NameCensus.

UK surname

Bunch

An English surname referring to someone who lived near a cluster of trees or bushes.

In the 1881 census there were 484 people recorded with the Bunch surname, ranking it #6,939 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 697, ranked #7,728, down from #6,939 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, Sedgley and Tipton otherwise Tibington. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Strathaven South, Stonehouse and Hart.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bunch is 772 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 44.0%.

1881 census count

484

Ranked #6,939

Modern count

697

2016, ranked #7,728

Peak year

1998

772 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bunch had 484 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,939 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 697 in 2016, ranked #7,728.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 576 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Bunch surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bunch surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bunch 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 248 #8,840
1861 historical 340 #7,497
1881 historical 484 #6,939
1891 historical 515 #7,249
1901 historical 573 #7,321
1911 historical 576 #7,056
1997 modern 737 #6,970
1998 modern 772 #6,955
1999 modern 739 #7,230
2000 modern 713 #7,395
2001 modern 699 #7,375
2002 modern 720 #7,346
2003 modern 700 #7,389
2004 modern 691 #7,490
2005 modern 691 #7,421
2006 modern 699 #7,356
2007 modern 709 #7,349
2008 modern 697 #7,512
2009 modern 702 #7,626
2010 modern 710 #7,700
2011 modern 693 #7,743
2012 modern 652 #8,057
2013 modern 687 #7,855
2014 modern 701 #7,761
2015 modern 689 #7,817
2016 modern 697 #7,728

Geography

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Where Bunchs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, Sedgley, Tipton otherwise Tibington, Yately and Walsall. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Strathaven South, Stonehouse, Hart, Cheshire East and Babergh. 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 Wolverhampton Staffordshire
2 Sedgley Staffordshire
3 Tipton otherwise Tibington Staffordshire
4 Yately Surrey
5 Walsall Staffordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Strathaven South South Lanarkshire
2 Stonehouse South Lanarkshire
3 Hart 001 Hart
4 Cheshire East 005 Cheshire East
5 Babergh 008 Babergh

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bunch

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bunch

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Bunch surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Bunch household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Bunch is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Bunch is most concentrated in decile 2 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Bunch

The surname Bunch is an English name that originated in the Middle Ages. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "bune," which meant a small hill or mound. This suggests that the name may have been initially used as a descriptive term to refer to someone who lived near or on a small hill.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Bunch can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1230, where a person named Richard Bunch is mentioned. The name also appears in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, where a John le Bunche is listed.

In the 14th century, the surname Bunch appeared in various historical records, such as the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, which included the name Thomas Bunche. The Lay Subsidy Rolls of Lancashire from 1332 also mentioned a Richard Bunche.

During the 15th century, the name Bunch began to spread across different parts of England. The Subsidy Rolls of Suffolk from 1424 listed a John Buncche, while the Inquisitiones Post Mortem of Hertfordshire from 1487 included a reference to a William Bunche.

One notable person with the surname Bunch in the 16th century was John Bunch (c. 1518-1598), an English diplomat and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Wallingford and as the Secretary of State to Queen Elizabeth I.

In the 17th century, the surname Bunch was found in various regions of England. The Hearth Tax Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1665 listed a Thomas Bunch, while the Subsidy Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1672 included a Richard Bunch.

During the 18th century, several individuals with the surname Bunch achieved prominence. Reverend Samuel Bunch (c. 1715-1795) was an English clergyman and author who wrote several works on theology and mathematics. James Bunch (1736-1805) was an English engraver and artist known for his topographical and architectural drawings.

In the 19th century, one notable figure with the surname Bunch was Robert Alonzo Bunch (1820-1881), an American lawyer and politician who served as the United States Minister to Brazil from 1873 to 1877.

Throughout history, the surname Bunch has also been associated with various place names in England, such as Bunch Lane in Hertfordshire and Bunch Wood in Essex, further reinforcing its geographic origins.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bunch families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bunch 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. Hampshire leads with 88 Bunchs recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.09x.

County Total Index
Hampshire 88 9.09x
Middlesex 87 1.84x
Staffordshire 74 4.64x
Warwickshire 44 3.70x
Angus 37 8.46x
Surrey 26 1.13x
Kent 24 1.49x
Lanarkshire 22 1.44x
Essex 19 2.04x
Lancashire 14 0.25x
Lincolnshire 11 1.46x
Worcestershire 9 1.46x
Yorkshire 6 0.13x
Hertfordshire 5 1.54x
Wiltshire 5 1.20x
Cheshire 2 0.19x
Gloucestershire 2 0.22x
Shropshire 2 0.49x
Berkshire 1 0.28x
Cornwall 1 0.19x
Devon 1 0.10x
Midlothian 1 0.16x
Perthshire 1 0.47x
Somerset 1 0.13x
Sussex 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. Yateley in Hampshire leads with 44 Bunchs recorded in 1881 and an index of 2404.37x.

Place Total Index
Yateley 44 2404.37x
Aston 26 7.93x
Islington London 22 4.81x
Dundee 17 10.41x
St Pancras London 17 4.47x
Wolverhampton 15 12.24x
Birmingham 14 3.53x
Walsall Foreign 14 17.01x
Dalziel 13 79.12x
Tipton 13 26.64x
Warrington 12 18.07x
Great Grimsby 11 22.96x
Shoreditch London 11 5.37x
Hornsey 10 16.75x
Cadder 9 79.79x
Little Bromley 9 1475.41x
Mile End Old Town London 9 8.96x
Sedgley 9 15.21x
Binsted 8 216.80x
Cranbrook 8 117.30x
Heckfield 8 879.12x
Inverkeillor 8 295.20x
Camberwell 7 2.32x
Dudley 7 9.34x
Kirriemuir 7 64.87x
Lambeth 7 1.70x
Mattingley 7 853.66x
Burslem 6 13.14x
Edmonton 6 15.77x
Eversley 6 540.54x
Lawford 6 441.18x
Woolwich 6 10.08x
Dartford 5 30.36x
Plumstead 5 9.31x
Salisbury St Edmund 5 74.63x
St Bartholomew Hyde 5 216.45x
Dewsbury 4 8.34x
Elvetham 4 526.32x
Newington 4 2.29x
Sutton Coldfield 4 31.95x
Hackney London 3 1.13x
Harborne 3 5.87x
Hartley Wintney 3 103.09x
Kensington London 3 1.14x
Wednesbury 3 7.53x
Weeley 3 306.12x
West Bromwich 3 3.29x
Wolstanton Oldcott 3 51.99x
Battersea 2 1.15x
Bobbington 2 307.69x
Broxbourne 2 31.01x
Forfar 2 8.45x
Hunslet 2 2.74x
Lilleshall 2 32.10x
Newtyle 2 135.14x
Portsea 2 1.05x
Salford 2 1.21x
Stoke Upon Trent 2 1.18x
Stourbridge 2 12.61x
Barry 1 19.05x
Bermondsey 1 0.71x
Chelsea London 1 0.70x
Chester St Michael 1 81.30x
Codicote 1 51.55x
Colchester St Mary At 1 30.30x
East Horsley 1 212.77x
East Teignmouth 1 24.88x
Eastbourne 1 2.73x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 1 0.39x
Frodsham 1 24.75x
Kingswinford 1 1.73x
Little Wymondley 1 153.85x
Long Ashton 1 26.53x
Phillack 1 14.49x
Reigate Borough 1 18.83x
St Luke London 1 1.32x
St Paul Covent Garden 1 21.19x
Tetbury 1 19.05x
Westminster St John 1 1.74x
Wokingham 1 12.36x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 20
Sarah 18
Mary 17
Ellen 10
Emma 8
Eliza 7
Ann 6
Fanny 6
Alice 5
Anne 5
Annie 5
Charlotte 5
Edith 5
Emily 5
Harriet 5
Jane 5
Caroline 4
Martha 4
Phoebe 4
Henrietta 3
Kate 3
Maria 3
Ada 2
Amelia 2
Catherine 2
Elsie 2
Florence 2
Gertrude 2
Hannah 2
Margaret 2
Phebe 2
Rebecca 2
Susannah 2
Anna 1
Claranda 1
Damaris 1
Davina 1
Esthe 1
Fannie 1
Florry 1
Frances 1
Georgina 1
Lizzie 1
Louisa 1
Lousia 1
Mabel 1
Margt.C. 1
Maryann 1
Matilda 1
Tissie 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Henry 21
Thomas 18
John 17
William 17
Joseph 16
James 12
Alfred 10
Charles 10
Walter 9
Frank 8
George 8
Samuel 7
Harry 6
Arthur 5
Benjamin 3
Edward 3
Edwin 3
Isaac 3
Geo. 2
Herbert 2
Andrew 1
Arther 1
Caleb 1
Chas. 1
Christopher 1
Daniel 1
David 1
Elijah 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Frederick 1
Fredrick 1
Harold 1
Harvey 1
Henery 1
Horace 1
Hughie 1
Jacob 1
Jesse 1
Joshua 1
Louis 1
Lucy 1
Moses 1
Otto 1
Richard 1
Richd.Mills 1
Sidney 1
Silas 1
Thos. 1
Willm. 1

FAQ

Bunch surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bunch surname in 1881?

In 1881, 484 people were recorded with the Bunch surname. That placed it at #6,939 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bunch surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 697 in 2016. That gives Bunch a modern rank of #7,728.

What does the Bunch surname mean?

An English surname referring to someone who lived near a cluster of trees or bushes.

What does the Bunch map show?

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