The Boyd surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 153,469 people carried this name — #176 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 1,920 people counted. That is up 3% from 149,476 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Boyd surname

A Scottish and Irish surname from Scottish Gaelic.

From Scottish Gaelic, either buidhe (“blond, yellow, fair”), or a habitational surname from the Isle of Bute in Scotland.

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Boyd» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

In Ireland’s birth registers, 1890

Ireland registered 155 births for the Boyd name in 1890.

They were registered in all four provinces, most of all in Ulster. By the Registrar-General’s own method — births multiplied by 44.38 — that is about 6,900 people bearing the name in Ireland at the time. One of them was indexed under another spelling of the name. The Registrar-General’s note on the name: “Antrim, Down, and Londonderry.”

Where it concentrates, on the map

Where they were born, 1890

Ulster 141
Leinster 10
Connacht 3
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 48 people named Boyd 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 37
Chubut 11

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

In Switzerland’s population statistics

43 people named Boyd live in Switzerland.

They live in 5 of Switzerland’s 26 cantons, most of all in Vaud.

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

Where they live today

Vaud 15
Bern 8
Zurich 8
Geneva 6
Jura 6

Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO), «Surnames of the permanent resident population by canton», 2025, opendata.swiss/en/dataset/nachnamen-der-standigen-wohnbevolkerung-nach-kanton3 · names with fewer than 3 bearers in a canton are not published.

In France’s civil register

France’s register of deaths holds 27 people named Boyd.

Most of them — 22 — were born outside France. Those born in France came from 4 départements, most often French Guiana.

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

Where they were born

Born outside France 22
French Guiana 2
Eure-et-Loir 1
Paris 1
Guadeloupe 1

Fichier des personnes décédées, INSEE — Licence Ouverte 2.0 · deaths recorded in France since 1970, by place of birth.

In the Nordic population registers

84 people named Boyd are counted in Sweden and Finland.

Sweden’s figure is from 31 December 2022, the last count Statistics Sweden published. Finland counts its citizens, at home or abroad.

Counted, by country

Sweden (2022) 60
Finland (2026) 24

Own calculations based on data from Statistics Sweden (SCB), surnames with at least two bearers, 31 December 2022 — CC BY 4.0 (names with 20 or more bearers shown) · Digital and Population Data Services Agency (DVV), Finland, surname statistics, August 2026 — CC BY 4.0.

In Scotland, 1880s

Boyd was 25 in every 10,000 names in Scotland.

That is about 1 in 400. Its home there, in Guppy’s words: “South of the Forth and the Clyde.” He counted the more than 20,000 names in Halliburton’s County Directory of Scotland, taking Scotland as a whole, and listed only the names that reached 10 in every 10,000.

H. B. Guppy, «Homes of Family Names in Great Britain» (London, 1890), appendix: alphabetical list of the most frequent Scottish names, p. 587 — public domain · names in Halliburton’s County Directory of Scotland, per 10,000 for the whole country.

In Scotland’s registers today

Boyd was recorded 189 times in Scotland’s registers of births, marriages and deaths in 2025.

That made it the 106th most common name in those registers, shared with others on the same count. In 1975, the first year of the series, the count was 333. Each birth counts the child’s surname, each marriage both partners’ and each death the surname of the person who died — a yearly count of registrations, not of the people who live in Scotland.

National Records of Scotland, «Most Common Surnames, 2025» (published 26 May 2026): every surname recorded 10 or more times in the 2025 registers, and the series from 1975 · different spellings are counted separately — © Crown copyright 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

309 families named Boyd, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 1,807 people lived in those households, 5.8 to a family on average. The table counts it together with 3 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

Pennsylvania 102
North Carolina 41
South Carolina 39
New York 29
Maryland 29
Virginia 25
New Hampshire 14
Massachusetts 14
Maine 9
Rhode Island 3
Connecticut 3
Vermont 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

Boyd in American newspapers,
1906.

Newspaper page from The Salt Lake Herald carrying the name Boyd
The Salt Lake Herald 1906-11-04
Newspaper page from The Salt Lake Herald carrying the name Boyd
The Salt Lake Herald 1906-08-26
Newspaper page from The Salt Lake Herald carrying the name Boyd
The Salt Lake Herald 1906-08-05

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain.

In print

Boyd in Australian newspapers,
1820s–2010s.

199,977 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Boyd. The most, 35,313, date from the 1920s. 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 Victoria, at 1.4 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 73,702
Victoria 56,423
Queensland 36,499
Western Australia 11,572
Tasmania 10,620
South Australia 9,387
ACT (Canberra) 1,296
Northern Territory 176

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

Who carried it

People named Boyd,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Robert Boyd
    Robert Boyd 1578–1627 · writer
  • Hugh Boyd
    Hugh Boyd 1746–1794 · writer
  • John Parker Boyd
    John Parker Boyd 1764–1830 · soldier
  • Linn Boyd
    Linn Boyd 1800–1859 · politician
  • Benjamin Boyd
    Benjamin Boyd 1801–1851 · politician

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 196 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Boyd,
in the records of 7 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 States13,850 records

13,850 records of the Boyd name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 5,091
  • U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 2,480
  • Other U.S. records 6,279
  1. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record John Lee Boyd

    Born 1948; from Los Angeles, California. U.S. Army, infantryman; killed in action 1968 in Kien Tuong, South Vietnam. Buried at Los Angeles National Cemetery, California.

    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 Harry F. Boyd

    Born 1909 in Ohio. Enlisted 1943 at Columbus; athlete from Montgomery County. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1969, buried at Dayton National Cemetery, Ohio.

    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 Minna Boyd

    Arrived at New York in 1864 aboard the New York from Hamburg and Southampton, aged 24; servant. From Stuttgardt, Germany; bound for New York.

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

Showing 3 of 13,850 records for Boyd 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, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · 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) · City of Asheville (public domain, PDDL) · New York State, Open NY (police and firefighter memorial rolls). 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).

Australia5,344 records

5,344 records of the Boyd name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 2,740
  • Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 1,018
  • Other Australian records 1,586
  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 Sarah Boyd

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the John Calvin, sailing from London in 1848. Native of Antrim. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1856. Married 1856 in Hobart, Tasmania, aged 36.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. 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 Ellen Boyd

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Arab, sailing from London in 1835. Native of Manchester, Lancashire. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1843. Married 1843 in Launceston, Tasmania, aged 30.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  3. 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 Mary Boyd

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Asia, sailing from London in 1847. Native of Leyton, Essex. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1848. Married 1848 in Hobart, Tasmania, aged 28.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 5,344 records for Boyd in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · City of Ballarat, Avenue of Honour Plaques (CC BY 3.0 AU). 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).

Canada1,707 records

1,707 records of the Boyd name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 1,302
  • Canadian Virtual War Memorial 89
  • Other Canadian records 316
  1. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Reginald M. Boyd

    Killed in the Halifax Explosion of 1917, aged 42; buried at Mount Olivet Cemetery, Halifax.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Jas Boyd

    Came to Ontario in 1880 aboard the Moravian, landing at Halifax, bound for St. Marys, Ontario; English.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  3. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record James Boyd

    Buried in 1992 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 73.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.

Showing 3 of 1,707 records for Boyd in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · 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. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · City of Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls. · Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Contains information provided by the City of Waterloo under licence. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

United Kingdom205 records

205 records of the Boyd name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 83
  • Stirling Council burial records 73
  • Other British records 49
  1. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record Andrew Boyd

    Born 1887 at Innerleithen; employed by messrs. Served in the First World War. Named in the Morayshire roll of honour (1921).

    National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Flora Boyd

    Buried in 1918 at Ballengeich Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland, aged 89.

    Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  3. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record William Boyd

    Will proved in 1940; of Rhos On Sea, Denbigh.

    National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)

Showing 3 of 205 records for Boyd in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0); Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain).

New Zealand139 records

139 records of the Boyd name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 118
  • Marlborough District cemetery records 8
  • Other New Zealand records 13
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Henry Boyd

    Died 1871, aged 35; buried at Havelock Cemetery, Marlborough.

    Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Annie Louisa Boyd

    Died 1915, aged 26; buried at Lyttelton Public Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Alfred Reginald Boyd

    Died 2000, aged 78; buried at Mercury Bay Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato.

    Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 139 records for Boyd in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0) · Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Waimakariri 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).

Netherlands19 records

19 records of the Boyd name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 8
  • Dutch population registers 6
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 5
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record William Melville Boyd

    Married in 1945 in Apeldoorn; merchant.

    Open Archives, Gelders Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Hilda Johanna Boyd

    Died 1960 in Leeuwarden, aged 70.

    Open Archives, AlleFriezen (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 2 of 19 records for Boyd 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).

France7 records

7 records of the Boyd 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 William Angus Georges Boyd

    Born 1927 in Pointe-à-Pitre (Guadeloupe); died 1994 in Caux-et-Sauzens (Aude).

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

    Born 1900 in Paris; died 1997 in Usson-du-Poitou (Vienne).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 2 of 7 records for Boyd in France.

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).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Boyd.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Boyd 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.

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