NameCensus.

UK surname

Boyle

An Irish topographic surname derived from the Gaelic "baile," meaning "town," likely referring to someone from a town.

In the 1881 census there were 7,780 people recorded with the Boyle surname, ranking it #546 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 18,469, ranked #324, up from #546 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Edinburgh and Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Toryglen and Oatlands, Govanhill West and City Centre East.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Boyle is 18,543 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 137.4%.

1881 census count

7,780

Ranked #546

Modern count

18,469

2016, ranked #324

Peak year

2010

18,543 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Boyle had 7,780 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #546 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 18,469 in 2016, ranked #324.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 9,673 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Boyle surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Boyle surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Boyle 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 4,024 #707
1861 historical 5,305 #529
1881 historical 7,780 #546
1891 historical 8,342 #527
1901 historical 9,673 #542
1911 historical 5,229 #998
1997 modern 17,548 #336
1998 modern 18,104 #338
1999 modern 18,089 #341
2000 modern 17,975 #342
2001 modern 17,491 #343
2002 modern 17,711 #348
2003 modern 17,293 #345
2004 modern 17,353 #344
2005 modern 17,274 #340
2006 modern 17,369 #334
2007 modern 17,583 #333
2008 modern 17,681 #333
2009 modern 18,109 #332
2010 modern 18,543 #330
2011 modern 18,180 #331
2012 modern 17,832 #332
2013 modern 18,237 #334
2014 modern 18,459 #333
2015 modern 18,424 #326
2016 modern 18,469 #324

Geography

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Where Boyles are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Edinburgh, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry, Greenock and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Toryglen and Oatlands, Govanhill West, City Centre East, Laurieston and Tradeston and Greenock East. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Edinburgh Edinburgh
3 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
4 Greenock Renfrew
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Toryglen and Oatlands Glasgow City
2 Govanhill West Glasgow City
3 City Centre East Glasgow City
4 Laurieston and Tradeston Glasgow City
5 Greenock East Inverclyde

Forenames

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First names often paired with Boyle

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Boyle

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Boyle, 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 Boyle surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Boyle 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Boyle 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

Boyle is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Boyle 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 Boyle 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 - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Boyle

The surname Boyle is of Norman-Irish origin and has been prominent in Ireland since the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old French word "boisle", meaning a small wood or thicket, likely referring to a place of residence or landholding.

The name first emerged in County Cork, where the family held extensive territories and lands around the town of Youghal. They were among the most powerful Norman families to settle in Ireland after the Norman invasion of 1169.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is found in the Pipe Roll of Cloyne, a medieval tax record dating back to 1260, where a Richard de Boyle is mentioned. The name also appears in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history, suggesting its widespread use in the region.

The Boyle family played a significant role in Irish history, with several notable members. Richard Boyle, 1st Earl of Cork (1566-1643), was a prominent statesman and landowner who amassed vast estates and became one of the wealthiest men in Ireland. His son, Roger Boyle, 1st Earl of Orrery (1621-1679), was a noted soldier and writer.

Another renowned figure was Robert Boyle (1627-1691), a renowned philosopher, chemist, and physicist, often considered the first modern chemist. He is best known for Boyle's Law, which describes the inversely proportional relationship between the pressure and volume of a gas.

In the 18th century, John Boyle, 5th Earl of Cork and Orrery (1707-1762), was a prominent writer and literary patron, known for his translations of classical works and his support of writers like Samuel Johnson.

The name has also been associated with various place names in Ireland, such as Boyleside, a village in County Armagh, and Boylesgrove, a townland in County Cork, reflecting the family's historical presence and influence in these regions.

Throughout its history, the Boyle surname has been subject to various spellings, including Boile, Boylle, and Boil, reflecting the linguistic variations and orthographic conventions of different eras.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Boyle families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Boyle 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. Lanarkshire leads with 2,007 Boyles recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.19x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 2,007 8.19x
Lancashire 1,232 1.37x
Renfrewshire 587 9.99x
Yorkshire 459 0.61x
Durham 372 1.65x
Middlesex 361 0.48x
Angus 303 4.32x
Ayrshire 298 5.25x
Midlothian 207 2.04x
Dunbartonshire 194 9.52x
Northumberland 152 1.35x
Cheshire 126 0.75x
Surrey 106 0.29x
Staffordshire 98 0.38x
Kent 78 0.30x
Cumberland 77 1.18x
Stirlingshire 75 2.68x
Warwickshire 70 0.37x
Devon 69 0.44x
Hampshire 65 0.42x
Glamorgan 62 0.47x
Perthshire 60 1.76x
West Lothian 44 3.85x
Essex 41 0.27x
Worcestershire 37 0.37x
Gloucestershire 36 0.24x
Aberdeenshire 34 0.48x
Kirkcudbrightshire 34 3.10x
Buteshire 30 6.53x
Dumfriesshire 29 1.73x
Nottinghamshire 27 0.26x
Argyllshire 25 1.18x
Fife 25 0.56x
East Lothian 24 2.39x
Derbyshire 22 0.19x
Cornwall 21 0.24x
Roxburghshire 21 1.53x
Somerset 17 0.14x
Inverness-shire 16 0.71x
Lincolnshire 15 0.12x
Leicestershire 14 0.17x
Royal Navy 13 1.44x
Selkirkshire 13 1.90x
Berwickshire 12 1.31x
Channel Islands 12 0.53x
Flintshire 11 0.54x
Oxfordshire 11 0.24x
Shropshire 11 0.17x
Wigtownshire 11 1.09x
Berkshire 10 0.18x
Northamptonshire 10 0.14x
Sussex 10 0.08x
Peeblesshire 9 2.52x
Denbighshire 8 0.28x
Pembrokeshire 8 0.33x
Norfolk 7 0.06x
Buckinghamshire 6 0.13x
Wiltshire 6 0.09x
Suffolk 5 0.05x
Monmouthshire 4 0.07x
Morayshire 4 0.34x
Anglesey 3 0.22x
Hertfordshire 3 0.06x
Banffshire 2 0.13x
Caernarfonshire 2 0.07x
Cambridgeshire 2 0.04x
Dorset 2 0.04x
Isle of Man 2 0.14x
Kincardineshire 1 0.11x
Ross-shire 1 0.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Glasgow in Lanarkshire leads with 547 Boyles recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.57x.

Place Total Index
Glasgow 547 12.57x
Barony 499 8.04x
Govan 403 6.65x
Liverpool 220 4.03x
West Greenock 138 13.09x
Dundee 107 4.08x
Old Monkland 104 10.69x
Abbey 94 10.49x
Manchester 92 2.27x
Middle Greenock 78 48.66x
Blackburn 70 2.93x
Maryhill 67 13.96x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 65 1.59x
Leeds 62 1.46x
Everton 59 2.06x
Rutherglen 58 16.13x
Liff Benvie 53 4.97x
Cambusnethan 50 9.18x
Salford 49 1.85x
West Derby 48 1.82x
Hamilton 47 6.87x
Preston 46 1.91x
Eastwood 45 12.44x
Heap 45 9.43x
New Kilpatrick 45 23.22x
Toxteth Park 45 1.48x
Warrington 44 4.13x
East Greenock 43 7.75x
Kilmarnock 43 6.37x
Dumbarton 42 14.81x
Birmingham 40 0.63x
New Monkland 38 5.24x
St Pancras London 38 0.62x
Port Glasgow 37 13.03x
Islington London 36 0.49x
Tynemouth 36 5.96x
Bothwell 35 5.27x
Linthorpe 35 7.81x
Dalry 33 12.36x
Sheffield 32 1.34x
Halifax 31 2.81x
Heworth 31 6.98x
Kirkdale 31 2.05x
Shettleston 31 14.12x
Birkenhead 29 2.17x
Blantyre 29 11.36x
Forfar 29 7.63x
Holy Trinity 29 1.61x
Old Kilpatrick 28 11.63x
Kensington London 27 0.64x
Rothesay 27 12.14x
Wigan 27 2.15x
Paisley High Church 26 5.56x
Swansea Town 26 2.40x
Widnes 26 4.01x
Barrow In Furness 25 2.04x
Barry 24 28.48x
Benfieldside 24 16.18x
Bootle Cum Linacre 24 3.36x
Kilbarchan 24 13.45x
Renfrew 24 12.37x
South Leith 24 2.10x
Whitehaven 24 6.90x
Kirkintilloch 23 8.31x
St Vigeans 23 6.07x
West Calder 23 11.49x
Darlington 22 2.53x
Stockton On Tees 22 2.02x
Westminster St James 22 2.82x
Cardross 21 8.59x
Castleton 21 2.34x
Newington 21 0.75x
Paisley Middle Church 21 6.14x
Stirling 21 5.96x
West Ham 21 0.64x
Gateshead 20 1.18x
Headingley Cum Burley 20 4.14x
Lanark 20 10.14x
Sunderland 20 5.02x
Whitworth 20 12.11x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 378
Elizabeth 117
Margaret 107
Ellen 93
Catherine 91
Ann 81
Sarah 77
Bridget 72
Jane 62
Annie 43
Alice 33
Eliza 28
Hannah 26
Agnes 23
Emma 23
Rose 23
Emily 18
Isabella 17
Kate 16
Maria 16
Julia 15
Martha 15
Amelia 13
Anne 13
Charlotte 11
Harriet 11
Susan 11
Florence 10
Esther 9
Louisa 9
Winifred 9
Edith 8
Eleanor 8
Elizth. 8
Frances 8
Lucy 8
Margret 8
Clara 7
Fanny 7
Grace 7
Helen 7
Caroline 6
Catharine 6
Margt. 6
Matilda 6
Rebecca 6
Susannah 6
Gertrude 5
Phoebe 5
Sophia 5

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 292
James 193
Thomas 155
William 127
Patrick 100
Michael 91
Edward 61
Robert 50
George 47
Charles 46
Henry 37
Joseph 35
Peter 35
Francis 30
Hugh 24
Richard 23
Daniel 22
Martin 22
Frank 19
Owen 19
Arthur 15
Wm. 15
Alexander 14
Walter 14
Frederick 13
Alfred 12
Andrew 12
Harry 11
Samuel 11
Thos. 11
Bernard 10
David 10
Matthew 8
Timothy 7
Edmund 6
Ernest 6
Anthony 5
Bartholomew 5
Benjamin 5
Edwin 5
Stephen 5
Albert 4
Bryan 4
Christopher 4
Denis 4
Jas. 4
Luke 4
Mark 4
Neil 4
Louis 3

FAQ

Boyle surname: questions and answers

How common was the Boyle surname in 1881?

In 1881, 7,780 people were recorded with the Boyle surname. That placed it at #546 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Boyle surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 18,469 in 2016. That gives Boyle a modern rank of #324.

What does the Boyle surname mean?

An Irish topographic surname derived from the Gaelic "baile," meaning "town," likely referring to someone from a town.

What does the Boyle map show?

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