History of your Surname
Get access to Boyle family records.Start a free trial

Boyle Family History

Boyle Name Meaning

Irish (Donegal): Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Baoighill ‘descendant of Baoigheall’ a personal name of uncertain meaning perhaps from baoth ‘rash’ + geall ‘pledge’. Scottish (of Norman origin): habitational name from Biéville near Caen Normandy formerly Boiavilla. The Boyle earls of Glasgow lords of Kelburne (Ayrshire) are descended from Adam son of Gilbert son of Richer de Boiville. In 12th-century England men named de Boiville held land in Millom and Saint Bees Cumberland and were associated with grants of land in Gloucestershire.

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


Similar surnames: Doyle, Boyce, Hoyle, Bogle, Bole, Boye, Boyne, Bolle, Boyke, Moyles

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Boyle family from?

You can see how Boyle families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Boyle family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Boyle families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 1,277 Boyle families living in Lancashire. This was about 34% of all the recorded Boyle's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Boyle families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Boyle surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Boyle ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Boyle. 17% of Boyle men worked as a General Labourer and 68% of Boyle women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Boyle were Incapacitated and Housewife. .

View Census Data for Boyle | 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

  • General Labourer
    17%
  • Builders Labourer
    6%
  • Bricklayer
    3%
  • Incapacitated
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    68%
  • Domestic Servant
    3%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Housewife
    2%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Boyle family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 394,000 census records available for the last name Boyle. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Boyle census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Boyle

Passenger Lists

There are 88,000 immigration records available for the last name Boyle. 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 Boyle immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 73,000 military records available for the last name Boyle. For the veterans among your Boyle ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Boyle military records

You've only scratched the surface of Boyle family history

Discover More

What is the average Boyle lifespan?

Between 1942 and 2004, in the United States, Boyle life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1942, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for Boyle in 1942 was 30, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Boyle

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Boyle family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Boyle last name

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