NameCensus.

UK surname

Budden

A toponymic surname likely derived from a place name meaning "little bend" or "bend in a river."

In the 1881 census there were 1,146 people recorded with the Budden surname, ranking it #3,495 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,272, ranked #4,709, down from #3,495 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Poole St James, London parishes and Southampton St Mary. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Hampshire, Poole and Winchester.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Budden is 1,698 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 11.0%.

1881 census count

1,146

Ranked #3,495

Modern count

1,272

2016, ranked #4,709

Peak year

1911

1,698 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Budden had 1,146 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,495 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,272 in 2016, ranked #4,709.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,698 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Budden surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Budden surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Budden 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 696 #3,746
1861 historical 678 #3,961
1881 historical 1,146 #3,495
1891 historical 1,315 #3,302
1901 historical 1,526 #3,373
1911 historical 1,698 #2,892
1997 modern 1,428 #4,074
1998 modern 1,507 #4,031
1999 modern 1,479 #4,133
2000 modern 1,485 #4,094
2001 modern 1,453 #4,096
2002 modern 1,498 #4,082
2003 modern 1,466 #4,073
2004 modern 1,425 #4,163
2005 modern 1,362 #4,282
2006 modern 1,337 #4,352
2007 modern 1,323 #4,417
2008 modern 1,317 #4,464
2009 modern 1,328 #4,527
2010 modern 1,337 #4,579
2011 modern 1,325 #4,559
2012 modern 1,269 #4,673
2013 modern 1,289 #4,687
2014 modern 1,303 #4,672
2015 modern 1,302 #4,622
2016 modern 1,272 #4,709

Geography

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Where Buddens are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Poole St James, London parishes, Southampton St Mary, Portsmouth, Portsea and Canford Magna. 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, Winchester, Bournemouth and Isle of Wight. 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 Poole St James Dorset
2 London parishes London 3
3 Southampton St Mary Hampshire
4 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire
5 Canford Magna Dorset

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Hampshire 013 East Hampshire
2 Poole 008 Poole
3 Winchester 010 Winchester
4 Bournemouth 007 Bournemouth
5 Isle of Wight 001 Isle of Wight

Forenames

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First names often paired with Budden

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Budden

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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Budden surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Budden household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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, Budden 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

Budden 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

Budden falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Budden

The surname Budden is believed to have originated in England, likely during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "budde," which referred to a messenger or herald. Alternatively, it may have derived from a place name, such as Budden in Hertfordshire.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Budden can be traced back to the 13th century. In 1273, a record mentions a William Budden in the Hundred Rolls of Huntingdonshire. The Hundred Rolls were administrative records kept by the English government at the time.

Another early reference to the name Budden can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Staffordshire from 1292, which mention a John Budden. The Pipe Rolls were financial records maintained by the Exchequer of England.

In the 16th century, the surname Budden appeared in various records and documents across different counties in England. For instance, in 1523, a record from Somerset mentions a Thomas Budden, while in 1565, a John Budden is recorded in the Parish Registers of Hawkhurst, Kent.

One notable individual with the surname Budden was Sir John Budden, who lived in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. He was a prominent merchant and politician from Bristol, serving as the city's Mayor in 1611 and as a Member of Parliament for Bristol in 1624.

Another person of historical significance bearing the name Budden was William Budden, a 17th-century English clergyman. He was appointed as the Rector of Sutton in Norfolk in 1637 and later became the Archdeacon of Norfolk in 1662.

In the 18th century, the name Budden was associated with the village of Budden (now known as Buckden) in Huntingdonshire (now part of Cambridgeshire). The village's name is believed to be derived from the Old English words "bucca" and "denu," meaning "a valley of bucks or buck deer."

In the 19th century, a notable figure was John Budden, a British architect who lived from 1773 to 1857. He was responsible for designing several important buildings in London, including the St. Katharine Docks and the Bevis Marks Synagogue.

Another individual of note was George Budden, a British military officer who served in the Crimean War and the Indian Rebellion of 1857. He was born in 1815 and died in 1888.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Budden families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Budden 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. Hampshire leads with 365 Buddens recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.78x.

County Total Index
Hampshire 365 15.78x
Dorset 308 41.58x
Middlesex 115 1.02x
Surrey 93 1.69x
Sussex 37 1.94x
Kent 35 0.91x
Devon 31 1.32x
Somerset 25 1.38x
Wiltshire 24 2.40x
Lancashire 20 0.15x
Berkshire 14 1.65x
Monmouthshire 13 1.59x
Channel Islands 7 2.09x
Derbyshire 7 0.40x
Essex 7 0.31x
Cambridgeshire 6 0.84x
Cheshire 6 0.24x
Gloucestershire 6 0.27x
Radnorshire 6 6.59x
Glamorgan 5 0.25x
Aberdeenshire 3 0.29x
Brecknockshire 3 1.33x
Midlothian 3 0.20x
Northumberland 3 0.18x
Royal Navy 3 2.23x
Northamptonshire 2 0.19x
Suffolk 2 0.15x
Warwickshire 2 0.07x
Yorkshire 2 0.02x
Durham 1 0.03x
Norfolk 1 0.06x
Staffordshire 1 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Christchurch in Hampshire leads with 50 Buddens recorded in 1881 and an index of 99.68x.

Place Total Index
Christchurch 50 99.68x
Portsea 49 10.81x
Lambeth 38 3.86x
Kinson 34 234.81x
Bridport 32 209.84x
Southampton St Mary 29 19.94x
Holdenhurst 24 39.55x
Eling 22 93.90x
Poole St James 19 68.27x
Millbrook 17 29.18x
Titchfield 17 97.48x
Boldre 16 193.00x
Kingston On Thames 15 11.35x
Lytchett Matravers 15 561.80x
Netherbury 15 245.10x
St Mary Extra 14 75.19x
Canford Magna 13 303.74x
Wimborne Minster 13 108.51x
Frampton 12 736.20x
South Stoneham 12 23.91x
Southampton All Sts 12 30.23x
Witchampton 12 634.92x
Chelsea London 11 3.23x
Cranborne 11 122.77x
Portskewett 11 578.95x
Camberwell 10 1.39x
Loders 10 271.74x
St George Hanover Square 10 5.03x
St Marylebone London 10 1.66x
Basingstoke 9 33.82x
St Thomas Winchester 9 55.11x
Wimborne St Giles 9 514.29x
Acton 8 12.09x
Catherington 8 156.56x
Farringdon 8 353.98x
Yeovil 8 21.67x
Clerkenwell London 7 2.63x
Corfe Mullen 7 260.22x
Donhead St Mary 7 138.07x
Matlock 7 29.50x
Paddington London 7 1.69x
Plymouth Charles The 7 6.76x
Rotherhithe 7 5.02x
Subdeanary 7 136.72x
Sunninghill 7 59.57x
Talaton 7 393.26x
Wardleworth 7 9.15x
West Ham 7 1.42x
Wherwell 7 334.93x
Wimborne 7 78.13x
Wool 7 355.33x
Bethnal Green London 6 1.22x
Bow London 6 4.18x
Carisbrooke 6 18.68x
Cefnllys 6 229.01x
Cuckfield 6 31.22x
Girton 6 320.86x
Mile End Old Town London 6 2.50x
Portland 6 15.06x
Semley 6 226.42x
Stour Provost 6 454.55x
Banwell 5 75.41x
Bothenhampton 5 241.55x
Bristol St James St Paul 5 6.77x
Chettle 5 1000.00x
Hammersmith London 5 1.80x
Hampreston 5 92.94x
Icklesham 5 149.25x
Kensington London 5 0.80x
Leigh 5 320.51x
Llandaff 5 7.65x
Merriott 5 93.99x
Merton 5 51.98x
Morestead 5 925.93x
Pendlebury 5 17.68x
Puddle Hinton 5 324.68x
Shoreditch London 5 1.02x
Stoke Damerel 5 3.04x
Streatham 5 5.97x
Watercombe 5 2083.33x

Top female names

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

Name Count
George 69
William 52
James 47
Charles 34
Henry 32
John 30
Frederick 21
Thomas 21
Frank 17
Alfred 16
Edward 16
Walter 16
Arthur 14
Harry 11
Edwin 10
Joseph 10
Robert 10
Samuel 10
Edmund 7
Albert 6
Tom 6
David 5
Isaac 5
Stephen 5
Alexander 4
Fred 4
Fredrick 3
Horace 3
Job 3
Richard 3
Benjamin 2
Edgar 2
Elias 2
Ernest 2
Frederic 2
Fredk.J. 2
Geo. 2
Herbert 2
Jesse 2
Luke 2
Sidney 2
C. 1
Elijah 1
Elisha 1
Elison 1
Ellis 1
Francis 1
Harris 1
Henery 1
Willie 1

FAQ

Budden surname: questions and answers

How common was the Budden surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,146 people were recorded with the Budden surname. That placed it at #3,495 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Budden surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,272 in 2016. That gives Budden a modern rank of #4,709.

What does the Budden surname mean?

A toponymic surname likely derived from a place name meaning "little bend" or "bend in a river."

What does the Budden map show?

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