NameCensus.

UK surname

Buckner

An English occupational surname for a person who kept or tended buckets or made buckets and other wooden vessels.

In the 1881 census there were 183 people recorded with the Buckner surname, ranking it #13,596 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 354, ranked #13,054, up from #13,596 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Upton with Chalvey, Edinburgh and Wokingham. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Caerphilly, West Berkshire and Portsmouth.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Buckner is 383 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 93.4%.

1881 census count

183

Ranked #13,596

Modern count

354

2016, ranked #13,054

Peak year

2002

383 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Buckner had 183 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #13,596 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 354 in 2016, ranked #13,054.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 320 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Multicultural Inner Suburbs.

Buckner surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Buckner surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Buckner 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 154 #12,668
1861 historical 111 #19,429
1881 historical 183 #13,596
1891 historical 265 #12,208
1901 historical 314 #11,285
1911 historical 320 #10,932
1997 modern 356 #12,021
1998 modern 377 #11,894
1999 modern 367 #12,202
2000 modern 354 #12,460
2001 modern 359 #12,153
2002 modern 383 #11,820
2003 modern 368 #11,963
2004 modern 365 #12,077
2005 modern 360 #12,112
2006 modern 362 #12,151
2007 modern 363 #12,255
2008 modern 370 #12,182
2009 modern 370 #12,416
2010 modern 364 #12,851
2011 modern 351 #13,059
2012 modern 353 #12,877
2013 modern 374 #12,521
2014 modern 369 #12,745
2015 modern 357 #12,979
2016 modern 354 #13,054

Geography

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Where Buckners are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Upton with Chalvey, Edinburgh, Wokingham, Sutton Courtney (Sutton Courtney), East Hendred and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Caerphilly, West Berkshire, Portsmouth and Harlow. 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 Upton with Chalvey Buckinghamshire
2 Edinburgh Edinburgh
3 Wokingham Berkshire
4 Sutton Courtney (Sutton Courtney), East Hendred Berkshire
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Caerphilly 014 Caerphilly
2 West Berkshire 004 West Berkshire
3 Portsmouth 006 Portsmouth
4 Harlow 004 Harlow
5 Harlow 008 Harlow

Forenames

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First names often paired with Buckner

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Buckner

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

Baseline UK

Group

Multicultural Inner Suburbs

Nationally, the Buckner surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Multicultural Inner Suburbs, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Buckner household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house many younger and middle-aged adults with children. All ethnic minorities, apart from those identifying as Pakistani or Bangladeshi, appear to be present in above average proportions. Affiliation to Christian religions is uncommon. Long-term disability rates are low, mirrored in limited provision of unpaid care. Privately rented terrace houses and flats are the norm. Managerial, professional and technical occupations are prevalent, and work is rarely part time. Many individuals have degree level qualifications. These areas form the inner suburbs of many of the UK’s towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Buckner is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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 located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Buckner 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

Buckner 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 Buckner is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Buckner

The surname Buckner has its origins in England and can be traced back to the 12th century. The name is believed to have derived from the Old English words 'bucca' meaning a buck or male deer, and 'hyrde' meaning a herdsman or keeper. Thus, the name originally referred to someone who tended to deer or occupied a position related to deer hunting.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, a record of landowners and properties in England compiled by order of William the Conqueror, there are references to individuals with the name Bucknere and Bukenare, which are considered early variations of the modern spelling Buckner.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Buckner dates back to 1273, when a John Buckner was listed in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire, an ancient record of land ownership and taxation. The surname was also found in various other medieval records, such as the Pipe Rolls and the Subsidy Rolls, indicating its presence in various parts of England.

The name Buckner is believed to have originated in the county of Buckinghamshire, which was once known as Buckinghamscire or Buckinghamsyre. The county's name itself is derived from the Old English words 'Bucca' and 'ham', meaning 'the homestead of Bucca'. It is possible that the surname Buckner may have originated from this place name or from individuals who migrated from the county.

Notable individuals with the surname Buckner throughout history include Sir Thomas Buckner (c. 1555-1634), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Buckinghamshire. Another prominent figure was William Buckner (1579-1642), an English clergyman who was appointed as the Bishop of Rochester in 1628.

In the United States, one of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Buckner is that of Samuel Buckner (1658-1718), who settled in Virginia in the late 17th century. His descendants include notable figures such as Alexander Buckner (1785-1833), a U.S. Representative from Missouri, and Simon Bolivar Buckner (1823-1914), a lieutenant general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War.

The Buckner surname has also been associated with various place names throughout England, such as Buckner's Heath in Buckinghamshire and Buckner's Farm in Hampshire. These place names may have originated from individuals with the surname Buckner who owned or resided in those areas.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Buckner families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Buckner 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. Berkshire leads with 58 Buckners recorded in 1881 and an index of 43.29x.

County Total Index
Berkshire 58 43.29x
Middlesex 35 1.96x
Aberdeenshire 16 9.68x
Buckinghamshire 16 14.83x
Oxfordshire 16 14.52x
Midlothian 9 3.76x
Surrey 8 0.92x
Bedfordshire 5 5.41x
Cheshire 4 1.02x
Durham 3 0.56x
Hampshire 3 0.82x
Fife 2 1.89x
Sussex 2 0.66x
Worcestershire 2 0.86x
Banffshire 1 2.70x
Cornwall 1 0.49x
Gloucestershire 1 0.29x
Royal Navy 1 4.70x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wokingham in Berkshire leads with 14 Buckners recorded in 1881 and an index of 457.52x.

Place Total Index
Wokingham 14 457.52x
Hurst 11 628.57x
Eye Dunsden 9 1698.11x
Aston Tirrold 7 3684.21x
Hendon 7 109.03x
Islington London 7 4.05x
Upton Cum Chalvey 7 162.79x
Aberdeen Old Machar 6 17.39x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 6 19.40x
Edinburgh St Stephens 6 127.39x
Iver 6 431.65x
Reading St Mary 6 55.92x
Biggleswade 5 165.02x
St George In East London 5 29.78x
Inverurie 4 213.90x
Reading St Giles 4 30.42x
Sutton Courtney 4 727.27x
Wargrave 4 347.83x
Chelsea London 3 5.58x
Clapham 3 13.45x
Easthampstead 3 416.67x
North Bedburn 3 202.70x
Stoke Poges 3 227.27x
Acton Grange 2 2000.00x
Aston Upthorpe 2 2000.00x
Bethnal Green London 2 2.58x
Clerkenwell London 2 4.75x
Dudley 2 7.06x
Dunfermline 2 12.31x
Edinburgh Buccleuch 2 35.34x
Ham Kingston On Thames 2 526.32x
Hyde 2 17.20x
Oxford St Ebbe 2 61.73x
Petersham 2 588.24x
Whitechapel London 2 11.37x
Widley 2 307.69x
Witney 2 108.70x
Burghfield 1 126.58x
Caversham 1 45.25x
Edinburgh Tron Church 1 89.29x
Frimley 1 40.32x
Harwell 1 204.08x
Hastings St Mary 1 13.35x
Keith 1 25.32x
Mile End Old Town London 1 2.63x
Newnham Murren 1 666.67x
Painswick 1 40.32x
Royal Navy 1 5.50x
Rumbolds Wyke 1 181.82x
Ryde 1 12.72x
Spitalfields London 1 7.45x
St Botolph Aldgate London 1 27.17x
St Germans 1 70.92x
St Pancras London 1 0.70x
Tottenham 1 3.52x
Wallingford St Mary Le 1 131.58x
Warborough 1 238.10x
Westminster St James 1 5.45x
Westminster St Margaret 1 11.61x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Sarah 6
Emma 5
Eliza 4
Elizabeth 4
Ellen 4
Harriet 4
Annie 3
Mary 3
Alice 2
Ann 2
Charlotte 2
Edith 2
Esther 2
Harriett 2
Julia 2
Louisa 2
Maria 2
Rose 2
Selina 2
Ada 1
Anne 1
Annis 1
Bertha 1
Caroline 1
Clara 1
Claria 1
Eliz.M.A. 1
Elizth. 1
Emmaline 1
Ethel 1
Fanny 1
Florence 1
Gertrude 1
Jane 1
Lily 1
Louise 1
Minnie 1
Priscilla 1
Tryphena 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Buckner surname: questions and answers

How common was the Buckner surname in 1881?

In 1881, 183 people were recorded with the Buckner surname. That placed it at #13,596 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Buckner surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 354 in 2016. That gives Buckner a modern rank of #13,054.

What does the Buckner surname mean?

An English occupational surname for a person who kept or tended buckets or made buckets and other wooden vessels.

What does the Buckner map show?

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