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

Boise, 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 Boise surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Boise in America

Boise is the 29231st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Boise surname appeared 810 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 Boise.

We can also compare 2010 data for Boise 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 Boise

The surname Boise is believed to have originated in France, specifically in the region of Haute-Savoie, which borders Switzerland and Italy. This name is thought to be derived from the Old French word "boise," meaning "wooded" or "forested." It is likely that the name was initially given to someone who lived near a heavily wooded area or forest.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Boise can be found in the Cahiers de Doléances, which were written records of grievances and suggestions made by the French people during the Estates-General of 1789, just before the French Revolution. In these records, there are mentions of individuals with the surname Boise.

The name Boise is also believed to be connected to various place names in France, such as Boisset, Boissy, and Bois-d'Arcy. These place names often originated from the Old French word "bois," meaning "wood" or "forest," further reinforcing the link between the surname and its potential origins in forested areas.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals with the surname Boise. One example is Jean-Baptiste Boise (1733-1800), a French painter and engraver who was known for his landscapes and portraiture. Another is Louis Boise (1820-1895), a French politician who served as a deputy in the National Assembly during the Third Republic.

In the United States, one of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Boise was Francois Boise (1772-1849), a French-American fur trader and explorer who was active in the early 19th century. He is credited with helping to establish the city of Boise, Idaho, which was named after him.

Another prominent figure was Marie-Françoise Boise (1827-1912), a French-Canadian educator and religious sister who founded several schools and convents in Quebec. She played a significant role in promoting education and social welfare in the region.

Finally, there was William Boise (1836-1909), an American businessman and philanthropist who made his fortune in the lumber industry. He was instrumental in the development of Boise, Idaho, and donated land and funds for the establishment of various educational and cultural institutions in the city.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Boise

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

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

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

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