NameCensus.

UK surname

Boothman

A surname derived from an occupation involving managing or working in a small makeshift stall or booth.

In the 1881 census there were 1,147 people recorded with the Boothman surname, ranking it #3,487 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 956, ranked #6,006, down from #3,487 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, Halifax and Skipton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bradford, Doncaster and Craven.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Boothman is 1,563 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 16.7%.

1881 census count

1,147

Ranked #3,487

Modern count

956

2016, ranked #6,006

Peak year

1911

1,563 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Boothman had 1,147 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,487 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 956 in 2016, ranked #6,006.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,563 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Boothman surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Boothman surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Boothman 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 672 #3,863
1861 historical 635 #4,220
1881 historical 1,147 #3,487
1891 historical 1,267 #3,407
1901 historical 1,470 #3,477
1911 historical 1,563 #3,102
1997 modern 948 #5,727
1998 modern 992 #5,709
1999 modern 1,013 #5,656
2000 modern 1,000 #5,686
2001 modern 1,013 #5,526
2002 modern 1,032 #5,554
2003 modern 1,003 #5,582
2004 modern 999 #5,607
2005 modern 953 #5,766
2006 modern 940 #5,843
2007 modern 956 #5,823
2008 modern 954 #5,860
2009 modern 978 #5,869
2010 modern 988 #5,929
2011 modern 962 #6,008
2012 modern 951 #5,975
2013 modern 968 #5,980
2014 modern 972 #6,006
2015 modern 962 #6,005
2016 modern 956 #6,006

Geography

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Where Boothmans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, Halifax, Skipton, Blackburn and Whalley. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bradford, Doncaster, Craven, West Lindsey and Pendle. 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 Rochdale Lancashire
2 Halifax Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Skipton Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Blackburn Lancashire
5 Whalley Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bradford 004 Bradford
2 Doncaster 034 Doncaster
3 Craven 008 Craven
4 West Lindsey 006 West Lindsey
5 Pendle 005 Pendle

Forenames

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First names often paired with Boothman

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Boothman

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

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Boothman surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Boothman 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 comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Boothman is most associated with areas classed as Senior Professionals, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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

These very central neighbourhoods house residents whose ages are more skewed towards older age cohorts than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Few households have young children. Rates of illness are low. Indian ethnicity is rare compared to the Supergroup mean. Property under occupation is more common, despite the centrality of neighbourhoods, and more residents live in communal establishments than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Boothman is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Boothman falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Boothman 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 Boothman, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Boothman

The surname Boothman is of English origin, derived from the Old English words "bōth" meaning a temporary dwelling or hut, and "mann" meaning a man or person. It is believed to have originated as an occupational name for someone who lived or worked in a booth, which could have been a market stall, a watchman's hut, or a dwelling on the outskirts of a town or village.

The earliest recorded instance of the name Boothman dates back to the 13th century in the county of Yorkshire, England. One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was Richard Bothman, who was mentioned in the Yorkshire Feet of Fines in 1246. The Feet of Fines were legal records documenting property transfers and land transactions.

In the 14th century, the surname appeared in various spellings such as Botheman, Boothman, and Boythman. These variations were likely due to regional dialects and the inconsistent spelling practices of the time. One notable early bearer of the name was John Boythman, who was recorded as a landowner in the village of Houghton, Nottinghamshire, in the 1327 Subsidy Rolls.

The name Boothman can also be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landholdings and resources in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. In the Domesday Book, the name appears as "Boteman" or "Botman," indicating that the name's origins can be traced back to the Norman conquest of England.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname Boothman. One such person was John Boothman (1589-1663), an English clergyman and author who served as the Vicar of Swinbrook in Oxfordshire. Another prominent figure was William Boothman (1801-1873), a British architect who designed several notable buildings in Manchester, including the Royal Manchester Institution and the Church of St. Matthew.

In the 18th century, the name Boothman was also associated with the industrial revolution in England. Thomas Boothman (1743-1818) was a renowned English iron founder and engineer who established the Boothman Foundry in Warrington, Cheshire. His foundry played a significant role in the manufacturing of machinery and equipment for the growing textile industry.

Other notable individuals with the surname Boothman include Joseph Boothman (1789-1863), an English engraver and illustrator known for his work on books and periodicals, and Frederick Boothman (1852-1928), a British landscape painter who specialized in depicting rural scenes and landscapes of the English countryside.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Boothman families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Boothman 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 693 Boothmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.22x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 693 5.22x
Yorkshire 373 3.36x
Cheshire 11 0.45x
Surrey 9 0.17x
Cambridgeshire 7 0.99x
Cumberland 7 0.73x
Lanarkshire 7 0.19x
Middlesex 7 0.06x
Monmouthshire 6 0.74x
Sussex 6 0.32x
Devon 4 0.17x
Shropshire 4 0.41x
Staffordshire 3 0.08x
Derbyshire 2 0.11x
Northamptonshire 2 0.19x
Stirlingshire 2 0.48x
Midlothian 1 0.07x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.07x
Warwickshire 1 0.04x
Westmorland 1 0.41x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Blackburn in Lancashire leads with 90 Boothmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 25.48x.

Place Total Index
Blackburn 90 25.48x
Accrington 49 40.59x
Clitheroe 47 120.27x
Skipton 43 123.24x
Habergham Eaves 34 28.02x
Colne 30 75.85x
Great Little Marsden 28 46.04x
Ovenden 26 52.68x
Southowram 26 76.83x
Burnley 25 22.36x
Lower Booths 23 96.68x
Leeds 21 3.35x
Church 18 96.00x
Droylsden 18 41.56x
Tottington Higher End 18 119.13x
Chorlton On Medlock 16 7.59x
Manchester 16 2.68x
Pendleton In Salford 16 10.12x
Haslingden 15 27.28x
Higham With West Close 15 520.83x
Linton In Skipton 15 1327.43x
Spotland 15 10.16x
Great Harwood 14 58.33x
Bury 12 7.91x
Doncaster 12 14.81x
Whalley 12 62.02x
Horton In Bradford 10 5.78x
Salford 10 2.56x
Billington 9 166.05x
Chadderton 9 13.87x
Pollington 9 608.11x
Preston 9 2.53x
Wardleworth 9 11.86x
Downham 8 555.56x
Horsforth 8 32.91x
Hulme 8 2.89x
Northowram 8 10.29x
Oswaldtwistle 8 17.05x
Pendlebury 8 28.54x
Roundhay 8 257.23x
Stayley 8 28.34x
Thornton In Craven 8 89.89x
Waddington 8 465.12x
Barton Upon Irwell 7 7.00x
Eggbrough 7 598.29x
Halifax 7 4.30x
Hartshead 7 140.85x
Headingley Cum Burley 7 9.81x
Otley 7 26.00x
Rawcliffe In Goole 7 110.94x
St Cuthbert W O 7 14.91x
Stretham 7 138.07x
West Derby 7 1.80x
Whitley 7 445.86x
Ashton Under Lyne 6 2.07x
Broadwater 6 13.87x
Heaton 6 50.38x
Mynyddyslwyn 6 18.80x
Nesfield Cum Langbar 6 882.35x
Rishton 6 38.54x
Balby Cum Hexthorpe 5 37.79x
Bentley Cum Arksey 5 86.36x
Cowpe Lench Newhall Hey 5 35.24x
Dewsbury 5 4.40x
Hipperholme Cum 5 10.26x
Keighley 5 4.23x
Layton With Warbreck 5 10.26x
Midgley 5 42.30x
Newton In Clitheroe 5 393.70x
Ramsgreave 5 543.48x
Roughlee Booth 5 403.23x
Shadwell 5 118.48x
Wilsden 5 43.90x
Barley With Wheatley 4 333.33x
Elland Cum Greetland 4 8.01x
Hapton 4 48.19x
Ightenhill Park 4 506.33x
Radcliffe 4 6.25x
Royton 4 9.85x
Sheffield 4 1.13x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 95
Elizabeth 56
Sarah 52
Ellen 31
Ann 28
Alice 20
Annie 18
Jane 18
Margaret 18
Martha 17
Hannah 14
Eliza 11
Emily 11
Ada 7
Edith 7
Susannah 7
Emma 6
Clara 5
Louisa 5
Lydia 5
Rachel 5
Betsy 4
Catherine 4
Margret 4
Charlotte 3
Dorothy 3
Fanny 3
Frances 3
Grace 3
Lilly 3
Maria 3
Nancy 3
Agnes 2
Amy 2
Belina 2
Florence 2
Harriet 2
Harriett 2
Isabella 2
John 2
Kate 2
Laura 2
Margt. 2
Minnie 2
Rhoda 2
Ruth 2
Sophia 2
Susan 2
Susanna 2
Edna 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 84
William 74
Thomas 52
James 43
Joseph 24
George 17
Henry 17
Robert 15
Walter 13
Fred 12
Richard 12
Arthur 10
Albert 9
Charles 8
David 8
Edward 7
Herbert 7
Samuel 7
Benjamin 6
Harry 5
Thos. 5
Moses 4
Sam 4
Tom 4
Wm. 4
Alfred 3
Hugh 3
Jonas 3
Jonathan 3
Julius 3
Peter 3
Abraham 2
Bottomley 2
Christopher 2
Edmund 2
Edwin 2
Ellis 2
Felix 2
Frank 2
Jas. 2
Jeremiah 2
Jos. 2
Lawrence 2
Leonard 2
Lewis 2
Luke 2
Percy 2
Robt. 2
Stephen 2
W. 2

FAQ

Boothman surname: questions and answers

How common was the Boothman surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,147 people were recorded with the Boothman surname. That placed it at #3,487 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Boothman surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 956 in 2016. That gives Boothman a modern rank of #6,006.

What does the Boothman surname mean?

A surname derived from an occupation involving managing or working in a small makeshift stall or booth.

What does the Boothman map show?

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