NameCensus.

UK surname

Budds

A variant of the English surname Budd, derived from the medieval given name Budde.

In the 1881 census there were 138 people recorded with the Budds surname, ranking it #16,292 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 114, ranked #28,515, down from #16,292 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Greenwich, London parishes and Milton next Sittingbourne. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Castle Point, Tendring and Swale.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Budds is 195 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 17.4%.

1881 census count

138

Ranked #16,292

Modern count

114

2016, ranked #28,515

Peak year

1891

195 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Budds had 138 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,292 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 114 in 2016, ranked #28,515.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 195 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Budds surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Budds surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Budds 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 86 #18,820
1861 historical 118 #18,512
1881 historical 138 #16,292
1891 historical 195 #15,211
1901 historical 181 #16,107
1911 historical 195 #15,197
1997 modern 132 #22,821
1998 modern 130 #23,603
1999 modern 134 #23,378
2000 modern 127 #24,121
2001 modern 127 #23,781
2002 modern 127 #24,267
2003 modern 127 #24,019
2004 modern 127 #24,224
2005 modern 124 #24,529
2006 modern 117 #25,695
2007 modern 112 #26,800
2008 modern 106 #28,016
2009 modern 117 #26,927
2010 modern 115 #27,874
2011 modern 111 #28,294
2012 modern 117 #27,394
2013 modern 116 #27,992
2014 modern 110 #29,294
2015 modern 112 #28,809
2016 modern 114 #28,515

Geography

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Where Budds' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Greenwich, London parishes, Milton next Sittingbourne, Oakley, Great and Great Yarmouth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Castle Point, Tendring, Swale, Bath and North East Somerset and South Norfolk. 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 Greenwich London (South Districts)
2 London parishes London 3
3 Milton next Sittingbourne Kent
4 Oakley, Great Essex
5 Great Yarmouth Norfolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Castle Point 005 Castle Point
2 Tendring 004 Tendring
3 Swale 006 Swale
4 Bath and North East Somerset 025 Bath and North East Somerset
5 South Norfolk 008 South Norfolk

Forenames

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First names often paired with Budds

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Budds

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Budds, 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 Budds surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Budds 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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Budds is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Budds 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

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

Meaning and origin of Budds

The surname BUDDS is believed to have originated in England, specifically in the county of Shropshire, during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "budde," which means "messenger" or "herald." This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with individuals who held positions as messengers or town criers.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the BUDDS surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Bude." This entry likely refers to a landowner or individual of some significance in the area known as Bude, located in Cornwall.

During the 13th century, the name BUDDS began to appear in various historical records, such as the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where it was spelled "Budde." Around this time, the surname was also associated with places like Bude in Cornwall and Budds Farm in Shropshire, indicating that the name may have originated from a place name.

Notable individuals with the BUDDS surname include John Budds (1773-1845), an English portrait painter and engraver known for his works depicting members of the British aristocracy. Another prominent figure was Sir John Budds (1822-1897), a British politician and lawyer who served as a Member of Parliament for several constituencies.

In the 16th century, William Budds (1550-1623) was a prominent English clergyman who served as the Bishop of Galloway in Scotland. He played a significant role in the Scottish Reformation and was known for his religious writings and sermons.

During the 17th century, Thomas Budds (1630-1695) was a prominent English landowner and local magistrate who held significant influence in the county of Somerset. His descendants continued to play an active role in local politics and governance.

Another notable figure was Elizabeth Budds (1785-1860), a British author and educator who wrote several books on education and child-rearing. Her works were widely read and influential during the Victorian era.

These examples illustrate the historical presence and significance of the BUDDS surname across various fields, from politics and law to religion, arts, and literature.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Budds families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Budds 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. Kent leads with 39 Budds' recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.49x.

County Total Index
Kent 39 8.49x
Essex 24 9.03x
Norfolk 22 10.63x
Huntingdonshire 13 48.63x
Suffolk 10 6.10x
Fife 9 11.29x
Yorkshire 6 0.45x
Hampshire 5 1.81x
Cornwall 3 1.97x
Surrey 3 0.46x
Middlesex 2 0.15x
Devon 1 0.36x
Lancashire 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Great Oakley in Essex leads with 21 Budds' recorded in 1881 and an index of 4883.72x.

Place Total Index
Great Oakley 21 4883.72x
Great Yarmouth 13 75.80x
Milton In Milton 12 615.38x
Huntingdon All Sts 9 4736.84x
Lowestoft 9 116.13x
Greenwich 8 37.33x
St Andrews 8 220.39x
Brightside Bierlow 6 22.94x
Crondall 5 337.84x
Deptford St Paul 5 14.11x
Thurlton 5 2631.58x
Heigham 4 36.00x
Huntingdon St John 4 519.48x
Minster In Sheppey 4 52.56x
Sittingbourne 4 110.19x
Falmouth 3 55.66x
Great Clacton 3 333.33x
Battersea 2 4.04x
Islington London 2 1.53x
Ramsgate 2 26.67x
Whitstable 2 88.89x
Ardwick 1 6.94x
Folkestone 1 11.22x
Ipswich St Mary Key 1 232.56x
Lambeth 1 0.85x
Lee 1 14.99x
Plymouth St Andrew 1 4.63x
Scoonie 1 57.80x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 4
Sarah 4
Ann 3
Emma 3
Matilda 3
Amelia 2
Constance 2
Eleanor 2
Eliza 2
Esther 2
Ethel 2
Lucy 2
Margaret 2
Maria 2
Agnes 1
Elizth. 1
Ellen 1
Emily 1
Eva 1
Florence 1
Gertrude 1
Grace 1
Harriet 1
Isabella 1
Julia 1
Kathleen 1
Lilian 1
Martha 1
Minnie 1
Muriel 1
Rose 1
Rosie 1
Rosina 1
Selina 1
Sophia 1
Susannah 1
Thompson 1
Unice 1
Winifred 1
Zilpah 1
Zulphur 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 10
John 7
James 4
Alfred 3
George 3
Harry 3
Walter 3
Caleb 2
Edward 2
Ernest 2
Joseph 2
Stephen 2
Abraham 1
Albert 1
Alex.C.A. 1
Arthur 1
Bertie 1
Charles 1
Chas 1
Frank 1
Frederick 1
Gilbert 1
Harold 1
Henry 1
Herbert 1
Howard 1
Kenwood 1
Mumfred 1
Robert 1
Samuel 1
Warren 1

FAQ

Budds surname: questions and answers

How common was the Budds surname in 1881?

In 1881, 138 people were recorded with the Budds surname. That placed it at #16,292 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Budds surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 114 in 2016. That gives Budds a modern rank of #28,515.

What does the Budds surname mean?

A variant of the English surname Budd, derived from the medieval given name Budde.

What does the Budds map show?

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