NameCensus.

UK surname

Bumby

An English surname possibly derived from the nickname "bum baby" for an infant or a mispronunciation of "baby".

In the 1881 census there were 256 people recorded with the Bumby surname, ranking it #10,885 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 220, ranked #18,376, down from #10,885 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Eccles, Birch, Easthorpe, Copford and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Ryedale, North Dorset and Hambleton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bumby is 266 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 14.1%.

1881 census count

256

Ranked #10,885

Modern count

220

2016, ranked #18,376

Peak year

1911

266 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bumby had 256 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,885 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 220 in 2016, ranked #18,376.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 266 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Bumby surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bumby surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bumby 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 151 #12,840
1861 historical 118 #18,512
1881 historical 256 #10,885
1891 historical 251 #12,729
1901 historical 246 #13,269
1911 historical 266 #12,395
1997 modern 230 #16,109
1998 modern 237 #16,272
1999 modern 243 #16,094
2000 modern 237 #16,331
2001 modern 225 #16,664
2002 modern 226 #16,939
2003 modern 205 #17,851
2004 modern 203 #18,061
2005 modern 199 #18,198
2006 modern 215 #17,441
2007 modern 224 #17,193
2008 modern 223 #17,395
2009 modern 229 #17,431
2010 modern 232 #17,657
2011 modern 231 #17,530
2012 modern 224 #17,786
2013 modern 229 #17,816
2014 modern 228 #17,977
2015 modern 223 #18,165
2016 modern 220 #18,376

Geography

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Where Bumbys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Eccles, Birch, Easthorpe, Copford, Manchester, Thirsk and Brompton, Ebberston. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Ryedale, North Dorset, Hambleton and Sheffield. 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 Eccles Lancashire
2 Birch, Easthorpe, Copford Essex
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Thirsk Yorkshire, North Riding
5 Brompton, Ebberston Yorkshire, North Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Ryedale 001 Ryedale
2 Ryedale 003 Ryedale
3 North Dorset 007 North Dorset
4 Hambleton 009 Hambleton
5 Sheffield 049 Sheffield

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bumby

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bumby

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

Bumby 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

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

Meaning and origin of Bumby

The surname Bumby has its origins in England, dating back to the late 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "bumbyr" or "bumbard," which referred to a type of large barrel or cask used for storing liquids, particularly beer or wine. This suggests that the name may have originally been an occupational surname given to those who worked as barrel makers or coopers.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name Bumby can be found in the parish records of Staffordshire, England, in the year 1598. The name is also mentioned in the Hearth Tax Rolls of Leicestershire in 1670, indicating its presence in that region during that time period.

The surname Bumby has undergone various spellings over the centuries, including Bumbie, Bumbey, and Bumbye. These variations were likely due to regional dialects and the inconsistencies in record-keeping during those times.

In terms of notable individuals with the surname Bumby, one of the earliest was John Bumby, a farmer who lived in the village of Broughton Astley, Leicestershire, in the mid-17th century. Records show that he was born around 1630 and passed away in 1692.

Another prominent figure was William Bumby, a renowned clockmaker from Coventry, England, who lived from 1712 to 1783. He was known for his intricate and precise timepieces, some of which are still preserved in museums today.

In the 19th century, there was Thomas Bumby, a successful merchant and philanthropist from Manchester, England. Born in 1810, he made his fortune in the textile industry and later donated a significant portion of his wealth to various charitable causes before his death in 1892.

Across the Atlantic, one of the earliest recorded instances of the Bumby surname in North America was that of Samuel Bumby, who emigrated from England to Massachusetts in the late 17th century. He settled in the town of Haverhill and worked as a farmer and landowner.

Another notable individual was Elizabeth Bumby, a pioneering educator who lived in the early 19th century. Born in London in 1792, she established one of the first schools for girls in the city of Birmingham, England, at a time when women's education was still largely neglected.

While the surname Bumby may not be among the most common in the world, it has left its mark in various regions and across different historical periods, with individuals contributing to fields such as craftsmanship, commerce, and education.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bumby families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bumby 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. Yorkshire leads with 128 Bumbys recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.15x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 128 5.15x
Lancashire 54 1.82x
Essex 25 5.05x
Middlesex 17 0.68x
Cheshire 12 2.17x
Denbighshire 6 6.34x
Derbyshire 6 1.53x
Devon 5 0.96x
Isle of Man 2 4.30x
Bedfordshire 1 0.77x
Durham 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. Leeds in Yorkshire leads with 28 Bumbys recorded in 1881 and an index of 19.96x.

Place Total Index
Leeds 28 19.96x
Birch 16 1975.31x
Chapel Allerton 16 430.11x
Manchester 16 11.96x
Worsley 12 65.43x
Sale 10 147.28x
Kensington London 8 5.74x
Nawton 8 2666.67x
Salford 8 9.14x
Eston 7 129.39x
Pendleton In Salford 7 19.75x
Thirsk 7 243.90x
Batley 6 25.41x
Boltby 6 2307.69x
Gyffylliog 6 1463.41x
Hayfield 6 248.96x
Layer Breton 6 2400.00x
Southcoates 6 43.51x
Beeston 5 199.20x
Brompton In Scarborough 5 847.46x
Clovelly 5 735.29x
Ashton Under Lyne 4 6.15x
Chadderton 4 27.51x
Finchley 4 41.62x
Islington London 4 1.65x
Rothwell 4 79.68x
Blackley 3 57.58x
Mexborough 3 60.85x
Morley 3 23.22x
Otley 3 49.75x
Caytn Deepdal Kilrby 2 377.36x
Great Ayton 2 131.58x
Leyton Low 2 19.88x
Onchan 2 14.91x
Richmond 2 51.55x
Swinton Broughton In 2 512.82x
Bridlington 1 17.57x
Churwell 1 59.17x
Gildersome 1 33.44x
Hackney London 1 0.71x
Hartlepool 1 9.43x
Horton In Bradford 1 2.58x
Hunslet 1 2.58x
Knutsford Nether 1 29.94x
Middlesbrough 1 3.09x
Morton In Helmsley 1 5000.00x
Muston 1 294.12x
Potter Newton 1 22.83x
Pownall Fee 1 40.32x
Sandy 1 43.67x
Stanway 1 114.94x
Woodmansey Cum Beverley 1 212.77x
Wykeham 1 204.08x
York St Denis In 1 91.74x
York St Nicholas In 1 71.43x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 26
William 15
Thomas 9
George 8
James 7
Joseph 7
Walter 5
Frank 3
Robert 3
Alfred 2
Fred 2
Frederick 2
Josiah 2
Noah 2
Sam 2
Thos. 2
Tom 2
Wm. 2
Aron 1
Arthur 1
Charles 1
Chas. 1
Chas.James 1
Christopher 1
Cuthbert 1
Edwin 1
Ernest 1
F.A. 1
Francis 1
Geo. 1
H.T. 1
Harry 1
Henry 1
Hezekiah 1
Horace 1
Isaac 1
Jonas 1
Joshua 1
Leonard 1
Lister 1
Nathan 1
Richard 1
Richd. 1
Robt. 1
Willie 1
Wm.Henry 1

FAQ

Bumby surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bumby surname in 1881?

In 1881, 256 people were recorded with the Bumby surname. That placed it at #10,885 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bumby surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 220 in 2016. That gives Bumby a modern rank of #18,376.

What does the Bumby surname mean?

An English surname possibly derived from the nickname "bum baby" for an infant or a mispronunciation of "baby".

What does the Bumby map show?

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