UK surname
A topographic name for someone living near a buer, meaning a small house or hut.
In the 1881 census there were 62 people recorded with the Buer surname, ranking it #24,843 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 73, ranked #33,502, down from #24,843 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to St Bride, London parishes and Hendon. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Buer is 106 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 17.7%.
1881 census count
62
Ranked #24,843
Modern count
73
2016, ranked #33,502
Peak year
1891
106 bearers
Map years
3
1891 to 1911
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Buer surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Buer surname density by area, 1911 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 53 | #23,739 |
| 1861 | historical | 56 | #26,864 |
| 1881 | historical | 62 | #24,843 |
| 1891 | historical | 106 | #23,105 |
| 1901 | historical | 101 | #22,726 |
| 1911 | historical | 103 | #22,328 |
| 1997 | modern | 67 | #30,915 |
| 1998 | modern | 72 | #30,775 |
| 1999 | modern | 70 | #31,135 |
| 2000 | modern | 75 | #30,668 |
| 2001 | modern | 70 | #31,016 |
| 2002 | modern | 68 | #31,626 |
| 2003 | modern | 70 | #31,486 |
| 2004 | modern | 73 | #31,403 |
| 2005 | modern | 74 | #31,522 |
| 2006 | modern | 73 | #31,954 |
| 2007 | modern | 71 | #32,484 |
| 2008 | modern | 72 | #32,656 |
| 2009 | modern | 68 | #33,341 |
| 2010 | modern | 71 | #33,401 |
| 2011 | modern | 74 | #33,151 |
| 2012 | modern | 70 | #33,638 |
| 2013 | modern | 72 | #33,631 |
| 2014 | modern | 72 | #33,647 |
| 2015 | modern | 70 | #33,717 |
| 2016 | modern | 73 | #33,502 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around St Bride, London parishes, Hendon and Lambeth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | St Bride | London (Central Districts) |
| 2 | London parishes | London 1 |
| 3 | London parishes | London 3 |
| 4 | Hendon | Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts) |
| 5 | Lambeth | London (South Districts) |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Buer surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Buer, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Buer surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Buer household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Buer is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Buer is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Buer, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname BUER is believed to have originated in Germany during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old German word "bur," which means a farmer or a resident of a village. This suggests that the name may have been initially given to someone who lived in a particular rural area or worked as a farmer.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name BUER can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus, a collection of historical documents from the former Duchy of Bremen in northern Germany. In this manuscript, dated around the 13th century, there are mentions of individuals with the surname BUER residing in various villages and towns within the region.
In the 14th century, the name BUER appeared in the records of the city of Lübeck, a prominent trading center in northern Germany. These records indicate that a family with the surname BUER held positions of authority and influence within the city's merchant guilds.
During the 16th century, a notable figure with the surname BUER was Johann Buer, a German theologian and Protestant reformer born in 1506 in the town of Mühlhausen. He played a significant role in the Reformation movement and was a close associate of Martin Luther.
Another historical figure with the surname BUER was Hans Buer, a German painter who lived in the 16th century. He was known for his religious paintings and worked in the city of Nuremberg, a renowned center for art and craftsmanship during the Renaissance.
In the 17th century, the name BUER was associated with the village of Bueren in the region of Westphalia, Germany. The village's name is believed to be derived from the same Old German root as the surname, further reinforcing the connection between the name and rural settlements.
In the 18th century, a notable person with the surname BUER was Johann Christoph Buer, a German composer and organist born in 1701. He made significant contributions to church music and served as the organist at the Stadtkirche St. Marien in Lübeck.
As the centuries progressed, the surname BUER spread to various parts of Germany and other German-speaking regions, with variations in spelling such as Buer, Buhr, and Bühr emerging over time.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Buer surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 21 Buers recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.42x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Middlesex | 21 | 3.42x |
| Surrey | 9 | 3.01x |
| Warwickshire | 9 | 5.81x |
| Essex | 6 | 4.95x |
| Oxfordshire | 6 | 15.81x |
| Yorkshire | 6 | 0.99x |
| Kent | 2 | 0.95x |
| Midlothian | 2 | 2.43x |
| Cambridgeshire | 1 | 2.57x |
| Royal Navy | 1 | 13.66x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Lambeth in Surrey leads with 9 Buers recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.80x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Lambeth | 9 | 16.80x |
| Twickenham | 9 | 342.21x |
| Aston | 8 | 18.75x |
| Chingford | 6 | 2068.97x |
| Cowley | 4 | 338.98x |
| Wortley In Bramley | 4 | 82.99x |
| St Pancras London | 3 | 6.07x |
| Caversham | 2 | 263.16x |
| Clerkenwell London | 2 | 13.79x |
| Edinburgh St Cuthberts | 2 | 6.04x |
| St Andrew Holborn London | 2 | 75.19x |
| Barnsley | 1 | 15.92x |
| Birmingham | 1 | 1.94x |
| Bromley | 1 | 31.35x |
| Ealing | 1 | 18.21x |
| Hackney London | 1 | 2.90x |
| Leeds | 1 | 2.91x |
| Lewisham | 1 | 8.94x |
| March | 1 | 76.92x |
| Mile End Old Town London | 1 | 7.65x |
| Paddington London | 1 | 4.43x |
| Royal Navy | 1 | 15.97x |
| St Dionis Backchurch | 1 | 2500.00x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Buer surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Buer surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Buer households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 19 |
| Butcher | 3 |
| Dressmaker | 2 |
| General Servant | 2 |
| Acting Chief Boatswains Mate | 1 |
| Barmaid | 1 |
| Butchers Shop | 1 |
| Cab Driver | 1 |
| Charwoman | 1 |
| Drapery Asst | 1 |
| General Domestic | 1 |
| Hawker | 1 |
| Hosier & Glover | 1 |
| Hosier Warehouseman | 1 |
| Labourer Agr | 1 |
| Licensed Victualler | 1 |
| Marque & Sheet Maker | 1 |
| Master Carman | 1 |
| Milliner Apprentice | 1 |
| No Occupation | 1 |
| None | 1 |
| Printer | 1 |
| Scrivener | 1 |
| Shopkeeper Baby Linen | 1 |
| Wife | 1 |
| Zinc Worker | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 62 people were recorded with the Buer surname. That placed it at #24,843 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 73 in 2016. That gives Buer a modern rank of #33,502.
A topographic name for someone living near a buer, meaning a small house or hut.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Buer bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.