UK surname
A variant of the French surname Boucher, meaning a butcher or meat seller.
In the 1881 census there were 51 people recorded with the Bouker surname, ranking it #26,428 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 14, ranked #37,178, down from #26,428 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Stockport, Glossop and Great Sheepy, Mythe, Lea Marston, Merevale, Orton-on-the-Hill (Market Bosworth, Leicestershire). In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bouker is 108 in 1851. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 72.5%.
1881 census count
51
Ranked #26,428
Modern count
14
2016, ranked #37,178
Peak year
1851
108 bearers
Map years
1
1851 to 1851
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Bouker surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Bouker surname density by area, 1851 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 108 | #16,308 |
| 1861 | historical | 74 | #24,370 |
| 1881 | historical | 51 | #26,428 |
| 1891 | historical | 76 | #27,290 |
| 1901 | historical | 11 | #32,907 |
| 1911 | historical | 29 | #30,190 |
| 1997 | modern | 2 | #38,557 |
| 1998 | modern | 2 | #38,550 |
| 1999 | modern | 4 | #38,100 |
| 2000 | modern | 3 | #38,248 |
| 2001 | modern | 2 | #38,335 |
| 2002 | modern | 2 | #38,400 |
| 2003 | modern | 3 | #38,198 |
| 2004 | modern | 3 | #38,241 |
| 2005 | modern | 4 | #38,078 |
| 2006 | modern | 7 | #37,634 |
| 2007 | modern | 7 | #37,687 |
| 2008 | modern | 7 | #37,735 |
| 2009 | modern | 8 | #37,689 |
| 2010 | modern | 10 | #37,517 |
| 2011 | modern | 10 | #37,504 |
| 2012 | modern | 10 | #37,509 |
| 2013 | modern | 15 | #37,046 |
| 2014 | modern | 15 | #37,070 |
| 2015 | modern | 14 | #37,157 |
| 2016 | modern | 14 | #37,178 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Stockport, Glossop, Great Sheepy, Mythe, Lea Marston, Merevale, Orton-on-the-Hill (Market Bosworth, Leicestershire), Mottram-in-Longdendale and Manchester. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stockport | Cheshire |
| 2 | Glossop | Derbyshire |
| 3 | Great Sheepy, Mythe, Lea Marston, Merevale, Orton-on-the-Hill (Market Bosworth, Leicestershire) | Warwickshire |
| 4 | Mottram-in-Longdendale | Lancashire |
| 5 | Manchester | Lancashire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Bouker surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Bouker, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Bouker surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Bouker household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Bouker is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Bouker is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Bouker, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Bouker is believed to have originated in England, with the earliest records dating back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English word "bucc," meaning "buck" or "male deer," and the suffix "-er," indicating an occupation or trade. This suggests that the name may have been initially given to someone who worked with deer, such as a hunter or a deer farmer.
One of the earliest documented references to the name Bouker can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire, dating back to 1273. These rolls were a survey of landholdings and residents in various counties of England, and they mention a person named William Boukere residing in Cambridgeshire at that time.
In the 14th century, the name appears to have been concentrated in the counties of Norfolk and Suffolk, with variations in spelling including Bouker, Bowker, and Booker. The Norfolk Subsidy Rolls of 1327 list a John Boukere as a taxpayer in the village of Hingham.
The Bouker surname has also been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. In the 16th century, Richard Bouker (c. 1520-1580) was a prominent English yeoman farmer and landowner in the village of Hoxne, Suffolk. His descendants continued to hold land in the area for several generations.
Another notable figure was Thomas Bouker (1590-1670), a Puritan minister who emigrated from England to Massachusetts Bay Colony in the 1630s. He served as the minister of the church in Reading, Massachusetts, and was known for his strict adherence to Puritan principles.
In the 18th century, John Bouker (1712-1790) was a successful merchant and ship owner in the city of Bristol, England. He was involved in the transatlantic trade and is said to have amassed a considerable fortune through his business ventures.
During the 19th century, the Bouker name appeared in various parts of England, with several individuals making noteworthy contributions. William Bouker (1825-1892) was a prominent architect in London, known for designing several churches and public buildings in the city.
Finally, one of the most renowned individuals with the Bouker surname was Sir Charles Bouker (1860-1938), a British military officer and explorer. He served in several campaigns in Africa and Asia and was awarded the Victoria Cross, the highest military honor in the British Empire, for his bravery during the Second Boer War in South Africa.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bouker surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Cheshire leads with 23 Boukers recorded in 1881 and an index of 20.95x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Cheshire | 23 | 20.95x |
| Lancashire | 8 | 1.36x |
| Staffordshire | 7 | 4.17x |
| Worcestershire | 7 | 10.78x |
| Middlesex | 2 | 0.40x |
| Berkshire | 1 | 2.68x |
| Gloucestershire | 1 | 1.03x |
| Surrey | 1 | 0.41x |
| Yorkshire | 1 | 0.20x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Hyde in Cheshire leads with 20 Boukers recorded in 1881 and an index of 617.28x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Hyde | 20 | 617.28x |
| Kidderminster Borough | 7 | 184.21x |
| Ashton Under Lyne | 5 | 38.79x |
| Wednesfield | 4 | 161.94x |
| Aldford | 3 | 3333.33x |
| Atherton | 2 | 93.02x |
| St Martin In Fields | 2 | 67.11x |
| Stoke Upon Trent | 2 | 11.24x |
| Clifton | 1 | 20.28x |
| Croydon | 1 | 7.43x |
| Edgeworth | 1 | 312.50x |
| Rathmell | 1 | 2500.00x |
| Tilehurst | 1 | 133.33x |
| Wolstanton | 1 | 19.61x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Bouker surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Bouker surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Bouker households.
FAQ
In 1881, 51 people were recorded with the Bouker surname. That placed it at #26,428 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 14 in 2016. That gives Bouker a modern rank of #37,178.
A variant of the French surname Boucher, meaning a butcher or meat seller.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Bouker bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.