Find out how popular the last name Boes is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Boes.

Boes, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Boes surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Boes in America

Boes is the 12236th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Boes surname appeared 2,543 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Boes.

We can also compare 2010 data for Boes to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Boes

The surname BOES traces its origins to the Netherlands, where it emerged during the late Middle Ages, around the 14th century. It is believed to have derived from the Dutch word "boe," which referred to a type of water meadow or marshy area. This suggests that the name may have originated as a locational or topographic surname, given to individuals who resided near or worked in such marshy regions.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Dutch historical records from the city of Leiden in the 15th century. The name was spelled as "Boes" and was associated with a family residing in the area. This spelling variation hints at the potential evolution of the name over time, reflecting regional dialects and linguistic changes.

In the 16th century, the BOES surname appeared in various municipal records and historical documents across the Netherlands. Notable individuals bearing this surname during this period include Pieter BOES, a merchant from Amsterdam who was active in the city's flourishing trade networks, and Jan BOES, a renowned painter from Delft who specialized in landscape and still-life paintings.

As the Dutch colonial expansion took place in the 17th and 18th centuries, the BOES surname spread to other parts of the world, including the Dutch colonies in the Americas and the East Indies. This diaspora contributed to the further dissemination and diversification of the name.

One prominent figure with the BOES surname was Cornelis BOES (1610-1675), a Dutch navigator and explorer who was part of the Dutch East India Company's expeditions to the East Indies. His voyages and contributions to cartography and navigation played a significant role in the Dutch colonial endeavors in the region.

Another notable individual was Johannes BOES (1720-1785), a Dutch philosopher and theologian who made important contributions to the Enlightenment movement in the Netherlands. His writings on ethics, religion, and social reform influenced intellectual circles during his time.

In the 19th century, the BOES surname continued to be well-represented in various fields. Willem BOES (1837-1904) was a respected Dutch lawyer and politician who served as a member of the Dutch parliament, advocating for legal reforms and social justice.

The surname BOES has also been associated with several place names in the Netherlands, such as Boeskool and Boesenburg, further reinforcing its connection to the region's geography and local traditions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Boes

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Boes.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Boes was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Boes has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Boes was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Boes, please contact us.

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