modern 614 #8,147
2002 modern 634 #8,127
2003 modern 620 #8,124
2004 modern 604 #8,309
2005 modern 596 #8,313
2006 modern 589 #8,395
2007 modern 582 #8,555
2008 modern 588 #8,548
2009 modern 591 #8,691
2010 modern 587 #8,936
2011 modern 588 #8,825
2012 modern 593 #8,688
2013 modern 599 #8,765
2014 modern 599 #8,816
2015 modern 585 #8,899
2016 modern 561 #9,145

Geography

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Where Boams are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Peter, St Werburgh, Youlgrave, Stapenhill and Chesterfield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Derbyshire Dales, South Derbyshire, Newark and Sherwood and East Staffordshire. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 St Peter Derbyshire
2 St Werburgh Derbyshire
3 Youlgrave Derbyshire
4 Stapenhill Staffordshire
5 Chesterfield Derbyshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Derbyshire Dales 003 Derbyshire Dales
2 Derbyshire Dales 006 Derbyshire Dales
3 South Derbyshire 008 South Derbyshire
4 Newark and Sherwood 006 Newark and Sherwood
5 East Staffordshire 010 East Staffordshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Boam

These lists show first names that appear often with the Boam surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Boam

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Boam, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Boam surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Boam household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

European Enclaves

Within London, Boam is most associated with areas classed as European Enclaves, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents of these accessible neighbourhoods have wide-ranging non-UK European origins. Typically residing in privately rented flats, many residents live alone and are beyond normal retirement age. There are more students than elsewhere in the Supergroup, some of which live in communal establishments. Household residents are often drawn from different ethnic groups.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Boam is most concentrated in decile 4 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Boam falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Boam is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Boam, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Boam

The surname Boam has its origins in England, with records dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Middle English word "bome," which referred to a tree trunk or a beam of wood. This suggests that the name may have initially been an occupational surname, referring to someone who worked with timber or as a carpenter.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Boam surname can be found in the Parish registers of Brancaster, Norfolk, where a John Boam was listed in 1558. The name also appears in other early records, such as the Subsidy Rolls of Suffolk in 1568, where a Robert Boam is mentioned.

In the 17th century, the Boam surname was particularly prevalent in the counties of Norfolk and Suffolk. Notable individuals from this period include William Boam, who was born in Norwich, Norfolk, around 1620, and became a prominent merchant and landowner in the area.

As the name spread across England, it evolved into various spellings, such as Bome, Baume, and Bowm. One example of this is found in the records of St. Andrew's Parish in Hertfordshire, where a Thomas Baume was christened in 1665.

During the 18th century, the Boam family continued to establish itself in various parts of England. One notable figure was John Boam (1711-1788), a successful farmer and landowner from Cambridgeshire. Another was Thomas Boam (1745-1823), a respected clergyman who served as the Rector of St. Mary's Church in Wiltshire for many years.

As the 19th century dawned, the Boam surname had spread across the British Isles and beyond. One notable bearer of the name was Sir Henry Edmund Boam (1826-1901), a British diplomat who served as the ambassador to several countries, including Russia and Italy.

Throughout its history, the Boam surname has also been associated with notable figures in literature, art, and academia. For instance, Edward Boam (1867-1943) was a celebrated English artist known for his landscape paintings, while John Boam (1898-1980) was a respected academic and author who wrote extensively on the history of English literature.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Boam families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Boam surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Derbyshire leads with 273 Boams recorded in 1881 and an index of 47.29x.

County Total Index
Derbyshire 273 47.29x
Lancashire 36 0.82x
Middlesex 20 0.54x
Yorkshire 14 0.38x
Lincolnshire 11 1.87x
Nottinghamshire 9 1.81x
Leicestershire 8 1.96x
Berkshire 3 1.08x
Essex 2 0.27x
Kent 1 0.08x
Sussex 1 0.16x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Winster in Derbyshire leads with 38 Boams recorded in 1881 and an index of 3584.91x.

Place Total Index
Winster 38 3584.91x
Heanor 25 289.69x
Litchurch 25 107.62x
Chelmorton 24 8000.00x
Stanton Newhall 19 1027.03x
Ilkeston 17 105.00x
Derby St Peter 12 65.25x
Elton 12 1846.15x
Mile End Old Town London 11 14.02x
Nottingham St Mary 9 7.00x
Darley 8 343.35x
Stamford St John 8 1000.00x
Temple Normanton 8 3200.00x
Whitwick 8 153.85x
Alfreton 7 39.91x
Brightside Bierlow 7 9.77x
Derby St Werburgh 7 21.00x
Muggington 7 2800.00x
Salford 7 5.44x
Stapenhill 7 81.49x
Ardwick 6 15.20x
Derby St Michael 6 495.87x
Hulland Ward 6 1224.49x
Gorton 5 12.16x
Islington London 5 1.40x
Rusholme 5 42.84x
Ashborne 4 101.78x
Blackwell 4 140.85x
Bradford 4 19.53x
Church Gresley 4 43.53x
Kimberworth 4 19.72x
Levenshulme 4 88.89x
Little Eaton 4 336.13x
South Normanton 4 98.52x
Derby St Alkmund 3 17.34x
Ecclesfield 3 11.20x
Ravensdale Park 3 5000.00x
Shipley 3 329.67x
Stamford St George 3 113.21x
Brailsford 2 243.90x
Elton 2 13.23x
Kirk Langley 2 232.56x
Lambourn 2 72.99x
St Pancras London 2 0.67x
Stoney Middleton 2 454.55x
Sturston 2 210.53x
West Ham 2 1.24x
Aldwark 1 909.09x
Bethnal Green London 1 0.62x
Blackley 1 13.04x
Broughton In Salford 1 2.50x
Buxton 1 20.45x
Farnborough 1 54.64x
Manchester 1 0.51x
Mark Eaton 1 114.94x
Matlock 1 12.90x
Monyash 1 200.00x
New Windsor 1 10.75x
Slaugham 1 49.75x
Spondon 1 45.05x
Swadlincote 1 156.25x
Wensley Snitterton 1 116.28x
Whitechapel London 1 2.75x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Boam surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Sarah 27
Mary 19
Elizabeth 15
Eliza 9
Hannah 9
Ellen 8
Emma 7
Jane 7
Fanny 6
Ann 5
Harriet 5
Louisa 5
Martha 5
Emily 4
Florence 4
Minnie 4
Esther 3
Harriett 3
Lucy 3
Ada 2
Agnes 2
Amelia 2
Anne 2
Beatrice 2
Clara 2
Flora 2
Maria 2
Maud 2
Annie 1
Bertha 1
Betsy 1
Carline 1
Edith 1
Elena 1
Elizbth. 1
Frances 1
Gertrude 1
Isabella 1
Julia 1
Kate 1
Livinia 1
Lizzie 1
Lydia 1
Mabel 1
Marian 1
Matty 1
May 1
Mercy 1
Nellie 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Boam surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
John 21
William 19
Joseph 18
George 14
Thomas 13
James 11
Arthur 7
Henry 7
Herbert 6
Samuel 5
Daniel 4
Alfred 3
Amos 3
Charles 3
Cornelius 3
Francis 3
Walter 3
Fred 2
Moses 2
Richard 2
Thos. 2
Wm. 2
Benj. 1
Benjamin 1
Benjn. 1
Bruce 1
Clement 1
Corns. 1
Edward 1
Edwin 1
Ernest 1
Frank 1
Frederick 1
Gideon 1
Granville 1
Harold 1
Hiram 1
Jonathan 1
Josh 1
Joshua 1
Montague 1
Myer 1
N. 1
Peter 1
Sidney 1
Solomon 1
Sydney 1
Thos.Henry 1
Vincent 1
W. 1

FAQ

Boam surname: questions and answers

How common was the Boam surname in 1881?

In 1881, 378 people were recorded with the Boam surname. That placed it at #8,288 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Boam surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 561 in 2016. That gives Boam a modern rank of #9,145.

What does the Boam surname mean?

An English surname derived from the Old English word "beam" meaning a tree or wooden beam.

What does the Boam map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Boam bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.