NameCensus.

UK surname

Boyers

A French occupational surname derived from the Old French word "bovier" meaning an ox herder or cattleman.

In the 1881 census there were 176 people recorded with the Boyers surname, ranking it #13,930 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 182, ranked #20,890, down from #13,930 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Legbourne, Clee and Wigan. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include St. Helens, Wigan and North East Lincolnshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Boyers is 266 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 3.4%.

1881 census count

176

Ranked #13,930

Modern count

182

2016, ranked #20,890

Peak year

1861

266 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Boyers had 176 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #13,930 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 182 in 2016, ranked #20,890.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 266 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Boyers surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Boyers surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Boyers 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 82 #19,317
1861 historical 266 #9,318
1881 historical 176 #13,930
1891 historical 223 #13,800
1901 historical 228 #13,929
1911 historical 236 #13,452
1997 modern 185 #18,506
1998 modern 173 #19,821
1999 modern 178 #19,592
2000 modern 174 #19,829
2001 modern 173 #19,635
2002 modern 173 #20,043
2003 modern 169 #20,092
2004 modern 177 #19,662
2005 modern 171 #19,985
2006 modern 174 #19,921
2007 modern 168 #20,634
2008 modern 171 #20,595
2009 modern 178 #20,486
2010 modern 200 #19,457
2011 modern 196 #19,538
2012 modern 195 #19,540
2013 modern 189 #20,273
2014 modern 190 #20,374
2015 modern 186 #20,576
2016 modern 182 #20,890

Geography

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Where Boyers' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Legbourne, Clee, Wigan, Dalton-in-Furness and Bishop Wearmouth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to St. Helens, Wigan, North East Lincolnshire, Wealden and West Lindsey. 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 Legbourne Lincolnshire
2 Clee Lincolnshire
3 Wigan Lancashire
4 Dalton-in-Furness Lancashire
5 Bishop Wearmouth Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 St. Helens 015 St. Helens
2 Wigan 038 Wigan
3 North East Lincolnshire 022 North East Lincolnshire
4 Wealden 010 Wealden
5 West Lindsey 003 West Lindsey

Forenames

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First names often paired with Boyers

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Boyers

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Young Families in Industrial Towns

Nationally, the Boyers surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Boyers household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Boyers is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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 neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Boyers is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Boyers

The surname Boyers has its origins in France and is thought to have emerged in the 12th century. It is derived from the Old French word "boisier," which means "woodsman" or "forester." This suggests that the name was originally an occupational surname given to individuals who worked in forestry or as loggers.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in various medieval French records and documents. One notable example is a reference to a "Robert le Boisier" in the Cartulaire de l'Abbaye de Savigny, a collection of charters and deeds from the Abbey of Savigny in Normandy, dating back to the 12th century.

As the name spread across France, it underwent various spelling variations, including Boisier, Boissy, and Bois. These variations reflect the regional dialects and linguistic influences of different areas within the country.

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was Jean Boisier, a knight who participated in the Crusades during the 13th century. Another notable figure was Jacques Boyers, a French mathematician and astronomer born in 1551 in Arles, who made significant contributions to the understanding of planetary motions.

In the 16th century, the name Boyers can be found in the records of the French Protestant Huguenot community. Many Huguenots fled religious persecution in France and sought refuge in other parts of Europe and the Americas, likely contributing to the spread of the surname.

Another prominent individual with this surname was Pierre Boyers, a 17th-century French painter and engraver known for his intricate etchings and engravings of landscapes and architectural scenes.

In England, the name Boyers may have been introduced by French Huguenot immigrants or through Norman influences after the Norman Conquest in 1066. One notable English bearer of the name was William Boyers, a 16th-century merchant and alderman in the city of London.

As the name spread to other regions, it encountered further variations in spelling and pronunciation, reflecting the linguistic influences of those areas. However, the core meaning and origin of the name remained rooted in its French heritage as an occupational surname linked to forestry and woodworking.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Boyers families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Boyers 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. Lancashire leads with 61 Boyers' recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.01x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 61 3.01x
Lincolnshire 59 21.62x
Nottinghamshire 12 5.22x
Yorkshire 8 0.47x
Middlesex 7 0.41x
Monmouthshire 5 4.05x
Surrey 5 0.60x
Cheshire 4 1.06x
Shetland 4 22.95x
Warwickshire 2 0.46x
Dumfriesshire 1 2.65x
Durham 1 0.20x
Gloucestershire 1 0.30x
Kent 1 0.17x
Leicestershire 1 0.53x
Shropshire 1 0.68x
Staffordshire 1 0.17x
Stirlingshire 1 1.59x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Legbourne in Lincolnshire leads with 13 Boyers' recorded in 1881 and an index of 4642.86x.

Place Total Index
Legbourne 13 4642.86x
Ince In Makerfield 11 116.77x
Nottingham St Mary 10 16.80x
Salford 10 16.79x
Barrow In Furness 9 32.67x
Cleethorpes 9 559.01x
Upholland 8 307.69x
Scamblesby 7 3333.33x
Market Rasen 6 392.16x
Openshaw 6 63.22x
Banstead 5 222.22x
Louth 5 80.00x
Toxteth Park 5 7.29x
Trevethin 5 42.92x
Lerwick Gulberwick 4 148.15x
Runcorn 4 46.03x
Tealby 4 1052.63x
Grantham 3 84.27x
Shevington 3 322.58x
Sibsey 3 483.87x
St Pancras London 3 2.18x
Stanghow 3 441.18x
Wrightington 3 340.91x
Dalton In Furness 2 25.58x
Hucknall Torkard 2 34.31x
Liverpool 2 1.63x
Long Bennington 2 377.36x
Muckton 2 3333.33x
Ormesby 2 43.96x
Birmingham 1 0.70x
Bradley 1 1666.67x
Bristol St Stephen 1 114.94x
Cheriton 1 42.19x
Enfield 1 8.93x
Fulletby 1 666.67x
Gateshead 1 2.63x
Holy Trinity 1 2.46x
Kensington London 1 1.05x
Kirkmichael 1 200.00x
Leicester St Margaret 1 2.17x
North Kelsey 1 204.08x
Nuneaton 1 20.04x
Pitchford 1 769.23x
Sheffield 1 1.86x
Spilsby 1 114.94x
St Marylebone London 1 1.10x
Stickney 1 250.00x
Stirling 1 12.59x
Thorne 1 47.62x
Tottenham 1 3.68x
Whittingham 1 112.36x
Withington 1 15.34x
Wolverhampton 1 2.26x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 9
Sarah 9
Catherine 4
Eliza 4
Elizabeth 4
Ellen 4
Margaret 4
Martha 3
Agnes 2
Alice 2
Ann 2
Annie 2
Harriet 2
Jane 2
Maria 2
Minnie 2
Susannah 2
Ada 1
Anne 1
Bertha 1
Bridget 1
Charlotte 1
Charolott 1
Dinah 1
Esther 1
Ethel 1
Fanny 1
Frances 1
Hannah 1
Hepzibah 1
Jenny 1
Kate 1
Lizzie 1
M. 1
Margreat 1
Margret 1
Milicent 1
Morria 1
Rebbaca 1
Rebecca 1
Susanna 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 17
James 7
George 6
William 6
Charles 5
Henry 5
Joseph 5
Albert 4
Herbert 4
Robert 3
Thomas 3
Daniel 2
Edward 2
Frank 2
Samuel 2
Agnes 1
David 1
Fredk. 1
Geo. 1
Gustavus 1
H. 1
Harold 1
Harry 1
Horatio 1
Obadiah 1
Peter 1
Wharry 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Boyers surname: questions and answers

How common was the Boyers surname in 1881?

In 1881, 176 people were recorded with the Boyers surname. That placed it at #13,930 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Boyers surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 182 in 2016. That gives Boyers a modern rank of #20,890.

What does the Boyers surname mean?

A French occupational surname derived from the Old French word "bovier" meaning an ox herder or cattleman.

What does the Boyers map show?

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