NameCensus.

UK surname

Buffham

An English habitational surname derived from the town of Buffham in Norfolk.

In the 1881 census there were 166 people recorded with the Buffham surname, ranking it #14,496 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 186, ranked #20,575, down from #14,496 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Moulton, St Pancras and Terrington St Clement, Terrington St John. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Peterborough, Fenland and South Holland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Buffham is 248 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 12.0%.

1881 census count

166

Ranked #14,496

Modern count

186

2016, ranked #20,575

Peak year

1911

248 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Buffham had 166 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,496 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 186 in 2016, ranked #20,575.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 248 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Buffham surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Buffham surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Buffham 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 138 #13,745
1861 historical 160 #14,468
1881 historical 166 #14,496
1891 historical 223 #13,800
1901 historical 222 #14,169
1911 historical 248 #12,988
1997 modern 219 #16,666
1998 modern 226 #16,800
1999 modern 217 #17,307
2000 modern 211 #17,603
2001 modern 211 #17,376
2002 modern 222 #17,147
2003 modern 216 #17,229
2004 modern 219 #17,180
2005 modern 209 #17,629
2006 modern 205 #18,005
2007 modern 202 #18,359
2008 modern 196 #18,895
2009 modern 207 #18,600
2010 modern 204 #19,200
2011 modern 198 #19,410
2012 modern 186 #20,141
2013 modern 195 #19,857
2014 modern 190 #20,374
2015 modern 188 #20,417
2016 modern 186 #20,575

Geography

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Where Buffhams are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Moulton, St Pancras, Terrington St Clement, Terrington St John, Bradford and Sutton, Long or St Mary. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Peterborough, Fenland, South Holland and King's Lynn and West 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 Moulton Lincolnshire
2 St Pancras London (North Districts)
3 Terrington St Clement, Terrington St John Cambridgeshire
4 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Sutton, Long or St Mary Lincolnshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Peterborough 005 Peterborough
2 Fenland 001 Fenland
3 South Holland 007 South Holland
4 Fenland 004 Fenland
5 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 012 King's Lynn and West Norfolk

Forenames

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First names often paired with Buffham

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Buffham

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Buffham, 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 Buffham surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Buffham 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Buffham 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

Buffham is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Buffham falls in decile 9 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Buffham is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Buffham, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Buffham

The surname Buffham has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "bufe" and "ham," which together mean "homestead near the stream." This suggests that the name originated in an area where a settlement was established near a flowing body of water.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Buffham can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of land ownership and taxation in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. This entry indicates that the name was already well-established in certain regions of the country by the late 11th century.

During the Middle Ages, the surname Buffham was primarily concentrated in the counties of Gloucestershire and Worcestershire, where variants such as "Buffam" and "Buffum" were also documented. The name's association with these areas implies that the original Buffham homestead may have been located in the vicinity of these counties.

Notable individuals bearing the Buffham surname throughout history include Sir Richard Buffham (1522-1587), a prominent English landowner and member of Parliament during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. Another figure was John Buffham (1640-1705), a respected clergyman who served as the vicar of Hambledon in Hampshire for over four decades.

In the 17th century, records show a William Buffham (1615-1685) who was a successful merchant and ship-owner based in the coastal town of Bristol. His business ventures likely contributed to the gradual dissemination of the Buffham name across various parts of England.

Moving into the 19th century, a notable figure was Edward Buffham (1815-1892), a renowned architect who designed several notable buildings in London, including the original Royal Albert Hall. His innovative designs and contributions to the city's architectural landscape cemented his place in history.

Another individual of note was Mary Buffham (1854-1932), a pioneering educator who advocated for women's access to higher education. She played a pivotal role in establishing one of the first women's colleges in Oxford, paving the way for greater educational opportunities for women in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Buffham families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Buffham 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. Lincolnshire leads with 72 Buffhams recorded in 1881 and an index of 27.81x.

County Total Index
Lincolnshire 72 27.81x
Yorkshire 23 1.43x
Middlesex 20 1.24x
Norfolk 19 7.63x
Essex 16 5.01x
Durham 4 0.83x
Cambridgeshire 3 2.92x
Hampshire 3 0.90x
Kent 3 0.54x
Lancashire 1 0.05x
Northamptonshire 1 0.66x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.46x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Holbeach in Lincolnshire leads with 18 Buffhams recorded in 1881 and an index of 625.00x.

Place Total Index
Holbeach 18 625.00x
Spalding 15 291.83x
St Pancras London 13 9.97x
Whaplode 13 1477.27x
Terrington St Clement 12 1071.43x
West Ham 12 17.00x
Manningham 10 50.58x
Bilton Cum Harrogate 6 109.29x
Swineshead 6 705.88x
Bromley London 4 11.23x
Walthamstow 4 34.75x
Bradford Girlington 3 416.67x
Crondall 3 168.54x
Honing 3 1666.67x
St Martin Lincoln 3 125.00x
St Swithin Lincoln 3 73.71x
Westminster St Margaret 3 38.41x
Bennington By Boston 2 666.67x
Doncaster 2 17.06x
Egglescliffe 2 555.56x
Gedney 2 188.68x
Lessingham 2 2000.00x
Stockton On Tees 2 8.61x
Sutton St James 2 645.16x
Tydd St Giles 2 408.16x
Woodhall 2 1333.33x
Wragby 2 714.29x
Beckenham 1 13.85x
Boston 1 12.72x
Calverley Cum Farsley 1 21.93x
Fleet 1 135.14x
Frieston 1 163.93x
Great Yarmouth 1 4.85x
Hayes 1 256.41x
Moss Side 1 9.89x
Oulton Cum Woodlesford 1 76.92x
Peterborough 1 9.07x
Stalham 1 208.33x
Washingborough 1 250.00x
Weston 1 526.32x
Wisbech St Mary 1 84.75x
Woolwich 1 4.90x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 12
Mary 10
Alice 5
Ann 4
Annie 3
Hannah 3
Jane 3
Sarah 3
Emma 2
Louisa 2
Maria 2
Rebecca 2
Susan 2
Ada 1
Adeliza 1
Agnes 1
Beartrice 1
Bessie 1
Caroline 1
Charlotte 1
Clara 1
Daisy 1
Damarew 1
Eleanor 1
Eliz. 1
Eliza 1
Elizth. 1
Ellen 1
Emily 1
Fanny 1
Florance 1
Florence 1
Harriett 1
Infant 1
Isabella 1
Kate 1
Laura 1
Lilian 1
Lucy 1
Mabel 1
Maud 1
Myntheria 1
Naomi 1
Rachel 1
Rose 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Buffham surname: questions and answers

How common was the Buffham surname in 1881?

In 1881, 166 people were recorded with the Buffham surname. That placed it at #14,496 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Buffham surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 186 in 2016. That gives Buffham a modern rank of #20,575.

What does the Buffham surname mean?

An English habitational surname derived from the town of Buffham in Norfolk.

What does the Buffham map show?

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