NameCensus.

UK surname

Boundy

An occupational surname derived from the Old French "boundir" meaning "to leap or bound".

In the 1881 census there were 494 people recorded with the Boundy surname, ranking it #6,837 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 611, ranked #8,591, down from #6,837 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rackenford, St Agnes and Millom, Muncaster. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cornwall, Torridge and High Peak.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Boundy is 706 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 23.7%.

1881 census count

494

Ranked #6,837

Modern count

611

2016, ranked #8,591

Peak year

1901

706 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Boundy had 494 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,837 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 611 in 2016, ranked #8,591.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 706 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Boundy surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Boundy surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Boundy 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 418 #5,816
1861 historical 351 #7,278
1881 historical 494 #6,837
1891 historical 570 #6,671
1901 historical 706 #6,243
1911 historical 672 #6,279
1997 modern 647 #7,677
1998 modern 672 #7,717
1999 modern 679 #7,694
2000 modern 673 #7,724
2001 modern 654 #7,763
2002 modern 676 #7,722
2003 modern 649 #7,837
2004 modern 637 #7,953
2005 modern 639 #7,879
2006 modern 627 #8,022
2007 modern 620 #8,149
2008 modern 615 #8,252
2009 modern 648 #8,093
2010 modern 654 #8,199
2011 modern 643 #8,226
2012 modern 647 #8,103
2013 modern 654 #8,182
2014 modern 644 #8,324
2015 modern 631 #8,389
2016 modern 611 #8,591

Geography

Back to top

Where Boundys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rackenford, St Agnes, Millom, Muncaster, Alternon and Woolfardisworthy, Down St Mary, East and West Worlington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cornwall, Torridge and High Peak. 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 Rackenford Devon
2 St Agnes Cornwall
3 Millom, Muncaster Cumberland
4 Alternon Cornwall
5 Woolfardisworthy, Down St Mary, East and West Worlington Devon

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cornwall 004 Cornwall
2 Cornwall 002 Cornwall
3 Torridge 009 Torridge
4 High Peak 011 High Peak
5 Cornwall 005 Cornwall

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Boundy

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Boundy

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

Rural Amenity

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Boundy is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Boundy is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Boundy falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Boundy

The surname Boundy is believed to have originated in England, with records dating back to the 16th century. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "bunde" or "bunde-laen," which referred to a land boundary or enclosure. This suggests that the name may have initially been given to someone who lived near a boundary or fence.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Boundy surname can be found in the Parish Registers of Berkshire, England, where a Robert Boundy was mentioned in 1587. Another early record is from the Subsidy Rolls of Wiltshire in 1628, which lists a Thomas Boundy.

The Boundy name appears to have been particularly prevalent in the counties of Berkshire, Wiltshire, and Oxfordshire in the 16th and 17th centuries. Some variations in spelling included Boundie, Boundye, and Bowndy.

A notable historical figure bearing the Boundy surname was John Boundy (1645-1725), an English architect and surveyor who was involved in the rebuilding of several churches in London after the Great Fire of 1666. He is also credited with designing parts of Whitehall Palace.

Another influential individual was Thomas Boundy (1762-1838), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars. He participated in several significant battles, including the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805.

In the literary world, Robert Boundy (1861-1935) was a British author and playwright who wrote several novels and plays in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. His most well-known work was the play "The Profligate," which premiered in 1889.

William Boundy (1825-1899) was an English cricketer who played for the Marylebone Cricket Club and the Gentlemen of England in the mid-19th century. He was known for his exceptional batting skills and was regarded as one of the finest cricketers of his time.

Lastly, Edward Boundy (1852-1930) was a prominent British architect who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Church of St. Alban in Holborn and the Royal London Ophthalmic Hospital.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Boundy families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Boundy 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. Devon leads with 176 Boundys recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.93x.

County Total Index
Devon 176 16.93x
Cornwall 119 21.05x
Lancashire 29 0.49x
Cumberland 26 6.05x
Middlesex 21 0.42x
Glamorgan 20 2.30x
Channel Islands 17 11.49x
Gloucestershire 17 1.74x
Somerset 16 1.99x
Surrey 9 0.37x
Cheshire 8 0.73x
Monmouthshire 8 2.22x
Pembrokeshire 8 5.04x
Cardiganshire 6 4.92x
Durham 5 0.34x
Northumberland 5 0.67x
Anglesey 4 4.52x
Hampshire 4 0.39x
Kent 4 0.23x
Warwickshire 3 0.24x
Denbighshire 2 1.06x
Westmorland 2 1.82x
Royal Navy 1 1.68x
Staffordshire 1 0.06x
Yorkshire 1 0.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Ashreigney in Devon leads with 22 Boundys recorded in 1881 and an index of 1913.04x.

Place Total Index
Ashreigney 22 1913.04x
Rackenford 18 2903.23x
St Peter Port 17 62.09x
Perranzabuloe 13 266.39x
High Bickington 11 932.20x
St Agnes 11 138.89x
Woolfardisworthy 11 728.48x
Bridgewater 10 45.83x
Dalton In Furness 10 43.71x
St Columb Minor 10 210.53x
Bishops Nympton 9 454.55x
Knowstone 9 1250.00x
Liverpool 9 2.50x
Millom 9 68.29x
St Enoder 9 468.75x
Arlecdon 8 69.93x
Bristol St Paul In 8 30.65x
Lewannick 8 727.27x
Llanvihangel Llantarnam 8 116.28x
Plymouth St Andrew 8 9.99x
St Stephen 8 398.01x
Altarnun 7 355.33x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 7 7.59x
Cheam 7 269.23x
Cleator 7 39.11x
Kenwyn 7 47.33x
Lower Bebington 7 106.87x
Newcastle Higher 7 118.64x
Bruton 6 189.87x
Hackney London 6 2.14x
Hartland 6 185.19x
North Hill 6 331.49x
St Stephens By Saltash 6 245.90x
West Worlington 6 1818.18x
Winkleigh 6 287.08x
Cramlington 5 50.92x
East Stonehouse 5 24.41x
Monkleigh 5 543.48x
Northam 5 65.96x
Pembroke St Mary 5 24.46x
Plymouth Charles The 5 10.92x
Shoreditch London 5 2.31x
Swansea Town 5 7.01x
Ulverston 5 28.97x
Alverdiscott 4 851.06x
Davidstow 4 571.43x
Exeter Heavitree 4 51.61x
Llandilo Talybont 4 87.53x
Llangefni 4 149.81x
Monkwearmouth Shore 4 13.79x
Portsea 4 1.99x
Rose Ash 4 459.77x
St Gluvias 4 126.18x
St Neot 4 179.37x
Washford Pyne 4 1481.48x
Barrow In Furness 3 3.72x
Bethnal Green London 3 1.38x
Burrington 3 227.27x
Camborne 3 12.88x
Chatham 3 6.40x
East Worlington 3 833.33x
Liskeard 3 31.71x
Melindwr 3 176.47x
South Molton 3 52.54x
St Pancras London 3 0.75x
Swimbridge 3 142.86x
Tenby St Mary In 3 37.13x
Trefeirig 3 157.89x
Westminster St Margaret 3 12.45x
Bootle Cum Linacre 2 4.25x
Bradworthy 2 131.58x
Broadhembury 2 172.41x
Chulmleigh 2 84.39x
East Teignmouth 2 47.06x
Kenilworth 2 28.17x
Llanrwst 2 30.63x
Ottery St Mary 2 29.33x
Redruth 2 12.50x
Swansea Lower 2 45.15x
Uny Lelant 2 65.36x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 48
Elizabeth 25
Ellen 13
Ann 10
Eliza 10
Jane 10
Emily 9
Sarah 9
Emma 7
Bessie 6
Fanny 5
Florence 5
Martha 5
Susan 5
Helen 4
Alice 3
Anne 3
Annie 3
Eleanor 3
Elizebeth 3
Louisa 3
Matilda 3
Sophia 3
Ada 2
Anna 2
Dora 2
Eva 2
Kate 2
Margaret 2
Maria 2
Susanna 2
Bertie 1
Betsy 1
Caroline 1
Catharin 1
Catherine 1
Dayes 1
Dinah 1
Dorothy 1
Edith 1
Emeline 1
Harriet 1
Isabella 1
Jayne 1
Julia 1
Katrina 1
Leah 1
Lidya 1
Liley 1
Victoria 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 53
John 37
James 22
Thomas 17
Richard 15
Samuel 12
Henry 7
Alfred 5
Charles 5
Ernest 4
George 4
Robert 4
Edward 3
Francis 3
Frederick 3
Walter 3
Albert 2
Amos 2
Andrew 2
Arthur 2
Daniel 2
David 2
Fred 2
Geo. 2
Harry 2
Humphrey 2
Jas. 2
Joseph 2
Lewis 2
Luke 2
Martin 2
Sidney 2
Stephen 2
Abiather 1
Aurth.G. 1
Chas. 1
Edmund 1
Edwin 1
Emanuel 1
Frank 1
Gomer 1
Henery 1
Joshua 1
Louis 1
Manual 1
Montague 1
Morsena 1
Oliver 1
Saml. 1
Wm.Maire 1

FAQ

Boundy surname: questions and answers

How common was the Boundy surname in 1881?

In 1881, 494 people were recorded with the Boundy surname. That placed it at #6,837 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Boundy surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 611 in 2016. That gives Boundy a modern rank of #8,591.

What does the Boundy surname mean?

An occupational surname derived from the Old French "boundir" meaning "to leap or bound".

What does the Boundy map show?

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