NameCensus.

UK surname

Buffey

A surname derived from a regional pronunciation of the word "buffet", perhaps indicating an occupation related to serving food or drink.

In the 1881 census there were 132 people recorded with the Buffey surname, ranking it #16,744 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 229, ranked #17,878, down from #16,744 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Sutton and Stoneferry, Prestbury and Ruabon. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Craven, Salford and Hambleton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Buffey is 271 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 73.5%.

1881 census count

132

Ranked #16,744

Modern count

229

2016, ranked #17,878

Peak year

1999

271 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Buffey had 132 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,744 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 229 in 2016, ranked #17,878.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 251 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Buffey surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Buffey surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Buffey 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 47 #24,810
1861 historical 88 #22,554
1881 historical 132 #16,744
1891 historical 159 #17,636
1901 historical 174 #16,520
1911 historical 251 #12,870
1997 modern 245 #15,483
1998 modern 261 #15,241
1999 modern 271 #14,954
2000 modern 267 #15,055
2001 modern 261 #15,066
2002 modern 263 #15,277
2003 modern 255 #15,416
2004 modern 261 #15,274
2005 modern 247 #15,763
2006 modern 254 #15,560
2007 modern 246 #16,086
2008 modern 237 #16,688
2009 modern 248 #16,509
2010 modern 255 #16,563
2011 modern 252 #16,543
2012 modern 232 #17,401
2013 modern 234 #17,556
2014 modern 238 #17,480
2015 modern 224 #18,117
2016 modern 229 #17,878

Geography

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Where Buffeys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Sutton and Stoneferry, Prestbury, Ruabon, Wolverhampton 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 Craven, Salford, Hambleton, Bromsgrove and Wrexham. 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 Sutton and Stoneferry Yorkshire, East Riding
2 Prestbury Cheshire
3 Ruabon Denbighshire
4 Wolverhampton Staffordshire
5 London parishes London 3

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Craven 008 Craven
2 Salford 002 Salford
3 Hambleton 009 Hambleton
4 Bromsgrove 006 Bromsgrove
5 Wrexham 017 Wrexham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Buffey

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Buffey

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

Rural Amenity

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

City Support Workers

Within London, Buffey is most associated with areas classed as City Support Workers, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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

Scattered throughout Inner London, these areas house relatively few workers in the most senior roles within organisations, and greater prevalence of administrative roles relative to the Supergroup mean. Residents are less likely to be of Chinese ethnicity and are more likely to have been born in Africa. Relative to the Supergroup average, residents are also more likely to live in social housing and live in overcrowded conditions.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Buffey is most concentrated in decile 5 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Buffey falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Buffey

The surname Buffey is believed to have originated in England during the late medieval period. It is thought to be a locational name derived from a place called Boveney, which was a small village in the county of Berkshire. The name Boveney is composed of the Old English words "bofe" meaning "bank" and "ey" meaning "island," referring to an island or piece of land by a river bank.

One of the earliest records of the name Buffey can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Berkshire from 1327, where it is spelled as "Boveneye." This spelling variation indicates that the name was initially associated with the place name Boveney before evolving into its modern form of Buffey over time.

In the 14th century, a certain John de Boveneye was mentioned in the Feet of Fines for Berkshire in 1348, further solidifying the connection between the surname and the village of Boveney. This record provides one of the earliest known instances of the name in its locational context.

Another notable early record of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Berkshire from 1388, where a Thomas Buffey is listed as a taxpayer. This is one of the earliest examples of the surname appearing in its modern spelling.

Throughout the centuries, several individuals bearing the surname Buffey have made their mark in various fields. One such notable figure was William Buffey (1615-1679), an English clergyman who served as the Rector of Buscot in Berkshire. Another was John Buffey (1690-1752), a prominent landowner and farmer in the village of Boveney itself.

In the 18th century, Edward Buffey (1720-1798) was a respected merchant and trader based in London. His son, also named Edward Buffey (1760-1825), followed in his footsteps and became a successful entrepreneur in the same city.

Moving into the 19th century, a certain Thomas Buffey (1810-1887) was a well-known architect who designed several notable buildings in the city of Oxford. His most famous work is the Oxford University Museum of Natural History, which still stands today as a testament to his architectural skills.

While the surname Buffey is not exceptionally common, it has been carried by individuals from various walks of life throughout history, each contributing to the rich tapestry of this name's legacy.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Buffey families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Buffey 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. Yorkshire leads with 42 Buffeys recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.29x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 42 3.29x
Warwickshire 29 8.93x
Cheshire 10 3.52x
Kent 10 2.28x
Leicestershire 9 6.30x
Denbighshire 8 16.45x
Middlesex 7 0.54x
Staffordshire 7 1.61x
Lancashire 5 0.33x
Essex 2 0.79x
Wiltshire 2 1.76x
Northamptonshire 1 0.83x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Birmingham in Warwickshire leads with 20 Buffeys recorded in 1881 and an index of 18.48x.

Place Total Index
Birmingham 20 18.48x
Sutton 15 1034.48x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 10 84.10x
Lewisham 10 42.70x
Poynton 10 1041.67x
Leicester St Margaret 9 25.85x
Aston 8 8.95x
Ruabon 8 119.58x
Brightside Bierlow 6 23.98x
Featherstone 5 349.65x
Ince In Makerfield 5 70.32x
Sculcoates 5 24.72x
Bilston 4 47.51x
Wolstanton 3 22.73x
St Giles In Fields London 2 31.65x
West Ham 2 3.56x
West Wellow 2 800.00x
Ealing 1 8.69x
Edgbaston 1 9.93x
Hackney London 1 1.39x
Hanwell 1 43.86x
Kings Sutton 1 185.19x
Nether Hallam 1 5.79x
St Clement Danes London 1 37.59x
St Marylebone London 1 1.45x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Sarah 8
Mary 6
Clara 4
Ada 3
Annie 3
Elizabeth 3
Alice 2
Eliza 2
Elizth. 2
Fanny 2
Hannah 2
Isabella 2
Jane 2
Maria 2
Rose 2
Susannah 2
Amelia 1
Ann 1
Beatrice 1
Caroline 1
Charlott 1
Charlotte 1
Elisa 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Florence 1
Frances 1
Harriett 1
Kate 1
Laura 1
Louisa 1
Lydia 1
Matilda 1
Phillis 1
Priscilla 1
Rosana 1
Selina 1
Susan 1
Tamar 1
Unas 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 8
Samuel 8
James 7
William 7
Thomas 6
Joseph 5
Edward 3
Alfred 2
George 2
Henry 2
Saml. 2
Albert 1
Arthur 1
Cornelius 1
Edwin 1
Enock 1
G. 1
Godfery 1
Isaac 1
Squire 1

FAQ

Buffey surname: questions and answers

How common was the Buffey surname in 1881?

In 1881, 132 people were recorded with the Buffey surname. That placed it at #16,744 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Buffey surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 229 in 2016. That gives Buffey a modern rank of #17,878.

What does the Buffey surname mean?

A surname derived from a regional pronunciation of the word "buffet", perhaps indicating an occupation related to serving food or drink.

What does the Buffey map show?

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