NameCensus.

UK surname

Boynes

A surname derived from the Old French word "bois/boais", meaning woods or forest.

In the 1881 census there were 131 people recorded with the Boynes surname, ranking it #16,824 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 96, ranked #31,684, down from #16,824 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Plymouth St Andrew (incl. Eddystone Lighthouse in 1841), Darlington and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Darlington, Kirklees and Rannoch and Aberfeldy.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Boynes is 158 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 26.7%.

1881 census count

131

Ranked #16,824

Modern count

96

2016, ranked #31,684

Peak year

1901

158 bearers

Map years

5

1851 to 1911

Key insights

  • Boynes had 131 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,824 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 96 in 2016, ranked #31,684.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 158 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Boynes surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Boynes surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Boynes 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 114 #15,716
1861 historical 92 #22,112
1881 historical 131 #16,824
1891 historical 140 #19,193
1901 historical 158 #17,507
1911 historical 147 #18,104
1997 modern 97 #27,342
1998 modern 97 #28,054
1999 modern 103 #27,305
2000 modern 100 #27,695
2001 modern 95 #28,101
2002 modern 101 #27,766
2003 modern 97 #28,217
2004 modern 89 #29,623
2005 modern 89 #29,683
2006 modern 90 #29,893
2007 modern 94 #29,650
2008 modern 97 #29,527
2009 modern 97 #30,076
2010 modern 98 #30,540
2011 modern 102 #29,759
2012 modern 87 #32,180
2013 modern 93 #31,785
2014 modern 93 #32,025
2015 modern 95 #31,749
2016 modern 96 #31,684

Geography

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Where Boynes' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Plymouth St Andrew (incl. Eddystone Lighthouse in 1841), Darlington, Gateshead, Batley and Bedlington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Darlington, Kirklees, Rannoch and Aberfeldy and Middlesbrough. 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 Plymouth St Andrew (incl. Eddystone Lighthouse in 1841) Devon
2 Darlington Durham
3 Gateshead Durham
4 Batley Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Bedlington Northumberland

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Darlington 013 Darlington
2 Kirklees 006 Kirklees
3 Rannoch and Aberfeldy Perth and Kinross
4 Kirklees 004 Kirklees
5 Middlesbrough 018 Middlesbrough

Forenames

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First names often paired with Boynes

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Boynes

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Boynes, 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 Boynes surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Boynes 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Boynes 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

Boynes is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Boynes

The surname Boynes is believed to have originated from England, specifically in the county of Norfolk. It is thought to have derived from the Old English word 'bun,' which means a boundary or landmark, and the word 'ness,' meaning a headland or promontory. The earliest known spelling of the name was 'Bounesse' or 'Bounays,' as recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086, referring to a settlement in Norfolk.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Boynes can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1166, which mention a William de Bounes. In the 13th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as 'Bounes,' 'Bownays,' and 'Bouneys,' in various records throughout East Anglia and the surrounding areas.

The surname Boynes has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One such person was Sir John Boynes, a prominent landowner and Member of Parliament for Norfolk in the late 15th century. Another was Thomas Boynes, a scholar and clergyman who lived in the 16th century and served as the Rector of St. Mary's Church in Bury St. Edmunds.

In the 17th century, a family by the name of Boynes settled in the colony of Virginia, with William Boynes being one of the earliest recorded members of this branch. He was born in 1620 and arrived in Virginia in the 1640s, establishing a plantation in what is now Gloucester County.

Another notable figure was Sir Richard Boynes, born in 1675, who served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1718. He was a successful merchant and influential figure in the City of London during the early 18th century.

The Boynes surname has also been associated with several places in England, such as Boynes Farm in Norfolk and Boynes Hill in Essex, both of which likely derived their names from early settlers or landowners with the surname.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Boynes families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Boynes 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. Durham leads with 29 Boynes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.57x.

County Total Index
Durham 29 7.57x
Middlesex 23 1.79x
Devon 15 5.60x
Yorkshire 13 1.02x
Northumberland 11 5.74x
Suffolk 10 6.38x
Hampshire 9 3.41x
Aberdeenshire 6 5.03x
Surrey 6 0.96x
Lancashire 3 0.20x
Carmarthenshire 1 1.84x
Channel Islands 1 2.62x
Cornwall 1 0.69x
Dorset 1 1.18x
Kent 1 0.23x
Sussex 1 0.46x
Warwickshire 1 0.31x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Heworth in Durham leads with 18 Boynes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 238.41x.

Place Total Index
Heworth 18 238.41x
Bedlington 10 156.25x
St Luke London 10 48.43x
Lofthouse 8 421.05x
Buckfastleigh 6 483.87x
Darlington 6 40.57x
Mile End Old Town London 6 21.90x
Portsea 6 11.60x
Camberwell 5 6.08x
Ipswich St Mathew 5 113.90x
Woodbridge 5 250.00x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 4 17.93x
Brading 3 85.47x
Shildon 3 97.40x
Hampstead London 2 9.98x
Keighley 2 14.71x
Peterhead 2 31.70x
Plymouth Charles The 2 16.93x
Plymouth St Andrew 2 9.69x
Rainhill 2 204.08x
Stoke 2 183.49x
Birmingham 1 0.92x
Brightside Bierlow 1 4.00x
Devonport 1 32.47x
Dodbrooke 1 188.68x
Gillingham 1 11.04x
Hackney London 1 1.39x
Hastings St Mary 1 18.52x
Hunwick Helmington 1 108.70x
Jesmond 1 37.04x
Llandilo Fawr 1 41.32x
Madron Penzance 1 18.87x
Paddington London 1 2.11x
Poole St James 1 31.55x
St Andrew Holborn London 1 17.95x
St Helier 1 8.05x
St Pancras London 1 0.97x
Stockton On Tees 1 5.42x
Stoke Newington London 1 9.97x
Tormoham 1 8.82x
Wandsworth 1 8.07x
Wath On Dearne 1 39.22x
West Derby 1 2.24x
Yarm 1 153.85x

Top female names

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

FAQ

Boynes surname: questions and answers

How common was the Boynes surname in 1881?

In 1881, 131 people were recorded with the Boynes surname. That placed it at #16,824 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Boynes surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 96 in 2016. That gives Boynes a modern rank of #31,684.

What does the Boynes surname mean?

A surname derived from the Old French word "bois/boais", meaning woods or forest.

What does the Boynes map show?

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