NameCensus.

UK surname

Boler

A surname of French origin, derived from the Old French word "boule," meaning "ball" or "round."

In the 1881 census there were 172 people recorded with the Boler surname, ranking it #14,163 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 262, ranked #16,256, down from #14,163 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Brampton, Chesterfield and Sheffield. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Chesterfield and Kensington and Chelsea.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Boler is 284 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 52.3%.

1881 census count

172

Ranked #14,163

Modern count

262

2016, ranked #16,256

Peak year

2002

284 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Boler had 172 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,163 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 262 in 2016, ranked #16,256.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 174 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Boler surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Boler surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Boler 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 92 #18,050
1861 historical 120 #18,255
1881 historical 172 #14,163
1891 historical 144 #18,842
1901 historical 174 #16,520
1911 historical 162 #17,003
1997 modern 266 #14,658
1998 modern 264 #15,119
1999 modern 267 #15,097
2000 modern 275 #14,757
2001 modern 261 #15,066
2002 modern 284 #14,524
2003 modern 273 #14,715
2004 modern 279 #14,578
2005 modern 268 #14,905
2006 modern 257 #15,448
2007 modern 256 #15,647
2008 modern 257 #15,777
2009 modern 263 #15,843
2010 modern 268 #15,978
2011 modern 263 #16,058
2012 modern 263 #15,954
2013 modern 270 #15,911
2014 modern 267 #16,161
2015 modern 261 #16,318
2016 modern 262 #16,256

Geography

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Where Bolers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Brampton, Chesterfield, Sheffield, Rotherham and Mansfield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Chesterfield and Kensington and Chelsea. 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 Brampton Derbyshire
2 Chesterfield Derbyshire
3 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Rotherham Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Mansfield Nottinghamshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Chesterfield 004 Chesterfield
2 Chesterfield 012 Chesterfield
3 Chesterfield 002 Chesterfield
4 Chesterfield 013 Chesterfield
5 Kensington and Chelsea 004 Kensington and Chelsea

Forenames

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First names often paired with Boler

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Boler

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Boler is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Boler is most concentrated in decile 3 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Boler 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 Boler 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 Boler, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Boler

The surname Boler has its origins in England, dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "bola," which referred to a small rounded hill or mound. The name likely originated as a descriptive term for someone who lived near or on such a geographic feature.

In the early 14th century, records show the name spelled as "Bolare" and "Bolour" in various regions of England, particularly in the counties of Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. One of the earliest known references to the name can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, where a William Bolare is listed as a taxpayer.

The Boler surname has also been associated with several place names in England, such as Bolehill in Derbyshire and Bolebrook in Nottinghamshire. These locations may have contributed to the development and spread of the name throughout the region.

Notable individuals bearing the Boler surname include:

1. John Boler (c. 1470-1537), an English churchman who served as the Abbot of Glastonbury Abbey from 1492 until his execution by King Henry VIII in 1537 for refusing to surrender the abbey's lands and wealth.

2. William Boler (1578-1636), a prominent English merchant and member of the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths in London. He was also a benefactor to the town of Ipswich, where he funded the construction of almshouses for the poor.

3. Elizabeth Boler (c. 1610-1670), a well-known Puritan writer and poet from Gloucestershire. Her published works include "A Collection of Spiritual Hymns" (1641) and "The Christian's Solace" (1648).

4. Thomas Boler (1722-1798), a British military officer who served in the American Revolutionary War. He was appointed as the Lieutenant-Governor of Newfoundland in 1786 and held that position until his death.

5. Sarah Boler (1825-1892), an English philanthropist and social reformer from Manchester. She was instrumental in establishing several organizations dedicated to improving the lives of working-class women and children in the city.

The Boler surname has endured through the centuries and continues to be found in various parts of the world, reflecting its English origins and the migration patterns of those who bore this name throughout history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Boler families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Boler 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. Yorkshire leads with 73 Bolers recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.50x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 73 4.50x
Derbyshire 24 9.36x
Nottinghamshire 22 9.96x
Cheshire 11 3.04x
Warwickshire 10 2.42x
Lancashire 8 0.41x
Middlesex 4 0.24x
Oxfordshire 4 3.95x
Lincolnshire 3 1.15x
Essex 2 0.62x
Devon 1 0.29x
Gloucestershire 1 0.31x
Hertfordshire 1 0.89x
Kent 1 0.18x
Leicestershire 1 0.55x
Northumberland 1 0.41x
Surrey 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. Brampton in Derbyshire leads with 17 Bolers recorded in 1881 and an index of 473.54x.

Place Total Index
Brampton 17 473.54x
Mansfield 15 196.34x
Kimberworth 13 144.28x
Nether Hallam 12 54.62x
Rotherham 11 120.22x
Aston 10 8.79x
Ecclesfield 9 75.57x
Tranmere 9 67.72x
Warsop Soulkholme 7 3888.89x
Ecclesall Bierlow 6 18.17x
Sheffield 6 11.61x
Pendleton In Salford 4 17.26x
Tinsley 4 701.75x
Dorchester 3 526.32x
Heanor 3 78.13x
Heeley 3 60.85x
Huddersfield 3 12.68x
St Martin Lincoln 3 123.46x
Whittington 3 84.51x
Dukinfield 2 11.97x
Thrybergh 2 1666.67x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 1 6.61x
Barking 1 10.57x
Bethnal Green London 1 1.40x
Birkdale 1 20.33x
Bow London 1 4.79x
Brightside Bierlow 1 3.14x
Bushey 1 37.17x
Camberwell 1 0.96x
Colchester St Giles 1 31.25x
Deptford St Paul 1 2.32x
Didsbury 1 38.76x
Doncaster 1 8.43x
Drayton 1 400.00x
Glapwell 1 2000.00x
Gloucester St Catherine 1 109.89x
Hipperholme Cum 1 14.03x
Layton With Warbreck 1 14.01x
Leicester St Margaret 1 2.26x
Newcastle On Tyne St 1 7.91x
Oldham 1 1.59x
Spitalfields London 1 8.12x
St George Hanover Square 1 3.46x
Stoke Damerel 1 4.19x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 15
Sarah 10
Elizabeth 8
Ann 5
Hannah 5
Ada 3
Anne 3
Edith 3
Margaret 3
Alice 2
Annie 2
Eliza 2
Martha 2
Phoebe 2
Ruth 2
Adeline 1
Agnes 1
Amelia 1
Amy 1
Charlotte 1
Clara 1
Elisa 1
Elizh. 1
Emily 1
Ettie 1
Fanny 1
Gertrude 1
Jane 1
Jessie 1
Lizzie 1
Louisa 1
Lucy 1
Maria 1
Rachael 1
Selina 1
Sophia 1
Susana 1
Susannah 1
Thresa 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Boler surname: questions and answers

How common was the Boler surname in 1881?

In 1881, 172 people were recorded with the Boler surname. That placed it at #14,163 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Boler surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 262 in 2016. That gives Boler a modern rank of #16,256.

What does the Boler surname mean?

A surname of French origin, derived from the Old French word "boule," meaning "ball" or "round."

What does the Boler map show?

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