NameCensus.

UK surname

Bovill

A surname derived from an English place name, likely referring to someone from Bovill, Northamptonshire.

In the 1881 census there were 208 people recorded with the Bovill surname, ranking it #12,511 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 410, ranked #11,674, up from #12,511 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Dorking, Tormoham with Torquay and Whitby. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Forest of Dean, East Riding of Yorkshire and Shropshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bovill is 449 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 97.1%.

1881 census count

208

Ranked #12,511

Modern count

410

2016, ranked #11,674

Peak year

2000

449 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bovill had 208 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,511 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 410 in 2016, ranked #11,674.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 322 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Bovill surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bovill surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bovill 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 113 #15,815
1861 historical 120 #18,255
1881 historical 208 #12,511
1891 historical 243 #13,011
1901 historical 322 #11,090
1911 historical 304 #11,342
1997 modern 402 #10,974
1998 modern 413 #11,092
1999 modern 428 #10,898
2000 modern 449 #10,459
2001 modern 414 #10,942
2002 modern 406 #11,315
2003 modern 387 #11,523
2004 modern 407 #11,135
2005 modern 409 #10,999
2006 modern 416 #10,912
2007 modern 418 #10,976
2008 modern 425 #10,934
2009 modern 421 #11,246
2010 modern 438 #11,140
2011 modern 413 #11,560
2012 modern 411 #11,500
2013 modern 421 #11,462
2014 modern 420 #11,567
2015 modern 408 #11,737
2016 modern 410 #11,674

Geography

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Where Bovills are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Dorking, Tormoham with Torquay, Whitby, Gateshead and Alverstoke, Gosport, Rowner. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Forest of Dean, East Riding of Yorkshire, Shropshire, IZ16 and Liverpool. 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 Dorking Surrey
2 Tormoham with Torquay Devon
3 Whitby Yorkshire, North Riding
4 Gateshead Durham
5 Alverstoke, Gosport, Rowner Hampshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Forest of Dean 008 Forest of Dean
2 East Riding of Yorkshire 038 East Riding of Yorkshire
3 Shropshire 014 Shropshire
4 IZ16 West Dunbartonshire
5 Liverpool 016 Liverpool

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bovill

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bovill

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Bovill, 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 Bovill surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Bovill 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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Bovill is most associated with areas classed as Inner London Working Professionals, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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 primarily Inner London neighbourhoods are more densely populated than the Supergroup average. Residents have a younger over-all age profile than the Supergroup as a whole, and are less likely to be owner occupiers. Full time employment is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup and multiple car ownership is uncommon. Chinese and non-EU-born European migrants are less in evidence than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Bovill is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Bovill falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Bovill is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Bovill, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Bovill

The surname Bovill is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be a locational name derived from a place called Bovill or Bovile, though the exact location is unclear. Some experts suggest it may have come from the Old English words 'bofe' meaning dwelling and 'hyll' meaning hill, indicating the name referred to someone who lived near a hill dwelling.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Bovill name dates back to the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which listed a William de Bovill in Oxfordshire. The Pipe Rolls of 1230 also mention a Richard de Bovill in Buckinghamshire. These early records suggest the name was present in various parts of southern and central England.

In the 14th century, the Bovill surname appeared in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire, indicating the family's presence in the West Midlands region. A notable figure from this time was John Bovill, a wealthy landowner and alderman in Stratford-upon-Avon, born around 1380.

During the 16th century, the Bovill name gained prominence in Devon, with records showing a Richard Bovill of Kilmington, born in 1510. Another notable individual was Thomas Bovill, a merchant and ship owner from Plymouth, who lived from 1565 to 1628.

In the 18th century, the Bovill family had established roots in Cornwall, with several members involved in the local mining industry. One such figure was Joseph Bovill, a prominent mine captain born in 1720 in Gwennap, Cornwall.

The 19th century saw the Bovill name spread further across England, with some members achieving notable positions. Henry Boyill (1816-1890) was a successful architect and surveyor from Leicestershire, while Edward Bovill (1818-1909) was a renowned barrister and judge who served as the Recorder of Richmond.

Throughout its history, the Bovill surname has maintained a presence in various regions of England, with families contributing to various professions and industries. While not a widespread name, it has left its mark on the country's history and heritage.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bovill families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bovill 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. Middlesex leads with 46 Bovills recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.27x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 46 2.27x
Yorkshire 32 1.59x
Lancashire 26 1.08x
Surrey 17 1.72x
Durham 16 2.65x
Norfolk 8 2.56x
Nottinghamshire 8 2.93x
Suffolk 8 3.24x
Hampshire 7 1.68x
Lanarkshire 7 1.07x
Warwickshire 7 1.37x
Angus 5 2.66x
Kent 5 0.72x
West Lothian 5 16.37x
Devon 3 0.71x
Berkshire 2 1.31x
Cambridgeshire 2 1.56x
Dunbartonshire 2 3.67x
Shropshire 2 1.14x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Barrow In Furness in Lancashire leads with 14 Bovills recorded in 1881 and an index of 42.76x.

Place Total Index
Barrow In Furness 14 42.76x
Dalton In Furness 9 96.88x
Dorking 8 120.48x
Ipswich St Mathew 8 115.44x
Kensington London 8 7.09x
Northwold 8 952.38x
Glasgow 7 6.01x
Mile End Old Town London 7 16.21x
St Marylebone London 7 6.46x
Westminster St Margaret 7 71.50x
Aston 6 4.26x
Brandon Byshottles 6 79.37x
Hayton 6 3333.33x
Carriden 5 362.32x
Howden 5 364.96x
Liff Benvie 5 17.53x
Limehouse London 5 22.45x
Stockton On Tees 5 17.18x
Whitby 5 73.75x
Wilmington 5 515.46x
Clapham 4 15.77x
Horton In Bradford 4 12.74x
Southampton All Sts 4 56.02x
St George Hanover Square 4 11.19x
Hulme 3 5.97x
Tormoham 3 16.79x
Ulrome 3 2142.86x
Alverstoke 2 13.29x
Cardross 2 30.53x
Gowdall 2 1428.57x
Kingston On Thames 2 8.42x
Mainsforth 2 2500.00x
N Lydbury 2 294.12x
North Frodingham 2 425.53x
Sculcoates 2 6.27x
St Pancras London 2 1.22x
Swavesey 2 243.90x
Ugglebarnby 2 740.74x
Wawne 2 952.38x
Westoe 2 5.84x
Chilton 1 53.19x
Clerkenwell London 1 2.09x
Croydon 1 1.82x
Ealing 1 5.52x
Finchley 1 12.85x
Fulham London 1 3.40x
Hackney London 1 0.88x
Harrow On The Hill 1 24.69x
Luttons Ambo 1 238.10x
Manningham 1 4.04x
Nottingham St Mary 1 1.41x
Pirbright 1 200.00x
Reigate Borough 1 43.86x
Sandhurst 1 33.90x
South Stoneham 1 11.09x
Speen 1 40.16x
Stokesley 1 80.00x
Thearne 1 1428.57x
Wansford 1 666.67x
Warwick St Mary 1 22.52x
Worksop 1 12.33x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 13
Elizabeth 5
Sarah 5
Alice 4
Ann 4
Ellen 4
Margaret 4
Eliza 3
Helen 3
Jane 3
Caroline 2
Emily 2
Emma 2
Harriett 2
Louisa 2
Ada 1
Amanda 1
Anna 1
Anne 1
Annie 1
Catherine 1
Constance 1
Edith 1
Eleanor 1
Ellenor 1
Esther 1
Eustace 1
F.J. 1
F.J.K. 1
Fanny 1
Florence 1
Hannah 1
Harriet 1
Henry 1
Jessie 1
Julia 1
Laura 1
Lavinia 1
Leonora 1
Lizzie 1
Lydia 1
Mabel 1
Maria 1
Martha 1
Maud 1
Priestly 1
Rachel 1
Rebecca 1
Stella 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 12
William 10
Joseph 7
George 5
James 4
Thomas 4
Walter 4
Phillip 3
Robert 3
Alfred 2
Arthur 2
Benjamin 2
Edmund 2
Edward 2
Frederick 2
Philip 2
Thos. 2
A.Harsluke 1
Bristow 1
Charles 1
Daniel 1
Earnest 1
Edgar 1
Enoch 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Frederic 1
Fredk.Geo. 1
Geo. 1
Gerald 1
Harry 1
Henry 1
Herbert 1
Hugh 1
J. 1
Josh. 1
Mansfield 1
Matthew 1
Owen 1
Richard 1
Sam 1
W.F. 1
W.T. 1
Wheatley 1
Willm. 1

FAQ

Bovill surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bovill surname in 1881?

In 1881, 208 people were recorded with the Bovill surname. That placed it at #12,511 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bovill surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 410 in 2016. That gives Bovill a modern rank of #11,674.

What does the Bovill surname mean?

A surname derived from an English place name, likely referring to someone from Bovill, Northamptonshire.

What does the Bovill map show?

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