This surname is derived from a geographical locality. 'del Bois,' from residence by or in a wood; compare French Dubois, and English Wood and Attwood.

Thomas del Boyz, Dorset, 1273. Hundred Rolls.

Ralph del Boys, Norfolk, ibid.

Henry du Boys, 1313. Writs of Parliament.

Katerina Boyse, 1379: Poll Tax of Yorkshire.

Richard Bosse, Somerset, 1 Edward III: Kirby's Quest.

John de Boy, rector of Fincham, Norfolk, 1350: History of Norfolk.

Robert de Bosco, or Boys, rector of Fritton, Norfolk, 1300: History of Norfolk.

1590. Baptised — John, s. Thomas Boys: Canterbury Cathedral.

1504. John Bots, Kent: Register of the University of Oxford.

1760. Married — John Fendall and Satanna Boyce: St. George, Hanover Square.

From AF. del Bois, in or by the wood, Latinized in early charters de Bosco. compare French Dubois and English Attetoood. The s was preserved as a voiceless consonant, and the name rhymes with voice and choice, Hugo Delboys witnessed a confirmation charter by Hugh, bishop of St. Andrews, between 1185—88 (Scon, p. 32). Richard del Bois witnessed a confirmation charter of the fishery in Torduf between 1194—1211 (Holm Cultram, p. 35), and as Richard de Bosco witnessed resignation of lands in Weremundebi and Anant within the same period (Bain, I, 606). Walterus de Bosco witnessed a charter by Robert de Bruce c. 1190 (Annandale, I, p. 1). Willelmus de Bosch or de Bosco, cancellarius domini regis, appears frequently as witness in the chartularies of Soltre, Glasgow, Kelso, Brechin, and Arnbroath between 1189—1222. Gaufridus de Bosco, Humphrey de Bosco, and Thomas de Bosco appear as charter witnesses between 1215—45 (Bain, I, 1682; Neubotle, 27; BMP., p. 89; RD., p. 44). Robert Boys is recorded in Dumfriesshire, c. 1259 (Bain, I, 2176; APS., I, p. 88). Humfridus de Bosco, knight, witnessed a charter by Robert Bruce, earl of Carrick, p. 1271 (Annandale, I, p. 8). Thomas de Boys of Edinburghshire and Patrick fiz Johan de Boys of Lanarkshire rendered homage, 1296 (Bain, II, p. 201,213). Humphrey de Boyes, knight, of Dumfriesshire, also rendered homage, 1296. His seal bears the forepart of a monster, tongue protruded, emerging from waves, S' Hvmfridi de Bosco (ibid., p. 185,531). James de Bosco of Paris petitioned for a benefice in the gift of the abbot and convent of Holywood in the diocese of St. Andrews, 1345 (Pap. Pet., I, p. 95), and Thomas Boyis was tenant under the earl of Douglas in Garvald, 1376 (RHM., 1, p. lviii). John of Bowys, Scots prisoner of war in the Tower of London was liberated, 1413 (Bain, IV, 839), and James of Boys had a safe conduct into England, 1422 (ibid., 914). William of Boyis was witness in St. Andrews, 1435 (Laing, 115), and James de Boyis was bailie of the Abbey of Arnbroath, 1446 (RAA., II, 87). Patrick Boyce or Boyiss appears as treasurer of Brechin, 1493 and 1511 (REB., II, 138,164), and Alexander Bowis is recorded in Mains of Melgond, 1703 (St. Andrews CR.). There was an old family of this name in Panbride. Alexander Boys de Panbrid is in record, 1502 (RAA., II, 427), and Patrick Boys was portioner of Panbrid, 1527 (Panmure, II, 305). Hector Boece, the historian, was of this family. He and his brother Arthur Latinized their name as Boethius, Boetius, Boecius. In the fifteenth century in addition to the spellings already noted the name appears as Bois, Boist, Boiste, Bos, Bost, Boust, Bowes, Boyes, Boyess, Buste; in sixteenth century: Boas, Boeis, Boess, Boice, Boies, Boise, Boiss, Bouse, Bowayse, Boyse, Buse; in seventeenth century: Boes, Boos Boost, Bows, Boze, Bozse. These forms are found only in Fife or in parishes immediately adjoining, and the name is probably the source of Buist, which see.

(French) Dweller near or in, a wood.

This name is only too amply represented. Five distinct families claiming it as their patronymic are specified in The Norman People, viz.: “1. De Bois-Arnaud, hereditary stewards of the Counts of Breteuil, sires of Poilly. Their signatures appear in the charter of William Fitz Osborne to Lire Abbey, temp. William the Conqueror. They long flourished in Leicester and Northants.

“2. De Bois-Guillaume, of the bailifry of Caux, of William de Bois was seated in Essex, 1086. They long flourished in the Eastern Counties.

“3. De Bois-Herbert, Barons of Halberton, Devon. Hugo de Bosco occurs 1083 (Exon. Domesday). They long flourished in Dorset, and the barons of Halberton, Devon, were a branch.

“4. De Bois-Robert or Roard, of whom Robert de Bois and his brother held estates in Bucks, 1086. Sire Nicholas de Bois, of this family, lived in the fourteenth century.

“5. De Bois, descended from a companion of Bernard de Neumarche, to whom he granted a barony in Brecknock, 1086, named after him Trebois.”

This opens a wide field for investigation, on which I feel I must leave it to other enquirers to win their spurs. Yet even so the list is incomplete, for it omits “Rogerus de Boscnorman,” entered as a Northamptonshire baron in Domesday, and the great Kentish clan of Boys, of whom Hasted enumerates no less than ten branches seated at Fredville, Nonington, Betshanger, “At Betshanger a Gentleman, at Fredville a Squire, At Bonington a Noble Knight, at * * * a Lawyer.

“This old Kentish proverb relates to the worshipful family of the Bois’s, of which four several branches were flourishing at once at those seats here mentioned. Lawyer is to be pronounced Lyer, as is common now in some counties.”—Archæol. Cantiana. That liar is the word intended is quite clear, from the significant omission in the last line. Bonnington, Hoad, Barfriston, Denton, Tilmanstone, Sandwich, and St. Gregories. Their common ancestor was John de Bois, who died about thirty years after the Conquest; and they are mentioned by Phillpot in his Villare Paulinum, 1659, as having “been then settled for seventeen prior descents at Bonyngton.” In the sixteenth century Sir John Boys founded Jesus Hospital at Canterbury: and in 1644 “Colonel John Boys was Governor of Donnington Castle in Berkshire, and was knighted by King Charles for his gallant defence of the castle against the rebels, receiving an augmentation to his bearing of a Crown imperial Or on a canton Azure.”—Sir Bernard Burke. This very ancient East Kent family still survives in the main line.

The name likewise travelled into Scotland. Sir Humphrey de Bois, of Dryfesdale, who was slain at Lochmaben in 1333, is supposed by Dalrymple to have been the ancestor of Hector Boece, the historian.

The name of the Scottish historian Boethius, spelt Boece and Boyce, may be derived from the French bois-wood.

From Normandy, several families, viz.: —1. De Bois-Arnaud, hereditary stewards of the counts of Breteuil, sires of Poilly. Their signatures appear in the charter of William Fitz-Osborne to Lire Abbey, t. William I. They long flourished in Leicester and Northants. 2. De Bois-Guillaume, of the bailifry of Caux, of whom William de B. was seated in Essex, 1086. They long flourished in the Eastern Counties. 3. De Bois-Herbert, barons of Halberton, Devon; Roger Faitel, baron of B. Herbert, occurs 1050 (Ord. Vit. 466); Hugo de Bosco II. occurs, 1083, in England (Exon. Domesd.). They long flourished in Dorset, and the barons of Halberton, Devon, were a branch.

4. De Bois-Robert or Roard, of whom Robert de B. and his brother held estates in Bucks, 1086. Sire Nicholas de Bois of this family lived 14th century. 5. De Bois, descended from a companion of Bernard de Neumarché, to whom he granted a barony, Brecknock, 1088, named after him Trebois.

A Norman name: From the Domesday Book, de Bosch (Flemish), Busch, or Boscherville, local name

Bois: There were five families that bore the name. Boys is still found as a surname.

The name of Boyce was in the county two centuries ago. De Boys is a much older form of the name. In the reign of Edward III. Christina de Boys held two and a half hides of land in Thorndon (N.).