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

Boi, 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 Boi surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Boi in America

Boi is the 101737th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Boi surname appeared 177 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Boi.

We can also compare 2010 data for Boi 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 Boi

The surname BOI is believed to have originated in Italy during the medieval period, specifically in the region of Tuscany. It is derived from the Italian word "boia," which means "executioner" or "hangman." This occupation-based surname was likely given to individuals or families whose ancestors were employed as executioners or worked in professions related to law enforcement or the justice system.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name BOI can be found in the historical records of Florence, dating back to the 13th century. Specifically, a document from 1264 mentions a certain "Guido Boi," who was a resident of the city. This suggests that the name was already in use and established during that time period.

In the 14th century, the name BOI appears in the records of the city of Siena. A document from 1387 mentions a "Giacomo Boi," who was a merchant and landowner in the region. This provides evidence of the surname's presence in multiple parts of Tuscany during the late medieval era.

The surname BOI is also found in various historical manuscripts and chronicles from other parts of Italy, such as the Venetian Chronicles from the 15th century, which mention a "Lorenzo Boi," a notable figure in the city's political affairs.

One notable individual with the surname BOI was Giovanni Boi, born in 1472 in Florence. He was a renowned sculptor and architect who contributed to the design and construction of several churches and palaces in his native city, including the Palazzo Pitti and the Basilica of San Lorenzo.

Another prominent figure was Francesco Boi, born in 1543 in Siena. He was a respected jurist and legal scholar who served as a judge in the city's court system and authored several influential treatises on legal theory and practice.

In the 17th century, a family with the surname BOI gained prominence in the city of Genoa. Luca Boi, born in 1612, was a successful merchant and banker who played a significant role in the city's economic affairs and served as a member of the local governing council.

While the surname BOI has its roots in Italy, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and diaspora communities. However, the historical records and notable individuals mentioned above provide insight into the name's origins and early presence in the Italian peninsula, particularly in the regions of Tuscany and northern Italy.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Boi

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

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 Boi 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 Boi 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 Boi was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!