About Gray C. Boyce
Lived 1899 – 1981 (aged 82). Gray C. Boyce was an American historian, bibliographer, linguist, medievalist and university teacher.
Gray Cowan Boyce (February 19, 1899 – May 14, 1981) was an American medieval historian and historical bibliographer whose masterwork was his five volume Literature of Medieval History, 1930–1975: A Supplement to Louis John Paetow's "A Guide to the Study of Medieval History".
Early life Gray Cowan Boyce was born in San Francisco on 19 February 1899 and brought up in Alameda. He received his advanced education at the University of California at Berkeley, received a B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. in 1920, 1921, and 1925 respectively. He went on to further study at Harvard University (1922–23), the University of Grenoble (1925), and the University of Ghent (1925–26).
Career In 1926, Boyce joined the faculty at Princeton University. He remained there until 1946, apart from three years in the United States Naval Reserve during the Second World War. In 1946 he joined Northwestern University where he remained until his retirement in 1967.
After his retirement, Boyce moved back to Alameda where he lived with his sister Merle and was able to complete his masterwork, a five volume Literature of Medieval History, 1930–1975: A Supplement to Louis John Paetow's "A Guide to the Study of Medieval History" (1981). In later life he suffered from Parkinson's disease and glaucoma.
Death Boyce died on 14 May 1981. His papers are part of the Northwestern University Library Archival and Manuscript Collections.
Selected publications The University of Prague: Modern problems of the German university in Czechoslavakia, Robert Hale, 1937. (With William Harbutt Dawson) Literature of Medieval History, 1930–1975: A Supplement to Louis John Paetow's "A Guide to the Study of Medieval History", Kraus, Millwood, N.Y., 1981. (five volumes)
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Important facts
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Frequently asked questions
Who was Gray C. Boyce?
American historian (1899-1981)
When was Gray C. Boyce born?
Gray C. Boyce was born on 19 February 1899 in San Francisco.
When did Gray C. Boyce die?
Gray C. Boyce died on 14 May 1981.
What was Gray C. Boyce's occupation?
Gray C. Boyce was a historian, bibliographer, linguist, medievalist and university teacher.
What nationality was Gray C. Boyce?
Gray C. Boyce was American.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Gray C. Boyce. https://biography.guide/gray-c-boyce/
MLA: "Gray C. Boyce." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/gray-c-boyce/.
Chicago: "Gray C. Boyce." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/gray-c-boyce/.
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