Explore the Family Name Boy
The meaning of Boy
1. English: from the Middle English personal name Boie, which may be from ancient Germanic Boio (see Boye 1 and 2) or an Old English Boia. The latter is common as a first element in English placenames, and is difficult to tell apart from the ordinary word boy, to which it may be related. 2. English: from Middle English boy ‘young man, servant’, also ‘knave’ or ‘rogue’. Compare Ladd. 3. Scottish and Irish: variant of Bowie. 4. German: variant of Boye. 5. Germanized form of Sorbian Boj: from a short form of a Slavic personal name containing the element boj ‘fight’, such as Bojsław. 6. French: variant of Bois. 7. Americanized form of Croatian and Slovenian Boj: probably from a short form of a Slavic personal name containing the element boj ‘fight’ (compare 5 above). 8. Burmese: apparently a variant of Bo 5. Some characteristic forenames: German Hans Peter, Heinz, Horst.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Boy in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname "Boy" had a slight shift in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it was ranked 25,006th popular surname, but by 2010, it moved to 25,902nd place, marking a decrease of 3.58 percent. However, the count of individuals with this surname increased from 932 to 949 people during the same period, indicating a growth of 1.82 percent. Despite this rise, the proportion per 100,000 people slightly decreased from 0.35 to 0.32, showing an 8.57 percent reduction.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #25,006 | #25,902 | -3.58% |
| Count | 932 | 949 | 1.82% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.35 | 0.32 | -8.57% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Boy
Looking at the ethnic identity associated with the surname "Boy", there were noticeable shifts between 2000 and 2010 according to the Decennial U.S. Census. The percentage of Asian/Pacific Islanders with this surname increased significantly, from 3.54 percent to 6.64 percent, marking an increase of 87.57 percent. Conversely, those identifying as having two or more races saw a sharp decrease, from 2.36 percent to 1.26 percent. The proportion of White individuals with this surname also dropped slightly, from 73.82 percent to 68.81 percent. Meanwhile, the Hispanic population using this surname grew from 7.94 percent to 12.01 percent, an increase of 51.26 percent. The Black population saw a minor decrease, from 6.22 percent to 6.01 percent. Lastly, the American Indian and Alaskan Native group experienced a 13.89 percent reduction, going from 6.12 percent to 5.27 percent.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 73.82% | 68.81% | -6.79% |
| Hispanic | 7.94% | 12.01% | 51.26% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 3.54% | 6.64% | 87.57% |
| Black | 6.22% | 6.01% | -3.38% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 6.12% | 5.27% | -13.89% |
| Two or More Races | 2.36% | 1.26% | -46.61% |