Boye History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The rugged western mountains of Scotland's coastline and the Hebrides islands were home to the ancestors of the Boye family. Boye was originally a name for a person with fair hair. The surname Bowie is derived from the Gaelic word buidhe, which was used to describe a person with blonde hair. The surname Bowie is also derived from the Scottish Gaelic personal name Bowen, which refers to the son of Owen.
Early Origins of the Boye family
The surname Boye was first found in Kintyre, where they held a family seat from very early times.
Early History of the Boye family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Boye research. Another 144 words (10 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Boye History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Boye Spelling Variations
Spelling variations are a very common occurrence in records of early Scottish names. They result from the repeated and inaccurate translations that many names went through in the course of various English occupations of Scotland. Boye has been spelled Bowie, Bowey, Bowy, Bouwie, Bouwey, Bouwy, Bouwy, Bawie, Bawey and many more.
Early Notables of the Boye family
More information is included under the topic Early Boye Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Boye Ranking
In France, the name Boye is the 5,313rd most popular surname with an estimated 1,000 - 1,500 people with that name. 1
Migration of the Boye family to Ireland
Some of the Boye family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Boye migration to the United States +
The hardy Scots who made the crossing settled all along the east coast of North America and in the great west that was just then opening up. At the time of the American War of Independence, many United Empire Loyalists moved north from the American colonies to Canada. Scottish national heritage became better known in North America in the 20th century through highland games and other patriotic events. An examination of immigration records and passenger ship lists revealed that people bearing the name Boye arrived in North America very early:
Boye Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
- Robert Boye, who landed in New England in 1651-1652 2
- John Boye, who arrived in America in 1652 2
Boye Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
- Jaime Boye, who arrived in Puerto Rico in 1822 2
- Friedrich Boye, who arrived in New York, NY in 1850 2
Boye Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
- Hanas Kristensen Boye, who landed in Mississippi in 1905 2
Contemporary Notables of the name Boye (post 1700) +
- Brigadier-General Frederic William Boye (1891-1970), American Senior Instructor, Officers Reserve Corps, Washington D.C. Military District (1947-) 3
- L. C. Boyé, American politician, U.S. Consular Agent in Buen Ayre, 1884-98 4
- Charles Joseph Boyé, Baron d'Abaumont, French Brigadier General during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars from 1789 to 1815 5
- Jacques Boyé, French Brigadier General during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars from 1789 to 1815 6
- Torben Boye (b. 1966), Danish former professional footballer
- Mame Madior Boye (b. 1940), former Prime Minister of Senegal
- Jan Boye (b. 1962), Danish politician
- Anker Boye (b. 1950), Danish politician
- Karin Maria Boye (1900-1941), Swedish poet and novelist
The Boye 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: Coelestia seqor
Motto Translation: I follow heavenly things.
Citations +
- http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
- 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)
- Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2011, October 22) Frederic Boye. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Boye/Frederic_William/USA.html
- The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 16) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
- Generals Who Served in the French Army during the Period 1789-1815. (Retrieved 2015, February 11) Charles Boyé. Retrieved from http://www.napoleon-series.org/research/c_frenchgenerals.html
- Generals Who Served in the French Army during the Period 1789-1815. (Retrieved 2015, February 11) Jacques Boyé. Retrieved from http://www.napoleon-series.org/research/c_frenchgenerals.html