NameCensus.

UK surname

Boath

In the 1881 census there were 341 people recorded with the Boath surname, ranking it #8,918 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 518, ranked #9,746, down from #8,918 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Forfar, Arbroath and St. Vigeans and Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Monikie, Forfar Central and Whitfield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Boath is 518 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 51.9%.

1881 census count

341

Ranked #8,918

Modern count

518

2016, ranked #9,746

Peak year

2016

518 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Boath had 341 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,918 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 518 in 2016, ranked #9,746.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 436 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Boath surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Boath surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Boath 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 363 #6,525
1861 historical 396 #6,476
1881 historical 341 #8,918
1891 historical 436 #8,262
1901 historical 374 #9,930
1911 historical 88 #24,041
1997 modern 431 #10,410
1998 modern 440 #10,581
1999 modern 439 #10,673
2000 modern 439 #10,650
2001 modern 420 #10,811
2002 modern 420 #11,041
2003 modern 430 #10,669
2004 modern 437 #10,557
2005 modern 435 #10,480
2006 modern 441 #10,411
2007 modern 451 #10,318
2008 modern 455 #10,319
2009 modern 459 #10,502
2010 modern 469 #10,533
2011 modern 464 #10,524
2012 modern 475 #10,232
2013 modern 486 #10,250
2014 modern 502 #10,050
2015 modern 507 #9,906
2016 modern 518 #9,746

Geography

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Where Boaths are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Forfar, Arbroath and St. Vigeans, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry, Manchester and Barry. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Monikie, Forfar Central, Whitfield, Brechin East and Arbroath Warddykes. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Forfar Forfar
2 Arbroath and St. Vigeans Forfar
3 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Barry Forfar

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Monikie Angus
2 Forfar Central Angus
3 Whitfield Dundee City
4 Brechin East Angus
5 Arbroath Warddykes Angus

Forenames

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First names often paired with Boath

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Boath

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

Legacy Communities

Group

Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities

Nationally, the Boath surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Boath household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Households in these areas often include divorced or separated parents and commonly include children and young adults. The age structure is heavily skewed towards the most advanced age groups. Individuals identifying as members of ethnic minorities are not present in large numbers. Flats predominate, with some terraced, semi-detached, and detached units. Multiple car ownership is low, and housing is predominantly in the private and social rented sectors. Employment is less skewed towards traditional routine industrial occupations. Levels of educational attainment are generally low. The Group occurs principally in the Central Lowlands of Scotland and other Scottish towns.

Wider pattern

These neighbourhoods characteristically comprise pockets of flats that are scattered across the UK, particularly in towns that retain or have legacies of heavy industry or are in more remote seaside locations. Employed residents of these neighbourhoods work mainly in low-skilled occupations. Residents typically have limited educational qualifications. Unemployment is above average. Some residents live in overcrowded housing within the social rented sector and experience long-term disability. All adult age groups are represented, although there is an overall age bias towards elderly people in general and the very old in particular. Individuals identifying as belonging to ethnic minorities or Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups are uncommon.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Boath is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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

These residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Boath is most concentrated in decile 2 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Boath falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Boath is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

1881 census detail

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Boath families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Boath 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. Angus leads with 311 Boaths recorded in 1881 and an index of 102.73x.

County Total Index
Angus 311 102.73x
Perthshire 9 6.14x
Kincardineshire 4 10.05x
Lanarkshire 3 0.28x
Glamorgan 2 0.35x
Sussex 2 0.36x
Devon 1 0.15x
Lancashire 1 0.03x
Middlesex 1 0.03x
Renfrewshire 1 0.39x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Forfar in Angus leads with 105 Boaths recorded in 1881 and an index of 640.63x.

Place Total Index
Forfar 105 640.63x
Dundee 41 36.28x
St Vigeans 36 220.32x
Liff Benvie 29 63.10x
Arbroath 17 169.49x
Carmyllie 15 1162.79x
Abroath St Vigeans 12 967.74x
Kirriemuir 11 147.26x
Barry 8 220.39x
Mains 8 311.28x
Monifieth 8 74.84x
Auchtergaven 7 284.55x
Bervie 4 169.49x
Inverkeillor 4 212.77x
Lochee 4 148.15x
Rescobie 4 519.48x
Aberlemno 3 267.86x
Barony 3 1.12x
Dunnichen 3 187.50x
Battle 2 53.76x
Llangeinor 2 59.70x
Montrose 2 10.90x
Glamis 1 54.64x
Habergham Eaves 1 2.82x
Little Dunkeld 1 40.16x
Paisley Middle Church 1 6.78x
Plymouth Charles The 1 3.34x
Rattray 1 29.33x
St George Martyr London 1 15.11x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Eliza 1
Elizabeth 1
Lily 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Albert 1
Charles 1
Richard 1
William 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Boath households.

FAQ

Boath surname: questions and answers

How common was the Boath surname in 1881?

In 1881, 341 people were recorded with the Boath surname. That placed it at #8,918 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Boath surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 518 in 2016. That gives Boath a modern rank of #9,746.

What does the Boath map show?

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