NameCensus.

UK surname

Buckwell

A topographic surname referring to someone who lived near a freshwater spring or well.

In the 1881 census there were 372 people recorded with the Buckwell surname, ranking it #8,399 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 347, ranked #13,259, down from #8,399 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Chailey, Plumpton and Lewes St John-under-the-Castle. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Tunbridge Wells, Herefordshire and Arun.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Buckwell is 459 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 6.7%.

1881 census count

372

Ranked #8,399

Modern count

347

2016, ranked #13,259

Peak year

1911

459 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Buckwell had 372 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,399 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 347 in 2016, ranked #13,259.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 459 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy Industrial and Coastal Communities.

Buckwell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Buckwell surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Buckwell 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 263 #8,439
1861 historical 376 #6,792
1881 historical 372 #8,399
1891 historical 454 #8,026
1901 historical 429 #9,018
1911 historical 459 #8,364
1997 modern 378 #11,474
1998 modern 384 #11,727
1999 modern 387 #11,722
2000 modern 392 #11,564
2001 modern 379 #11,676
2002 modern 380 #11,887
2003 modern 366 #12,010
2004 modern 361 #12,175
2005 modern 356 #12,219
2006 modern 343 #12,626
2007 modern 349 #12,622
2008 modern 348 #12,751
2009 modern 352 #12,918
2010 modern 357 #13,036
2011 modern 347 #13,167
2012 modern 346 #13,070
2013 modern 346 #13,291
2014 modern 350 #13,263
2015 modern 349 #13,189
2016 modern 347 #13,259

Geography

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Where Buckwells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Chailey, Plumpton, Lewes St John-under-the-Castle, London parishes and Brighton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Tunbridge Wells, Herefordshire, Arun, Eastbourne and Lewes. 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 Chailey Sussex
2 Plumpton Sussex
3 Lewes St John-under-the-Castle Sussex
4 London parishes London 3
5 Brighton Sussex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Tunbridge Wells 003 Tunbridge Wells
2 Herefordshire 020 Herefordshire, County of
3 Arun 004 Arun
4 Eastbourne 001 Eastbourne
5 Lewes 003 Lewes

Forenames

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First names often paired with Buckwell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Buckwell

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

Legacy Industrial and Coastal Communities

Nationally, the Buckwell surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy Industrial and Coastal Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Buckwell household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Single-person households are common in these neighbourhoods, and these residents are typically divorced rather than never married. A high proportion of residents were born outside the UK in the EU. There are many young adults, some with young children, but relatively few residents are of normal retirement age or over. Although levels of identification with ethnic minorities are in line with the Supergroup average, individuals identifying with Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is more common than average. High long-term disability rates are observed, and unpaid care is more common than in the rest of the Group. The predominant housing types are terraced houses and flats, which are typically part of the social rented sector. This Group is commonly found in coastal areas and (present-day or former) industrial 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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Buckwell is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Buckwell is most concentrated in decile 3 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Buckwell

The surname Buckwell has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English words "bucc" and "well," which together mean "well by the buck" or "well near the male deer." This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with a particular location, possibly a settlement near a water source frequented by deer.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Buckwell can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings and population in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. This entry provides evidence of the name's existence during the Norman conquest of England.

The name Buckwell has also been linked to various place names throughout England, such as Buckwell Farm in Northamptonshire and Buckwell Manor in Oxfordshire. These place names likely originated from the same Old English roots as the surname and may have influenced its development over time.

Notable individuals bearing the surname Buckwell include:

1. Sir John Buckwell (c. 1450-1520), a prominent English politician and landowner during the Tudor period. 2. Robert Buckwell (1570-1638), an English clergyman and author who served as the vicar of Sutton Coldfield. 3. Elizabeth Buckwell (1592-1670), an English Puritan writer known for her religious works, including "A Testimony of the Life, Death, and Vertuous Conversation of Mrs. Elizabeth Buckwell." 4. Thomas Buckwell (1619-1687), an English merchant and landowner who played a significant role in the development of the city of Bristol. 5. William Buckwell (1785-1856), a British artist renowned for his landscape paintings and etchings of rural scenes.

While the surname Buckwell is relatively uncommon today, it has a rich history rooted in the English language and landscape, with references dating back to the Middle Ages. The name's connection to place names and natural features, such as wells and deer, provides insights into the lives and occupations of its earliest bearers.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Buckwell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Buckwell 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. Sussex leads with 160 Buckwells recorded in 1881 and an index of 26.37x.

County Total Index
Sussex 160 26.37x
Middlesex 68 1.89x
Kent 46 3.75x
Surrey 46 2.62x
Buckinghamshire 10 4.60x
Lancashire 9 0.21x
Somerset 7 1.21x
Gloucestershire 6 0.85x
Devon 4 0.53x
Hampshire 3 0.41x
Huntingdonshire 3 4.20x
Yorkshire 3 0.08x
Bedfordshire 1 0.54x
Berkshire 1 0.37x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.44x
Suffolk 1 0.23x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Brighton in Sussex leads with 21 Buckwells recorded in 1881 and an index of 17.15x.

Place Total Index
Brighton 21 17.15x
Plumpton 21 3684.21x
St Pancras London 19 6.56x
Chailey 15 797.87x
Lambeth 11 3.50x
Tottenham 11 19.19x
Kingston On Thames 10 23.74x
Lewes St John Southover 10 245.10x
Newington In Elham 10 1428.57x
Street 10 4347.83x
Withyam 10 384.62x
Amersham 9 291.26x
Eastbourne 9 32.22x
Westmeston 9 2250.00x
Chipping Barnet 8 851.06x
Croydon 8 8.22x
Lewes St Ann 8 386.47x
Lewes St John Under 8 963.86x
Long Ditton 8 279.72x
Tonbridge 7 15.80x
Everton 6 4.41x
Paddington London 6 4.53x
Sevenoaks 6 60.24x
Bromley 5 26.71x
Glynde 5 1428.57x
Newick 5 375.94x
Westham 5 403.23x
Bermondsey 4 3.73x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 4 6.02x
Cowden 4 500.00x
Hampstead London 4 7.14x
Newington 4 3.01x
Stoke Newington London 4 14.27x
Taunton St Mary 4 37.59x
Burghclere 3 319.15x
Islington London 3 0.86x
Lancing 3 179.64x
Lewes All Sts 3 123.97x
Plymouth Charles The 3 9.09x
Shoreham 3 171.43x
Somersham 3 172.41x
St Marylebone London 3 1.56x
Chatham 2 5.92x
Deptford St Paul 2 2.11x
East Chiltington 2 392.16x
Fletching 2 73.53x
Hammersmith London 2 2.26x
Hangleton 2 2000.00x
Liverpool 2 0.77x
Mile End Old Town London 2 2.61x
Walcot 2 6.48x
West Malling 2 72.46x
Willingdon 2 129.87x
Broadwater 1 7.18x
Cadeby 1 294.12x
Chesham 1 12.47x
Cuckfield 1 16.31x
Edmonton 1 3.45x
Featherstone 1 24.94x
Frampton Cotterell 1 40.32x
Hawkesbury 1 41.67x
Hawkhurst 1 26.18x
Holy Trinity 1 1.17x
Hove 1 3.76x
Knockholt 1 102.04x
Luton 1 3.10x
March 1 13.11x
Mayfield 1 27.86x
Minster In Sheppey 1 4.91x
New Shoreham 1 27.47x
Reading St Giles 1 3.77x
Rumbolds Wyke 1 90.09x
Salford 1 0.80x
Shoreditch London 1 0.64x
Streatham 1 3.74x
Teddington London 1 12.25x
Topsham 1 28.25x
Wellington 1 12.72x
Westminster St James 1 2.70x
Woolwich 1 2.20x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 17
Jane 11
Elizabeth 9
Sarah 9
Alice 7
Ann 7
Edith 7
Eliza 7
Anne 6
Emily 6
Ada 4
Harriett 4
Louisa 4
Martha 4
Rose 4
Annie 3
Caroline 3
Clara 3
Emma 3
Kate 3
Lucy 3
Margaret 3
Maria 3
Maud 3
Adelaide 2
Agnes 2
Amelia 2
Beatrice 2
Catherine 2
Ellen 2
Frances 2
Mabel 2
Phebe 2
Ade 1
Betsy 1
Blanche 1
Edward 1
Elezabeth 1
Eliz. 1
Eliz.J. 1
Elizth. 1
Elsey 1
Gertrude 1
Hannah 1
Harriet 1
Henrietta 1
Hetty 1
Ida 1
Isabella 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 22
William 17
George 15
Henry 13
Charles 9
James 9
Thomas 6
Alfred 5
Arthur 4
Edward 4
Francis 4
Joseph 4
Daniel 3
Frederick 3
Herbert 3
David 2
Harry 2
Horace 2
Jesse 2
Robert 2
A.W. 1
Albert 1
Basil 1
Benj. 1
Bertie 1
Cecil 1
Clifford 1
Cristopher 1
Cyril 1
Ebenezer 1
Edgar 1
Edwin 1
Frank 1
Harold 1
Isaiah 1
J. 1
Laurence 1
Leighton 1
Regnld. 1
Reuben 1
Richard 1
Richr. 1
Rufas 1
Samuel 1
Stephen 1
Thos.J. 1

FAQ

Buckwell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Buckwell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 372 people were recorded with the Buckwell surname. That placed it at #8,399 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Buckwell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 347 in 2016. That gives Buckwell a modern rank of #13,259.

What does the Buckwell surname mean?

A topographic surname referring to someone who lived near a freshwater spring or well.

What does the Buckwell map show?

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