NameCensus.

UK surname

Buckland

A locational surname referring to someone from a town or village near a stream with a bridge.

In the 1881 census there were 3,161 people recorded with the Buckland surname, ranking it #1,424 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 4,493, ranked #1,514, down from #1,424 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Melksham and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hart, Cheltenham and Mole Valley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Buckland is 4,690 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 42.1%.

1881 census count

3,161

Ranked #1,424

Modern count

4,493

2016, ranked #1,514

Peak year

1999

4,690 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Buckland had 3,161 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,424 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 4,493 in 2016, ranked #1,514.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 4,334 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Buckland surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Buckland surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Buckland 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 2,030 #1,434
1861 historical 2,042 #1,417
1881 historical 3,161 #1,424
1891 historical 3,422 #1,388
1901 historical 3,840 #1,468
1911 historical 4,334 #1,195
1997 modern 4,500 #1,456
1998 modern 4,661 #1,461
1999 modern 4,690 #1,462
2000 modern 4,612 #1,477
2001 modern 4,517 #1,475
2002 modern 4,630 #1,472
2003 modern 4,477 #1,482
2004 modern 4,466 #1,489
2005 modern 4,389 #1,491
2006 modern 4,371 #1,502
2007 modern 4,363 #1,519
2008 modern 4,337 #1,534
2009 modern 4,443 #1,532
2010 modern 4,561 #1,526
2011 modern 4,544 #1,516
2012 modern 4,483 #1,507
2013 modern 4,583 #1,500
2014 modern 4,613 #1,500
2015 modern 4,537 #1,509
2016 modern 4,493 #1,514

Geography

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Where Bucklands are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Melksham, London parishes and St Pancras. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Hart, Cheltenham, Mole Valley and Hillingdon. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 Melksham Wiltshire
3 London parishes London 1
4 London parishes London 3
5 St Pancras London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Hart 011 Hart
2 Cheltenham 006 Cheltenham
3 Hart 006 Hart
4 Mole Valley 011 Mole Valley
5 Hillingdon 028 Hillingdon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Buckland

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Buckland

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Buckland, 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 Buckland surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Buckland 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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Buckland 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

Buckland is most concentrated in decile 5 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Buckland

The surname Buckland originated in England during the medieval period. It is a locational name derived from the Old English words "buc" meaning buck or male deer, and "land" meaning land or estate. This suggests that the name was likely adopted by someone who lived near land inhabited by deer or owned a deer park.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Buckland can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Bocheland" in reference to a place in Berkshire. This indicates that the name was already in use by the late 11th century.

In the 13th century, the name was recorded in various forms such as "Bocland", "Boklond", and "Bokelond" in various county records and rolls. These variations reflect the evolution of spelling and pronunciation over time.

The earliest known bearer of the surname Buckland was William de Buckland, who was recorded in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1195. Another early record is of Roger de Buckland, who was mentioned in the Curia Regis Rolls of Berkshire in 1214.

Over the centuries, the Buckland name has been associated with several notable individuals. One of the most famous was William Buckland (1784-1856), an English geologist and paleontologist who made significant contributions to the study of dinosaurs and fossil remains.

Another prominent figure was Francis Trevelyan Buckland (1826-1880), a naturalist and writer who followed in his father's footsteps and authored numerous works on natural history and wildlife.

In the realm of literature, Arnold Buckland (1849-1925) was a renowned English novelist and short story writer, known for his works set in rural England.

The name Buckland has also been associated with places such as Buckland Abbey in Devon, Buckland Monachorum in Devon, and Buckland St. Mary in Somerset, reflecting the locational origins of the surname.

Throughout history, the Buckland surname has been found across various regions of England, particularly in the counties of Berkshire, Gloucestershire, Devon, and Somerset, where it has deep roots.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Buckland families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Buckland 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. Middlesex leads with 644 Bucklands recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.08x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 644 2.08x
Surrey 557 3.70x
Wiltshire 250 9.14x
Kent 198 1.88x
Nottinghamshire 177 4.25x
Buckinghamshire 168 8.98x
Hampshire 138 2.18x
Gloucestershire 135 2.23x
Berkshire 104 4.48x
Sussex 91 1.74x
Somerset 80 1.61x
Devon 73 1.13x
Glamorgan 70 1.30x
Derbyshire 65 1.34x
Yorkshire 47 0.15x
Dorset 45 2.22x
Lancashire 42 0.11x
Oxfordshire 42 2.20x
Warwickshire 38 0.49x
Caernarfonshire 24 1.92x
Cheshire 24 0.35x
Herefordshire 19 1.50x
Staffordshire 17 0.16x
Pembrokeshire 16 1.63x
Northamptonshire 14 0.48x
Monmouthshire 12 0.54x
Worcestershire 12 0.30x
Durham 11 0.12x
Hertfordshire 8 0.38x
Lincolnshire 8 0.16x
Norfolk 8 0.17x
Royal Navy 7 1.90x
Essex 5 0.08x
West Lothian 5 1.07x
Anglesey 3 0.55x
Flintshire 2 0.24x
Kincardineshire 2 0.53x
Leicestershire 2 0.06x
Midlothian 2 0.05x
Suffolk 2 0.05x
Brecknockshire 1 0.16x
Channel Islands 1 0.11x
Montgomeryshire 1 0.14x
Stirlingshire 1 0.09x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Islington London in Middlesex leads with 80 Bucklands recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.67x.

Place Total Index
Islington London 80 2.67x
Lambeth 77 2.85x
Camberwell 75 3.80x
St Pancras London 70 2.81x
Nottingham St Mary 54 5.01x
Paddington London 52 4.57x
Reigate Foreign 48 29.41x
Croydon 42 5.02x
Battersea 41 3.60x
Upton Cum Chalvey 39 52.33x
Mile End Old Town London 31 4.71x
Hammersmith London 30 3.94x
Kensington London 30 1.74x
St Marylebone London 27 1.63x
Swindon 26 12.25x
Bermondsey 25 2.71x
Harmondsworth 25 130.14x
Chelsea London 24 2.57x
Melksham 24 50.53x
Acton 21 11.58x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 21 3.68x
Newington 21 1.84x
Sutton In Ashfield 21 23.21x
Whitley 21 573.77x
Chatham 20 6.89x
Shoreditch London 20 1.49x
Alverstoke 19 8.28x
Brighton 19 1.81x
Portsea 19 1.53x
St George Hanover Square 19 3.49x
Stoke Poges 19 83.30x
Basford 18 9.37x
Reigate Borough 18 51.78x
Dover St Mary Virgin 17 16.64x
Kingston On Thames 17 4.70x
Nutfield 17 149.25x
Hackney London 16 0.92x
Harlington 16 98.10x
Leatherhead 16 42.38x
Swansea Town 16 3.62x
Worth 16 42.26x
East Grinstead 15 20.32x
Lingfield 15 51.07x
Litchurch 15 7.70x
Thoroton 15 931.68x
Greenwich 14 2.84x
Roath 14 5.72x
Burnham 13 54.55x
Cheltenham 13 2.78x
Devizes St John 13 63.29x
Eton 13 30.66x
New Windsor 13 16.65x
Westminster St James 13 4.09x
Winkfield 13 33.74x
Wroughton 13 54.85x
Stanton St Bernard 12 335.20x
Wandsworth 12 4.03x
Westminster St Margaret 12 8.04x
Wycombe 12 8.61x
Clase 11 5.49x
Crudwell 11 138.19x
Halifax 11 2.44x
Kington St Michael 11 225.41x
Oxford St Peter Le Bailey 11 115.91x
Pauntley 11 476.19x
Penarth 11 20.90x
St George Bloomsbury 11 6.20x
Tavistock 11 15.00x
Aston 10 0.47x
Bethnal Green London 10 0.74x
Blandford Forum 10 24.96x
Bristol St James St Paul 10 4.94x
Dartford 10 9.27x
Great Missenden 10 43.40x
Hyde 10 4.96x
Leominster 10 19.05x
Rowde 10 79.24x
Sheffield 10 1.02x
Tilehurst 10 21.32x
Yealmpton 10 101.21x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 168
Elizabeth 113
Sarah 82
Emma 64
Ellen 59
Alice 55
Annie 54
Emily 52
Jane 51
Eliza 50
Ann 41
Louisa 31
Hannah 30
Charlotte 27
Caroline 26
Maria 26
Fanny 25
Florence 24
Kate 24
Martha 24
Edith 23
Harriet 23
Ada 22
Anne 20
Lucy 18
Susan 18
Julia 16
Frances 15
Margaret 15
Amelia 14
Catherine 14
Sophia 14
Harriett 13
Amy 10
Clara 10
Matilda 10
Agnes 9
Jessie 9
Rebecca 9
Beatrice 7
Bessie 7
Ethel 7
Isabella 7
Mabel 7
Rose 7
Gertrude 6
Lydia 6
Helen 5
Minnie 5
Selina 5

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 187
George 128
John 121
Henry 95
Thomas 95
James 79
Charles 74
Alfred 61
Frederick 52
Edward 44
Joseph 42
Arthur 31
Frank 31
Richard 28
Albert 21
Harry 21
Walter 21
Ernest 18
Edwin 16
Robert 15
Samuel 12
Herbert 11
Francis 9
Geo. 8
Sidney 7
Sydney 7
Chas. 6
Fredrick 6
Stephen 6
Edmund 5
Fredk. 5
Isaac 5
Wm. 5
Allen 4
Ambrose 4
Clement 4
Frederic 4
Jabez 4
Jacob 4
Jesse 4
Percy 4
Plato 4
Aaron 3
Benjamin 3
Bertie 3
Horace 3
Jeremiah 3
Mark 3
Reginald 3
Stanley 3

FAQ

Buckland surname: questions and answers

How common was the Buckland surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3,161 people were recorded with the Buckland surname. That placed it at #1,424 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Buckland surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 4,493 in 2016. That gives Buckland a modern rank of #1,514.

What does the Buckland surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone from a town or village near a stream with a bridge.

What does the Buckland map show?

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