© Boase.co.uk
It is said that the surname derives from the Hebrew male personal name, Boaz, which in the Old Testament was born by Ruth's wealthy kinsman who later became her husband. The name was used occasionally by Christians in Britain which seems to have given rise to the surname. The surname is first recorded in Cornwall in the 16th century. Three name bearers recorded in the Dictionary of National Biography between 1763 and 1897 all had banking connections with Penzance.
Another claim, often stated by my own grandfather, is that the name has Spanish origins as a result of the ‘invasion’ by Spanish sailors in 1595. I doubt that there is much truth in this theory as there were at least 2 Boase Brothers living in Paul parish at the time of the invasion.
In common with many names the spelling of our surname was very flexible until the mid 1800’s and the same family could variously spell their surname – Boase, Boas, Boaz or Boaze. During the 1800’s the spelling tended to stabilize with different branches of the family maintaining different spellings.
It is also thought that different families developed differing pronunciations of the name as some seem still to maintain the more biblical emphasis on the second syllable – Bo-aze, whilst many use the softer ‘s’ sound merging the whole name into one syllable.
There are a couple of surnames which are similar but which, as far as I have discovered, are not linked
Bose – an Indian surname.
Bowes – a similar pronunciation but with no connections, historically, to Cornwall.
The Boase clan has now spread worldwide. The process by which they have spread is varied but nearly always involved economic migration as families sort to find a better life.
The links on this page will give you some insight into where the families went and possibly the reasons for their moves. What is clear is that the population of England was by no means as static in the 1700’s and 1800’s as we tend to assume and many individuals, and indeed complete families, travelled across the oceans several times before finding somewhere they were happy to settle.
Some of them even came home to their native county.
Another claim, often stated by my own grandfather, is that the name has Spanish origins as a result of the ‘invasion’ by Spanish sailors in 1595. I doubt that there is much truth in this theory as there were at least 2 Boase Brothers living in Paul parish at the time of the invasion.
In common with many names the spelling of our surname was very flexible until the mid 1800’s and the same family could variously spell their surname – Boase, Boas, Boaz or Boaze. During the 1800’s the spelling tended to stabilize with different branches of the family maintaining different spellings.
It is also thought that different families developed differing pronunciations of the name as some seem still to maintain the more biblical emphasis on the second syllable – Bo-
There are a couple of surnames which are similar but which, as far as I have discovered, are not linked
Bose – an Indian surname.
Bowes – a similar pronunciation but with no connections, historically, to Cornwall.
The Boase clan has now spread worldwide. The process by which they have spread is varied but nearly always involved economic migration as families sort to find a better life.
The links on this page will give you some insight into where the families went and possibly the reasons for their moves. What is clear is that the population of England was by no means as static in the 1700’s and 1800’s as we tend to assume and many individuals, and indeed complete families, travelled across the oceans several times before finding somewhere they were happy to settle.
Some of them even came home to their native county.