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Boyden History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Motto Citations

Boyden History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Of all the Anglo-Saxon names to come from Britain, Boyden is one of the most ancient. The name is a result of the original family having lived in the village of Bodden, Staffordshire, where traces of the family dating from before the Norman Conquest have been found.

Early Origins of the Boyden family

The surname Boyden was first found in Somerset where Richard de Boddene and John de Boddene were both recorded 1 Edward III, (during the first year of the reign of Edward III.) 1

"At a very early period, a family of Bodin, Beaudin, and Beadyn, or Beadon, for the name is thus variously written, enjoyed considerable property in Devon; but whether or not it derived from the Norman, whose name appears on the Roll, we have no means of ascertaining. From the Devonshire Beaudins, the Beadons, now of Gotton House, co. Somerset, claim descent." 2

Early History of the Boyden family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Boyden research. Another 193 words (14 lines of text) covering the years 1066, 1156, 1200, 1208, 1401, 1500, 1565 and 1797 are included under the topic Early Boyden History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Boyden Spelling Variations

The first dictionaries that appeared in the last few hundred years did much to standardize the English language. Before that time, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. The language was changing, incorporating pieces of other languages, and the spelling of names changed with it. Boyden has been spelled many different ways, including Boden, Boyden, Bodin, Bodinus, Boydinus, Boidin and many more.

Early Notables of the Boyden family

More information is included under the topic Early Boyden Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Boyden Ranking

In the United States, the name Boyden is the 11,591^st most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 3

Boyden migration to the United States +

Thousands of English families in this era began to emigrate the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. Although the passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe, those who made the voyage safely were rewarded with opportunities unavailable to them in their homeland. Research into passenger and immigration lists has revealed some of the very first Boydens to arrive in North America:

Boyden Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Thomas Boyden, aged 21, who arrived in New England in 1634 aboard the ship "Francis" 4
Ann Boyden, who arrived in Maryland in 1672 4
John Boyden, who arrived in Maryland in 1673 4
James Boyden, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1682 4

Boyden Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Mr. Boyden, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1851 4
J Boyden, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1851 4

Boyden migration to Australia +

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

Boyden Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. Joseph Boyden, English convict who was convicted in Essex, England for 14 years, transported aboard the "Clyde" on 20th August 1830, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 5

Boyden 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:

Boyden Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

William Boyden, aged 26, a farm labourer, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Zealandia" in 1879
Elizabeth A. Boyden, aged 26, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Zealandia" in 1879
John W. Boyden, aged 6, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Zealandia" in 1879
Zachariah Boyden, aged 4, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Zealandia" in 1879
Jane Boyden, aged 1, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Zealandia" in 1879

Contemporary Notables of the name Boyden (post 1700) +

Nathaniel Bostwick "Nate" Boyden (b. 1982), retired American soccer player
David Dodge Boyden (1910-1986), American musicologist and violinist
Uriah Atherton Boyden (1804-1879), American civil and mechanical engineer and inventor, best known for the development of the Boyden Turbine c. 1844
Edward "Ed" S. Boyden, American neuroscientist at MIT
Frank Learoyd Boyden (1879-1972), American headmaster of Deerfield Academy from 1902 to 1968
Amanda Boyden, American novelist
Ed Boyden, American neuroscientist at MIT
Nathaniel "Nate" Boyden (b. 1982), American soccer midfielder
Nathaniel Boyden (1796-1873), U.S. Congressman
Elbridge Boyden (1810-1898), prominent 19th century American architect
... (Another 17 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

The Boyden 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: Contra audentior
Motto Translation: Bodly against the enemy

Citations +

Dickinson, F.H., Kirby's Quest for Somerset of 16th of Edward the 3rd London: Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St, Martin's Lane, 1889. Print.
Burke, John Bernard, The Roll of Battle Abbey. London: Edward Churton, 26, Holles Street, 1848, Print.
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
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)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 19th February 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/clyde