NameCensus.

UK surname

Boor

A surname of Dutch origin meaning "peasant" or "rustic person".

In the 1881 census there were 246 people recorded with the Boor surname, ranking it #11,201 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 240, ranked #17,278, down from #11,201 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Gainsborough, Paddocks, Manchester and Lutton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Holland, Fenland and Craigend and Ruchazie.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Boor is 281 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 2.4%.

1881 census count

246

Ranked #11,201

Modern count

240

2016, ranked #17,278

Peak year

1998

281 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Boor had 246 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,201 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 240 in 2016, ranked #17,278.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 264 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Boor surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Boor surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Boor 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 175 #11,542
1861 historical 174 #13,483
1881 historical 246 #11,201
1891 historical 264 #12,235
1901 historical 238 #13,528
1911 historical 260 #12,561
1997 modern 277 #14,253
1998 modern 281 #14,506
1999 modern 270 #14,992
2000 modern 262 #15,272
2001 modern 261 #15,066
2002 modern 255 #15,599
2003 modern 250 #15,605
2004 modern 247 #15,821
2005 modern 242 #15,987
2006 modern 235 #16,439
2007 modern 239 #16,449
2008 modern 229 #17,092
2009 modern 234 #17,194
2010 modern 250 #16,791
2011 modern 258 #16,284
2012 modern 235 #17,242
2013 modern 240 #17,251
2014 modern 246 #17,079
2015 modern 241 #17,235
2016 modern 240 #17,278

Geography

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Where Boors are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Gainsborough, Paddocks, Manchester, Lutton, Baston cum Thetford and Wisbech St Peter. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Holland, Fenland, Craigend and Ruchazie and Riddrie and Hogganfield. 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 Gainsborough, Paddocks Lincolnshire
2 Manchester Lancashire
3 Lutton Northamptonshire
4 Baston cum Thetford Lincolnshire
5 Wisbech St Peter Cambridgeshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Holland 011 South Holland
2 Fenland 004 Fenland
3 Craigend and Ruchazie Glasgow City
4 Riddrie and Hogganfield Glasgow City
5 South Holland 005 South Holland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Boor

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Boor

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Boor surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Boor household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Challenged Inner London Communities

Within London, Boor is most associated with areas classed as Challenged Inner London Communities, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Resident in some of Inner London’s most over-crowded communities, many families have children and marriage/civil partnership rates are above the Supergroup average. Other adults such as students live in communal establishments. Few residents have Level 4 educational qualifications, levels of unemployment are above the Supergroup average, and employment is concentrated in service occupations such as distribution, hotels and restaurants. Relative to the Supergroup average, fewer residents identify as being of mixed/multiple ethnicities, Black or Other Asian.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Boor is most concentrated in decile 6 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Boor falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Boor

The surname "BOOR" is believed to have originated in the Netherlands, specifically in the region of Friesland, during the Middle Ages. The name is derived from the Middle Dutch word "bur" or "boor," which means "farmer" or "peasant." It was a descriptive name given to individuals who worked as farmers or lived in rural areas.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Dutch census records from the 14th century, where several individuals with the surname "BOOR" or variations such as "BOER" or "BURE" were listed. The name was particularly prevalent in the northern provinces of the Netherlands, including Friesland, Groningen, and Drenthe.

In the 16th century, the name "BOOR" appeared in various historical documents, including the records of the States of Holland and West Friesland. One notable individual from this time was Jan BOOR (1510-1578), a Dutch Mennonite leader and author who wrote extensively on religious matters.

As the Dutch colonized parts of the world, the surname "BOOR" spread to other regions. In the 17th century, several individuals with the name "BOOR" can be found in the records of the Dutch East Indies (present-day Indonesia) and the Dutch West Indies (present-day Caribbean islands).

Another notable person with the surname "BOOR" was Petrus BOOR (1808-1875), a Dutch historian and author who wrote extensively on the history of the Netherlands and its provinces. He was born in Leeuwarden, the capital of Friesland.

In the 19th century, the name "BOOR" also appeared in various literary works, including the novels of the Dutch author Lodewijk van Deyssel (1864-1952). One of his most famous works, "De Kleine Republiek" (The Little Republic), featured a character named Joris BOOR.

Other notable individuals with the surname "BOOR" include Cornelis BOOR (1828-1898), a Dutch politician and member of the House of Representatives; and Pieter BOOR (1904-1980), a Dutch Olympic rower who competed in the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam.

While the surname "BOOR" is still found in various parts of the Netherlands and among individuals of Dutch descent, it is relatively uncommon compared to more widespread Dutch surnames like "Van Dijk" or "De Jong."

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Boor families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Boor 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. Lincolnshire leads with 75 Boors recorded in 1881 and an index of 19.55x.

County Total Index
Lincolnshire 75 19.55x
Middlesex 28 1.17x
Norfolk 27 7.32x
Northamptonshire 26 11.52x
Cambridgeshire 21 13.82x
Suffolk 21 7.18x
Lancashire 20 0.70x
Yorkshire 10 0.42x
Surrey 7 0.60x
Sussex 2 0.49x
Cheshire 1 0.19x
Denbighshire 1 1.10x
Devon 1 0.20x
Durham 1 0.14x
Essex 1 0.21x
Hertfordshire 1 0.60x
Kent 1 0.12x
Leicestershire 1 0.38x
Wiltshire 1 0.47x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Baston in Lincolnshire leads with 25 Boors recorded in 1881 and an index of 3906.25x.

Place Total Index
Baston 25 3906.25x
Lowestoft 16 115.86x
Scole Cum Frenze 15 2777.78x
Wisbech St Peter 12 157.48x
Lutton 11 7333.33x
Grendon 8 1777.78x
Sutton St Edmunds 8 1481.48x
Spalding 7 91.98x
Whaplode Drove 7 1076.92x
Liverpool 6 3.47x
Penge 5 32.62x
St Pancras London 5 2.59x
Stamford St Mary 5 641.03x
Stretford 5 31.91x
Walsoken 5 225.23x
Bilton Cum Harrogate 4 49.20x
St Luke London 4 10.39x
Stickney 4 701.75x
Wellingborough 4 35.24x
West Walton 4 563.38x
Whittlesey St Mary St 4 75.33x
Bury St Edmunds St James 3 38.41x
Chelsea London 3 4.15x
Holbeach 3 70.26x
Moss Side 3 20.03x
Newton 3 508.47x
St George Hanover Square 3 7.10x
St Marylebone London 3 2.34x
Withington 3 32.72x
Wombwell 3 43.29x
Brighton 2 2.45x
Bromley London 2 3.79x
Bury St Edmunds St Mary 2 36.43x
Chorlton On Medlock 2 4.42x
Hackney London 2 1.49x
Langrivile Kirkstead 2 1333.33x
Shepperton 2 188.68x
Stamford Baron St Martin 2 165.29x
Stamford St Michael 2 183.49x
Tydd St Giles 2 277.78x
Wellingore 2 307.69x
Alwoodley 1 270.27x
Beerferris 1 103.09x
Bradford On Avon 1 14.73x
Cheshunt 1 17.30x
Crowland 1 41.49x
Croydon 1 1.54x
Deeping St Nicholas 1 89.29x
Diss 1 31.65x
Effingham 1 208.33x
Frenze 1 1666.67x
Gainsborough 1 11.05x
Gosberton 1 58.82x
Grantham 1 20.00x
Hapton 1 56.18x
Hendon 1 11.59x
Kensington London 1 0.75x
Langton By Spilsby 1 555.56x
Lewisham 1 2.29x
Liscard 1 10.48x
Llangollen Trevor 1 175.44x
Manningham 1 3.41x
Morton In Bourn 1 128.21x
Northampton St Sepulchre 1 8.71x
Norwich St John Timberhill 1 101.01x
Paddington London 1 1.13x
Scarborough 1 4.63x
South Shields 1 15.72x
Stamford St George 1 58.14x
Syston 1 40.16x
Thurlby 1 400.00x
West Ham 1 0.96x
Weston 1 144.93x
Whitechapel London 1 4.23x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 17
Sarah 14
Elizabeth 8
Alice 6
Eliza 5
Emma 5
Ellen 4
Caroline 3
Hannah 3
Rebecca 3
Adelaide 2
Amy 2
Anna 2
Anne 2
Catherine 2
Edith 2
Elizth. 2
Fanny 2
Jane 2
Kate 2
Margaret 2
Maria 2
Alric 1
Ann 1
Annie 1
Betsey 1
Betsy 1
Cassey 1
Charlotte 1
Clare 1
Daisy 1
Diania 1
Eleanor 1
Ethel 1
Evelyn 1
Frances 1
Henrieta 1
Katie 1
Laura 1
Louisa 1
Louise 1
Lucy 1
Lusia 1
Martha 1
Millicent 1
Phoebe 1
Pricilla 1
Rachail 1
Rosa 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 15
Thomas 12
John 11
James 9
George 8
Joseph 6
Arthur 5
Henry 5
Benjamin 4
Charles 4
Frederick 4
Robert 4
Edward 3
Samuel 3
Albert 2
David 2
Ellis 2
Fred 2
Herbert 2
Walter 2
(NK) 1
Alexander 1
Alfred 1
Edgar 1
Edmund 1
Edwd. 1
Fredrick 1
Harry 1
Jackson 1
Jonothan 1
Martin 1
Matthew 1
Oliver 1
Percy 1
Saml.P. 1
Sidney 1
Stephen 1

FAQ

Boor surname: questions and answers

How common was the Boor surname in 1881?

In 1881, 246 people were recorded with the Boor surname. That placed it at #11,201 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Boor surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 240 in 2016. That gives Boor a modern rank of #17,278.

What does the Boor surname mean?

A surname of Dutch origin meaning "peasant" or "rustic person".

What does the Boor map show?

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