NameCensus.

UK surname

Bullers

An occupational surname derived from the Middle English term "buler" meaning to sift or sieve.

In the 1881 census there were 101 people recorded with the Bullers surname, ranking it #19,636 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 90, ranked #32,202, down from #19,636 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Stapleford, Nunney and Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Leeds, Kirklees and Walsall.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bullers is 163 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 10.9%.

1881 census count

101

Ranked #19,636

Modern count

90

2016, ranked #32,202

Peak year

1901

163 bearers

Map years

7

1861 to 2006

Key insights

  • Bullers had 101 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #19,636 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 90 in 2016, ranked #32,202.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 163 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Suburban Professionals.

Bullers surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bullers surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bullers 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 44 #25,328
1861 historical 107 #20,008
1881 historical 101 #19,636
1891 historical 160 #17,555
1901 historical 163 #17,205
1911 historical 162 #17,003
1997 modern 93 #27,932
1998 modern 102 #27,314
1999 modern 103 #27,305
2000 modern 107 #26,700
2001 modern 96 #27,976
2002 modern 102 #27,596
2003 modern 103 #27,234
2004 modern 107 #26,899
2005 modern 104 #27,369
2006 modern 107 #27,179
2007 modern 101 #28,505
2008 modern 105 #28,180
2009 modern 105 #28,815
2010 modern 106 #29,305
2011 modern 103 #29,589
2012 modern 101 #30,078
2013 modern 95 #31,523
2014 modern 94 #31,909
2015 modern 91 #32,153
2016 modern 90 #32,202

Geography

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Where Bullers' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Stapleford, Nunney, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Batley and Sheffield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Leeds, Kirklees, Walsall and East Riding of Yorkshire. 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 Stapleford Derbyshire
2 Nunney Somerset
3 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
4 Batley Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Leeds 102 Leeds
2 Leeds 095 Leeds
3 Kirklees 012 Kirklees
4 Walsall 017 Walsall
5 East Riding of Yorkshire 016 East Riding of Yorkshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bullers

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bullers

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

Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals

Group

Suburban Professionals

Nationally, the Bullers surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Suburban Professionals, within Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals. This does not mean every Bullers household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Employment in this Group is typically in managerial and professional occupations, and education to degree level is common. Residents are typically of working age, many of whom identify with an Indian ethnicity. Households are unlikely to be of Mixed or Multiple ethnicities, and English is not the main language used in some households. This Group is found on the outskirts of most conurbations as well as in the suburbs of some free-standing towns.

Wider pattern

Those working within the managerial, professional and administrative occupations typically reflect a wide range of ethnic groups, and reside in detached or semi-detached housing. Their residential locations at the edges of cities and conurbations and car-based lifestyles are more characteristic of Supergroup membership than birthplace or participation in child-rearing. Houses are typically owner-occupied and marriage rates are lower than the national average. This Supergroup is found throughout suburban UK.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Bullers is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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 residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Bullers is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Bullers falls in decile 3 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.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Bullers

The surname Bullers is believed to have originated in England during the late medieval period. It is likely derived from the Old English word "bullere," which referred to a maker or seller of small metal ornaments or decorative objects known as "bulls."

The earliest recorded instance of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, where a William le Bullere is mentioned. This suggests that the name was already in use by the 13th century, potentially arising from an occupational surname for someone involved in the production or trade of these decorative items.

Throughout the centuries, the name appears to have been concentrated in various regions of England, particularly in the counties of Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, and Wiltshire. Historical records show variations in spelling, such as Buller, Bullere, and Bullard, which may have been influenced by regional dialects or scribal errors.

One notable bearer of the Bullers surname was Sir Edward Bullers, a prominent English merchant and politician who lived from 1585 to 1646. He served as a Member of Parliament for the City of London and played a significant role in the East India Company's early trading operations.

Another individual with this surname was John Bullers, a 17th-century English clergyman and author born in Wiltshire in 1642. He is known for his work titled "An Essay towards the Description of the Terrestrial System," published in 1693, which explored topics related to astronomy and natural philosophy.

In the 18th century, Thomas Bullers (1731-1804) gained recognition as a noted English architect and surveyor. He designed several notable buildings, including the Radcliffe Observatory in Oxford and Longleat House in Wiltshire.

Moving into the 19th century, Sir Redvers Henry Buller (1839-1908) was a British army officer and recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest military honor in the British Empire, for his bravery during the Second Boer War in South Africa.

Another individual worth mentioning is Mary Bullers (1866-1958), an English artist and painter known for her landscapes and portraits. She was a member of the Royal Society of British Artists and exhibited her works in various exhibitions throughout her career.

While the Bullers surname may have evolved over time and spread to different parts of the world, its origins can be traced back to the occupational roots in medieval England, where the name was associated with the trade of decorative metalwork.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bullers families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bullers 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. Nottinghamshire leads with 34 Bullers' recorded in 1881 and an index of 25.61x.

County Total Index
Nottinghamshire 34 25.61x
Yorkshire 21 2.15x
Surrey 11 2.29x
Staffordshire 8 2.41x
Derbyshire 7 4.54x
Lincolnshire 5 3.17x
Warwickshire 5 2.01x
Worcestershire 3 2.33x
Leicestershire 2 1.83x
Middlesex 2 0.20x
Devon 1 0.49x
Kirkcudbrightshire 1 7.01x
Lancashire 1 0.09x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bermondsey in Surrey leads with 10 Bullers' recorded in 1881 and an index of 34.09x.

Place Total Index
Bermondsey 10 34.09x
Nottingham St Mary 9 26.21x
Morley 8 157.48x
Tamworth 7 393.26x
Caythorpe 6 6000.00x
Snenton 6 114.94x
Birmingham 5 6.04x
Ecclesall Bierlow 5 25.18x
Radford 5 74.07x
Ulceby 5 1315.79x
Basford 4 65.36x
Beverley St Mary 4 279.72x
Brightside Bierlow 4 20.89x
Castle Gresley 4 1481.48x
East Bridgford 4 1333.33x
Litchurch 3 48.31x
Castle Donnington 2 219.78x
Castle Church 1 50.00x
Hulme 1 4.10x
Islington London 1 1.05x
Kings Norton 1 8.67x
Oldbury 1 15.80x
Shoreditch London 1 2.34x
Streatham 1 13.68x
Tormoham 1 11.52x
Upperswinford 1 91.74x
Urr 1 54.05x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 5
Alice 4
Louisa 4
Mary 4
Annie 3
Eliza 3
Emma 3
Ann 2
Eleanor 2
Ellen 2
Hannah 2
Lucy 2
Martha 2
Ada 1
Adelade 1
Agnes 1
Amelia 1
Amy 1
Catherine 1
Clara 1
Dorothy 1
Editha 1
Elizth. 1
Frances 1
Harriat 1
Harriet 1
Maude 1
Minnie 1
Phoebe 1
Prudence 1
Sarah 1
Solena 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Bullers surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bullers surname in 1881?

In 1881, 101 people were recorded with the Bullers surname. That placed it at #19,636 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bullers surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 90 in 2016. That gives Bullers a modern rank of #32,202.

What does the Bullers surname mean?

An occupational surname derived from the Middle English term "buler" meaning to sift or sieve.

What does the Bullers map show?

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