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

Boyne, 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 Boyne surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Boyne in America

Boyne is the 27845th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Boyne surname appeared 862 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 Boyne.

We can also compare 2010 data for Boyne 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 Boyne

The surname Boyne has its origins in Ireland and is believed to have derived from the River Boyne, a major river that flows through the counties of Louth, Meath, and Westmeath. The name is thought to come from the Irish Gaelic word "bóinn," meaning "fertile cow" or "bright water."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Boyne can be found in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history. The entry for the year 1176 mentions a battle that took place near the River Boyne, suggesting that the name was already in use as a geographic reference at that time.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in the Chartularies of St. Mary's Abbey in Dublin, where references were made to individuals with the surname Boyne. This indicates that the name had become established as a hereditary surname by this period.

During the Norman invasion of Ireland in the 12th century, many Norman families adopted Irish surnames, including Boyne. It is possible that some of these families took the name in recognition of their lands or estates situated near the River Boyne.

One notable historical figure with the surname Boyne was Sir Richard Boyne, an Irish soldier and landowner who lived in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. He served as a commander in the Irish Wars and was granted lands in County Meath for his military service.

In the 17th century, another prominent individual was Michael Boyne, a Catholic clergyman who served as the Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland from 1624 to 1638. He played a significant role in the Catholic Church during a period of religious tensions in Ireland.

During the 18th century, a member of the Boyne family rose to prominence in the field of architecture. Richard Boyne (1720-1785) was an Irish architect best known for his work on the Royal Exchange in Dublin, which he designed in the neoclassical style.

In the 19th century, Arabella Boyne (1833-1904) was a notable Irish writer and philanthropist. She published several novels and works of non-fiction, including "A Memoir of the Rt. Hon. Robert Boyne" about her father, who served as a member of the British Parliament.

Another individual with the surname Boyne who achieved recognition was John Boyne (born 1971), an Irish novelist and author of several best-selling books, including "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas," which was adapted into a critically acclaimed film.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Boyne

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

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

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

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