NameCensus.

UK surname

Boyer

A French occupational surname for a cowherd or ox driver, derived from the Old French "bovier."

In the 1881 census there were 937 people recorded with the Boyer surname, ranking it #4,114 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,241, ranked #4,808, down from #4,114 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Mottram-in-Longdendale and Peterborough St John the Baptist. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Doncaster, Cheshire East and Ribble Valley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Boyer is 1,256 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 32.4%.

1881 census count

937

Ranked #4,114

Modern count

1,241

2016, ranked #4,808

Peak year

2002

1,256 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Boyer had 937 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,114 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,241 in 2016, ranked #4,808.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,151 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Boyer surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Boyer surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Boyer 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 826 #3,269
1861 historical 1,024 #2,737
1881 historical 937 #4,114
1891 historical 1,054 #3,979
1901 historical 1,093 #4,417
1911 historical 1,151 #4,056
1997 modern 1,183 #4,770
1998 modern 1,223 #4,807
1999 modern 1,251 #4,748
2000 modern 1,227 #4,798
2001 modern 1,221 #4,736
2002 modern 1,256 #4,716
2003 modern 1,221 #4,737
2004 modern 1,227 #4,714
2005 modern 1,200 #4,758
2006 modern 1,181 #4,839
2007 modern 1,187 #4,855
2008 modern 1,200 #4,841
2009 modern 1,242 #4,802
2010 modern 1,240 #4,907
2011 modern 1,223 #4,899
2012 modern 1,214 #4,867
2013 modern 1,232 #4,887
2014 modern 1,239 #4,875
2015 modern 1,248 #4,813
2016 modern 1,241 #4,808

Geography

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Where Boyers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Mottram-in-Longdendale, Peterborough St John the Baptist and Crowland. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Doncaster, Cheshire East, Ribble Valley and Sedgemoor. 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 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 Mottram-in-Longdendale Lancashire
4 Peterborough St John the Baptist Northamptonshire
5 Crowland Northamptonshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Doncaster 003 Doncaster
2 Cheshire East 050 Cheshire East
3 Ribble Valley 003 Ribble Valley
4 Sedgemoor 002 Sedgemoor
5 Sedgemoor 014 Sedgemoor

Forenames

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First names often paired with Boyer

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Boyer

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

Ageing Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Boyer is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

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

Boyer 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

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

Meaning and origin of Boyer

The surname Boyer is of French origin and can be traced back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old French word 'bouvier', which means an ox-herder or cowherd. The name likely originated in the northern regions of France, particularly in areas where cattle farming was prevalent.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Boyer surname can be found in the 13th century Ecclesiastical Tax Rolls of Yorkshire, England. These records indicate that individuals bearing this name may have migrated from France to England during that time period.

In France, the name Boyer is closely associated with several regions, including Normandy, Brittany, and the Île-de-France region. The earliest known bearer of the name was Hugues Boyer, a landowner from the village of Boissy-la-Rivière in the Île-de-France region, who lived in the late 12th century.

The Boyer surname has a rich history and has been borne by many notable individuals over the centuries. One of the most famous bearers of this name was Charles Boyer, a French actor born in 1899 and known for his roles in Hollywood films such as "Gaslight" and "Love Affair". He passed away in 1978.

Another notable figure was Jacques Boyer, a French mathematician and philosopher who lived from 1592 to 1668. He made significant contributions to the field of mathematics and is credited with developing the concept of the vortex theory in physics.

In the realm of literature, Victor Marie Hugo's novel "Les Misérables" features a character named Thénardier, whose wife's maiden name was Boyer. This literary reference highlights the prevalence of the surname in 19th-century France.

The Boyer name has also been associated with several place names in France, such as Boyer-Éperon, a commune in the Drôme department, and Boyer, a village in the Saône-et-Loire department. These place names likely derived from individuals bearing the Boyer surname who settled in these areas.

Other notable individuals with the Boyer surname include Lucien Boyer, a French composer and songwriter born in 1876, and Jean-Pierre Boyer, the second President of Haiti, who ruled from 1818 to 1843.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Boyer families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Boyer 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 173 Boyers recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.88x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 173 1.88x
Lancashire 132 1.21x
Cheshire 115 5.66x
Leicestershire 55 5.39x
Northamptonshire 51 5.89x
Lincolnshire 48 3.26x
Surrey 46 1.03x
Berkshire 38 5.50x
Devon 32 1.67x
Yorkshire 31 0.34x
Kent 26 0.83x
Glamorgan 25 1.56x
Somerset 25 1.69x
Staffordshire 20 0.64x
Warwickshire 16 0.69x
Hampshire 13 0.69x
Gloucestershire 11 0.61x
Cambridgeshire 9 1.54x
Sussex 9 0.58x
Norfolk 8 0.57x
Channel Islands 7 2.57x
Lanarkshire 7 0.24x
Derbyshire 6 0.42x
Hertfordshire 5 0.79x
Nottinghamshire 5 0.40x
Huntingdonshire 4 2.19x
Renfrewshire 4 0.56x
Suffolk 4 0.36x
Brecknockshire 2 1.09x
Cornwall 2 0.19x
Denbighshire 2 0.58x
Dorset 2 0.33x
Royal Navy 2 1.82x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.18x
Cumberland 1 0.13x
Essex 1 0.06x
Fife 1 0.18x
Midlothian 1 0.08x
Monmouthshire 1 0.15x
Shropshire 1 0.13x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Islington London in Middlesex leads with 31 Boyers recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.48x.

Place Total Index
Islington London 31 3.48x
Crowland 26 281.69x
Hollingworth 24 286.74x
Peterborough 23 36.72x
North Petherton 22 184.25x
Nantwich 21 89.02x
Paddington London 20 5.91x
Whitchurch 17 196.30x
Salford 16 4.98x
Ashton Under Lyne 15 6.29x
Leicester St Margaret 15 6.03x
Skelmersdale 15 82.46x
Everton 14 4.02x
Liverpool 13 1.96x
Paston 13 353.26x
St Marylebone London 13 2.65x
Dean Prior 12 1212.12x
Mottram 12 130.43x
Newbury 12 54.25x
Stoke Upon Trent 12 3.64x
Camberwell 11 1.87x
Clerkenwell London 11 5.07x
Hackney London 11 2.13x
Hurst 11 121.68x
Bethnal Green London 9 2.25x
Chester Holy Trinity 9 94.54x
Mile End Old Town London 9 4.60x
Plumstead 9 8.60x
Altrincham 8 22.55x
Chelsea London 8 2.89x
Little Leigh 8 551.72x
Loughborough 8 17.29x
Manchester 8 1.63x
Stoke Newington London 8 11.17x
Willesden 8 9.23x
Hornsey 7 6.02x
Hulme 7 3.07x
Lambeth 7 0.87x
Rothley 7 210.84x
St Pancras London 7 0.95x
Tintwistle 7 64.52x
Barnsley 6 6.38x
Brighton 6 1.92x
Clewer 6 21.21x
Doncaster 6 9.01x
Frampton Cotterell 6 94.79x
Gorbals 6 33.98x
Leicester St Mary 6 7.28x
Newton In Makerfield 6 17.95x
Northampton St Sepulchre 6 13.63x
Sale 6 24.09x
Skinningrove 6 107.33x
Bermondsey 5 1.83x
Birmingham 5 0.65x
Cheadle 5 12.89x
Hammersmith London 5 2.21x
Hitchin 5 17.47x
Kirkdale 5 2.72x
Marholm 5 961.54x
Nuneaton 5 18.60x
Portsea 5 1.35x
Reading St Mary 5 9.04x
St Andrewthe Less 5 7.51x
St Peter 5 63.61x
Stoke D Abernon 5 384.62x
Swansea Town 5 3.81x
Teddington London 5 23.99x
Acton 4 7.42x
Barrow Upon Soar 4 47.51x
Battersea 4 1.18x
Compton Gifford 4 66.67x
Dukinfield 4 4.26x
Greenwich 4 2.73x
Hindley 4 8.59x
Ilkeston 4 9.91x
New Sleaford 4 42.46x
Quorndon 4 69.93x
Sandwich St Clement 4 150.94x
Swanscombe 4 28.37x
Wolborough 4 16.53x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 52
John 42
George 37
James 29
Henry 27
Joseph 24
Thomas 21
Charles 16
Robert 15
Samuel 13
Edward 10
Albert 8
Richard 8
Frederick 7
Herbert 7
Edwin 6
Walter 6
Benjamin 5
Frank 5
Harry 5
Alfred 4
Arthur 4
David 4
Francis 3
Fredrick 3
Joshua 3
Peter 3
Abel 2
Amos 2
Edmund 2
Isaac 2
Percy 2
Thos. 2
Tom 2
Aron 1
Chas.Ernest 1
Christopher 1
Claude 1
Ernest 1
Etienne 1
F. 1
Fred 1
Fredick 1
Fredy 1
Horace 1
J. 1
Jackum 1
Joe 1
Johnathan 1
Wyndham 1

FAQ

Boyer surname: questions and answers

How common was the Boyer surname in 1881?

In 1881, 937 people were recorded with the Boyer surname. That placed it at #4,114 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Boyer surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,241 in 2016. That gives Boyer a modern rank of #4,808.

What does the Boyer surname mean?

A French occupational surname for a cowherd or ox driver, derived from the Old French "bovier."

What does the Boyer map show?

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