NameCensus.

UK surname

Buckmaster

An occupational surname referring to a male deer hunter or the master of the hunt.

In the 1881 census there were 381 people recorded with the Buckmaster surname, ranking it #8,240 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 504, ranked #9,938, down from #8,240 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Mentmore, London parishes and Paddington. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Hampshire, Poole and Malvern Hills.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Buckmaster is 560 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 32.3%.

1881 census count

381

Ranked #8,240

Modern count

504

2016, ranked #9,938

Peak year

2000

560 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Buckmaster had 381 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,240 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 504 in 2016, ranked #9,938.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 530 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Buckmaster surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Buckmaster surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Buckmaster 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 275 #8,150
1861 historical 253 #9,764
1881 historical 381 #8,240
1891 historical 398 #8,910
1901 historical 476 #8,356
1911 historical 530 #7,500
1997 modern 537 #8,823
1998 modern 553 #8,892
1999 modern 545 #9,044
2000 modern 560 #8,819
2001 modern 539 #8,936
2002 modern 548 #9,000
2003 modern 547 #8,872
2004 modern 526 #9,167
2005 modern 511 #9,297
2006 modern 508 #9,369
2007 modern 514 #9,376
2008 modern 516 #9,416
2009 modern 524 #9,516
2010 modern 525 #9,692
2011 modern 521 #9,660
2012 modern 513 #9,684
2013 modern 528 #9,633
2014 modern 526 #9,731
2015 modern 516 #9,789
2016 modern 504 #9,938

Geography

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Where Buckmasters are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Mentmore, London parishes, Paddington and Lambeth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Hampshire, Poole, Malvern Hills, Luton and Cardiff. 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 Mentmore Bedfordshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 Paddington London (West Districts)
4 London parishes London 3
5 Lambeth London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Hampshire 007 East Hampshire
2 Poole 013 Poole
3 Malvern Hills 011 Malvern Hills
4 Luton 014 Luton
5 Cardiff 017 Cardiff

Forenames

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First names often paired with Buckmaster

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Buckmaster

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Buckmaster surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Buckmaster household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Buckmaster 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

Buckmaster is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Buckmaster falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Buckmaster

The surname Buckmaster originated in England and dates back to the 12th century. The name derives from the Old English words 'bucca', meaning a male goat or buck, and 'mæster', meaning master or keeper. Thus, the name Buckmaster originally referred to someone who was the keeper or master of the bucks or male goats in a herd.

The earliest known record of the name Buckmaster appears in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1182, where a person named Willelmus Buckmaster is mentioned. The Pipe Rolls were financial records kept by the English Exchequer, indicating that the name was in use during the reign of King Henry II.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as Bokemaistre, Buckemayster, and Buckemaystre, reflecting the variations in spelling and pronunciation common in that era. The Hundred Rolls of 1273, a census-like record of landowners in England, includes several individuals with the surname Buckmaster or similar spellings.

One notable early bearer of the name was John Buckmaster, who was born in Salisbury, England, around 1280. He was a prominent clergyman and served as the Bishop of Lincoln from 1347 until his death in 1361.

Another historical figure with this surname was Sir Walter Buckmaster, who lived in the 15th century. He was a member of the English gentry and served as a knight under King Henry VI during the Wars of the Roses.

In the 16th century, the name Buckmaster was found in various areas of England, including Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, and Oxfordshire. The town of Buckmaster, located in Bedfordshire, likely derived its name from a prominent family bearing this surname in the region.

During the 17th century, a notable figure was Stanley Buckmaster, born in 1592 in Oxfordshire. He was a celebrated poet and playwright, known for his works such as "The Shepherd's Garland" and "The Tragedy of Agis".

In the 18th century, William Buckmaster, born in 1720 in Gloucestershire, was a renowned architect and builder. He designed and constructed several notable buildings, including the Buckmaster Manor in his hometown.

Another influential person with this surname was Emily Buckmaster, born in 1874 in London. She was a pioneering educator and advocate for women's rights, establishing several schools and institutions dedicated to promoting education for women in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Buckmaster families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Buckmaster 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 111 Buckmasters recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.99x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 111 2.99x
Surrey 71 3.93x
Kent 47 3.72x
Bedfordshire 31 16.15x
Buckinghamshire 31 13.83x
Hertfordshire 14 5.48x
Hampshire 13 1.71x
Suffolk 13 2.88x
Northamptonshire 12 3.44x
Yorkshire 8 0.22x
Huntingdonshire 7 9.51x
Sussex 7 1.12x
Lancashire 4 0.09x
Essex 3 0.41x
Midlothian 3 0.60x
Gloucestershire 2 0.28x
Berkshire 1 0.36x
Royal Navy 1 2.26x
Warwickshire 1 0.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Lambeth in Surrey leads with 23 Buckmasters recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.12x.

Place Total Index
Lambeth 23 7.12x
Deptford St Paul 16 16.40x
Mentmore 16 4000.00x
Islington London 14 3.90x
Battersea 13 9.53x
Kensington London 12 5.82x
Framlingham 10 312.50x
Lewisham 9 13.35x
St Albans 9 171.76x
Wandsworth 9 25.22x
Paddington London 8 5.87x
Southwark St George Martyr 8 10.73x
Deptford St Nicholas 7 69.72x
Ecclesall Bierlow 7 9.37x
Hackney London 7 3.37x
Harlington 7 1029.41x
Isleworth 7 42.48x
Shoreditch London 7 4.36x
Stilton 7 853.66x
Syresham 7 686.27x
Dunstable 6 101.69x
Ramsgate 6 29.07x
Totternhoe 6 666.67x
Willesden 6 17.17x
Bugbrooke 5 438.60x
Holy Trinity Less London 5 531.91x
Ivinghoe 5 285.71x
Leighton Buzzard 5 60.53x
Newington 5 3.65x
Plumstead 5 11.86x
Poplar London 5 7.15x
St Pancras London 5 1.68x
All Hallows Barking 4 434.78x
Cobham 4 135.14x
Fareham 4 43.81x
St George Hanover Square 4 6.12x
Barton In Clay 3 222.22x
Bethnal Green London 3 1.86x
Crondall 3 73.53x
Eaton Bray 3 154.64x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 3 1.50x
Farnborough 3 37.59x
Hemel Hempstead 3 26.06x
Slapton 3 882.35x
Stoke Hammond 3 652.17x
Acton 2 9.20x
Brighton 2 1.59x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 2 2.92x
Camberwell 2 0.84x
Cheetham 2 6.10x
Clapham 2 4.32x
Clerkenwell London 2 2.29x
Foots Cray 2 82.64x
Fulham London 2 3.72x
Hammersmith London 2 2.19x
Hastings St Mary In The 2 15.00x
Hendon 2 14.99x
Hillingdon 2 16.92x
Hove 2 7.29x
Leyton 2 15.87x
Linslade 2 90.91x
St Dunstan In East London 2 689.66x
St George In East London 2 5.74x
St Luke London 2 3.36x
Aldenham 1 43.10x
Broadwater 1 6.98x
Ecclesfield 1 3.71x
Edlesborough 1 49.02x
Gorleston 1 8.72x
Kingston On Thames 1 2.30x
Manchester 1 0.51x
Nuneaton 1 9.23x
Portsmouth 1 5.72x
Reading St Giles 1 3.66x
Richmond 1 3.95x
St Marylebone London 1 0.51x
Stowmarket 1 19.16x
Tring 1 14.66x
Wigan 1 1.63x
Woodbridge 1 17.33x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 18
Elizabeth 12
Emily 11
Sarah 10
Eliza 8
Alice 7
Ann 7
Emma 7
Jane 7
Ellen 6
Louisa 6
Catherine 5
Eleanor 5
Margaret 5
Annie 4
Fanny 4
Maria 4
Hannah 3
Harriet 3
Kate 3
Lizzie 3
Marion 3
Martha 3
Susan 3
Ada 2
Agnes 2
Charlotte 2
Clara 2
Jessie 2
Katherine 2
Lydia 2
Maltilda 2
Rose 2
Alicia 1
Blanch 1
Caroline 1
Cecila 1
Dorthy 1
Edith 1
Elizth. 1
Francis 1
Gerty 1
Juliana 1
Lavinia 1
Letitia 1
Lettice 1
Lillan 1
Lily 1
Lucy 1
Victoria 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 24
John 23
George 15
Thomas 15
Henry 9
James 8
Charles 7
Edward 6
Arthur 5
Geo. 3
Harry 3
Herbert 3
Samuel 3
Walter 3
Albert 2
Alfred 2
Christopher 2
Ernest 2
Frederick 2
Jesse 2
Joseph 2
Ralph 2
Stephen 2
Thos. 2
Wm. 2
Ben. 1
Benjamin 1
Cornelius 1
F.W. 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Geo.Josh. 1
H.G. 1
Harold 1
Henery 1
Horace 1
Jack 1
Jas.W. 1
Lawrence 1
Martin 1
Peter 1
Richard 1
Richd. 1
Robert 1
Shaw 1
Sidney 1
Stanley 1
Tho. 1
Twidel 1
Will 1

FAQ

Buckmaster surname: questions and answers

How common was the Buckmaster surname in 1881?

In 1881, 381 people were recorded with the Buckmaster surname. That placed it at #8,240 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Buckmaster surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 504 in 2016. That gives Buckmaster a modern rank of #9,938.

What does the Buckmaster surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to a male deer hunter or the master of the hunt.

What does the Buckmaster map show?

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