Explore the Family Name Bois
The meaning of Bois
1. French: topographic name for someone living or working in a wood, from (Old) French bois ‘wood’ (from Late Latin boscum ‘bush, shrub, undergrowth’, of ancient Germanic origin), or a habitational name from (Le) Bois, the name of several places in various parts of France. This surname is also found in Haiti. Compare Debois and the most frequent French form Dubois. Compare also Boie, Boies, and Boyce. 2. English: variant of Boyce and Boyes. Some characteristic forenames: French Alcide, Antoine, Donat, Marcel, Ovide, Ovila, Raoul, Serge.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Bois in the United States?
Based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Bois saw a minor increase in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, the surname was ranked as the 29,784th most popular surname, with approximately 745 individuals possessing it. By 2010, the rank increased slightly to 29,447, and the count of individuals named Bois reached around 802, marking an overall growth of about 7.65%. Despite this increase, the proportion per 100,000 people decreased by 3.57%, indicating that while more people were named Bois, the surname's relative popularity diminished.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #29,784 | #29,447 | 1.13% |
| Count | 745 | 802 | 7.65% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.28 | 0.27 | -3.57% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Bois
The ethnic identity associated with the surname Bois also underwent changes in the same period, according to the Decennial U.S. Census data. The majority of individuals with the last name Bois identified as White, with a decrease from 85.64% in 2000 to 81.67% in 2010. The percentage of those identifying as Black increased by 21.99%, reaching 13.59% in 2010. Individuals identifying as Hispanic also grew from 1.07% to 1.5%, witnessing a rise of 40.19%. Interestingly, 2.12% of individuals reported having two or more races in 2010, which wasn't recorded in 2000. However, no individuals identified as Asian/Pacific Islander or American Indian and Alaskan Native in either year.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 85.64% | 81.67% | -4.64% |
| Black | 11.14% | 13.59% | 21.99% |
| Two or More Races | 0% | 2.12% | 0% |
| Hispanic | 1.07% | 1.5% | 40.19% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 1.21% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |