The Boles surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 14,946 people carried this name — #2,426 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 19,700 people counted. That is up 2% from 14,644 in 2000.

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In Ireland’s birth registers, 1890

Ireland registered 12 births for the Boles name in 1890.

Most were registered in Connacht. By the Registrar-General’s own method — births multiplied by 44.38 — that is about 500 people bearing the name in Ireland at the time. The count includes the spelling Bowles.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they were born, 1890

Connacht 6
Leinster 5
Munster 1

Registrar-General for Ireland, «Special Report on Surnames in Ireland» (R. E. Matheson, 1894), births index of 1890 — public domain.

In Argentina’s national register

At least 23 people named Boles live in Argentina.

RENAPER only publishes a name in a province when more than ten people there share it, so the real number is higher. Most of them live in Buenos Aires Province.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they live today

Buenos Aires Province 23

RENAPER (National Registry of Persons, Argentina), surnames of residents by province, December 2021 — CC BY 4.0.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

119 families named Boles, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 683 people lived in those households, 5.7 to a family on average. The table counts it together with 11 other spellings. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

Connecticut 29
Massachusetts 18
Pennsylvania 14
Virginia 14
North Carolina 12
New Hampshire 11
New York 7
Maryland 7
South Carolina 5
Maine 1
Rhode Island 1

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 230 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Boles in American newspapers,
1906.

Newspaper page from The Brandon News carrying the name Boles
The Brandon News 1906-03-22
Newspaper page from The Port Gibson Reveille carrying the name Boles
The Port Gibson Reveille 1906-03-22
Newspaper page from Greene County Herald carrying the name Boles
Greene County Herald 1906-03-23

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 512,577 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Boles in Australian newspapers,
1850s–1980s.

6,883 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Boles. The most, 1,448, date from the 1890s. New South Wales has the most articles, but weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, the name stands out most in Queensland, at 2.3 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 3,115
Queensland 3,045
Victoria 365
Tasmania 127
South Australia 94
Western Australia 90
ACT (Canberra) 7
Northern Territory 1

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Boles.

Who carried it

People named Boles,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Thomas Boles
    Thomas Boles 1837–1905 · judge
  • Jason Boles
    Jason Boles 1851– · politician
  • Margaret Boles 1719–1780
  • Joseph Boles 1779–1849
  • Mary Boles 1811–1863
  • William Boles 1844–1880 · architect

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Boles,
in the records of 9 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States1,068 records

1,068 records of the Boles name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 542
  • U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 218
  • Other U.S. records 308
  1. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Robert Madison Boles

    Born 1942; from Columbus, Georgia. U.S. Army, infantryman; killed in action 1970 in Thua Thien, South Vietnam. Buried at Fort Benning Post Cemetery, Georgia.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Robert B. Boles

    Born 1904 in Texas. Enlisted 1942 at Los Angeles, California; driver. U.S. Army Air Forces veteran of World War II; died 1972, buried at Los Angeles National Cemetery, California.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Pasquale Boles

    Arrived at New York in 1904 aboard the Aurania from Fiume, Naples and Palermo, aged 24; farmer. From Marsi-Dalbe, Laquila, Italy.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 1,068 records for Boles in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia92 records

92 records of the Boles name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 33
  • Queensland State Archives indexes 20
  • Other Australian records 39
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record William Boles

    Transported to New South Wales aboard the Morley, arriving 1828; ticket of leave 1832. Native of Roscommon.

    Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Alexr Boles

    Arrived in Victoria in 1861 aboard the Kent, aged 20; Irish.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Charles Boles

    Gentleman of Mansfield, Victoria; died 1918.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 92 records for Boles in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain).

Netherlands92 records

92 records of the Boles name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 33
  • Dutch population registers 30
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 29
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Adriana Maria Boles

    Born 1877 in Rotterdam. Married in 1922 in 's-Gravenhage; "handwerkonderwijzeres".

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Rotterdam (CC BY 4.0); Open Archives, Haags Gemeentearchief (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Johannes Christiaan Boles

    Born 1848 in Rotterdam. Married in 1867 in Rotterdam. Died 1922 in Rotterdam, aged 73.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Rotterdam (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Christina Helena Maria Boles

    Born 1873 in Rotterdam. Died 1945 in Voorburg, aged 71.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Rotterdam (CC BY 4.0); Open Archives, Haags Gemeentearchief (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 92 records for Boles in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

Canada52 records

52 records of the Boles name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 23
  • City of Winnipeg cemetery records 13
  • Other Canadian records 16
  1. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Harry Boles

    Died 1937; buried at Brookside Cemetery, Winnipeg, Manitoba.

    City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg.
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Jane Boles

    Died 1865 in Manchester, Guysborough, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  3. A Canadian First World War grave register card for a soldier who died of wounds in 1917
    Example: Canadian war grave register, 1917
    War record Elmer Boles

    Died in service in 1917.

    Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada.

Showing 3 of 52 records for Boles in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · Contains information provided by the City of Waterloo under licence · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Canadian First World War circumstances-of-death register (scan by Scottgraham87 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0).

Germany7 records

7 records of the Boles name in Germany Germany's First World War casualty lists, 1914–1919
  1. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Otto Boles

    From Ihmert. Reported taken prisoner in the Prussian casualty list of 15 November 1917.

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)
  2. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Gerhard Boles

    From Strohn, Daun. Reported wounded in the Prussian casualty list of 20 December 1916.

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)

Showing 2 of 7 records for Boles in Germany.

Counts: Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Deutsche Verlustlisten, Prussian list 1116, 18 April 1918 (scan via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0).

France3 records

3 records of the Boles name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Guy Eugene Francois Boles

    Born 1932 in Lyon (Rhône); died 1996 in Saint-Martin-d'Hères (Isère).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Yolande Rose Boles

    Born 1914 in Nice (Alpes-Maritimes); died 1996 in Saint-André-le-Coq (Puy-de-Dôme).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  3. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record James Mitchell Boles

    Born 1905 in the United States; died 2001 in Chécy (Loiret).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

New Zealand2 records

2 records of the Boles name in New Zealand Thames-Coromandel District cemetery records
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Annie Heaslop Boles

    Buried in 1920 at Tararu Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato, aged 67.

    Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record John Boles

    Buried in 1922 at Tararu Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato, aged 78.

    Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0)

Counts: Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

United Kingdom2 records

2 records of the Boles name in the United Kingdom Stirling Council burial records
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Margaret Boles

    Buried in 1969 at Callander Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland, aged 95.

    Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Showing 1 of 2 records for Boles in the United Kingdom.

Counts: Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

Ireland1 record

1 record of the Boles name in Ireland County Galway graveyard records
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Mary Boles

    Died 1900; buried at Clontuskert - St Matthews (CoI), Co. Galway.

    Galway County Council (CC BY 4.0)

Counts: Galway County Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

Other spellings of this name

The same name, spelled another way.

Spellings that H. B. Guppy (England and Wales, 1890) or the Registrar-General for Ireland (births index of 1890) counted as one name together with Boles.

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Boles.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Boles is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

See the Boles volume
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