NameCensus.

UK surname

Boast

A surname meaning to speak with excessive pride and exaggeration.

In the 1881 census there were 600 people recorded with the Boast surname, ranking it #5,832 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,077, ranked #5,421, up from #5,832 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Stradbroke, London parishes and Bawburgh, Bowthorpe. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Neath Port Talbot, Bridgend and Mid Suffolk.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Boast is 1,136 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 79.5%.

1881 census count

600

Ranked #5,832

Modern count

1,077

2016, ranked #5,421

Peak year

1999

1,136 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Boast had 600 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,832 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,077 in 2016, ranked #5,421.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,025 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Boast surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Boast surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Boast 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 311 #7,413
1861 historical 291 #8,653
1881 historical 600 #5,832
1891 historical 718 #5,493
1901 historical 882 #5,211
1911 historical 1,025 #4,459
1997 modern 1,114 #5,011
1998 modern 1,123 #5,164
1999 modern 1,136 #5,158
2000 modern 1,127 #5,166
2001 modern 1,104 #5,153
2002 modern 1,126 #5,188
2003 modern 1,103 #5,171
2004 modern 1,082 #5,271
2005 modern 1,068 #5,262
2006 modern 1,069 #5,248
2007 modern 1,049 #5,398
2008 modern 1,052 #5,421
2009 modern 1,076 #5,422
2010 modern 1,123 #5,343
2011 modern 1,109 #5,334
2012 modern 1,054 #5,477
2013 modern 1,092 #5,406
2014 modern 1,097 #5,407
2015 modern 1,100 #5,351
2016 modern 1,077 #5,421

Geography

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Where Boasts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Stradbroke, London parishes, Bawburgh, Bowthorpe, Brighton and Lakenham , Eaton St Andrew, Town Close, St Stephen, St Peter Mancroft, St Giles, St Andrew, St John. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Neath Port Talbot, Bridgend, Mid Suffolk, Barnsley and Stoke-on-Trent. 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 Stradbroke Suffolk
2 London parishes London 3
3 Bawburgh, Bowthorpe Norfolk
4 Brighton Sussex
5 Lakenham , Eaton St Andrew, Town Close, St Stephen, St Peter Mancroft, St Giles, St Andrew, St John Norfolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Neath Port Talbot 011 Neath Port Talbot
2 Bridgend 001 Bridgend
3 Mid Suffolk 006 Mid Suffolk
4 Barnsley 018 Barnsley
5 Stoke-on-Trent 017 Stoke-on-Trent

Forenames

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First names often paired with Boast

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Boast

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Boast, 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 Boast surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Boast 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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Boast is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Boast is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Boast falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Boast 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 Boast, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Boast

The surname Boast is believed to have originated in England, tracing its roots back to the Middle English era. It is thought to have derived from the Old English word "bosten," which means "to brag" or "to boast." This suggests that the name may have been initially given as a nickname or descriptive name to an individual with a tendency for boastful or self-promoting behavior.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Boast surname can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1273. This historical document mentions a person named William Boast, indicating the presence of the name in the 13th century.

The Boast surname also appeared in various other medieval records, such as the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1296, which listed a Thomas Boost, reflecting a slight variation in spelling.

Interestingly, the Boast name is associated with several place names in England. For instance, there is a village called Boast in Sussex, which may have influenced the surname's development. Additionally, the surname may have derived from localities bearing names like Boastall or Boastoke.

Among notable historical figures bearing the Boast surname, one can mention Robert Boast, a prominent English merchant and politician from the late 16th century. He served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1592.

Another individual of note was John Boast, an English clergyman and academic who lived in the 17th century (1598-1684). He served as the Master of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, and was known for his scholarly contributions.

In the 18th century, James Boast (1736-1811) was a renowned English engraver and illustrator, recognized for his intricate works depicting natural history subjects.

Moving into the 19th century, Edward Boast (1829-1909) was a notable English architect who designed several notable buildings, including the Northgate Railway Station in Ipswich.

Lastly, one cannot overlook the significance of Sir John Boast (1881-1957), a British civil engineer and industrialist who played a crucial role in the development of the aviation industry during the early 20th century.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Boast families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Boast 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. Norfolk leads with 153 Boasts recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.97x.

County Total Index
Norfolk 153 16.97x
Suffolk 132 18.49x
Yorkshire 79 1.36x
Lancashire 44 0.63x
Middlesex 37 0.63x
Kent 35 1.75x
Essex 21 1.81x
Durham 20 1.15x
Denbighshire 15 6.77x
Surrey 15 0.53x
Shropshire 9 1.78x
Sussex 9 0.91x
Nottinghamshire 8 1.01x
Staffordshire 6 0.30x
Derbyshire 5 0.54x
Herefordshire 5 2.08x
Warwickshire 4 0.27x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.28x
Gloucestershire 1 0.09x
Monmouthshire 1 0.24x
Worcestershire 1 0.13x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stradbroke in Suffolk leads with 23 Boasts recorded in 1881 and an index of 954.36x.

Place Total Index
Stradbroke 23 954.36x
Bawburgh 21 2470.59x
Heigham 20 41.34x
North Cave Drewton 16 698.69x
Great Yarmouth 15 20.09x
Pennington In Ulverston 15 433.53x
Preston 14 7.52x
Bethnal Green London 12 4.71x
Lawford 10 591.72x
Sand Hutton 10 2000.00x
Brandon Byshottles 9 41.19x
Holton 9 978.26x
Mendham 9 592.11x
Rendham 9 1216.22x
Rochester St Margaret 9 42.67x
West Ham 9 3.52x
Clungunford 8 677.97x
Little Plumstead 8 1212.12x
Ormesby St Margaret W 8 353.98x
Peasenhall 8 459.77x
Ramsgate 8 24.50x
Spaldington 8 1333.33x
Benhall 7 560.00x
Chertsey 7 37.92x
Deptford St Paul 7 4.54x
Great Plumstead 7 1044.78x
Lewisham 7 6.56x
Little Linstead 7 2121.21x
Nafferton 7 282.26x
Norwich St Martin At Oak 7 127.74x
Redisham 7 1944.44x
Sternfield 7 1489.36x
Wymondham 7 75.92x
Holme On Spalding Moor 6 157.48x
Ilketshall St Margaret 6 1052.63x
Lambeth 6 1.17x
Langham 6 937.50x
Llanynys 6 428.57x
Redenhall 6 171.43x
Alrewas 5 260.42x
Barnsley 5 8.34x
Bury 5 6.29x
Cookley 5 1162.79x
Lingwood 5 625.00x
Norwich St Clement 5 47.85x
Ruabon 5 16.42x
Scarborough 5 9.47x
Stratton St Mary 5 400.00x
Welsh Newton 5 1111.11x
Westminster St John 5 7.00x
Worksop 5 21.33x
Cowpe Lench Newhall Hey 4 53.84x
Hackney London 4 1.22x
Hornsey 4 5.40x
Llanrhaiadr In Kinmerch 4 118.69x
Medomsley 4 49.14x
Norwich St John Sepulchre 4 68.38x
Osmotherley 4 421.05x
Preston 4 23.18x
Sculcoates 4 4.34x
Stranton 4 6.81x
Willington 4 388.35x
Withersdale 4 1250.00x
Beverley St Mary 3 35.38x
Brighton 3 1.50x
Eastwood 3 42.43x
Edgbaston 3 6.54x
Great Aycliffe 3 177.51x
Heveningham 3 476.19x
Metfield 3 256.41x
Norwich St Lawrence 3 243.90x
Wicklewood 3 204.08x
Crakehall 2 204.08x
Euston 2 425.53x
Mile End Old Town London 2 1.60x
Norwich St Stephen 2 24.18x
Poplar London 2 1.81x
Stratford St Andrews 2 512.82x
Westhall 2 232.56x
Yoxford 2 93.90x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 35
Elizabeth 20
Sarah 18
Alice 13
Ellen 11
Hannah 11
Harriet 9
Emily 8
Jane 8
Ann 7
Charlotte 7
Eliza 7
Emma 7
Kate 7
Annie 6
Lydia 6
Edith 5
Anna 4
Florence 4
Louisa 4
Martha 4
Agnes 3
Caroline 3
Catherine 3
Clara 3
Eleanor 3
Isabella 3
Margaret 3
Maria 3
Rachel 3
Ada 2
Amy 2
Anne 2
Elizth. 2
Esther 2
Faith 2
Harriett 2
Margret 2
Phoebe 2
Rosa 2
Rose 2
Elizh. 1
Elizth 1
Julianna 1
Leah 1
Lettita 1
Lilly 1
Lizzie 1
Lottie 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 45
John 29
George 27
James 23
Robert 20
Charles 14
Henry 14
Thomas 13
Samuel 12
Alfred 9
Arthur 9
Herbert 9
Walter 9
Harry 6
Edward 5
Frederick 5
Jeremiah 4
Richard 4
Albert 3
Ernest 3
Jonathan 3
Benjamin 2
Earnest 2
Elijah 2
Fredrick 2
Geo. 2
Joseph 2
Robt. 2
Bertie 1
Boanerges 1
Daniel 1
David 1
Edwd. 1
Edwin 1
Ephraim 1
Fraederick 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Fredk. 1
Garibaldi 1
Horice 1
Jonathon 1
Jonothan 1
Ralph 1
Reuben 1
Saml. 1
Sidney 1
Stephen 1
Tom 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Boast surname: questions and answers

How common was the Boast surname in 1881?

In 1881, 600 people were recorded with the Boast surname. That placed it at #5,832 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Boast surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,077 in 2016. That gives Boast a modern rank of #5,421.

What does the Boast surname mean?

A surname meaning to speak with excessive pride and exaggeration.

What does the Boast map show?

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