This page needs Javascript enabled in order to work properly. Click here for instructions on how to enable it in your browser.
Surname Header Image
Get access to Boe family records.Start a 14-Day Free Trial

Boe Family History

Boe Surname Meaning

Norwegian (Bøe): topographic name from an early variant of Old Norse býr ‘farm’. In North America, this surname is also an altered form of the variant Bø (see Bo). Danish: from Bo, a derivative of the Nordic personal name Bui ‘settled farmer’ (Old Norse u is pronounced o) derived from bu ‘to live in a place’.

Swedish (Böe): of Norwegian origin (see 1 above). Dutch and North German: shortened form of Bode originally pronounced as two syllables. Scottish: from a much shortened Scots form of Bullock perhaps influenced by Gaelic bò ‘cow’.

English: variant of Bow. Irish: possibly from Ó Buadhaigh ‘descendant of the victorious one’ see Bogue and Bow.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: 

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Boe family from?

You can see how Boe families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Boe family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Boe families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 21 Boe families living in Durham. This was about 24% of all the recorded Boe's in United Kingdom. Durham had the highest population of Boe families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Boe surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
Mapbox
© Mapbox © OpenStreetMap Improve this map

What did your Boe ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Carpenter and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Boe. 100% of Boe men worked as a Carpenter and 100% of Boe women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Boe | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • Carpenter
    100%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    100%

What Boe family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 18,000 census records available for the last name Boe. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Boe census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Boe

Passenger Lists

There are 6,000 immigration records available for the last name Boe. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Boe immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 5,000 military records available for the last name Boe. For the veterans among your Boe ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Boe military records

You've only scratched the surface of Boe family history

Discover More

What is the average Boe lifespan?

Between 1944 and 2004, in the United States, Boe life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 1996. The average life expectancy for Boe in 1944 was 24, and 77 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Boe

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Boe ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Boe family tree

Explore Your Tree
Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial