NameCensus.

UK surname

Bugby

An English surname derived from a location, likely from the village of Bugby in Warwickshire.

In the 1881 census there were 264 people recorded with the Bugby surname, ranking it #10,655 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 193, ranked #20,039, down from #10,655 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Stow or Longstow, Great and Little Catworth, London parishes and Henstridge. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kettering, Leicester and East Northamptonshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bugby is 340 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 26.9%.

1881 census count

264

Ranked #10,655

Modern count

193

2016, ranked #20,039

Peak year

1901

340 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bugby had 264 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,655 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 193 in 2016, ranked #20,039.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 340 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Bugby surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bugby surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bugby 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 136 #13,892
1861 historical 147 #15,539
1881 historical 264 #10,655
1891 historical 298 #11,167
1901 historical 340 #10,647
1911 historical 333 #10,624
1997 modern 191 #18,150
1998 modern 190 #18,687
1999 modern 196 #18,464
2000 modern 194 #18,554
2001 modern 195 #18,215
2002 modern 195 #18,590
2003 modern 187 #18,856
2004 modern 194 #18,566
2005 modern 197 #18,339
2006 modern 203 #18,105
2007 modern 198 #18,600
2008 modern 209 #18,114
2009 modern 198 #19,145
2010 modern 196 #19,698
2011 modern 196 #19,538
2012 modern 195 #19,540
2013 modern 194 #19,932
2014 modern 198 #19,841
2015 modern 196 #19,840
2016 modern 193 #20,039

Geography

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Where Bugbys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Stow or Longstow, Great and Little Catworth, London parishes, Henstridge, Kettering and Irthlingborough. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Kettering, Leicester, East Northamptonshire and Pembrokeshire. 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 Stow or Longstow, Great and Little Catworth Huntingdonshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Henstridge Somerset
4 Kettering Northamptonshire
5 Irthlingborough Northamptonshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Kettering 011 Kettering
2 Leicester 003 Leicester
3 East Northamptonshire 008 East Northamptonshire
4 Pembrokeshire 013 Pembrokeshire
5 Leicester 012 Leicester

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bugby

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bugby

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Bugby surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Bugby household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Bugby is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

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

Bugby 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

Bugby 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 Bugby is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Bugby

The surname BUGBY is of English origin, with roots dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to be a locational name, derived from a place called Bugby or a similar variation. The name may have originated in Leicestershire or Northamptonshire, where there were villages and hamlets with similar names.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name BUGBY can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Lincolnshire from 1273, which mentions a person named William de Bugby. This suggests that the name was already established by the 13th century.

In the 14th century, the name appears in various legal and ecclesiastical records, such as the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, which lists a Robert de Bugby. The Lay Subsidy Rolls of Warwickshire from 1332 also mention a John de Bugby.

The BUGBY surname may have evolved from earlier spellings such as Buggebi, Buggebey, or Buggeby, reflecting the various dialectal pronunciations of the place name from which it originated.

One notable figure in history bearing the BUGBY name was Sir John BUGBY (c. 1460-1532), an English landowner and Member of Parliament for Nottinghamshire during the reign of Henry VIII.

Another significant individual was Reverend William BUGBY (1592-1671), an English clergyman and author who served as the rector of Aston Flamville in Leicestershire.

In the 18th century, the name BUGBY appears in various parish records and legal documents. For instance, a Thomas BUGBY (1712-1789) was a wealthy merchant and landowner in Gloucestershire.

The BUGBY surname also has connections to the United States, with one of the earliest recorded instances being John BUGBY (1728-1803), who emigrated from England to Pennsylvania in the mid-18th century.

Lastly, a notable figure in the 19th century was Sir Henry BUGBY (1825-1897), a British politician and barrister who served as a Member of Parliament for several constituencies.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bugby families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bugby 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. Northamptonshire leads with 144 Bugbys recorded in 1881 and an index of 60.60x.

County Total Index
Northamptonshire 144 60.60x
Surrey 33 2.68x
Leicestershire 17 6.07x
Huntingdonshire 15 29.90x
Middlesex 10 0.40x
Dorset 9 5.43x
Somerset 7 1.72x
Essex 6 1.20x
Rutland 5 26.95x
Staffordshire 3 0.35x
Hampshire 2 0.39x
Lancashire 2 0.07x
Warwickshire 2 0.31x
Brecknockshire 1 1.98x
Sussex 1 0.23x
Wiltshire 1 0.45x
Yorkshire 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Raunds in Northamptonshire leads with 49 Bugbys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2024.79x.

Place Total Index
Raunds 49 2024.79x
Irthlingborough 36 1545.06x
Great Catworth 15 2884.62x
Old 11 3548.39x
Twywell 11 2558.14x
Camberwell 10 6.20x
Little Harrowden 8 1111.11x
Rotherhithe 8 25.63x
Battersea 7 7.53x
Henstridge 7 625.00x
Morden 7 1000.00x
Southwark St George Martyr 7 13.77x
Stanwick 7 1228.07x
Bisbrooke 4 1739.13x
Chiswick 4 28.99x
Irchester 4 270.27x
Leicester St Margaret 4 5.86x
Northampton St Sepulchre 4 33.09x
Smeeton 4 1176.47x
West Ham 4 3.63x
Barwell 3 202.70x
Church Eaton 3 526.32x
Kettering 3 31.22x
Leicester St Martin 3 159.57x
Peterborough 3 17.44x
Shoreditch London 3 2.74x
Sudborough 3 1200.00x
Birmingham 2 0.94x
Christchurch 2 17.81x
Husbands Bosworth 2 277.78x
Lowick 2 588.24x
Springfield 2 91.32x
Stretford 2 12.13x
Abington 1 1000.00x
Brecknock St John 1 23.47x
Chailey 1 75.76x
Chelsea London 1 1.31x
Doncaster 1 5.47x
Finchley 1 10.32x
Great Weldon 1 384.62x
Lambeth 1 0.45x
Launde 1 1666.67x
Oundle 1 37.59x
Sherborne 1 20.49x
Spitalfields London 1 5.26x
Swindon 1 5.77x
Uppingham 1 45.25x
Winfrith Newburgh 1 120.48x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 20
Mary 16
Sarah 8
Jane 6
Annie 5
Catherine 5
Fanny 5
Eliza 4
Ellen 4
Emma 4
Florence 4
Maria 4
Edith 3
Hannah 3
Martha 3
Alice 2
Caroline 2
Emily 2
Rose 2
Sophia 2
Susan 2
Adelaide 1
Ann 1
Bertha 1
Bethiah 1
Betsy 1
Charlotte 1
Clara 1
Deborah 1
Dinah 1
Esther 1
Georgenia 1
Katee 1
Laura 1
Louisa 1
Lucy 1
Lydia 1
Minnie 1
Naomi 1
Penelope 1
Rebecca 1
Rosetta 1
Sharlotte 1
Unice 1
Wendy 1
Zelpah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 19
John 13
Thomas 10
George 9
Arthur 6
Charles 6
Edward 6
Alfred 5
Joseph 5
Walter 4
James 3
Matthew 3
Albert 2
Ebenezer 2
Edwin 2
Ernest 2
Fred 2
Frederick 2
Harry 2
Jacob 2
Amos 1
Boswell 1
Chas. 1
David 1
Eber 1
Elie 1
Enos 1
Fitzherbert 1
Henry 1
Infant 1
Job 1
Lewes 1
Owen 1
Richard 1
Robert 1
Roderick 1
Sept. 1
Stacy 1
W.T. 1
Wm. 1
Wm.Giles 1
Wm.Saml. 1

FAQ

Bugby surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bugby surname in 1881?

In 1881, 264 people were recorded with the Bugby surname. That placed it at #10,655 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bugby surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 193 in 2016. That gives Bugby a modern rank of #20,039.

What does the Bugby surname mean?

An English surname derived from a location, likely from the village of Bugby in Warwickshire.

What does the Bugby map show?

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