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

Buoy, 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 Buoy surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Buoy in America

Buoy is the 49268th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Buoy surname appeared 427 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 Buoy.

We can also compare 2010 data for Buoy 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 Buoy

The surname Buoy has its origins in the French language and can be traced back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to have derived from the Old French word "buie," which referred to a chain or tether used to secure ships or boats. This suggests that the name may have been associated with occupations related to maritime activities or coastal regions.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Buoy can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Northumberland from the late 12th century, where a person named Robert Buoy is mentioned. This indicates that the name was already in use in northern England during that time period.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as "Buge" and "Bugie," which were likely regional variations or dialectal spellings. The Hundred Rolls, a census-like survey conducted in England around 1274, lists several individuals with the surname, including Adam Buge from Oxfordshire and John Bugie from Buckinghamshire.

During the 14th century, the name Buoy began to spread across different parts of England. The Subsidy Rolls of 1327 record a William Buoy in Worcestershire, while the Poll Tax returns of 1379 mention a John Buoy in Yorkshire.

One notable figure bearing the surname Buoy was Sir John Buoy (c. 1410-1478), a knight and member of the gentry from Somerset. He served as a justice of the peace and was involved in local governance during the latter part of the Wars of the Roses.

In the 16th century, the name Buoy appears to have been particularly prevalent in the coastal regions of Cornwall and Devon. The Protestation Returns of 1641-1642, a record of those who took an oath of allegiance to the Crown, lists several Buoys, including Richard Buoy from St. Gennys in Cornwall and Thomas Buoy from Hartland in Devon.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the name Buoy continued to be found in various parts of England, with concentrations in the southwest and some instances in London. Notable individuals from this period include Edward Buoy (1642-1701), a merchant and member of the Worshipful Company of Girdlers in London, and Reverend Thomas Buoy (1705-1778), a clergyman from Cornwall.

As the name Buoy spread across the British Isles and beyond, it encountered various spelling variations, such as Buee, Beuoy, and Bewey, reflecting regional dialects and pronunciation differences. However, the original spelling of Buoy remained the most prevalent form throughout its history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Buoy

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

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

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

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