NameCensus.

UK surname

Bugler

A surname derived from the occupation of a trumpet-player or bugler.

In the 1881 census there were 325 people recorded with the Bugler surname, ranking it #9,194 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 629, ranked #8,388, up from #9,194 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Milborne Port and Putney. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include West Dorset, Caerphilly and Purbeck.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bugler is 675 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 93.5%.

1881 census count

325

Ranked #9,194

Modern count

629

2016, ranked #8,388

Peak year

2000

675 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bugler had 325 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,194 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 629 in 2016, ranked #8,388.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 559 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Bugler surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bugler surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bugler 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 163 #12,156
1861 historical 237 #10,359
1881 historical 325 #9,194
1891 historical 474 #7,746
1901 historical 559 #7,443
1911 historical 543 #7,365
1997 modern 633 #7,827
1998 modern 662 #7,798
1999 modern 666 #7,799
2000 modern 675 #7,706
2001 modern 647 #7,824
2002 modern 644 #8,007
2003 modern 620 #8,124
2004 modern 638 #7,939
2005 modern 618 #8,081
2006 modern 615 #8,127
2007 modern 615 #8,203
2008 modern 610 #8,298
2009 modern 618 #8,400
2010 modern 633 #8,427
2011 modern 644 #8,215
2012 modern 620 #8,373
2013 modern 637 #8,336
2014 modern 648 #8,274
2015 modern 645 #8,249
2016 modern 629 #8,388

Geography

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Where Buglers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Milborne Port, Putney, London parishes and Melcombe Regis. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to West Dorset, Caerphilly, Purbeck and South Somerset. 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 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 Milborne Port Somerset
3 Putney London (South Districts)
4 London parishes London 3
5 Melcombe Regis Dorset

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 West Dorset 003 West Dorset
2 Caerphilly 003 Caerphilly
3 Purbeck 005 Purbeck
4 Purbeck 003 Purbeck
5 South Somerset 017 South Somerset

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bugler

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bugler

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

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Bugler 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

Bugler is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Bugler falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Bugler

The surname BUGLER is of English origin, derived from the occupational name for a person who played the bugle, a brass instrument akin to a trumpet. It emerged during the Middle Ages, likely in the 13th or 14th century, when the bugle was used primarily for military signaling purposes.

The earliest recorded instance of the surname BUGLER can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, which mentions a Walter le Bugeler. This early spelling variation reflects the Anglo-Norman French influence on English during this period.

In the 14th century, the surname appeared in various forms, including Buglere, Bugeler, and Bugler, as evidenced by records such as the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, which lists a John le Buglere.

One notable historical figure bearing the BUGLER surname was Sir Edward Bugler, a 16th-century English politician and military officer who served as a Member of Parliament for Shaftesbury in 1547. He was born around 1510 and died in 1593.

Another prominent individual was James Bugler, a 17th-century English clergyman and academic who served as the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford from 1657 to 1660. He was born in 1603 and passed away in 1668.

In the 18th century, the BUGLER surname was associated with the village of Buglawton in Cheshire, England, which derived its name from a combination of the Old English words "bugel" (bugle) and "tun" (town or settlement).

One notable bearer of the BUGLER surname during this period was Richard Bugler, an English-born soldier who fought in the American Revolutionary War. He was born in 1749 and died in 1824.

Another historical figure was John Bugler, a 19th-century English artist and engraver known for his landscape paintings and engravings of rural scenes. He was born in 1792 and died in 1865.

The BUGLER surname has also been associated with various places throughout England, such as Buglawton in Cheshire, Bugbrooke in Northamptonshire, and Bucklebury in Berkshire, all of which may have influenced the development and variations of the surname over time.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bugler families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bugler 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. Dorset leads with 193 Buglers recorded in 1881 and an index of 93.92x.

County Total Index
Dorset 193 93.92x
Somerset 33 6.55x
Middlesex 29 0.93x
Surrey 24 1.57x
Cheshire 8 1.16x
Yorkshire 8 0.26x
Kent 7 0.66x
Hampshire 6 0.93x
Essex 4 0.65x
Glamorgan 3 0.55x
Hertfordshire 2 0.93x
Lancashire 1 0.03x
Leicestershire 1 0.29x
Sussex 1 0.19x
Warwickshire 1 0.13x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Beaminster in Dorset leads with 72 Buglers recorded in 1881 and an index of 3157.89x.

Place Total Index
Beaminster 72 3157.89x
Milborne Port 14 693.07x
Hackney London 10 5.70x
Corscombe 9 1285.71x
Kensington London 9 5.17x
Burton Bradstock 8 792.08x
Altrincham 7 57.95x
Charlton Musgrove 7 1590.91x
Halstock 7 1458.33x
Toller Porcorum 7 1458.33x
Whitchurch Canonicorum 7 614.04x
Yetminster 7 921.05x
Battersea 6 5.21x
Broadmayne 6 1090.91x
Dorchester Holy Trinity 6 361.45x
Kingston Russell 6 7500.00x
Maiden Newton 6 697.67x
Blagdon 5 471.70x
Charminster 5 306.75x
Netherbury 5 294.12x
Powerstock 5 568.18x
Shoreditch London 5 3.68x
Bettiscombe 4 5714.29x
Croydon 4 4.72x
Kimberworth 4 23.23x
Lambeth 4 1.47x
Melcombe Regis 4 46.95x
Portsea 4 3.18x
Romford 4 40.94x
Ryme Instrinsica 4 1818.18x
Weymouth 4 102.83x
Ashford 3 28.85x
Bridport 3 70.92x
Camberwell 3 1.50x
Llantrisant 3 21.83x
Putney 3 21.02x
Stinsford 3 833.33x
Yeovil 3 29.30x
Allington 2 109.29x
Bingley 2 10.12x
Charmouth 2 298.51x
Richmond 2 9.35x
Stoke Abbott 2 338.98x
Thornford 2 454.55x
Watford 2 11.95x
York Marygate St Olave 2 168.07x
Acton 1 5.45x
Birmingham 1 0.38x
Bollington In 1 16.26x
Brighton 1 0.94x
Broadwinsor 1 74.07x
Charlton Next Woolwich 1 8.98x
Corfe Castle 1 52.63x
Crewkerne 1 18.69x
Droxford 1 40.82x
Fordington 1 22.57x
Fulham London 1 2.20x
Greenwich 1 2.01x
Hoath 1 277.78x
Islington London 1 0.33x
Leicester St Margaret 1 1.18x
Lewisham 1 1.76x
Melbury Osmond 1 238.10x
Mudford 1 243.90x
Newington 1 0.86x
Oldham 1 0.83x
Penge 1 5.00x
Sherborne 1 16.53x
St Faith Winchester 1 33.44x
Symondsbury 1 76.34x
Thorncombe 1 84.75x
Twickenham 1 7.45x
Westminster St Margaret 1 6.62x
Wincanton 1 38.61x
Wrington 1 59.17x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 25
Elizabeth 17
Sarah 10
Alice 9
Annie 7
Eliza 5
Ellen 5
Maria 5
Jane 4
Ann 3
Bessie 3
Caroline 3
Clara 3
Fanny 3
Harriet 3
Martha 3
Ada 2
Amelia 2
Catherine 2
Charlotte 2
Edith 2
Emily 2
Emma 2
Ethel 2
Eva 2
Kate 2
Margaretta 2
Maud 2
Selina 2
Susan 2
Agnes 1
Amy 1
Angelina 1
Blanche 1
Blendia 1
E. 1
Elizth. 1
Eveline 1
Florence 1
Frances 1
Georgina 1
Gertrude 1
Grace 1
Ivy 1
Lavinia 1
Lilly 1
Louisa 1
Lucy 1
Mabel 1
Mattida 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 24
William 18
James 13
John 11
Thomas 11
Robert 9
Henry 7
Charles 6
Arthur 4
Alfred 3
Richard 3
Abel 2
Albert 2
Edward 2
Ernest 2
Francis 2
Frank 2
Frederick 2
Geo. 2
Herbert 2
Levi 2
Samuel 2
Alonzo 1
Ch.W. 1
Cornelius 1
David 1
Ellis 1
Ely 1
Emanuel 1
Fred 1
Fredk. 1
Giles 1
Guy 1
Harry 1
Hy. 1
Isaac 1
Joshua 1
Matthew 1
Moses 1
Obadiah 1
Percy 1
Reginald 1
Richd. 1
Tom 1
Victor 1
Willm. 1

FAQ

Bugler surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bugler surname in 1881?

In 1881, 325 people were recorded with the Bugler surname. That placed it at #9,194 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bugler surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 629 in 2016. That gives Bugler a modern rank of #8,388.

What does the Bugler surname mean?

A surname derived from the occupation of a trumpet-player or bugler.

What does the Bugler map show?

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