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

Boyle, 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 Boyle surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Boyle in America

Boyle is the 866th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Boyle surname appeared 39,921 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 14 people would have the surname Boyle.

We can also compare 2010 data for Boyle 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 Boyle

The surname Boyle is of Norman-Irish origin and has been prominent in Ireland since the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old French word "boisle", meaning a small wood or thicket, likely referring to a place of residence or landholding.

The name first emerged in County Cork, where the family held extensive territories and lands around the town of Youghal. They were among the most powerful Norman families to settle in Ireland after the Norman invasion of 1169.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is found in the Pipe Roll of Cloyne, a medieval tax record dating back to 1260, where a Richard de Boyle is mentioned. The name also appears in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history, suggesting its widespread use in the region.

The Boyle family played a significant role in Irish history, with several notable members. Richard Boyle, 1st Earl of Cork (1566-1643), was a prominent statesman and landowner who amassed vast estates and became one of the wealthiest men in Ireland. His son, Roger Boyle, 1st Earl of Orrery (1621-1679), was a noted soldier and writer.

Another renowned figure was Robert Boyle (1627-1691), a renowned philosopher, chemist, and physicist, often considered the first modern chemist. He is best known for Boyle's Law, which describes the inversely proportional relationship between the pressure and volume of a gas.

In the 18th century, John Boyle, 5th Earl of Cork and Orrery (1707-1762), was a prominent writer and literary patron, known for his translations of classical works and his support of writers like Samuel Johnson.

The name has also been associated with various place names in Ireland, such as Boyleside, a village in County Armagh, and Boylesgrove, a townland in County Cork, reflecting the family's historical presence and influence in these regions.

Throughout its history, the Boyle surname has been subject to various spellings, including Boile, Boylle, and Boil, reflecting the linguistic variations and orthographic conventions of different eras.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Boyle

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

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

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

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