NameCensus.

UK surname

Bunce

A medieval English surname derived from the Old English word "bunce," meaning a bank, hillock, or low earthen wall.

In the 1881 census there were 2,227 people recorded with the Bunce surname, ranking it #1,996 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,484, ranked #1,945, up from #1,996 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Swindon, Lyddington, London parishes and Andover, Enham Knights. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wiltshire, Merthyr Tydfil and South Bucks.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bunce is 3,800 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 56.4%.

1881 census count

2,227

Ranked #1,996

Modern count

3,484

2016, ranked #1,945

Peak year

1999

3,800 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bunce had 2,227 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,996 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,484 in 2016, ranked #1,945.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,237 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Bunce surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bunce surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bunce 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 1,427 #2,016
1861 historical 1,085 #2,587
1881 historical 2,227 #1,996
1891 historical 2,136 #2,181
1901 historical 2,926 #1,914
1911 historical 3,237 #1,607
1997 modern 3,601 #1,793
1998 modern 3,739 #1,803
1999 modern 3,800 #1,784
2000 modern 3,751 #1,793
2001 modern 3,636 #1,812
2002 modern 3,736 #1,815
2003 modern 3,647 #1,819
2004 modern 3,637 #1,822
2005 modern 3,575 #1,829
2006 modern 3,565 #1,833
2007 modern 3,571 #1,846
2008 modern 3,567 #1,858
2009 modern 3,642 #1,868
2010 modern 3,659 #1,906
2011 modern 3,617 #1,901
2012 modern 3,475 #1,944
2013 modern 3,548 #1,940
2014 modern 3,520 #1,964
2015 modern 3,521 #1,937
2016 modern 3,484 #1,945

Geography

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Where Bunces are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Swindon, Lyddington, London parishes, Andover, Enham Knights and Weston Turville. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wiltshire, Merthyr Tydfil, South Bucks and Sandwell. 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 Swindon, Lyddington Wiltshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 Andover, Enham Knights Hampshire
4 London parishes London 3
5 Weston Turville Buckinghamshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wiltshire 003 Wiltshire
2 Merthyr Tydfil 002 Merthyr Tydfil
3 South Bucks 007 South Bucks
4 Merthyr Tydfil 006 Merthyr Tydfil
5 Sandwell 014 Sandwell

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bunce

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bunce

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Bunce surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Bunce household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Bunce 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.

Read profile summary

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

Bunce 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

Bunce falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Bunce is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Bunce, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Bunce

The surname Bunce originated in England and is believed to have derived from the Old English word "bunc," which means a lump or a hill. This name likely referred to a person who lived on or near a hill or a ridge.

The earliest known recording of the name Bunce dates back to the late 12th century, appearing in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1195 as "Robert de la Bunce." This entry suggests that the name was initially used as a descriptive term for someone residing near a distinctive hill or mound.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, a record of landholders in England commissioned by William the Conqueror, there are several references to place names that may have influenced the surname Bunce. For instance, the village of Bunce in Norfolk and the manor of Bunce in Buckinghamshire are mentioned, indicating that the name was likely associated with these locations.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname Bunce was Sir Thomas Bunce, born in 1369 in Gloucestershire. He was a prominent landowner and served as a Member of Parliament for Gloucestershire in 1390.

Another notable figure was John Bunce, a clergyman born in 1615 in Staffordshire. He authored several religious works and served as the rector of St. Michael's Church in Stoke-on-Trent.

In the 17th century, Edward Bunce (1620-1684) was a renowned English architect who designed several churches and public buildings in London, including the Church of St. Stephen Walbrook.

Mary Bunce (1731-1804), born in Suffolk, was a notable writer and playwright in the 18th century. Her most famous work was the play "The Victim," which tackled themes of gender inequality and social injustice.

In the 19th century, Sir Maurice Bunce (1828-1907) was a prominent British diplomat who served as the ambassador to several countries, including France and Russia.

Over the centuries, the surname Bunce has undergone various spelling variations, such as Bunse, Buncie, and Bonce, reflecting regional dialects and linguistic changes. However, the core meaning and origin of the name have remained consistent, rooted in the Old English reference to a hill or mound.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bunce families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bunce 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. Middlesex leads with 426 Bunces recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.96x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 426 1.96x
Berkshire 237 14.51x
Buckinghamshire 236 17.94x
Surrey 188 1.77x
Wiltshire 152 7.90x
Hampshire 150 3.36x
Oxfordshire 115 8.56x
Staffordshire 84 1.14x
Kent 82 1.10x
Hertfordshire 74 4.93x
Worcestershire 70 2.46x
Lancashire 62 0.24x
Warwickshire 44 0.80x
Shropshire 36 1.91x
Gloucestershire 32 0.75x
Yorkshire 31 0.14x
Cheshire 29 0.60x
Derbyshire 25 0.73x
Somerset 21 0.60x
Devon 19 0.42x
Leicestershire 17 0.70x
Durham 15 0.23x
Essex 14 0.33x
Bedfordshire 13 1.15x
Angus 8 0.40x
Glamorgan 8 0.21x
Sussex 8 0.22x
Westmorland 8 1.67x
Midlothian 5 0.17x
Rutland 5 3.13x
Monmouthshire 3 0.19x
Suffolk 3 0.11x
Channel Islands 2 0.31x
Dorset 2 0.14x
Anglesey 1 0.26x
Cornwall 1 0.04x
Lincolnshire 1 0.03x
Montgomeryshire 1 0.20x
Norfolk 1 0.03x
Royal Navy 1 0.39x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Weston Turville in Buckinghamshire leads with 64 Bunces recorded in 1881 and an index of 1042.35x.

Place Total Index
Weston Turville 64 1042.35x
Swindon 60 40.19x
Islington London 57 2.70x
Andover 51 121.03x
Wycombe 42 42.82x
Lambeth 38 2.00x
Purton 34 198.48x
Reading St Mary 30 22.93x
Hillingdon 29 41.79x
Bilston 28 19.67x
Paddington London 28 3.50x
Kensington London 26 2.15x
Portsea 26 2.97x
Worthen 23 115.17x
Camberwell 22 1.58x
St Pancras London 22 1.26x
Stanwell 22 136.56x
Chelsea London 21 3.20x
Cheshunt 21 40.05x
Aston 20 1.32x
Chalfont St Giles 19 201.70x
Fulham London 18 5.70x
Tottenham 18 5.19x
Ickford 17 613.72x
Shoreditch London 17 1.80x
Battersea 16 2.00x
Dorney 16 683.76x
Hornsey 16 5.81x
Oxford St Thomas 16 25.51x
Newington 15 1.87x
Shrawley 15 436.05x
St Giles 15 37.12x
Birmingham 14 0.77x
Oldham 14 1.68x
Tupton 14 136.72x
Bermondsey 13 2.01x
Hursley 13 125.60x
Beaconsfield 12 98.44x
Bradfield 12 138.73x
Hayes 12 54.03x
Letcombe Regis 12 380.95x
Oxford St Ebbe 12 30.33x
Pewsey 12 84.81x
Shelsley Kings 12 566.04x
St Marylebone London 12 1.03x
West Bromwich 12 2.85x
Westminster St John 12 4.53x
Measham 11 87.86x
Mortimer 11 140.67x
Southwark St George Martyr 11 2.51x
Willesden 11 5.36x
Astley 10 168.35x
Canterbury St Mildred 10 56.75x
Clewer 10 14.94x
East West Hanney 10 155.76x
Eton 10 33.52x
Eye Dunsden 10 154.08x
Merton 10 53.88x
Southwark Christchurch 10 9.81x
Aldbourn 9 80.36x
Amersham 9 48.26x
Chinnor 9 96.77x
Chiswick 9 7.57x
Penkridge 9 47.52x
Southampton St Mary 9 3.21x
Thornborough 9 208.33x
Yeovil 9 12.64x
Applethwaite 8 56.06x
Caterham 8 17.07x
Cirencester 8 13.84x
Edmonton 8 4.56x
Hungerford 8 36.20x
Ickenham 8 269.36x
Liff Benvie 8 2.61x
Ludgershall 8 217.39x
Reading St Giles 8 4.99x
Sevenoaks 8 13.29x
Stanford Dingley 8 776.70x
Tipton 8 3.56x
Winkfield 8 29.51x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 165
John 116
George 98
James 85
Thomas 69
Charles 65
Henry 65
Joseph 44
Alfred 30
Frederick 26
Arthur 23
Edward 23
Robert 19
Albert 17
Harry 17
Walter 13
David 12
Ernest 10
Frank 10
Richard 10
Herbert 9
Wm. 8
Caleb 6
Francis 6
Samuel 6
Daniel 5
Edwin 5
Edmund 4
Eli 4
Fredk. 4
Geo. 4
Jno. 4
Benjamin 3
Edgar 3
Jas. 3
Jesse 3
Percy 3
Sam 3
Thos. 3
Bertie 2
Christopher 2
Earnest 2
Frederic 2
Fredrick 2
Leonard 2
Mathew 2
Matthew 2
Maurice 2
Patrick 2
W. 2

FAQ

Bunce surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bunce surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,227 people were recorded with the Bunce surname. That placed it at #1,996 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bunce surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,484 in 2016. That gives Bunce a modern rank of #1,945.

What does the Bunce surname mean?

A medieval English surname derived from the Old English word "bunce," meaning a bank, hillock, or low earthen wall.

What does the Bunce map show?

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