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

Boyles, 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 Boyles surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Boyles in America

Boyles is the 3236th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Boyles surname appeared 11,156 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 4 people would have the surname Boyles.

We can also compare 2010 data for Boyles 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 Boyles

The surname Boyles is of Anglo-Norman origin and derives from the Old French words 'boile' or 'bouile', meaning a rounded container or bowl. It's believed that the name was originally an occupational surname for a bowl-maker or someone who made or sold bowls.

The earliest known records of the surname Boyles date back to the late 12th century in England. In the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire from 1195, there is a reference to a Hugo de Boiles, indicating the name's presence in the region during that time.

Over the centuries, the name has undergone various spelling variations, including Boyle, Boill, Boiles, and Boills. These variations can often be attributed to the scribes of the time who recorded names phonetically based on how they sounded.

In the renowned Domesday Book of 1086, which served as a comprehensive record of landowners and their holdings in England, there is no direct mention of the surname Boyles. However, this does not necessarily mean the name did not exist at the time, as many surnames were still in their formative stages.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Boyles can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, which mentions a John de Boyles. This record provides evidence of the surname's presence in the English county during the 13th century.

Some notable individuals with the surname Boyles throughout history include:

1. Robert Boyle (1627-1691), an influential Anglo-Irish natural philosopher, chemist, physicist, and inventor, regarded as one of the pioneers of modern experimental scientific method.

2. Roger Boyles, 1st Earl of Orrery (1621-1679), an Anglo-Irish military leader and statesman who played a significant role in the English Civil War and the Restoration of the monarchy.

3. John Boyles, 5th Earl of Cork and Orrery (1707-1762), an Irish nobleman, scientist, and author, known for his contributions to the study of astronomy and his literary works.

4. Mary Boyles (c. 1630-1678), an English botanist and illustrator, recognized for her significant contributions to the study and documentation of plants in the 17th century.

5. Andrew Boyle (1563-1644), an Anglo-Irish landowner and member of the Irish House of Commons, who played a role in the Plantation of Ulster in the early 17th century.

While the surname Boyles may have originated from a humble occupation, its history spans centuries and includes notable figures who have left their mark in various fields, from science and literature to politics and exploration.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Boyles

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

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

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Boyles, 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!