Explore the Family Name Boylston
The meaning of Boylston
English: habitational name from Boylestone (Derbyshire). The placename is apparently from an Old English placename Bog-hyll ‘bow hill’, i.e. rounded hill, in the genitive case with -es, + tūn ‘farm, village’. This surname is now rare in Britain. History: Thomas Boylston came to Watertown, MA, in 1635. His grandson Zabdiel Boylston (c.1679–1766) introduced inoculation against smallpox to North America.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Boylston in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Boylston rose in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it ranked as the 59,916th most common surname, but by 2010, it had climbed to the 58,182nd spot, marking a 2.89% increase. The number of people bearing the surname also increased, from 315 in 2000 to 349 in 2010. However, the proportion per 100,000 people remained consistent at 0.12.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #59,916 | #58,182 | 2.89% |
| Count | 315 | 349 | 10.79% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.12 | 0.12 | 0% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Boylston
The ethnic identity associated with the Boylston surname has also seen some shifts between 2000 and 2010, according to data from the Decennial U.S. Census. In 2000, the majority of those with the Boylston surname identified as White (88.89%), a figure that slightly decreased to 85.96% in 2010. During this period, there was a notable increase in the percentage identifying as Hispanic, from 3.17% to 4.30%. Those identifying as Black remained relatively stable, moving from 6.35% to 6.30%. A new category appeared in 2010, with 2.29% identifying as being of two or more races. There was no data reported for Asian/Pacific Islander or American Indian and Alaskan Native groups during these years.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 88.89% | 85.96% | -3.3% |
| Black | 6.35% | 6.3% | -0.79% |
| Hispanic | 3.17% | 4.3% | 35.65% |
| Two or More Races | 0% | 2.29% | 0% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |