NameCensus.

UK surname

Boase

A locational English surname referring to someone from Bowes, Cumbria.

In the 1881 census there were 324 people recorded with the Boase surname, ranking it #9,214 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 303, ranked #14,637, down from #9,214 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry, Paul and St Buryan. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cornwall, Winchester and Mid Argyll.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Boase is 346 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 6.5%.

1881 census count

324

Ranked #9,214

Modern count

303

2016, ranked #14,637

Peak year

1911

346 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Boase had 324 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,214 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 303 in 2016, ranked #14,637.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 346 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Boase surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Boase surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Boase 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 269 #8,303
1861 historical 171 #13,692
1881 historical 324 #9,214
1891 historical 296 #11,215
1901 historical 339 #10,682
1911 historical 346 #10,341
1997 modern 306 #13,353
1998 modern 311 #13,550
1999 modern 315 #13,524
2000 modern 329 #13,090
2001 modern 315 #13,291
2002 modern 311 #13,666
2003 modern 304 #13,685
2004 modern 304 #13,783
2005 modern 298 #13,895
2006 modern 300 #13,911
2007 modern 311 #13,703
2008 modern 329 #13,286
2009 modern 342 #13,193
2010 modern 333 #13,717
2011 modern 324 #13,839
2012 modern 298 #14,565
2013 modern 302 #14,690
2014 modern 308 #14,571
2015 modern 306 #14,536
2016 modern 303 #14,637

Geography

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Where Boases are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry, Paul, St Buryan, Camborne and Ludgvan. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cornwall, Winchester and Mid Argyll. 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 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
2 Paul Cornwall
3 St Buryan Cornwall
4 Camborne Cornwall
5 Ludgvan Cornwall

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cornwall 067 Cornwall
2 Winchester 014 Winchester
3 Cornwall 065 Cornwall
4 Cornwall 068 Cornwall
5 Mid Argyll Argyll and Bute

Forenames

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First names often paired with Boase

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Boase

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Boase, 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

Ageing Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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, Boase 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

Boase is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

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

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Boase 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 Boase is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Boase

The surname Boase originated in Cornwall, England, tracing its roots back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Cornish words "bos," meaning "dwelling," and "hayle," referring to a coastal town in the region. This suggests that the name likely originated as a locational surname, identifying the original bearers as those residing near or from the town of Hayle.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Cornish Subsidy Rolls of 1327, where a Richard de Bosehayle is mentioned. This spelling variation highlights the locational origin of the name and its evolution over time.

During the 16th century, the name appeared in various records, including the Protestation Returns of 1641-1642, where individuals such as John Boase and Henrie Boase are listed in the parish of St. Erth, Cornwall.

Notable individuals with the surname Boase include Arthur Boase (1801-1886), a prominent English clergyman and author who served as the vicar of Poundstock in Cornwall. Another noteworthy figure is George Clement Boase (1829-1897), a English bibliographer and librarian who worked at the Royal Institution and compiled the "Bibliotheca Cornubiensis," a valuable reference work on Cornish writers.

In the 19th century, Henry Samuel Boase (1799-1884), a British civil engineer, gained recognition for his work on railways and bridges, including the construction of the Saltash Bridge across the River Tamar in Cornwall.

Moving into the 20th century, Clement Boase (1867-1935), a British lawyer and author, made significant contributions to the field of law, writing works such as "A Treatise on the Law of Libel and Slander" and "Illustrations of the Trail of John Jasper."

Lastly, Thomas Courtenay Theydon Boase (1897-1994), a British naval officer and author, is notable for his service in both World Wars and for his memoir "Assault Outrage," which recounted his experiences as a prisoner of war during World War II.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Boase families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Boase 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. Cornwall leads with 165 Boases recorded in 1881 and an index of 46.12x.

County Total Index
Cornwall 165 46.12x
Angus 32 10.93x
Lancashire 21 0.56x
Middlesex 21 0.66x
Devon 15 2.28x
Surrey 15 0.97x
Yorkshire 12 0.38x
Somerset 6 1.18x
Bedfordshire 5 3.06x
Kent 5 0.46x
Durham 4 0.43x
Glamorgan 4 0.73x
Cumberland 3 1.10x
Midlothian 3 0.71x
Fife 2 1.07x
Hampshire 2 0.31x
Sussex 2 0.38x
Wiltshire 2 0.72x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.34x
Herefordshire 1 0.77x
Lanarkshire 1 0.10x
Perthshire 1 0.71x
Suffolk 1 0.26x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Madron Penzance in Cornwall leads with 42 Boases recorded in 1881 and an index of 322.83x.

Place Total Index
Madron Penzance 42 322.83x
Ludgvan 30 1052.63x
Liff Benvie 16 36.00x
Paul 15 230.77x
Toxteth Park 15 11.81x
Camborne 10 67.84x
Keighley 10 29.96x
Mile End Old Town London 10 14.87x
St Ives 10 142.86x
St Just In Penwith 10 144.09x
Dundee 8 7.32x
Mains 8 321.29x
St Buryan 8 540.54x
Lambeth 7 2.54x
Madron 7 242.21x
Bedminster 6 12.55x
Croydon 6 7.02x
Scilly Islands St Mary 6 428.57x
St Clement 6 160.86x
Bedford St Paul 5 44.56x
Brasted 5 357.14x
Exeter St Sidwell 5 33.18x
Sancreed 5 495.05x
Plymouth Charles The 4 13.80x
Plymouth St Andrew 4 7.89x
Sithney 4 110.50x
Stockton On Tees 4 8.83x
Zennor 4 606.06x
Barrow In Furness 3 5.88x
Millom 3 35.97x
Norwood 3 41.49x
St Sepulchre London 3 64.79x
Brighton 2 1.86x
Cardiff St Mary 2 6.60x
Edinburgh St Marys 2 24.30x
Everton 2 1.67x
Forgan 2 55.87x
Islington London 2 0.65x
Roath 2 8.00x
Southampton St Mary 2 4.91x
Truro St Mary 2 66.45x
Uny Lelant 2 103.63x
Bermondsey 1 1.06x
Breage 1 30.58x
Calne 1 17.39x
Chippenham 1 17.06x
Crieff 1 18.98x
Dalserf 1 9.80x
East Stonehouse 1 7.72x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 1 0.59x
Hackney London 1 0.56x
Hessle In Sculcoates 1 36.10x
Ipswich St Helen 1 21.93x
Kensington London 1 0.57x
Kenwyn 1 10.68x
Marske In Guisbrough 1 17.99x
Peterhead 1 6.46x
Ross 1 19.42x
St Botolph Aldersgate 1 27.62x
St Hilary Marazion 1 103.09x
St Levan 1 153.85x
Streatham 1 4.26x
Walton On Hill 1 4.92x
Withycombe Rawleigh 1 29.15x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 28
Elizabeth 17
Annie 8
Ellen 6
Louisa 6
Sarah 6
Jane 5
Margaret 5
Martha 5
Catherine 4
Grace 4
Amelia 3
Ann 3
Emma 3
Hannah 3
Henrietta 3
Ada 2
Alice 2
Asenath 2
Caroline 2
Eliza 2
Elizth. 2
Kate 2
Margret 2
Rosina 2
Rozina 2
Susan 2
Anna 1
Anne 1
Bessie 1
Cecilia 1
Celia 1
E.A. 1
Edith 1
Elizth.B. 1
Emily 1
Esther 1
Ethel 1
Harriet 1
J.L.J. 1
Jessie 1
Julia 1
Katherine 1
Laura 1
Lilian 1
Lucretia 1
Mabel 1
Maud 1
Minnie 1
Winnie 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 24
James 14
John 14
Charles 9
Thomas 8
Edward 5
Peter 4
Francis 3
Frederick 3
George 3
Henry 3
Arthur 2
Harry 2
Hy. 2
Josiah 2
Richard 2
Richd. 2
Robert 2
Benjamin 1
Christopher 1
Clarence 1
David 1
Edwd. 1
Herbert 1
Joseph 1
Nicholas 1
Samson 1
Samuel 1
Thos. 1
Thos.John 1
W.J. 1
Willis 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Boase surname: questions and answers

How common was the Boase surname in 1881?

In 1881, 324 people were recorded with the Boase surname. That placed it at #9,214 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Boase surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 303 in 2016. That gives Boase a modern rank of #14,637.

What does the Boase surname mean?

A locational English surname referring to someone from Bowes, Cumbria.

What does the Boase map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Boase 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.