UK surname
A nickname-turned-surname for a person with a bony, lean physique or angular features.
In the 1881 census there were 108 people recorded with the Boney surname, ranking it #18,888 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 74, ranked #33,441, down from #18,888 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to St Teath, London parishes and Trevalga. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Boney is 164 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 31.5%.
1881 census count
108
Ranked #18,888
Modern count
74
2016, ranked #33,441
Peak year
1861
164 bearers
Map years
5
1851 to 1901
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Boney surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Boney surname density by area, 1881 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 151 | #12,840 |
| 1861 | historical | 164 | #14,188 |
| 1881 | historical | 108 | #18,888 |
| 1891 | historical | 108 | #22,828 |
| 1901 | historical | 118 | #20,721 |
| 1911 | historical | 91 | #23,684 |
| 1997 | modern | 73 | #30,306 |
| 1998 | modern | 75 | #30,471 |
| 1999 | modern | 77 | #30,427 |
| 2000 | modern | 75 | #30,668 |
| 2001 | modern | 76 | #30,366 |
| 2002 | modern | 73 | #31,159 |
| 2003 | modern | 65 | #31,979 |
| 2004 | modern | 64 | #32,286 |
| 2005 | modern | 65 | #32,387 |
| 2006 | modern | 66 | #32,629 |
| 2007 | modern | 73 | #32,287 |
| 2008 | modern | 80 | #31,833 |
| 2009 | modern | 76 | #32,635 |
| 2010 | modern | 83 | #32,396 |
| 2011 | modern | 83 | #32,336 |
| 2012 | modern | 72 | #33,502 |
| 2013 | modern | 76 | #33,329 |
| 2014 | modern | 79 | #33,205 |
| 2015 | modern | 80 | #33,052 |
| 2016 | modern | 74 | #33,441 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around St Teath, London parishes, Trevalga, St George the Martyr and Lambeth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | St Teath | Cornwall |
| 2 | London parishes | London 3 |
| 3 | Trevalga | Cornwall |
| 4 | St George the Martyr | London (South Districts) |
| 5 | Lambeth | London (South Districts) |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Boney surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Boney, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Boney surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Boney household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Boney is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Boney is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Boney, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname BONEY originates from the French language, specifically from the region of Normandy in northern France. It emerged in the 11th century during the Norman conquest of England.
The name BONEY is derived from the Old French word "bon" or "bonne," meaning "good" or "pleasant." It likely referred to someone with a pleasant or agreeable demeanor or personality. Alternatively, it could have been used as a descriptive name for someone who was considered attractive or good-looking.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the BONEY surname can be found in the Domesday Book, a manuscript record of landholders in England compiled in 1086 by order of William the Conqueror. The name appears as "Bonni" and "Boni" in various entries.
During the Middle Ages, the BONEY surname was found in various parts of England, particularly in the counties of Somerset, Devon, and Gloucestershire. Variations in spelling included Bonny, Bony, and Bonye.
Notable individuals with the BONEY surname throughout history include:
1. Sir John Boney (c. 1350-1418), an English soldier and military commander who fought in the Hundred Years' War against France. 2. Thomas Boney (c. 1490-1558), an English merchant and member of the Worshipful Company of Mercers in London. 3. Elizabeth Boney (c. 1615-1672), an English Puritan and one of the accused during the Salem witch trials in Massachusetts. 4. Nathaniel Boney (1683-1761), an English-born American farmer and landowner in colonial Virginia. 5. Mary Boney (1779-1855), a British philanthropist and social reformer who advocated for the education of women and the abolition of slavery.
The BONEY surname has also been associated with various place names in England, such as Boney Hay in Shropshire and Boney Moor in Derbyshire. These locations likely derived their names from individuals bearing the BONEY surname who resided or owned land in those areas.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Boney surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Cornwall leads with 37 Boneys recorded in 1881 and an index of 31.32x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Cornwall | 37 | 31.32x |
| Surrey | 19 | 3.74x |
| Devon | 13 | 5.98x |
| Middlesex | 13 | 1.25x |
| Lancashire | 12 | 0.97x |
| Hampshire | 4 | 1.87x |
| Glamorgan | 3 | 1.65x |
| Bedfordshire | 1 | 1.85x |
| Essex | 1 | 0.49x |
| Hertfordshire | 1 | 1.39x |
| Kent | 1 | 0.28x |
| Lanarkshire | 1 | 0.30x |
| Northumberland | 1 | 0.64x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Habergham Eaves in Lancashire leads with 12 Boneys recorded in 1881 and an index of 106.01x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Habergham Eaves | 12 | 106.01x |
| Tormoham | 9 | 97.93x |
| Lambeth | 8 | 8.79x |
| Trevalga | 8 | 16000.00x |
| St Gennys | 7 | 3888.89x |
| Madron Penzance | 6 | 139.53x |
| Southwark St George Martyr | 6 | 28.57x |
| Hornsey | 5 | 37.88x |
| Advent | 4 | 5000.00x |
| Islington London | 4 | 3.95x |
| St Kew | 4 | 1025.64x |
| Dorking | 3 | 87.98x |
| Lanteglos | 3 | 545.45x |
| Llantwit Lower | 3 | 187.50x |
| St Teath | 3 | 422.54x |
| Stoke Damerel | 3 | 19.74x |
| Cranleigh | 2 | 270.27x |
| Shoreditch London | 2 | 4.42x |
| Upham | 2 | 869.57x |
| Bedford St Cuthbert | 1 | 208.33x |
| Bishop Stortford | 1 | 41.67x |
| Carisbrooke | 1 | 33.67x |
| Clerkenwell London | 1 | 4.06x |
| Dalziel | 1 | 27.55x |
| Fulham London | 1 | 6.61x |
| Lanreath | 1 | 500.00x |
| Mevagissey | 1 | 126.58x |
| Northfleet | 1 | 31.85x |
| Plymouth St Andrew | 1 | 5.98x |
| Rothbury | 1 | 222.22x |
| Southampton St Mary | 1 | 7.43x |
| West Ham | 1 | 2.20x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Boney surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Boney surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
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 Boney households.
FAQ
In 1881, 108 people were recorded with the Boney surname. That placed it at #18,888 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 74 in 2016. That gives Boney a modern rank of #33,441.
A nickname-turned-surname for a person with a bony, lean physique or angular features.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Boney bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.