Show ContentsBoyle History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Boyle surname in Scotland is of Norman origin, thought to have derived from one of the place names such as Boyville, Boeville, and Beauville.

Early Origins of the Boyle family

The surname Boyle was first found in Ayrshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Inbhir Àir), formerly a county in the southwestern Strathclyde region of Scotland, that today makes up the Council Areas of South, East, and North Ayrshire, where the de Boyvilles are said to have settled in Kelburn by 1140. The first record found of the name in Scotland is of a David de Boivil witnessing a charter as early as 1164. 1

Early History of the Boyle family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Boyle research. Another 172 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1200, 1280, 1291, 1296, 1488, 1566, 1588, 1607, 1620, 1621, 1627, 1629, 1639, 1643, 1667, 1679, 1691, 1694, 1699, 1703, 1745, 1747, 1772 and 1853 are included under the topic Early Boyle History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Boyle Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Boyle, Boyles, de Boyville and others.

Early Notables of the Boyle family

Notable among the family at this time was

  • Richard Boyle, 1st Earl of Cork, (1566-1643), an English settler in Ireland
  • The Lady Alice Boyle, Countess of Barrymore, (1607-1667) was the eldest daughter and second child of Richard Boyle, 1st Earl of Cork
  • Charles Boyle, 3rd Viscount Dungarvan (c.1639-1694), a British peer and politician
  • David Boyle, Lord Boyle (1772-1853), Scottish judge and privy counselor of the United Kingdom
  • Roger Boyle, 1st Earl of Orrery (1621-1679), British soldier, statesman and dramatist

Boyle World Ranking

In the United States, the name Boyle is the 989th most popular surname with an estimated 29,844 people with that name. 2 However, in Canada, the name Boyle is ranked the 821st most popular surname with an estimated 6,535 people with that name. 3 And in Australia, the name Boyle is the 319th popular surname with an estimated 11,125 people with that name. 4 New Zealand ranks Boyle as 443rd with 1,535 people. 5 The United Kingdom ranks Boyle as 300th with 20,127 people. 6

Ireland Migration of the Boyle family to Ireland

Some of the Boyle family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 161 words (12 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Boyle migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Boyle Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Naamy Boyle, who arrived in Virginia in 1622 7
  • Christopher Boyle, who settled in Virginia in 1645
  • Ann Boyle, who landed in Virginia in 1657 7
  • Elizth Boyle, aged 21, who landed in New York in 1664 7
Boyle Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Alexander Boyle, who landed in Virginia in 1716 7
  • Benjamin Boyle who settled in New Hampshire in 1718
  • Margaret Boyle, who arrived in New England in 1718 7
  • Baltzer Boyle, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1761 7
  • Henry Boyle, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1765 7
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Boyle Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Irwin Boyle, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1803 7
  • James Boyle, who landed in America in 1805 7
  • Bernard Boyle, who landed in America in 1810 7
  • Catherine Boyle, who landed in Baltimore Maryland in 1811 7
  • Peter Boyle, who landed in America in 1811 7
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Canada Boyle migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Boyle Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • Mr. Robert Boyle U.E. who settled in Portland, New Brunswick c. 1783 8
Boyle Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • Elener Boyle, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1812
  • Michael Boyle, who arrived in Canada in 1812
  • Mich Boyle, who arrived in Canada in 1812
  • Anne Boyle, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1818
  • Charles Boyle, aged 4, who landed in Canada in 1823
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Australia Boyle migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Boyle Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. James Boyle, Irish convict who was convicted in Sligo, Ireland for 7 years, transported aboard the "Boyd" on 10th March 1809, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 9
  • Owen Boyle, English convict from Lancaster, who was transported aboard the "Almorah" on April 1817, settling in New South Wales, Australia 10
  • John Boyle, Scottish convict from Glasgow, who was transported aboard the "Asia" on September 3rd, 1820, settling in New South Wales, Australia 11
  • Mrs. Margaret Boyle, (Mary), (b. 1797), aged 26, English maid who was convicted in Lancaster, Lancashire, England for 14 years for uttering forged notes, transported aboard the "Brothers" on 20th November 1823, arriving in New South Wales, Australia and Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land), she died in 1857 12
  • Mr. Henry Boyle, (b. 1818), aged 5, English settler travelling with Margaret Boyle convict, transported aboard the "Brothers" on 20th November 1823, arriving in New South Wales, Australia and Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 12
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

New Zealand Boyle migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Boyle Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • H Boyle, who landed in Bay of Islands, New Zealand in 1836 aboard the ship Patriot
  • Mr. Thomas Boyle, (b. 1805), aged 36, Irish settler born in County Tipperary arriving as Detachment of the Royal New Zealand Fencibles travelling aboard the ship "Sir Robert Sale" from Gravesend via Cork arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 11th October 1847 13
  • Mr. Edward Boyle, (b. 1841), aged 6, Irish settler born in North Shileds travelling aboard the ship "Sir Robert Sale" from Gravesend via Cork arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 11th October 1847 13
  • Mrs. Ellen Boyle Née Fannan, (b. 1818), aged 29, Irish settler born in County Tipperary travelling aboard the ship "Sir Robert Sale" from Gravesend via Cork arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 11th October 1847 13
  • Mr. James Boyle, (b. 1839), aged 8, Irish settler born in County Tipperary travelling aboard the ship "Sir Robert Sale" from Gravesend via Cork arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 11th October 1847 13
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Boyle (post 1700) +

  • Raymond Cornelius "Ray" Boyle (1923-2022), also credited as Dirk London, an American actor, best known for role as Morgan Earp, the brother of Wyatt Earp in fifteen episodes of The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp, starring Hugh O'Brian
  • Michael David Boyle (1944-2021), American Democratic politician in Nebraska, Mayor of Omaha, and a member of the Douglas County Board of Commissioners
  • William Sebastian Boyle (1888-1949), American Democratic Party politician, Nevada Democratic State Chair, 1931 14
  • William F. Boyle, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for Presidential Elector for Ohio, 1972 14
  • William Marshall Boyle Jr. (1903-1961), American Democratic Party politician, Director, Kansas City Police, 1939; Chairman of Democratic National Committee, 1949-51 14
  • William F. Boyle, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Pennsylvania, 1960, 1964 14
  • William B. Boyle, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Pennsylvania, 1948 14
  • Walter Fabien Boyle (b. 1875), American politician, U.S. Consul in Ceiba, 1914-15; Puerto Cortes, 1915-17; San Luis Potosi, 1924; Auckland, 1926-32; U.S. Consul General in Guatemala City, 1938-41 14
  • Walter Durley Boyle, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from Illinois 18th District, 1950 14
  • Walter C. Boyle, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Wisconsin, 1940 14
  • ... (Another 125 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Halifax Explosion
HMS Royal Oak
  • William Boyle (1907-1939), British Leading Stoker with the Royal Navy aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he died in the sinking 16
RMS Lusitania
  • Mr. James Boyle, Canadian 3rd Class passenger from Canada, who sailed aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and survived the sinking 17
  • Miss Nicholas Boyle, English 3rd Class passenger residing in Chicago, Illinois, USA visiting Scotland, who sailed aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and died in the sinking 18


The Boyle Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Dominus provedebit
Motto Translation: God will provide


Suggested Readings for the name Boyle +

  • The Boyle-Bole-Boles Descendants of James Boyle of Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania by David Boles.

  1. Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
  2. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  3. "Surnames Meanings, Origins & Distribution Maps - Forebears." Forebears, https://forebears.io/surnames
  4. "Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
  5. "Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
  6. "UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
  7. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  8. Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
  9. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 27th October 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/Boyd
  10. State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Almorah voyage to New South Wales, Australia in 1817 with 180 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/almorah/1817
  11. State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Asia 1 voyage to Van Diemen's Land, Australia in 1820 with 192 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/asia/1820
  12. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 30th October 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/brothers
  13. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  14. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 2) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  15. Halifax Explosion Book of Remembrance | Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. (Retrieved 2014, June 23) . Retrieved from https://maritimemuseum.novascotia.ca/what-see-do/halifax-explosion/halifax-explosion-book-remembrance
  16. Ships hit by U-boats crew list HMS Royal Oak (08) - (Retrieved 2018 February, 9th) - retrieved from https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/crews/ship68.html
  17. Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 7) . Retrieved from http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania-passenger-list/
  18. Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 6) . Retrieved from http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania-passenger-list/


Houseofnames.com on Facebook