Boyce History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The surname Boyce is a topographic surname, which was given to a person who resided near a physical feature such as a hill, stream, church, or type of tree. Habitation names form the other broad category of surnames that were derived from place-names. They were derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads. Other local names are derived from the names of houses, manors, estates, regions, and entire counties. As a general rule, the greater the distance between an individual and their homeland, the larger the territory they were named after. For example, a person who only moved to another parish would be known by the name of their original village, while people who migrated to a different country were often known by the name of a region or country from which they came. The name Boyce is derived from the Old French word “bois,” which means “wood,” and indicates that the original bearer lived near a wooded area, such as a forest. [1]

Early Origins of the Boyce family

The surname Boyce was first found in various parts of Scotland including Hugo Delboys who witnessed a confirmation charter by Hugh, Bishop of St. Andrews c. 1185-1188 according to the Magni Rotuli Scaccarii Normanniae. A few years later, Richard del Bois witnessed a confirmation charter of fishery in Torduf between 1194 and 1211. [2]

About the same time, Walterus de Bosco witnessed a charter by Robert the Bruce c. 1190. Robert Boys was listed in Dumfriesshire c. 1259. Willelmus de Bosch or de Bosco, cancellarius domini regis, appears frequently as witness in the chartularies of Soltre, Glasgow, Kelso, Brechin, and Arnbroath between 1189-1222. Gaufridus de Bosco, Humphrey de Bosco, and Thomas de Bosco appear as charter witnesses between 1215-1245. Robert Boys is recorded in Dumfriesshire, c. 1259. [2]

The Scottish branch of this ancient Norman family likely moved north from England to their first place of landing and settlement after the Conquest, as many of the earliest records of the family in Scotland were almost 100 years later. By example, Robert de Bois held estates in Buckinghamshire in 1086. The De Bois-Herbert family were barons of Halberton, Devonc. 1050.[3]

“Sir Humphrey de Bois, of Dryfesdale, who was slain at Lochmaben in 1333, is supposed by Dalrymple to have been the ancestor of Hector Boece, the historian.” [4]

Early History of the Boyce family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Boyce research.

Boyce Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Boyce, Boyes, Boze, Bois, Boise, Boice, Boas, Bost, Bust, Boast, Boost and many more.

Early Notables of the Boyce family (pre 1700)

Notable among the family at this time was Hector Boece (sometimes spelt Boethius, or Boyce) (1465-1536), a Scottish philosopher and first Principal of King’s College in Aberdeen. John Boste or Boaste (1543?-1594), was and English Catholic priest, “born of a good family at Dufton, in Westmorland, in or about 1543, and educated at Oxford. He was imprisoned in the Tower, where he was ‘often most cruelly rack’d, insomuch that he was afterwards forced to go crooked upon a staff.’ When he had so far recovered as to be fit to travel, he was sent back to the north.

Boyce World Ranking

In the United States, the name Boyce is the 1,046^th most popular surname with an estimated 29,844 people with that name. [5] However, in Australia, the name Boyce is ranked the 895^thmost popular surname with an estimated 4,382 people with that name. [6] And in New Zealand, the name Boyce is the 498^th popular surname with an estimated 1,372 people with that name. [7] The United Kingdom ranks Boyce as 861^st with 7,890 people. [8]

 Migration of the Boyce family to Ireland

Some of the Boyce family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.

 Boyce migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were: 

Boyce Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

• Chyna Boyce, who landed in Virginia in 1617 [9]
• Allice Boyce, who landed in Virginia in 1622 [9]
• Hannah Boyce, who arrived in Virginia in 1635 [9]
• Mr. Christopher Boyce, (b. 1597), aged 38, British settler traveling aboard the ship “Constance” arriving in Virginia in 1635 [10]
• Chri Boyce, aged 38, who arrived in Virginia in 1635 [9]

Boyce Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

• Charles Boyce, who arrived in Virginia in 1711 [9]
• Geo Boyce, who landed in Virginia in 1716 [9]
• Ann Boyce, who arrived in Virginia in 1728 [9]
• James Boyce, who arrived in America in 1765 [9]
• Jannet Boyce, aged 16, who landed in New York in 1774 [9]

Boyce Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

• Robert Boyce, who arrived in New York in 1810 [9]
• John A Boyce, aged 24, who landed in New York in 1812 [9]
• Joseph Boyce, who arrived in Louisiana in 1813 [9]
• Anne Boyce, who landed in New York, NY in 1816 [9]
• Henry Boyce, aged 25, who landed in America in 1821 [