Where were Boyles / O'Boyles in the 1850s?

By the mid-1800s the majority are still in Donegal but the name is found thinly spread across the northern half of Ireland, with particular clusters in Mayo, Antrim and south Armagh/Louth. By this stage, there has been an explosion in population numbers – to about four million by 1800 and possibly as many as nine million by the outbreak of the famine in 1846. From then on, the population starts to decline: mass emigration has taken off, and significant numbers emigrate to Scotland, England, the USA and Australia.

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The best estimate of the number and distribution of the surname in this period comes from the General Valuation of Rateable Property in Ireland (‘Griffiths’ Valuation’) conducted in the 1850’s.  It was not a census, as only the property holder was recorded, (and if more than one property was held, the holder was recorded for each).  Some 2,629 properties were occupied by Boyles or O’Boyles. (Note these were occupiers, not owners. Hardly any of these would have owned the land or property they occupied;). On this basis, it is estimated that there were about 13,800 (O’)Boyles in Ireland at this time, or about 21 per 10,000 people[1].

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It is also a northern name - nearly 90% of occurrences are in the Northern half of the country although every county has some.  The predominance of Donegal is clear, with nearly 35 property holders per 10,000 people, giving an estimated Boyle population of 4,658 (1.83%) in the county. The O’Boyle form of the name is rare, with just over 5% of property holders using it, concentrated in two areas, Mayo and Antrim, though some families restored the O’ later in the 19th century.

[1] Griffith’s Valuation lists 1,250,000 occupiers of property. The 1851 census recorded a total population of 6,552,115. On average, there were 5.24 people per property, though this is likely to vary for different parts of the country