NameCensus.

UK surname

Bull

An occupational surname referring to a person who herded or kept bulls or worked with cattle.

In the 1881 census there were 12,658 people recorded with the Bull surname, ranking it #328 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 15,797, ranked #398, down from #328 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Derby, Milton Keynes and Blaenau Gwent.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bull is 17,505 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 24.8%.

1881 census count

12,658

Ranked #328

Modern count

15,797

2016, ranked #398

Peak year

1911

17,505 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bull had 12,658 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #328 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 15,797 in 2016, ranked #398.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 17,505 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Bull surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bull surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bull 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 8,360 #327
1861 historical 8,646 #318
1881 historical 12,658 #328
1891 historical 13,619 #316
1901 historical 15,522 #333
1911 historical 17,505 #269
1997 modern 16,578 #362
1998 modern 17,215 #361
1999 modern 17,228 #362
2000 modern 17,160 #364
2001 modern 16,751 #364
2002 modern 16,931 #366
2003 modern 16,488 #369
2004 modern 16,373 #370
2005 modern 15,908 #377
2006 modern 15,850 #377
2007 modern 15,890 #381
2008 modern 15,897 #383
2009 modern 16,252 #385
2010 modern 16,474 #389
2011 modern 16,273 #387
2012 modern 15,749 #394
2013 modern 16,129 #393
2014 modern 16,184 #396
2015 modern 15,974 #397
2016 modern 15,797 #398

Geography

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Where Bulls are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, St Pancras and St Werburgh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Derby, Milton Keynes, Blaenau Gwent and North West Leicestershire. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Pancras London (North Districts)
5 St Werburgh Derbyshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Derby 026 Derby
2 Milton Keynes 001 Milton Keynes
3 Blaenau Gwent 007 Blaenau Gwent
4 North West Leicestershire 008 North West Leicestershire
5 Blaenau Gwent 004 Blaenau Gwent

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bull

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bull

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Bull, 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 Bull surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Bull household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

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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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Bull is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

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Group profile

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Bull is most concentrated in decile 9 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

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

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Bull falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Bull

The surname BULL is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "bulol" or "bule," meaning a bull or male bovine animal. This surname likely emerged in the Middle Ages, around the 11th or 12th century, as a descriptive nickname for someone who exhibited bull-like qualities, such as strength, stubbornness, or a fierce demeanor.

It is also possible that the surname BULL originated as an occupational name for someone who worked with bulls, such as a cattle herder or a breeder of bulls. In some cases, the name may have been derived from a sign or inn featuring the image of a bull.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname BULL can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire, dated around 1273, where a certain Richard le Bole is mentioned. The Domesday Book, compiled in 1086, also includes references to places with names like "Buleberia" and "Bulewelle," which could be related to the surname.

Notable historical figures bearing the surname BULL include John Bull, a satirical personification of the English national character, which first appeared in the early 18th century. In literature, there is a character named Obadiah Bull in Samuel Butler's satirical novel "Hudibras," published in the 17th century.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname BULL was Sir John Bull (c. 1562-1628), an English composer and musician who served as a Gentleman of the Chapel Royal under Queen Elizabeth I and King James I.

Another prominent figure was William Bull (c. 1738-1814), an English architect and surveyor who designed numerous buildings in London, including the Church of St. Mary-le-Strand and the Bloomsbury Square area.

In the realm of sports, Johnny Bull (1920-2004) was an English professional footballer who played as a defender for various clubs, including Ipswich Town and Sheffield United, in the mid-20th century.

John Bull (1923-2014) was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 46th Governor of Wyoming from 1967 to 1975.

More recently, Sir John Bull (born 1944) was a British businessman and the former Chief Executive of the Caudwell Group, a leading telecommunications company.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Bull surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bull surname in 1881?

In 1881, 12,658 people were recorded with the Bull surname. That placed it at #328 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bull surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 15,797 in 2016. That gives Bull a modern rank of #398.

What does the Bull surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to a person who herded or kept bulls or worked with cattle.

What does the Bull map show?

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