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

Boice, 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 Boice surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Boice in America

Boice is the 10601st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Boice surname appeared 3,021 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 Boice.

We can also compare 2010 data for Boice 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 Boice

The surname Boice has its origins in France and is derived from the Old French word "bois," meaning "wood" or "forest." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near or worked in a forested area.

The earliest recorded instances of the name date back to the 12th century in various regions of France, such as Normandy and Burgundy. It was often spelled "Bois" or "Boys" in these early records.

In the 13th century, a notable individual named Jean du Bois was mentioned in the records of the Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés in Paris. This monastery was renowned for its extensive library and served as a center of learning during the Middle Ages.

As the name spread across Europe, different spellings emerged, including "Boyce" and "Boies." One of the earliest recorded examples of this variant can be found in the 14th century in England. A man named Richard Boyce was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1327.

During the 16th century, the surname Boice gained prominence in Scotland. In 1585, a man named Robert Boice was recorded as a merchant in the Burgh Records of Edinburgh. This suggests that the name had become established in Scottish society by that time.

Another notable individual with the surname Boice was John Boice, a member of the Virginia Company of London, which played a crucial role in the establishment of the Virginia colony in the early 17th century. His name appears in the company's records from 1619.

In the 18th century, a French immigrant named Jacques Boice settled in Pennsylvania, United States. He is recorded as having been born in 1725 and is considered one of the earliest bearers of the name in America.

As the name continued to spread and evolve, it took on various spellings, including "Boyes," "Boyse," and "Boise." One prominent individual with this spelling was James Burgh Boyes, a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars in the early 19th century.

The surname Boice has a rich history spanning several centuries and multiple countries, reflecting the movement and settlement patterns of its bearers throughout Europe and beyond.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Boice

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

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

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

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