Boyce Coat of Arms, Family Crest and Boyce Family History

Boyce Family History

The Boyce ancient family history was found in the irishsurnames.com archives. The original form of the name Boyce was 'del Bois', describing a residence by or near a wood, from the French 'bois'. Variants of this name include Boys, Boyse, Boice, Boys and Boyson. This name is of Anglo-Norman descent spreading to Ireland, Scotland and Wales in early times and is found in many mediaeval manuscripts in these countries. Examples of such are a Thomas del Boyz, Dorset, and a Ralph de Boys, Norfolk, who were both recorded in the 'Hundred Rolls', England, in the year 1273. A James de Boyis was Bailie of the Abbey of Arbroath, Scotland, in the year 1446. A Patrick Boyce is recorded as a treasurer of Brechin, Scotland, in the year 1493.

Names were recorded in these ancient documents to make it easier for their overlords to collect taxes and to keep records of the population at any given time. When the overlords acquired land by either force or gifts from their rulers, they created charters of ownership for themselves and their vassals. It was by the method of creating and updating these old reference books that they were able to maintain their authority and enforce laws.

In Ireland the name Boyce is used as an anglicized form of the Gaelic O'Buadhaigh sept name of County Donegal, that was more often changed to Bogue. The Boyce family crest (or coat of arms) came into existence many centuries ago. The process of creating these coats of arms began as early as the eleventh century although a form of Proto-Heraldry may have existed in some countries prior to this, including Ireland. The new more formalized art of Heraldry made it possible for families and even individual family members to have their very own family crest, coat of arms, including Boyce descendants.