Boeyens is a family name of Dutch and Afrikaans origin. The surname is derived from the patronymic form of the personal name Boey, a diminutive or variant of names such as Boudewijn (the Dutch form of Baldwin) or Boude, meaning “bold” or “brave.” The suffix ‑ens indicates “son of,” thus Boeyens originally signified “son of Boey.”
The name is most commonly found in the Netherlands and in South Africa, where Dutch settlement in the 17th century gave rise to a substantial Afrikaans‑speaking population that retained many Dutch surnames. Contemporary bearers of the surname are present in a variety of professional fields, although no single individual has achieved universal notability that would dominate the public record.
The Boeyens surname is listed in genealogical and onomastic references that document Dutch patronymic naming practices and the diffusion of Dutch surnames to former colonies. No broader conceptual, geographic, or institutional meaning is associated with the term beyond its use as a personal surname.