NameCensus.

UK surname

Buckler

A surname referring to a small, round shield or a shield-maker.

In the 1881 census there were 959 people recorded with the Buckler surname, ranking it #4,040 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 924, ranked #6,176, down from #4,040 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Nuneaton and Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Nuneaton and Bedworth and North Warwickshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Buckler is 1,224 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 3.6%.

1881 census count

959

Ranked #4,040

Modern count

924

2016, ranked #6,176

Peak year

1911

1,224 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Buckler had 959 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,040 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 924 in 2016, ranked #6,176.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,224 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Buckler surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Buckler surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Buckler 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 645 #4,025
1861 historical 693 #3,894
1881 historical 959 #4,040
1891 historical 1,029 #4,052
1901 historical 1,170 #4,174
1911 historical 1,224 #3,859
1997 modern 956 #5,688
1998 modern 979 #5,777
1999 modern 958 #5,914
2000 modern 975 #5,814
2001 modern 964 #5,757
2002 modern 970 #5,824
2003 modern 935 #5,911
2004 modern 948 #5,850
2005 modern 922 #5,913
2006 modern 909 #5,995
2007 modern 923 #5,971
2008 modern 932 #5,976
2009 modern 957 #5,968
2010 modern 987 #5,938
2011 modern 963 #6,001
2012 modern 935 #6,066
2013 modern 947 #6,101
2014 modern 948 #6,137
2015 modern 932 #6,164
2016 modern 924 #6,176

Geography

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Where Bucklers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Nuneaton, Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars, Coventry Holy Trinity (incl. Radford), Coventry St Michael, Wyken and St Mary Islington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Nuneaton and Bedworth and North Warwickshire. 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 London parishes London 3
2 Nuneaton Warwickshire
3 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire
4 Coventry Holy Trinity (incl. Radford), Coventry St Michael, Wyken Warwickshire
5 St Mary Islington London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Nuneaton and Bedworth 007 Nuneaton and Bedworth
2 Nuneaton and Bedworth 002 Nuneaton and Bedworth
3 North Warwickshire 005 North Warwickshire
4 Nuneaton and Bedworth 005 Nuneaton and Bedworth
5 Nuneaton and Bedworth 010 Nuneaton and Bedworth

Forenames

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First names often paired with Buckler

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Buckler

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Buckler is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Buckler 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

Buckler falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Buckler

The surname Buckler is of English origin and dates back to the late medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "buculere" or "bucelere," meaning a maker or seller of buckles and other metal fittings used in armor and equipment.

Buckler is an occupational surname, reflecting the trade or profession of an ancestor who worked as a buckle maker or armorer. These craftsmen played a vital role in medieval society, providing essential equipment for knights and soldiers.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Buckler can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire in 1273, where a person named William le Buculere is mentioned. This historical record suggests that the surname had already emerged by the 13th century.

In the 14th century, the surname appeared in various records and manuscripts, such as the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1327, where a John Bukler is listed. The name was also recorded in the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire in 1379, with the spelling "Bucler."

Interestingly, the surname Buckler may also have connections to specific place names. For example, there is a village called Buckler's Hard in Hampshire, England, which may have derived its name from an association with the Buckler family or their occupation.

Notable individuals with the surname Buckler throughout history include:

1. John Buckler (1770-1851), an English landscape painter and etcher. 2. Benjamin Buckler (1716-1780), an English author and clergyman who wrote "A Dissertation on the Antiquity and Use of Seals in England." 3. Walter Buckler (1893-1985), a British writer and illustrator known for his books on natural history and countryside subjects. 4. Thomas Buckler (1645-1708), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Archdeacon of Colchester. 5. William Buckler (1807-1884), an English architect and surveyor who worked on several church restorations in the Victorian era.

While the surname Buckler may not be as common today, its historical significance lies in its connection to the skilled craftsmen who played a crucial role in the production of armor and equipment during the Middle Ages. The name serves as a testament to the importance of these occupations in medieval society.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Buckler families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Buckler 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. Warwickshire leads with 170 Bucklers recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.23x.

County Total Index
Warwickshire 170 7.23x
Middlesex 113 1.21x
Devon 84 4.33x
Hampshire 63 3.30x
Yorkshire 63 0.68x
Dorset 56 9.15x
Surrey 48 1.06x
Leicestershire 45 4.35x
Northamptonshire 43 4.90x
Sussex 42 2.67x
Staffordshire 37 1.18x
Lancashire 26 0.24x
Somerset 20 1.33x
Monmouthshire 18 2.67x
Cornwall 17 1.61x
Kent 17 0.53x
Glamorgan 15 0.92x
Essex 14 0.76x
Derbyshire 11 0.75x
Cheshire 9 0.44x
Gloucestershire 9 0.49x
Durham 8 0.29x
Lincolnshire 7 0.47x
Suffolk 5 0.44x
Worcestershire 5 0.41x
Nottinghamshire 4 0.32x
Oxfordshire 3 0.52x
Dumfriesshire 1 0.49x
Herefordshire 1 0.26x
Hertfordshire 1 0.16x
Rutland 1 1.46x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Nuneaton in Warwickshire leads with 61 Bucklers recorded in 1881 and an index of 223.85x.

Place Total Index
Nuneaton 61 223.85x
Islington London 31 3.43x
Kingsthorpe 24 246.15x
Stoke Damerel 21 15.46x
Aston 20 3.09x
Burton Bradstock 20 662.25x
Tipton 19 19.71x
Leicester St Margaret 18 7.14x
Alverstoke 17 24.57x
Broadwater 17 47.13x
Mancetter 17 251.48x
Hackney London 16 3.06x
Leeds 16 3.07x
Birmingham 14 1.79x
Broughton In Salford 13 12.85x
Holsworthy 13 237.23x
Hove 13 18.84x
Chilvers Coton 12 124.10x
Bedworth 11 64.10x
St Pancras London 11 1.47x
Charminster 10 205.34x
Portsea 10 2.67x
St Woollos 10 13.29x
Camberwell 9 1.51x
Keighley 9 9.14x
Kingston On Thames 9 8.25x
Lambeth 9 1.11x
Portisham 9 394.74x
Rotherhithe 9 7.81x
Rowley Regis 9 10.26x
Walcot 9 11.26x
Chelsea London 8 2.85x
Colchester St Giles 8 43.98x
Marske In Guisbrough 8 48.75x
North Petherwyn 8 291.97x
Plymouth St Andrew 8 5.35x
Ashwater 7 254.55x
Chester St Oswald 7 18.78x
Coventry Holy Trinity 7 9.97x
Dunterton 7 1891.89x
Leicester St Nicholas 7 119.66x
Newport 7 67.50x
Northampton St Giles 7 20.95x
Portslade 7 72.84x
Portsmouth 7 15.91x
St Marylebone London 7 1.41x
Urpeth 7 129.63x
Coventry St Michael 6 7.94x
Hornsey 6 5.09x
Kensington London 6 1.16x
Melcombe Regis 6 23.65x
Shalfleet 6 162.60x
St Thomas Apostle 6 184.62x
Stroud 6 16.86x
Tinsley 6 185.76x
Walsall Foreign 6 3.69x
Croydon 5 1.98x
Derby St Alkmund 5 11.43x
Eltham 5 26.81x
Langfield 5 30.92x
Rotherham 5 9.60x
Rugby 5 15.71x
Spittlegate 5 24.25x
St George Hanover Square 5 3.04x
Whitchurch 5 56.95x
Wilnecote 5 74.18x
Cardiff St John 4 7.54x
Derby St Werburgh 4 4.75x
Hunston 4 606.06x
Leicester Augustin 4 1333.33x
Linkinhorne 4 54.42x
Millbrook 4 8.31x
Nottingham St Nicholas 4 23.36x
Rushton 4 253.16x
Snitterfield 4 153.85x
St George In East London 4 4.56x
Werrington 4 190.48x
West Ham 4 0.98x
Westerfield 4 363.64x
Yardley 4 12.84x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 57
John 56
Joseph 29
George 25
Thomas 23
Charles 21
Henry 19
James 16
Arthur 12
Alfred 11
David 9
Frederick 9
Richard 9
Robert 9
Samuel 8
Edward 7
Walter 7
Herbert 6
Albert 5
Edwin 5
Harry 5
Josiah 5
Ernest 4
Benjamin 3
Chas. 3
Wm. 3
Alexander 2
Caleb 2
Daniel 2
Eber 2
Edgar 2
Francis 2
Frank 2
Fredk. 2
Geo. 2
Isaac 2
Lewis 2
Luther 2
Mark 2
Marmaduke 2
Nathan 2
Abraham 1
Albt. 1
Arther 1
Bernard 1
D.W. 1
Earnest 1
Edmund 1
Hary 1
Zacchius 1

FAQ

Buckler surname: questions and answers

How common was the Buckler surname in 1881?

In 1881, 959 people were recorded with the Buckler surname. That placed it at #4,040 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Buckler surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 924 in 2016. That gives Buckler a modern rank of #6,176.

What does the Buckler surname mean?

A surname referring to a small, round shield or a shield-maker.

What does the Buckler map show?

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