Excerpt from the book: Irish families, Great and Small by Michael C. O’Laughlin

Boale (Bowles, Boal, Bole, Boyle and Boles)

The family has traditionally been associated with the province of Ulster in Ireland and may stem from several different sources.  Some of the name may actually be more properly named Boyle or O'Boyle, and their name has been badly translated as Boale, Boal, Bole, etc.  Others of the name descend from English settlers of the name of
Bowle or Bole etc.

Those of the name spelled as Boal in the 19th century are found centered in Antrim and Down.  "Boale" was given as a principle name of Co. Antrim in the 17th century.  The spelling of Boles, had only 7 recorded scattered births in 1890.  The spelling of Bowles however, we find in Co. Cork in the 17th century "census".

Today, of course, these names have been used interchangeably, particularly so for those who settled abroad in the centuries past.