Contents [hide]

Boland History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Citations

Boland History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
France
Ireland
Scotland

The ancestors of the Boland family came to Scotland with the Normans in the 11th century. The Boland surname is derived from someone who lived in one of the numerous locations named Borland or Boreland in the counties of Dumfriesshire, Galloway, Fife, and Perthshire. The name of these places is thought to mean home-farm. 1

"Bordlands were lands which the lords kept in their hands for the maintenance of their board or table. " 2

Early Origins of the Boland family

The surname Boland was first found in Somerset where Robert de la Burlionde was recorded in 1268. A few years later, William atte Borland was recorded in 1303, again in Somerset. 3 Burland is a location name in Yorkshire. 4

Back in Scotland where most families today call their homeland, "James Bordland [was a ] witness in Ayrshire, 1513. Allan Bordlandes was a weaver in Edinburgh in 1609. In the same record the name also appears as Borland, Bordland, Borelands." 1

Early History of the Boland family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Boland research. Another 117 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1625, 1652, 1661, 1684, 1774, 1792, 1796, 1798, 1799 and 1863 are included under the topic Early Boland History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Boland Spelling Variations

There has been great variation in spelling of Scottish names over the centuries. Spelling variations of the name Boland include Boland, Borland, Bolan, Bolland, Bollin, Boreland and many more.

Early Notables of the Boland family

Notable among the family at this time was James Borland (1774-1863), Scottish inspector-general of army hospitals, born at Ayr, N.B., in April 1774, and entered the army medical department as surgeons-mate in the 42nd Highlanders in 1792. Having been promoted on the staff next year, he made two campaigns under the Duke of York in Flanders, after which he proceeded to the West Indies as surgeon, 23rd royal Welsh fusiliers. He was then again transferred to the staff, and did duty...
Another 80 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Boland Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Boland Ranking

In the United States, the name Boland is the 4,207^th most popular surname with an estimated 7,461 people with that name. 5 However, in Newfoundland, Canada, the name Boland is ranked the 240^th most popular surname with an estimated 184 people with that name. 6

Boland migration to the United States +

Settlers of this name who made their way from Scotland to North America include:

Boland Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

John Boland, who arrived in Maryland in 1662 7

Boland Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

James Boland who arrived in New England in 1764
Pierre Boland, who landed in America in 1777 7
Enos Boland, who landed in America in 1782 7

Boland Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

John Boland, aged 27, who landed in New York in 1812 7
Fr Jos Boland, who arrived in America in 1814 7
Thomas Boland, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1835 7
Thomas Boland, aged 21, who arrived in New York in 1844 7
Aaltje Boland, who arrived in America in 1846 7
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Boland migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Boland Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

William Boland was a fisherman in St. John's, Newfoundland in 1776 8
Sarah Boland, who settled in Ochre Pit Cove, Newfoundland in 1780 8

Boland Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Jeremiah Boland, who arrived in Quebec, Canada, in 1825
Patrick Boland, aged 30, a labourer, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1834 aboard the ship "Britannia" from Sligo, Ireland
James Boland, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1835
John Boland settled at Northern Bay, Newfoundland in 1838 8
John Boland, who arrived in Quebec in 1840
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Boland migration to Australia +

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

Boland Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. Michael Boland, Irish convict who was convicted in Kings County, Ireland for life for being a Political prisoner, transported aboard the "Atlas" on 29th November 1801, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, he died in 1840 9
Mr. John Boland, (b. 1781), aged 49, Irish shepherd who was convicted in Sligo, Ireland for life for theft, transported aboard the "Edward" on 17th October 1830, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 10
Mr. Daniel Boland, (b. 1791), aged 40, Irish convict who was convicted in Cork, Ireland for 7 years for larceny, transported aboard the "Asia" on 29th September 1831, settling in New South Wales, Australia, he died on 1860 11
Mr. Patrick Boland, (b. 1788), aged 56, Irish labourer who was convicted in County Clare, Ireland for 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the "Cadet" on 9th April 1844, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land), listed as convicted previously and returned to Ireland prior 12
Francis Boland, aged 41, a labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1854 aboard the ship "Nugget" 13
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Boland 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:

Boland Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Miss Bridget Boland, (b. 1854), aged 19, Irish tailoress from Limerick travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Surat" going to Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand in 1873, the ship sunk at the Catlins River all the passengers were transported to Dunedin via various rescure vessels 14
James Boland, aged 60, a farm labourer, who arrived in Hawkes Bay aboard the ship "Clarence" in 1875
Jane Boland, aged 50, who arrived in Hawkes Bay aboard the ship "Clarence" in 1875
John Boland, aged 20, who arrived in Hawkes Bay aboard the ship "Clarence" in 1875
Maria Boland, aged 16, who arrived in Hawkes Bay aboard the ship "Clarence" in 1875
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Boland (post 1700) +

Veronica Grace Boland (1899-1982), American politician from Pennsylvania, U.S. Representative 1942–1943
Thomas Aloysius Boland (1896-1979), American Roman Catholic prelate, Archbishop of Newark 1952–1974
Ernest Bertrand Boland OP (1925-2023), American Roman Catholic bishop
John E. Boland (1937-2015), American politician and educator, Member of the Minnesota House of Representatives from 1971 until 1973
Raymond James Boland (1932-2014), Irish-born, American Roman Catholic prelate, Bishop of Birmingham in Alabama (1988-1993) and Kansas City-St Joseph (1993-2005)
Bernie Boland (1892-1973), American baseball player
Mary Boland (1880-1965), American stage and film actress
Rick Boland (1954-2024), Canadian actor
Harold Boland (1891-1956), Australian trade unionist
Francy Boland (1929-2005), Belgian jazz composer and pianist
... (Another 14 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Boland family +

Pan Am Flight 103 (Lockerbie)

Stephen John Boland (1968-1988), American Student from Nashua, New Hampshire, America, who flew aboard the Pan Am Flight 103 from Frankfurt to Detroit, known as the Lockerbie bombing in 1988 and died 15

SS Alcoa Puritan

R.B. Boland, American Fireman from Jacksonville, Florida, who was working aboard the SS Alcoa Puritan (1942) traveling from Port of Spain, Trinidad to Mobile, Alabama when it was torpedoed by U-boat U-507; he survived the sinking 16
C.P. Boland, American Oiler from Jacksonville, Florida, who was working aboard the SS Alcoa Puritan (1942) traveling from Port of Spain, Trinidad to Mobile, Alabama when it was torpedoed by U-boat U-507; he survived the sinking 16

SS Southern Cross

Mr. John Boland (1892-1914), Newfoundlander from St. John's who was aboard the "SS Southern Cross" when it is suspected she sank between the 31st March 1914 and early April during the storm with a heavy load of pelts; no survivors were ever found

Citations +

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)
Arthur, William , An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. London: 1857. Print
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Barber, Henry, British Family Names London: Elliot Stock, 62 Paternoster Row, 1894. Print.
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
The order of Common Surnames in 1955 in Newfoundland retrieved on 20th October 2021 (retrieved from Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland by E.R. Seary corrected edition ISBN 0-7735-1782-0)
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)
Seary E.R., Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland, Montreal: McGill's-Queen's Universtity Press 1998 ISBN 0-7735-1782-0
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 14th July 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/atlas
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 24th November 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/edward
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 12th January 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/asia/1831
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 17th November 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/cadet/
South Australian Register Tuesday 4th July 1854. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Nugget 1854. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/nugget1854.shtml
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
Pan Am Flight 103's victims: A list of those killed 25 years ago | syracuse.com. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2013/12/pan_am_flight_103s_victims_a_list_of_those_killed_25_years_ago.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Alcoa_Puritan_(1941) - (Retrieved 2018, February 8th)