NameCensus.

UK surname

Boylan

An Irish surname derived from Ó Baoigheallán, meaning "descendant of Baoigheallán," a personal name of unknown meaning.

In the 1881 census there were 463 people recorded with the Boylan surname, ranking it #7,170 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,980, ranked #3,249, up from #7,170 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wigan, Manchester and Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Harlow, Wigan and County Durham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Boylan is 2,077 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 327.6%.

1881 census count

463

Ranked #7,170

Modern count

1,980

2016, ranked #3,249

Peak year

2010

2,077 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Boylan had 463 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,170 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,980 in 2016, ranked #3,249.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 620 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Boylan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Boylan surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Boylan 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 166 #11,986
1861 historical 210 #11,551
1881 historical 463 #7,170
1891 historical 588 #6,497
1901 historical 620 #6,886
1911 historical 567 #7,127
1997 modern 1,817 #3,305
1998 modern 1,878 #3,339
1999 modern 1,899 #3,319
2000 modern 1,925 #3,270
2001 modern 1,882 #3,262
2002 modern 1,940 #3,250
2003 modern 1,884 #3,263
2004 modern 1,902 #3,233
2005 modern 1,873 #3,252
2006 modern 1,903 #3,229
2007 modern 1,936 #3,205
2008 modern 1,942 #3,216
2009 modern 1,977 #3,239
2010 modern 2,077 #3,175
2011 modern 2,040 #3,188
2012 modern 1,975 #3,219
2013 modern 2,004 #3,237
2014 modern 2,020 #3,238
2015 modern 1,979 #3,264
2016 modern 1,980 #3,249

Geography

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Where Boylans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wigan, Manchester, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry, Edinburgh and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Harlow, Wigan, County Durham, Kennoway and Bonnybank and Rochdale. 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 Wigan Lancashire
2 Manchester Lancashire
3 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Harlow 002 Harlow
2 Wigan 009 Wigan
3 County Durham 005 County Durham
4 Kennoway and Bonnybank Fife
5 Rochdale 025 Rochdale

Forenames

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First names often paired with Boylan

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Boylan

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

Established but Challenged

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Boylan 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

Boylan is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Boylan falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Boylan 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 - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Boylan

The surname Boylan is of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic surname Ó Baoigheallain, meaning "descendant of Baoigheallan." This name is a diminutive of the old Irish personal name Baoigheall, which means "fair-headed" or "fair-browed." The name is believed to have originated in the 10th or 11th century in Ireland.

The Boylan surname was first concentrated in County Mayo, particularly in the baronies of Erris and Gallen. It was also found in parts of County Sligo and County Roscommon. The earliest recorded instances of the name date back to the 13th and 14th centuries, appearing in various annals and manuscripts from that period.

One notable historical figure bearing the Boylan surname was Domnall Ó Baoigheallain, who was the Bishop of Raphoe in County Donegal in the 14th century. Another early individual was Tadhg Ó Baoigheallain, a prominent poet and scholar who lived in the 16th century.

In the 17th century, during the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland, many Boylan families were dispossessed of their lands and forced to seek refuge in other parts of the country. This led to the spread of the surname beyond its original strongholds.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, the Boylan surname gained prominence in various fields. John Boylan (1741-1805) was an Irish politician and landowner from County Meath. William Boylan (1775-1853) was a successful businessman and banker in Dublin. Patrick Boylan (1783-1867) was a prominent Catholic prelate who served as the Archbishop of Armagh.

In the 19th century, Mary Boylan (1815-1886) was a renowned Irish writer and journalist, known for her contributions to the Irish nationalist movement. Thomas Boylan (1854-1924) was a prominent Irish-American politician who served as the Mayor of Chicago from 1923 to 1927.

The Boylan surname has also been found in various anglicized forms, such as Boland, Boylen, and Bolan, reflecting the diverse spellings and pronunciations that emerged over time.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Boylan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Boylan 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 253 Boylans recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.78x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 253 4.78x
Lanarkshire 51 3.54x
Durham 38 2.87x
Cheshire 21 2.13x
Yorkshire 21 0.48x
Angus 19 4.60x
Middlesex 13 0.29x
Midlothian 9 1.51x
Northumberland 7 1.06x
Cumberland 5 1.30x
Warwickshire 5 0.44x
Gloucestershire 3 0.34x
Essex 2 0.23x
Pembrokeshire 2 1.41x
Staffordshire 2 0.13x
Sussex 2 0.27x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.24x
Channel Islands 1 0.76x
Fife 1 0.38x
Perthshire 1 0.50x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Liverpool in Lancashire leads with 69 Boylans recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.48x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 69 21.48x
Wigan 24 32.47x
Manchester 19 7.99x
Govan 18 5.05x
Ormskirk 18 177.87x
Pendleton In Salford 14 22.22x
Glasgow 13 5.08x
West Derby 13 8.40x
Dundee 11 7.14x
Birkenhead 10 12.75x
Blackburn 10 7.11x
Barony 9 2.47x
Darlington 9 17.58x
Gorton 9 18.10x
Bootle Cum Linacre 8 19.04x
Liff Benvie 8 12.76x
Cambusnethan 6 18.74x
Halliwell 6 31.17x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 6 10.45x
Parr 6 31.71x
Westoe 6 7.98x
Widnes 6 15.73x
Bishopwearmouth 5 4.39x
Bradford 5 20.19x
Coventry Holy Trinity 5 14.89x
Dalziel 5 32.24x
Ealing 5 12.55x
Great Bolton 5 7.14x
Poulton Cum Seacombe 5 44.17x
Willington 5 65.27x
Barrow In Furness 4 5.56x
Brompton On Swale 4 727.27x
Dearham 4 79.05x
Everton 4 2.37x
Great Crosby 4 27.74x
Haslingden 4 18.26x
Macclesfield 4 9.14x
Southcoates 4 16.31x
Sutton Stoneferry 4 31.65x
Windle 4 13.44x
Ardwick 3 6.29x
Bristol Christchurch 3 236.22x
Crook Billy Row 3 17.67x
Edinburgh Canongate 3 19.74x
Edinburgh Tron Church 3 107.14x
North Shields 3 22.66x
Sheffield 3 2.13x
St Pancras London 3 0.84x
Brighton 2 1.32x
Bury 2 3.31x
Chadderton 2 7.73x
Edinburgh Old Church 2 41.75x
Elswick 2 3.78x
Kensington London 2 0.81x
Kirkdale 2 2.25x
Tynemouth 2 5.63x
Usworth 2 28.41x
Warrington 2 3.19x
Wolsingham 2 16.54x
Wolstanton 2 4.38x
Acton 1 3.83x
Blairgowrie 1 12.64x
Brough 1 526.32x
Broughton In Salford 1 2.07x
Colchester St Botolph 1 13.37x
Colinton 1 15.02x
East Ardsley 1 26.11x
Ecclesfield 1 3.09x
Garston 1 6.41x
Higher Bebington 1 15.87x
Milford Haven 1 86.96x
Pembroke St Mary 1 5.48x
Preston 1 0.71x
St Bride London 1 38.61x
St Cuthbert W O 1 5.34x
St George Hanover Square 1 1.27x
St Sampson 1 16.81x
Standish With Langtree 1 15.36x
Walton On Hill 1 3.49x
York St Peter Le 1 117.65x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 48
Margaret 13
Bridget 11
Sarah 10
Ann 8
Catherine 8
Jane 8
Ellen 6
Elizabeth 5
Rose 5
Julia 3
Alice 2
Anne 2
Annie 2
Caroline 2
Cathrine 2
Eleanor 2
Emma 2
Hannah 2
Isabella 2
Martha 2
Ada 1
Angela 1
Arnet 1
Betsy 1
Carrie 1
Elen 1
Eliza 1
Esther 1
Frances 1
Gertrude 1
Harriett 1
John 1
Maggie 1
Margret 1
Margrett 1
Margt. 1
Maria 1
Matty 1
May 1
Rachel 1
Roseanna 1
Susannah 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 34
James 31
Thomas 21
Patrick 17
William 13
Michael 10
Edward 8
Charles 6
Francis 6
Peter 6
Christopher 5
Hugh 5
Joseph 4
Richard 4
Thos. 4
Geo. 3
Robert 2
Wm. 2
Adam 1
Alexander 1
Alf. 1
Alfred 1
Bartholenew 1
Benjamin 1
Bernard 1
Felix 1
Finnbarr 1
Frederick 1
George 1
Gilling 1
Henry 1
Jas. 1
Jenne 1
Jno. 1
Mathew 1
Michl. 1
Stephen 1
Thos.P. 1
Timothy 1

FAQ

Boylan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Boylan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 463 people were recorded with the Boylan surname. That placed it at #7,170 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Boylan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,980 in 2016. That gives Boylan a modern rank of #3,249.

What does the Boylan surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from Ó Baoigheallán, meaning "descendant of Baoigheallán," a personal name of unknown meaning.

What does the Boylan map show?

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