NameCensus.

UK surname

Bouvier

An occupational surname derived from Old French, referring to a cattle herdsman or cowherd.

In the 1881 census there were 13 people recorded with the Bouvier surname, ranking it #31,761 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 118, ranked #27,873, up from #31,761 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include St. Helens, Kensington and Chelsea and Shepway.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bouvier is 123 in 2013. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 807.7%.

1881 census count

13

Ranked #31,761

Modern count

118

2016, ranked #27,873

Peak year

2013

123 bearers

Map years

1

2016 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bouvier had 13 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #31,761 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 118 in 2016, ranked #27,873.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 36 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Bouvier surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bouvier surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bouvier 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 4 #32,658
1861 historical 7 #33,053
1881 historical 13 #31,761
1891 historical 36 #31,465
1901 historical 36 #30,099
1911 historical 28 #30,296
1997 modern 61 #31,526
1998 modern 66 #31,387
1999 modern 67 #31,409
2000 modern 63 #31,829
2001 modern 63 #31,693
2002 modern 71 #31,351
2003 modern 68 #31,689
2004 modern 74 #31,306
2005 modern 82 #30,617
2006 modern 94 #29,264
2007 modern 95 #29,493
2008 modern 103 #28,519
2009 modern 102 #29,286
2010 modern 100 #30,225
2011 modern 98 #30,384
2012 modern 112 #28,174
2013 modern 123 #26,974
2014 modern 119 #27,813
2015 modern 117 #27,982
2016 modern 118 #27,873

Geography

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Where Bouviers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to St. Helens, Kensington and Chelsea, Shepway, Southwark and Haringey. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 St. Helens 001 St. Helens
2 Kensington and Chelsea 017 Kensington and Chelsea
3 Shepway 011 Shepway
4 Southwark 007 Southwark
5 Haringey 020 Haringey

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bouvier

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bouvier

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Bouvier surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Bouvier 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 includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Bouvier 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

Bouvier 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

Bouvier 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 Bouvier is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Bouvier

The surname Bouvier is of French origin, derived from the Old French word "bouvier," which means an ox-herd or cowherd. This occupational surname likely emerged in the medieval period, referring to individuals who tended cattle for a living.

The name traces its roots back to the northern regions of France, particularly in areas like Normandy and Picardy, where cattle farming was a significant economic activity. It is believed that the name first appeared in written records during the 11th and 12th centuries.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Bouvier surname can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land and property commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. This document mentions individuals with the name Bouvier, indicating their presence in England shortly after the Norman Conquest.

Over the centuries, the Bouvier name has undergone various spelling variations, including Bouviers, Bouviez, and Bouvier-Chateau. These variations emerged due to regional dialects, scribal errors, and the evolution of language over time.

Notable individuals bearing the Bouvier surname throughout history include:

1. Jean Bouvier (c. 1359-1444), a French jurist and author of the influential legal treatise "Arbre des Batailles." 2. Jacques Bouvier (1670-1744), a French Catholic theologian and author of the "Traité Dogmatique et Pratique des Sacrements." 3. Marie-Louise Bouvier (1837-1881), a French religious sister and founder of the Congregation of the Handmaids of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. 4. Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis (1929-1994), an American socialite, author, and First Lady of the United States as the wife of President John F. Kennedy. 5. Michel Bouvier (1925-2022), a French actor and comedian known for his roles in numerous films and television series.

The Bouvier surname has also been associated with various place names in France, such as Bouvier-sur-Rance, a commune in the department of Ille-et-Vilaine, and Bouvier-la-Vallée, a commune in the department of Sarthe. These place names likely originated from individuals with the Bouvier surname who settled in or owned land in those areas.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bouvier families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bouvier 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. Channel Islands leads with 11 Bouviers recorded in 1881 and an index of 158.73x.

County Total Index
Channel Islands 11 158.73x
Middlesex 11 4.70x
Derbyshire 1 2.73x
Worcestershire 1 3.27x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Mile End New Town London in Middlesex leads with 5 Bouviers recorded in 1881 and an index of 1086.96x.

Place Total Index
Mile End New Town London 5 1086.96x
St Mary 5 6250.00x
Kensington London 3 23.06x
St Lawrence 3 1578.95x
Grouville 1 526.32x
Hampstead London 1 27.47x
Harrow 1 277.78x
Hartlebury 1 555.56x
Newton Solney 1 2500.00x
St Helier 1 44.25x
St Pancras London 1 5.31x
St Saviour 1 263.16x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Annie 1
Eliza 1
Emil 1
Era 1
Eugenie 1
Louisa 1
Marie 1
Mary 1
Melanie 1
Oyoust 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 2
Allain 1
Arthur 1
Augustus 1
George 1
Gustave 1
Jean 1
Joseph 1
Louis 1
Philip 1
Pierre 1
Robert 1

Top occupations

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 Bouvier households.

FAQ

Bouvier surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bouvier surname in 1881?

In 1881, 13 people were recorded with the Bouvier surname. That placed it at #31,761 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bouvier surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 118 in 2016. That gives Bouvier a modern rank of #27,873.

What does the Bouvier surname mean?

An occupational surname derived from Old French, referring to a cattle herdsman or cowherd.

What does the Bouvier map show?

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