NameCensus.

UK surname

Boothe

An occupational surname referring to a maker or seller of boots or a nickname for someone who wore boots.

In the 1881 census there were 132 people recorded with the Boothe surname, ranking it #16,744 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 455, ranked #10,716, up from #16,744 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Dawley, Magna, Glossop and Barwell. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Croydon, Lambeth and Doncaster.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Boothe is 513 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 244.7%.

1881 census count

132

Ranked #16,744

Modern count

455

2016, ranked #10,716

Peak year

2010

513 bearers

Map years

7

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Boothe had 132 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,744 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 455 in 2016, ranked #10,716.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 204 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Boothe surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Boothe surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Boothe 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 195 #10,620
1861 historical 204 #11,814
1881 historical 132 #16,744
1891 historical 110 #22,557
1901 historical 87 #24,386
1911 historical 35 #29,478
1997 modern 342 #12,379
1998 modern 348 #12,585
1999 modern 374 #12,026
2000 modern 389 #11,645
2001 modern 380 #11,660
2002 modern 402 #11,405
2003 modern 402 #11,228
2004 modern 412 #11,029
2005 modern 413 #10,918
2006 modern 428 #10,659
2007 modern 447 #10,388
2008 modern 451 #10,394
2009 modern 484 #10,101
2010 modern 513 #9,853
2011 modern 495 #10,026
2012 modern 457 #10,548
2013 modern 456 #10,722
2014 modern 459 #10,731
2015 modern 456 #10,715
2016 modern 455 #10,716

Geography

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Where Boothes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Dawley, Magna, Glossop, Barwell, Manchester and Stirchley. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Croydon, Lambeth, Doncaster and East Lindsey. 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 Dawley, Magna Shropshire
2 Glossop Derbyshire
3 Barwell Leicestershire
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Stirchley Shropshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Croydon 004 Croydon
2 Lambeth 013 Lambeth
3 Doncaster 002 Doncaster
4 East Lindsey 005 East Lindsey
5 Croydon 006 Croydon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Boothe

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Boothe

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Boothe, 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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations

Nationally, the Boothe surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Boothe household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group is often found in less central parts of London and other major towns and cities. Adults are more likely than the Supergroup average to have never been married and are typically aged less than 45 years. Many have young dependent children and individuals may have been born in Africa. There are many members identifying with a Black ethnic group, with the other ethnic groups (as listed in the glossary) also represented, though Chinese less so. Accommodation in flats, frequently socially rented, is common in these neighbourhoods. Part time employment is also common, and work is often in elementary occupations, while unemployment is also the highest within this Supergroup.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Boothe is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Boothe is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

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

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Boothe falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Boothe is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Boothe

The surname Boothe has its origins in England and is an occupational name for someone who worked in a small hut or booth, such as a tradesman or merchant. It is derived from the Old English word "buth," meaning a temporary shelter or dwelling.

The earliest recorded instance of the surname Boothe can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Bude" in Yorkshire. This indicates that the name was in use by the late 11th century, likely among those involved in trade or markets.

During the medieval period, the name was commonly spelled as "Bothe" or "Bothey," reflecting the changing pronunciation over time. The modern spelling of "Boothe" became more standardized in the 16th and 17th centuries.

One notable early bearer of the name was Sir Robert Boothe, a 14th-century English soldier and landowner from Cheshire, born around 1330. He served as a knight under Edward III during the Hundred Years' War and was present at the famous Battle of Crécy in 1346.

Another prominent figure was Humphrey Boothe, a 15th-century English merchant and philanthropist from Nottinghamshire, born around 1420. He made his fortune through trade and donated generously to various charitable causes, including the founding of a grammar school in his hometown.

In the 16th century, the name was associated with the Boothe family of Cheshire, who held significant landholdings and political influence in the region. Sir George Boothe, born around 1520, was a member of this family and served as a Member of Parliament during the reign of Elizabeth I.

The surname Boothe also had connections to the early settlement of America. One notable figure was Richard Boothe, born in England around 1610, who emigrated to Virginia in the 1630s and became a successful plantation owner and merchant.

In the 18th century, John Boothe, born in Yorkshire around 1720, was a prominent English architect and surveyor known for his work on various public buildings and estates in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire.

These are just a few examples of notable individuals throughout history who bore the surname Boothe, which has its roots in the occupational trades and commerce of medieval England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Boothe families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Boothe 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 24 Boothes recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.56x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 24 1.56x
Yorkshire 23 1.79x
Leicestershire 17 11.82x
Shropshire 15 13.38x
Middlesex 13 1.00x
Surrey 12 1.90x
Warwickshire 6 1.83x
Cheshire 3 1.05x
Midlothian 3 1.73x
Lincolnshire 2 0.96x
Somerset 2 0.96x
Denbighshire 1 2.04x
Derbyshire 1 0.49x
Hampshire 1 0.38x
Herefordshire 1 1.88x
Inverness-shire 1 2.58x
Kent 1 0.23x
Lanarkshire 1 0.24x
Norfolk 1 0.50x
Northumberland 1 0.52x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.57x
Perthshire 1 1.72x
Royal Navy 1 6.47x
Sussex 1 0.46x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Barwell in Leicestershire leads with 15 Boothes recorded in 1881 and an index of 1973.68x.

Place Total Index
Barwell 15 1973.68x
Dawley 10 245.10x
Fazakerley 8 3333.33x
Lambeth 7 6.19x
Dodworth 5 373.13x
Edgmond 5 406.50x
Bow London 4 24.21x
Camberwell 4 4.83x
Barnsley 3 22.62x
Bradford 3 9.64x
Chorlton Cum Hardy 3 294.12x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 3 4.29x
Sculcoates 3 14.72x
St Pancras London 3 2.87x
Widnes 3 27.03x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 2 16.69x
Birmingham 2 1.83x
Clevedon 2 92.17x
Coventry Holy Trinity 2 20.47x
Edgbaston 2 19.72x
Heeley 2 51.15x
Kensington London 2 2.77x
Molescroft 2 2500.00x
North Meols 2 13.27x
Seals 2 392.16x
Tonge 2 61.92x
Tranmere 2 18.99x
West Derby 2 4.44x
Barrow In Furness 1 4.78x
Bromyard 1 142.86x
Chislehurst 1 42.19x
Clerkenwell London 1 3.27x
Deeping St James 1 136.99x
Dores 1 192.31x
Dunham Massey 1 113.64x
Ecclesfield 1 10.60x
Everton 1 2.04x
Halifax 1 5.30x
Hartington Nether 1 588.24x
Hellingly 1 136.99x
Minting 1 625.00x
Nottingham St Mary 1 2.21x
Old Alresford 1 454.55x
Old Monkland 1 6.01x
Perth East Church 1 18.21x
Riding 1 1111.11x
Royal Navy 1 7.56x
Rusholme 1 24.33x
Shipdham 1 147.06x
Southwark St George Martyr 1 3.83x
St Clement Danes London 1 37.17x
Warrington 1 5.48x
Wath On Dearne 1 38.91x
Westminster St John 1 6.33x
Westminster St Margaret 1 15.97x
Wrexham Regis 1 27.47x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

FAQ

Boothe surname: questions and answers

How common was the Boothe surname in 1881?

In 1881, 132 people were recorded with the Boothe surname. That placed it at #16,744 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Boothe surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 455 in 2016. That gives Boothe a modern rank of #10,716.

What does the Boothe surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to a maker or seller of boots or a nickname for someone who wore boots.

What does the Boothe map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Boothe 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.