NameCensus.

UK surname

Boole

An English surname derived from an Irish word referring to a herd town or booley.

In the 1881 census there were 104 people recorded with the Boole surname, ranking it #19,296 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 154, ranked #23,293, down from #19,296 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Peter, Mansfield Woodhouse and St Werburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Newark and Sherwood, Wiltshire and Mansfield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Boole is 211 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 48.1%.

1881 census count

104

Ranked #19,296

Modern count

154

2016, ranked #23,293

Peak year

1911

211 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Boole had 104 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #19,296 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 154 in 2016, ranked #23,293.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 211 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Boole surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Boole surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Boole 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 120 #15,144
1861 historical 157 #14,732
1881 historical 104 #19,296
1891 historical 194 #15,277
1901 historical 164 #17,144
1911 historical 211 #14,467
1997 modern 158 #20,422
1998 modern 159 #20,916
1999 modern 153 #21,551
2000 modern 153 #21,520
2001 modern 152 #21,294
2002 modern 148 #22,087
2003 modern 151 #21,574
2004 modern 152 #21,628
2005 modern 147 #22,057
2006 modern 137 #23,270
2007 modern 151 #22,120
2008 modern 149 #22,530
2009 modern 156 #22,351
2010 modern 155 #22,985
2011 modern 155 #22,790
2012 modern 154 #22,870
2013 modern 153 #23,314
2014 modern 158 #23,022
2015 modern 156 #23,106
2016 modern 154 #23,293

Geography

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Where Booles are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Peter, Mansfield Woodhouse, St Werburgh, Manchester and Mansfield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Newark and Sherwood, Wiltshire, Mansfield and Derby. 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 St Peter Derbyshire
2 Mansfield Woodhouse Nottinghamshire
3 St Werburgh Derbyshire
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Mansfield Nottinghamshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Newark and Sherwood 001 Newark and Sherwood
2 Wiltshire 007 Wiltshire
3 Mansfield 010 Mansfield
4 Derby 010 Derby
5 Derby 026 Derby

Forenames

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First names often paired with Boole

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Boole

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Boole is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Boole is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Boole

The surname BOOLE originated in England, with the earliest records dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "bol," meaning a rounded hill or a small valley. This suggests that the name may have originally referred to someone who lived near or on such a geographic feature.

The first recorded instance of the name BOOLE can be found in the parish records of Staffordshire, England, in the year 1582, where a certain John Boole was mentioned. It is possible that the name had existed in various spellings prior to this record, as spelling conventions were not standardized at the time.

In the 17th century, the BOOLE surname appeared in the Hearth Tax Rolls of Cheshire, indicating the presence of families with this name in that region. The Hearth Tax Rolls were records of households required to pay a tax based on the number of hearths or fireplaces in their homes.

One of the earliest notable individuals with the surname BOOLE was George Boole (1815-1864), a self-taught English mathematician and logician. He is widely regarded as the founder of the algebraic approach to logic, which later became the basis for the digital computer age. His seminal work, "The Laws of Thought," published in 1854, laid the groundwork for the development of Boolean algebra.

Another significant figure bearing the BOOLE surname was Mary Everest Boole (1832-1916), an English mathematician and philosopher. She was the wife of George Boole and made significant contributions to the field of mathematics education, publishing several works on the subject.

In the 19th century, the BOOLE surname was also found in the Hertfordshire area of England. One notable individual from this region was Robert Boole (1834-1902), a theologian and educator who served as the Principal of the Church Missionary College in London.

The name BOOLE can also be traced back to the village of Bole in Nottinghamshire, England, which may have influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname in that area. This connection suggests that some BOOLE families may have originated from or had ties to this particular location.

Throughout history, the BOOLE surname has been associated with various occupations, including academics, clergy, and professionals. While not a particularly widespread name, it has left a notable legacy, particularly in the field of mathematics and logic, thanks to the contributions of George Boole and his family.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Boole families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Boole 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. Nottinghamshire leads with 37 Booles recorded in 1881 and an index of 26.55x.

County Total Index
Nottinghamshire 37 26.55x
Derbyshire 10 6.18x
Lancashire 8 0.65x
Yorkshire 8 0.78x
Middlesex 7 0.68x
Cambridgeshire 6 9.16x
West Lothian 5 32.11x
Staffordshire 4 1.15x
Lincolnshire 3 1.81x
Channel Islands 2 6.53x
Cheshire 2 0.88x
Flintshire 2 7.20x
Surrey 2 0.40x
Buckinghamshire 1 1.60x
Durham 1 0.33x
Glamorgan 1 0.56x
Gloucestershire 1 0.49x
Leicestershire 1 0.87x
Northamptonshire 1 1.03x
Oxfordshire 1 1.57x
Renfrewshire 1 1.25x
Rutland 1 13.18x
Sussex 1 0.57x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Mansfield in Nottinghamshire leads with 29 Booles recorded in 1881 and an index of 601.66x.

Place Total Index
Mansfield 29 601.66x
Chatteris 6 359.28x
Chorlton On Medlock 6 30.79x
Ecclesfield 6 79.89x
Kirkliston 5 549.45x
Litchurch 5 76.80x
Heanor 3 123.97x
Islington London 3 2.99x
Mansfield Woodhouse 3 322.58x
Audlem 2 370.37x
Beeston 2 125.00x
Bridlington 2 85.11x
Derby St Werburgh 2 21.39x
Halkin 2 408.16x
Handsworth 2 23.26x
St Marylebone London 2 3.62x
St Peter Port 2 35.27x
St Peterat Gowts Lincoln 2 85.84x
Acton 1 16.50x
Basford 1 15.58x
Bassingham 1 384.62x
Camberwell 1 1.51x
Clifton 1 9.76x
East Grinstead 1 40.49x
East Retford 1 82.64x
Hackney London 1 1.73x
Kingston 1 1000.00x
Lambeth 1 1.11x
Merthyr Tydfil 1 5.78x
Northampton Priory St 1 17.12x
Oldham 1 2.53x
Osbaston 1 1250.00x
Oxford St Giles 1 32.79x
Port Glasgow 1 25.84x
Snenton 1 18.25x
Stretford 1 14.81x
Sunderland 1 18.42x
Uppingham 1 111.11x
Upton Cum Chalvey 1 40.16x
West Bromwich 1 5.01x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 10
Elizabeth 4
Ellen 4
Annie 3
Emily 3
Maria 3
Julia 2
Sarah 2
Selina 2
Ada 1
Agnes 1
Alice 1
Alicia 1
Amelia 1
Ann 1
Clara 1
Eliza 1
Eliza. 1
Ethel 1
Fanny 1
Frances 1
Georgiana 1
Letitia 1
Lettia 1
Louisa 1
Lucy 1
Margaret 1
Martha 1
Priscilla 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 8
George 5
Robert 4
Walter 4
Arthur 3
Henry 3
William 3
James 2
Samuel 2
Thomas 2
Benjamin 1
Charlie 1
Christopher 1
Ernest 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Fredk. 1
Herbert 1
Reginald 1
Richard 1
Robt. 1

FAQ

Boole surname: questions and answers

How common was the Boole surname in 1881?

In 1881, 104 people were recorded with the Boole surname. That placed it at #19,296 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Boole surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 154 in 2016. That gives Boole a modern rank of #23,293.

What does the Boole surname mean?

An English surname derived from an Irish word referring to a herd town or booley.

What does the Boole map show?

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