NameCensus.

UK surname

Bough

A surname arising from a location near a tree branch or wooded area.

In the 1881 census there were 489 people recorded with the Bough surname, ranking it #6,883 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 474, ranked #10,385, down from #6,883 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, London parishes and Cowley, Iffley (Nuneham Courtney, Berkshire, including Littlemoor Liberty), St Clement. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Ryedale, Townhead and High Peak.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bough is 525 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 3.1%.

1881 census count

489

Ranked #6,883

Modern count

474

2016, ranked #10,385

Peak year

1911

525 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bough had 489 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,883 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 474 in 2016, ranked #10,385.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 525 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Bough surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bough surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bough 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 372 #6,397
1861 historical 513 #5,102
1881 historical 489 #6,883
1891 historical 487 #7,590
1901 historical 491 #8,160
1911 historical 525 #7,551
1997 modern 458 #9,939
1998 modern 516 #9,368
1999 modern 511 #9,500
2000 modern 505 #9,561
2001 modern 496 #9,526
2002 modern 525 #9,322
2003 modern 509 #9,365
2004 modern 502 #9,497
2005 modern 496 #9,499
2006 modern 481 #9,750
2007 modern 480 #9,860
2008 modern 487 #9,840
2009 modern 490 #10,019
2010 modern 493 #10,161
2011 modern 482 #10,228
2012 modern 474 #10,254
2013 modern 476 #10,385
2014 modern 489 #10,253
2015 modern 475 #10,396
2016 modern 474 #10,385

Geography

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Where Boughs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, London parishes, Cowley, Iffley (Nuneham Courtney, Berkshire, including Littlemoor Liberty), St Clement, Cradley and Oxford City: St Peter in the East. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Ryedale, Townhead, High Peak and Newcastle upon Tyne. 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 Wolverhampton Staffordshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 Cowley, Iffley (Nuneham Courtney, Berkshire, including Littlemoor Liberty), St Clement Oxfordshire
4 Cradley Herefordshire
5 Oxford City: St Peter in the East Oxfordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Ryedale 001 Ryedale
2 Townhead North Lanarkshire
3 High Peak 013 High Peak
4 Newcastle upon Tyne 031 Newcastle upon Tyne
5 Newcastle upon Tyne 015 Newcastle upon Tyne

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bough

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bough

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Bough surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Bough household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Bough is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Bough is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Bough 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 Bough 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 Bough, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Bough

The surname BOUGH originates from England, with its roots dating back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English word "bough," which refers to a branch or limb of a tree. This name is believed to have been initially given as a descriptive nickname to someone who lived near a prominent tree or forest.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the BOUGH surname can be found in the Hundredorum Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, where it is listed as "Adam de la Boughe." This early spelling variation highlights the surname's connection to the Old English word "bough."

During the medieval period, the BOUGH name appeared in various historical records, including the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, which mentions "Walter atte Boughe." This entry suggests a possible association with a specific location or place name containing the word "bough."

In the 15th century, the BOUGH surname was mentioned in the Records of the Honorable Society of Lincoln's Inn, one of the four Inns of Court in London. This reference indicates that some BOUGH family members may have been involved in the legal profession during that time.

Notable individuals with the BOUGH surname throughout history include:

1. Sir John Bough (c. 1560-1625), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Lyme Regis in 1604. 2. William Bough (1696-1768), a British architect and surveyor who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Church of St. Mary Woolnoth. 3. Elizabeth Bough (1718-1801), an English diarist and writer whose journals provide valuable insights into 18th-century life in the countryside. 4. Samuel Bough (1822-1878), a Scottish landscape painter known for his depictions of rural scenes and coastal views. 5. Joseph Bough (1887-1965), a British trade unionist and politician who served as a Labour Party Member of Parliament for Leyton West from 1945 to 1950.

The BOUGH surname has also been associated with various place names throughout Britain, such as Boughton (meaning "town by the bough or tree") and Bough Beech (a village in Kent, derived from the Old English words "bough" and "bece," meaning "brook").

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bough families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bough 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. Staffordshire leads with 105 Boughs recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.53x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 105 6.53x
Worcestershire 88 14.16x
Warwickshire 48 4.00x
Herefordshire 36 18.44x
Middlesex 35 0.74x
Surrey 30 1.29x
Yorkshire 28 0.59x
Derbyshire 20 2.68x
Lancashire 16 0.28x
Oxfordshire 14 4.76x
Sussex 11 1.37x
Cheshire 7 0.67x
Lanarkshire 7 0.45x
Devon 6 0.61x
Gloucestershire 6 0.64x
Kent 6 0.37x
Norfolk 6 0.82x
Cumberland 3 0.73x
Denbighshire 3 1.67x
Dunbartonshire 2 1.56x
Shropshire 2 0.49x
Somerset 2 0.26x
Berkshire 1 0.28x
Durham 1 0.07x
Glamorgan 1 0.12x
Midlothian 1 0.16x
Northamptonshire 1 0.22x
Stirlingshire 1 0.57x
Wigtownshire 1 1.58x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Cradley in Herefordshire leads with 32 Boughs recorded in 1881 and an index of 1122.81x.

Place Total Index
Cradley 32 1122.81x
Birmingham 23 5.75x
Wolverhampton 23 18.62x
Aston 20 6.05x
Cannock 16 57.06x
Leigh 14 185.43x
Stoke Upon Trent 13 7.63x
Kensington London 12 4.53x
Camberwell 11 3.62x
St Marylebone London 10 3.93x
Wolstanton Oldcott 10 171.82x
Great Malvern 9 69.39x
Oxford St Clement 9 121.29x
Preston 9 64.19x
Sculcoates 9 12.03x
Trentham 9 65.84x
Walsall Foreign 9 10.84x
Claines 7 41.03x
Hartlebury 7 189.19x
Inkberrow 7 278.88x
Redditch 7 55.56x
Staveley 7 52.91x
Tranmere 7 18.13x
Chaddesley Corbett 6 257.51x
Leeds 6 2.25x
Ribbesford 6 116.05x
Welland 6 422.54x
Buckerell 5 1190.48x
Cowley 5 54.47x
Handsworth 5 12.63x
Lambeth 5 1.20x
Maidstone 5 10.33x
Normanton 5 35.26x
Old Monkland 5 8.18x
Wednesbury 5 12.45x
Chesterfield 4 14.32x
Hanley Castle 4 107.53x
Mile End Old Town London 4 3.95x
Morton 4 279.72x
South Lynn 4 48.43x
St Luke London 4 5.24x
Sutton Coldfield 4 31.70x
Alfrick 3 410.96x
Allington 3 223.88x
Halliwell 3 14.59x
Holy Trinity 3 2.64x
Liverpool 3 0.87x
Reigate Borough 3 56.07x
Sharlston 3 97.09x
Tamworth 3 34.92x
Woking 3 21.46x
Abram 2 46.19x
Barnes 2 20.39x
Bonhill 2 9.74x
Bourton On The Hill 2 270.27x
Castle Church 2 20.70x
Cheltenham 2 2.78x
Derby St Werburgh 2 4.65x
Great Longstone With 2 250.00x
Hammersmith London 2 1.71x
Harborne 2 3.88x
Hereford St Owen 2 31.01x
Kidderminster Borough 2 5.50x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 2 9.10x
Kingston On Thames 2 3.59x
Lyncombe Widcombe 2 9.97x
Rickergate 2 23.07x
Southwark St George Martyr 2 2.09x
Stone 2 9.73x
Toxteth Park 2 1.05x
Warrington 2 2.99x
Wednesfield 2 8.46x
West Bromwich 2 2.17x
Worcester St Clement 2 50.63x
Bristol St James St Paul 1 3.21x
Cheetham 1 2.37x
Crowle 1 116.28x
Kings Norton 1 1.79x
Rushall 1 10.57x
Tupsley 1 60.24x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 30
Elizabeth 16
Alice 12
Eliza 12
Ann 11
Emma 11
Annie 10
Emily 9
Sarah 9
Fanny 6
Edith 5
Hannah 5
Jane 5
Maria 4
Martha 4
Ada 3
Agnes 3
Clara 3
Ellen 3
Florence 3
Harriet 3
Harriett 3
Kate 3
Louisa 3
Lucy 3
Amy 2
Esther 2
Flora 2
Julia 2
Marian 2
Rebecca 2
Rosina 2
Susannah 2
Angelener 1
Annies 1
B. 1
Betsey 1
Betsy 1
Candida 1
Caroline 1
Dinah 1
E. 1
Elizth. 1
Ellin 1
H. 1
Henrietta 1
Isabella 1
Jemima 1
Jennie 1
Jessie 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 35
William 29
Thomas 22
James 17
George 16
Henry 12
Alfred 8
Frederick 7
Joseph 7
Richard 7
Samuel 7
Charles 5
Edward 5
Albert 4
Arthur 4
Alexander 3
Benjamin 3
Frank 3
Harry 3
Robert 3
Daniel 2
David 2
Francis 2
Peter 2
Wallace 2
Walter 2
Beriah 1
Brian 1
Eli. 1
Elizabeth 1
Emanuell 1
Enoch 1
Enock 1
Ernest 1
Fredk. 1
Fredk.A. 1
Henery 1
Herbert 1
Hugh 1
Hurbet 1
Leonard 1
Percy 1
Reginald 1
Robt. 1
Sidney 1
Spencer 1
Stephen 1
Timothy 1
Wentworth 1
Willm. 1

FAQ

Bough surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bough surname in 1881?

In 1881, 489 people were recorded with the Bough surname. That placed it at #6,883 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bough surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 474 in 2016. That gives Bough a modern rank of #10,385.

What does the Bough surname mean?

A surname arising from a location near a tree branch or wooded area.

What does the Bough map show?

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