NameCensus.

UK surname

Booth

An occupational surname referring to a person who ran a market stall or a cowshed.

In the 1881 census there were 29,559 people recorded with the Booth surname, ranking it #106 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 34,826, ranked #149, down from #106 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Manchester, Bradford and Sheffield. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kirklees, Barnsley and High Peak.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Booth is 37,941 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 17.8%.

1881 census count

29,559

Ranked #106

Modern count

34,826

2016, ranked #149

Peak year

1911

37,941 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Booth had 29,559 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #106 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 34,826 in 2016, ranked #149.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 37,941 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Booth surname distribution map

The map shows where the Booth surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Booth surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Booth over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 19,879 #106
1861 historical 20,412 #105
1881 historical 29,559 #106
1891 historical 31,586 #106
1901 historical 36,111 #111
1911 historical 37,941 #98
1997 modern 34,911 #138
1998 modern 36,562 #136
1999 modern 36,846 #136
2000 modern 36,393 #140
2001 modern 35,608 #140
2002 modern 36,197 #142
2003 modern 35,298 #142
2004 modern 35,126 #143
2005 modern 34,511 #144
2006 modern 34,401 #144
2007 modern 34,613 #145
2008 modern 34,724 #145
2009 modern 35,457 #146
2010 modern 36,179 #146
2011 modern 35,728 #146
2012 modern 34,872 #146
2013 modern 35,510 #146
2014 modern 35,618 #147
2015 modern 35,183 #148
2016 modern 34,826 #149

Geography

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Where Booths are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Manchester, Bradford, Sheffield, London parishes and Bolton-le-Moors. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Kirklees, Barnsley and High Peak. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Manchester Lancashire
2 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding
4 London parishes London 2
5 Bolton-le-Moors Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Kirklees 059 Kirklees
2 Barnsley 005 Barnsley
3 Kirklees 053 Kirklees
4 Kirklees 057 Kirklees
5 High Peak 003 High Peak

Forenames

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First names often paired with Booth

These lists show first names that appear often with the Booth surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Booth

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Booth, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Booth surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Booth household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Booth is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Booth is most concentrated in decile 7 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Booth falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Booth is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Booth, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Booth

The surname Booth is an English habitational name derived from the Old English word "bothy," meaning a small dwelling or hut. It originated in the county of Lancashire in the northwest of England, where the name was first recorded.

The name Booth can be traced back to the 12th century, with early records showing variations such as Botha, Bothe, and Botte. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1166, where a person named Richard de Buth is mentioned.

The name Booth also appears in the famous Domesday Book of 1086, which was a survey commissioned by William the Conqueror to record land ownership in England. The Domesday Book lists several places with names derived from "bothy," indicating the presence of early Booth families in various parts of the country.

During the Middle Ages, the Booth family became prominent landowners in Lancashire, with several branches holding manors and estates in the region. One notable member was Sir George Booth (1622-1684), a Parliamentarian during the English Civil War who later became a Royalist supporter.

Another famous bearer of the name was John Wilkes Booth (1838-1865), the American actor and assassin who fatally shot President Abraham Lincoln in 1865. Despite his infamous act, the Booth family has a long and distinguished history in the United States, with many members achieving success in various fields.

Other notable individuals with the surname Booth include:

1. William Booth (1829-1912), the founder of the Salvation Army 2. Edwin Booth (1833-1893), a renowned American actor and brother of John Wilkes Booth 3. Cherie Booth (born 1954), a British barrister and wife of former Prime Minister Tony Blair 4. Wilbur Booth (1892-1983), an American baseball player and manager 5. Shirley Booth (1898-1992), an American actress known for her roles in film, television, and theater.

The surname Booth has a rich history, spanning centuries and continents, and has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, from landowners and actors to religious leaders and athletes.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Booth families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Booth surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Lancashire leads with 8,397 Booths recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.46x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 8,397 2.46x
Yorkshire 8,055 2.82x
Cheshire 2,641 4.15x
Derbyshire 1,634 3.62x
Staffordshire 1,408 1.45x
Middlesex 992 0.34x
Nottinghamshire 939 2.42x
Lincolnshire 676 1.47x
Surrey 595 0.42x
Durham 585 0.68x
Aberdeenshire 465 1.74x
Warwickshire 343 0.47x
Kent 325 0.33x
Sussex 243 0.50x
Leicestershire 188 0.59x
Essex 160 0.28x
Hampshire 152 0.26x
Shropshire 148 0.59x
Worcestershire 148 0.39x
Lanarkshire 120 0.13x
Gloucestershire 91 0.16x
Angus 79 0.30x
Westmorland 79 1.25x
Monmouthshire 76 0.36x
Norfolk 68 0.15x
Northamptonshire 65 0.24x
Suffolk 65 0.19x
Northumberland 63 0.15x
Midlothian 58 0.15x
Devon 53 0.09x
Cambridgeshire 48 0.26x
Berkshire 42 0.19x
Cumberland 39 0.16x
Oxfordshire 38 0.21x
Cornwall 34 0.10x
Hertfordshire 34 0.17x
Glamorgan 33 0.07x
Denbighshire 32 0.29x
Banffshire 31 0.52x
Buckinghamshire 27 0.16x
Herefordshire 27 0.23x
Dorset 23 0.12x
Bedfordshire 21 0.14x
Huntingdonshire 20 0.35x
Kincardineshire 18 0.51x
Wiltshire 17 0.07x
Kirkcudbrightshire 15 0.36x
Rutland 12 0.57x
Somerset 12 0.03x
Carmarthenshire 10 0.08x
Dumfriesshire 9 0.14x
Flintshire 9 0.12x
Stirlingshire 9 0.08x
Isle of Man 8 0.15x
Renfrewshire 8 0.04x
Wigtownshire 7 0.18x
Pembrokeshire 6 0.07x
Montgomeryshire 5 0.08x
Ayrshire 4 0.02x
Peeblesshire 4 0.30x
Royal Navy 4 0.12x
Caernarfonshire 3 0.03x
Fife 3 0.02x
Perthshire 3 0.02x
Selkirkshire 3 0.12x
Roxburghshire 2 0.04x
Berwickshire 1 0.03x
Brecknockshire 1 0.02x
Channel Islands 1 0.01x
Dunbartonshire 1 0.01x
Morayshire 1 0.02x
Radnorshire 1 0.04x
Ross-shire 1 0.01x
Sutherland 1 0.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Oldham in Lancashire leads with 478 Booths recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.33x.

Place Total Index
Oldham 478 4.33x
Manchester 455 2.96x
Ashton Under Lyne 412 5.51x
Leeds 395 2.45x
Sheffield 321 3.53x
Bury 283 7.25x
Hyde 268 14.28x
Salford 267 2.65x
Stoke Upon Trent 262 2.54x
Glossop Dale 249 11.79x
Great Bolton 243 5.37x
Nottingham St Mary 226 2.25x
Blackburn 220 2.42x
Ecclesall Bierlow 212 3.65x
Brightside Bierlow 208 3.71x
Tottington Lower End 195 12.00x
Huddersfield 181 4.35x
Little Bolton 181 4.12x
Halifax 180 4.29x
Idle 177 13.37x
Macclesfield 167 5.91x
Hulme 162 2.27x
Stockport 161 4.92x
Preston 154 1.68x
Wooldale 153 31.59x
Dukinfield 150 5.10x
Horton In Bradford 150 3.36x
Birmingham 148 0.61x
Manningham 147 4.18x
Bradford 141 2.04x
Nether Hallam 140 3.62x
Wolstanton 140 4.74x
Heap 139 7.66x
Chorlton On Medlock 137 2.52x
Middleton In Oldham 133 12.97x
Gorton 130 4.04x
Pendleton In Salford 129 3.17x
Belper 128 14.63x
Liverpool 128 0.62x
Broughton In Salford 127 4.06x
Castleton 127 3.72x
Tonge With Haulgh 127 19.08x
Holy Trinity 126 1.83x
Ardwick 125 4.05x
Hunslet 125 2.81x
Radcliffe 125 7.58x
Newton 123 4.67x
Batley 117 4.31x
Islington London 117 0.42x
Rastrick 116 14.63x
Burslem 115 4.13x
Saddleworth 110 4.99x
Farnworth 108 5.27x
Chadderton 105 6.28x
Fulstone 104 49.78x
Worsley 101 4.79x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 99 1.98x
Warrington 95 2.34x
Accrington 94 3.02x
Northowram 93 4.64x
Aberdeen Old Machar 92 1.65x
Bramley In Bramley 91 8.32x
Haworth 89 13.11x
Hipperholme Cum 89 7.09x
Camberwell 86 0.47x
Bishopwearmouth 84 1.14x
Bowling 84 2.97x
Toxteth Park 81 0.70x
Lambeth 80 0.32x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 79 2.97x
Denton 79 10.43x
Morley 79 5.32x
Haughton 78 15.64x
Barnsley 77 2.61x
Eckington 77 7.03x
Aston 76 0.38x
Dewsbury 75 2.56x
Hackney London 75 0.46x
Heanor 75 11.12x
Stayley 75 10.32x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Booth surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 2,138
Sarah 1,288
Elizabeth 1,139
Ann 666
Jane 536
Alice 512
Hannah 499
Ellen 455
Annie 450
Emma 441
Eliza 390
Martha 379
Margaret 293
Emily 256
Harriet 240
Ada 181
Maria 168
Clara 167
Florence 143
Fanny 138
Edith 128
Charlotte 124
Louisa 114
Lucy 112
Catherine 106
Esther 96
Anne 92
Kate 82
Caroline 81
Frances 78
Betsy 74
Betty 73
Harriett 73
Agnes 70
Amelia 70
Elizth. 65
Isabella 65
Susannah 65
Rebecca 64
Ruth 64
Nancy 63
Rachel 62
Gertrude 52
Rose 52
Lydia 48
Bertha 47
Matilda 47
Jessie 44
Eleanor 42
Sophia 42

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Booth surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
John 1,870
William 1,527
James 1,044
George 933
Thomas 924
Joseph 699
Henry 455
Charles 454
Samuel 343
Robert 307
Alfred 268
Arthur 268
Richard 223
Walter 208
Edward 206
Albert 194
Harry 185
Frederick 161
Herbert 142
Fred 131
Edwin 110
Benjamin 105
Frank 105
Wm. 99
Ernest 85
David 83
Isaac 80
Thos. 65
Peter 61
Tom 60
Abraham 56
Joe 54
Francis 51
Daniel 48
Geo. 46
Sam 45
Jonathan 44
Matthew 40
Ralph 32
Joshua 28
Edmund 27
Amos 26
Willie 26
Stephen 25
Allen 23
Enoch 23
Fredk. 23
Aaron 22
Eli 22
Jno. 22

FAQ

Booth surname: questions and answers

How common was the Booth surname in 1881?

In 1881, 29,559 people were recorded with the Booth surname. That placed it at #106 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Booth surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 34,826 in 2016. That gives Booth a modern rank of #149.

What does the Booth surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to a person who ran a market stall or a cowshed.

What does the Booth map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Booth bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.