Explore the Family Name Boas
The meaning of Boas
1. Jewish (Ashkenazic): from the Hebrew personal name Boas or Boaz, its original sense being ‘in him is strength’. In the Book of Ruth in the writings of the Hebrew Bible this is the name of Ruth’s rich kinsman, who later became her husband. 2. English (Cornwall): variant of Boyce pronounced as /bɔ:s/or /bɔ:z/, spelled Boase, Bose, and Boaz, also pronounced as /bo:s/, developing to /bu:s/ or /bu:z/ and spelled Boose. 3. English: variant of Bowes.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Boas in the United States?
Based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname "Boas" maintained a fairly consistent level of popularity between 2000 and 2010. The rank shifted slightly from 26,332 to 27,144, marking a decrease of 3.08%. However, the count of individuals with this surname increased by 2.29% in the same period, rising from 872 to 892. Additionally, the proportion of people named Boas per 100,000 decreased by 6.25%, moving from 0.32 to 0.30.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #26,332 | #27,144 | -3.08% |
| Count | 872 | 892 | 2.29% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.32 | 0.3 | -6.25% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Boas
Regarding ethnic identity, the Decennial U.S. Census data indicates some notable shifts for the surname "Boas". In 2000, those identifying as White made up 91.63% of the Boas population, dropping to 88.90% in 2010. Individuals identifying as Hispanic saw an increase from 3.56% to 5.83%. There was also a slight rise in those identifying as Black, increasing from 1.49% to 2.35%. Interestingly, there was a new emergence of individuals identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander during this decade, while the category of two or more races disappeared completely. The American Indian and Alaskan Native category remained unchanged, with no individuals identifying under this ethnicity in either census year.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 91.63% | 88.9% | -2.98% |
| Hispanic | 3.56% | 5.83% | 63.76% |
| Black | 1.49% | 2.35% | 57.72% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 1.91% | 0% |
| Two or More Races | 2.06% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |