Boyé History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
France
Scotland
Ireland

The rugged western mountains of Scotland's coastline and the Hebrides islands were home to the ancestors of the Boyé family. Boyé 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 Boyé family

The surname Boyé was first found in Kintyre, where they held a family seat from very early times.

Early History of the Boyé family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Boyé research. Another 144 words (10 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Boyé History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Boyé 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. Boyé has been spelled Bowie, Bowey, Bowy, Bouwie, Bouwey, Bouwy, Bouwy, Bawie, Bawey and many more.

Early Notables of the Boyé family

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

Boyé Ranking

In France, the name Boyé is the 5,313^rd most popular surname with an estimated 1,000 - 1,500 people with that name. 1

Migration of the Boyé family to Ireland

Some of the Boyé 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.

Boyé 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 Boyé arrived in North America very early:

Boyé 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

Boyé 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

Boyé Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Hanas Kristensen Boye, who landed in Mississippi in 1905 2

Contemporary Notables of the name Boyé (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 Boyé 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