NameCensus.

UK surname

Bugg

An English occupational surname referring to a maker or seller of an unspecified item, possibly ale mugs or jugs.

In the 1881 census there were 1,355 people recorded with the Bugg surname, ranking it #3,024 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,168, ranked #5,064, down from #3,024 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Stalbridge, Hawstead, Hardwick and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kettering, St Edmundsbury and Mid Suffolk.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bugg is 1,803 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 13.8%.

1881 census count

1,355

Ranked #3,024

Modern count

1,168

2016, ranked #5,064

Peak year

1911

1,803 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bugg had 1,355 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,024 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,168 in 2016, ranked #5,064.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,803 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Bugg surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bugg surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bugg 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 1,008 #2,769
1861 historical 1,055 #2,659
1881 historical 1,355 #3,024
1891 historical 1,382 #3,144
1901 historical 1,631 #3,167
1911 historical 1,803 #2,718
1997 modern 1,283 #4,442
1998 modern 1,302 #4,564
1999 modern 1,307 #4,580
2000 modern 1,310 #4,543
2001 modern 1,263 #4,607
2002 modern 1,251 #4,733
2003 modern 1,237 #4,687
2004 modern 1,244 #4,659
2005 modern 1,178 #4,836
2006 modern 1,162 #4,898
2007 modern 1,169 #4,919
2008 modern 1,161 #4,967
2009 modern 1,178 #5,020
2010 modern 1,196 #5,057
2011 modern 1,193 #5,010
2012 modern 1,175 #4,992
2013 modern 1,187 #5,038
2014 modern 1,195 #5,039
2015 modern 1,170 #5,082
2016 modern 1,168 #5,064

Geography

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Where Buggs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Stalbridge, Hawstead, Hardwick, London parishes, Creeting St Mary, Creeting All Saints, Creeting St Olave and Barking. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Kettering, St Edmundsbury, Mid Suffolk, Braintree and Nottingham. 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 Stalbridge Dorset
2 Hawstead, Hardwick Suffolk
3 London parishes London 3
4 Creeting St Mary, Creeting All Saints, Creeting St Olave Suffolk
5 Barking Suffolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Kettering 003 Kettering
2 St Edmundsbury 003 St Edmundsbury
3 Mid Suffolk 011 Mid Suffolk
4 Braintree 014 Braintree
5 Nottingham 037 Nottingham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bugg

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bugg

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Bugg 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

Bugg 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

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

Meaning and origin of Bugg

The surname "BUGG" is believed to have originated in England, specifically in the counties of Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire, during the 13th and 14th centuries. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "bugge," which referred to a small bend or curve in a river or stream. This suggests that the name may have initially been used to identify someone who lived near such a geographical feature.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1279, where a person named Richard Bugge is mentioned. The Hundred Rolls were administrative records compiled during the reign of King Edward I, providing valuable insights into the names and locations of people living in medieval England.

In the 15th century, the name appeared in various forms, including "Bugge," "Bugges," and "Bugg." These variations likely stemmed from regional dialects and the inconsistent spelling conventions of the time. For example, in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of 1524, a John Bugg is listed as residing in the village of Chinnor, Oxfordshire.

One notable historical figure bearing the surname "BUGG" was Sir William Bugg, a member of the English gentry who lived during the 16th century. He was born in Buckinghamshire around 1530 and served as a Member of Parliament for the borough of Wycombe in 1558 and 1563.

Another individual of note was Francis Bugg, a Quaker writer and controversialist who lived from 1640 to 1727. He was born in Wiltshire and is known for his criticism of the Quaker doctrine and his numerous published works, including "The Pilgrim's Progress from Quakerism to Christianity" (1698).

In the 17th century, the name "BUGG" also appeared in records related to the colonization of the Americas. For instance, Samuel Bugg was listed as a passenger on the ship "Constant Friendship" bound for Virginia in 1635.

Moving into the 18th century, we find John Bugg, an English architect and surveyor who was born in 1768 and worked on several notable projects, including the construction of the Kenwood House in London.

Lastly, in the 19th century, there was George Bugg, a British poet and writer who was born in 1847 in Devonshire. He published several collections of poems, including "Idylls of the Fells" (1887) and "Lyrics of Love and Life" (1891).

Throughout its history, the surname "BUGG" has maintained a strong presence, particularly in England, and has been associated with individuals from various walks of life, including gentry, writers, architects, and poets.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bugg families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bugg 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. Suffolk leads with 416 Buggs recorded in 1881 and an index of 25.88x.

County Total Index
Suffolk 416 25.88x
Norfolk 173 8.53x
Essex 151 5.80x
Middlesex 128 0.97x
Lincolnshire 112 5.31x
Surrey 74 1.15x
Dorset 63 7.27x
Nottinghamshire 58 3.26x
Yorkshire 49 0.37x
Somerset 26 1.22x
Hampshire 20 0.74x
Wiltshire 19 1.63x
Kent 13 0.29x
Hertfordshire 11 1.21x
Lancashire 11 0.07x
Cambridgeshire 8 0.96x
Derbyshire 7 0.34x
Warwickshire 6 0.18x
Staffordshire 3 0.07x
Durham 1 0.03x
Radnorshire 1 0.94x
Royal Navy 1 0.64x
Shropshire 1 0.09x
Sussex 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. Ipswich St Mathew in Suffolk leads with 33 Buggs recorded in 1881 and an index of 73.25x.

Place Total Index
Ipswich St Mathew 33 73.25x
Ipswich St Margaret 31 56.83x
Islington London 27 2.11x
Barking 26 312.50x
Ipswich St Clement 25 61.18x
Ipswich St Helen 25 131.16x
Battersea 24 4.94x
Fordham 24 754.72x
Stalbridge 24 291.62x
West Ham 24 4.17x
Bury St Edmunds St Mary 21 69.61x
Creeting St Mary 21 1962.62x
Shoreditch London 20 3.50x
Bethnal Green London 19 3.31x
Camberwell 19 2.25x
Nayland 19 465.69x
Bassingham 16 487.80x
Aldham 15 773.20x
East Tuddenham 15 731.71x
Hawstead 15 974.03x
Newton 15 1923.08x
Felixstow 14 357.14x
Great Yarmouth 13 7.73x
Norwich St Clement 13 55.27x
Somersham 13 702.70x
Thorpe Next Norwich 13 60.44x
Bury St Edmunds St James 12 27.95x
Catfield 12 419.58x
Bromley London 11 3.79x
Kirby Le Soken 11 293.33x
Mansfield 11 17.87x
Milborne Port 11 129.41x
Prittlewell 11 30.46x
Sculcoates 11 5.31x
Alderton 10 414.94x
Balderton 10 205.34x
Horringer 10 334.45x
Lambeth 10 0.87x
Nottingham St Mary 10 2.17x
Stanstead Abbots 10 181.16x
Sudbourne 10 383.14x
Newark Upon Trent 9 14.08x
St Pancras London 9 0.85x
Trimley St Mary 9 476.19x
Ashwicken 8 1818.18x
Baylham 8 318.73x
Colchester St Peter 8 76.78x
Dembleby 8 2424.24x
Greasley 8 19.93x
Landbeach 8 347.83x
Little Welnetham 8 1142.86x
Marnhull 8 126.78x
Middleton 8 1066.67x
Norwich St John 8 439.56x
Oborne 8 1230.77x
Stamford St George 8 84.39x
Streatham 8 8.17x
Teffont Evias 8 1454.55x
Abbas Combe 7 445.86x
Battisford 7 355.33x
Belchamp Walter 7 250.90x
Bracebridge 7 72.92x
Carleton Rode 7 199.43x
Caundle Stourton 7 414.20x
Great Clacton 7 78.92x
Kensington London 7 0.95x
Lexden 7 66.92x
Limehouse London 7 4.83x
Lower Darwen 7 34.05x
Southwark St Saviour 7 10.32x
St George Hanover Square 7 3.01x
Ashover 6 58.37x
Caundle Purse 6 681.82x
Dinton 6 291.26x
Henstridge 6 102.21x
Leamington Priors 6 7.33x
Norwich St Gregory 6 168.54x
St Peter Cheesehill 6 156.66x
Westhorpe 6 625.00x
Whepstead 6 216.61x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 74
Sarah 47
Elizabeth 42
Eliza 34
Emma 29
Ellen 27
Alice 25
Ann 21
Annie 20
Emily 18
Jane 18
Charlotte 16
Maria 14
Hannah 13
Harriet 12
Kate 11
Caroline 10
Edith 9
Fanny 9
Louisa 9
Susan 9
Anne 8
Ada 7
Lucy 7
Martha 7
Rebecca 6
Matilda 5
Agnes 4
Amelia 4
Amy 4
Esther 4
Florence 4
Harriett 4
Margaret 4
Minnie 4
Rose 4
Bertha 3
Clara 3
Elizth. 3
Ethel 3
Frances 3
Gertrude 3
Ruth 3
Susannah 3
Betsy 2
Catherine 2
Julia 2
Maud 2
Nelly 2
Phebe 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 96
John 65
George 57
James 51
Henry 32
Robert 32
Thomas 31
Charles 29
Frederick 26
Arthur 24
Alfred 22
Walter 18
Joseph 17
Samuel 14
Edward 12
Harry 12
Herbert 9
Wm. 9
Isaac 7
Albert 6
David 5
Edwin 5
Ernest 5
Fredrick 5
Richard 5
Benjamin 4
Frank 4
Abraham 3
Stephen 3
Clement 2
Daniel 2
Dennis 2
Edmund 2
Fred 2
Fredk. 2
Holden 2
Hugh 2
Jacob 2
Jonathan 2
Meshach 2
Napoleon 2
Percival 2
Alice 1
Ambrose 1
Chas. 1
Edmond 1
Elijah 1
Elwin 1
Frances 1
Francis 1

FAQ

Bugg surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bugg surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,355 people were recorded with the Bugg surname. That placed it at #3,024 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bugg surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,168 in 2016. That gives Bugg a modern rank of #5,064.

What does the Bugg surname mean?

An English occupational surname referring to a maker or seller of an unspecified item, possibly ale mugs or jugs.

What does the Bugg map show?

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