NameCensus.

UK surname

Bungay

A locational surname originating from the town of Bungay in Suffolk, England.

In the 1881 census there were 310 people recorded with the Bungay surname, ranking it #9,488 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 459, ranked #10,668, down from #9,488 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Romsey Extra, Michelmersh, Barford St Martin, Baverstock and Poole St James. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include New Forest, Test Valley and Vale of White Horse.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bungay is 524 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 48.1%.

1881 census count

310

Ranked #9,488

Modern count

459

2016, ranked #10,668

Peak year

1999

524 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bungay had 310 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,488 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 459 in 2016, ranked #10,668.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 450 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Bungay surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bungay surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bungay 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 186 #11,024
1861 historical 147 #15,539
1881 historical 310 #9,488
1891 historical 328 #10,348
1901 historical 394 #9,579
1911 historical 450 #8,507
1997 modern 495 #9,370
1998 modern 518 #9,342
1999 modern 524 #9,319
2000 modern 516 #9,396
2001 modern 502 #9,440
2002 modern 511 #9,484
2003 modern 500 #9,481
2004 modern 503 #9,480
2005 modern 507 #9,351
2006 modern 502 #9,463
2007 modern 498 #9,592
2008 modern 496 #9,694
2009 modern 500 #9,862
2010 modern 507 #9,947
2011 modern 516 #9,731
2012 modern 510 #9,722
2013 modern 492 #10,138
2014 modern 485 #10,327
2015 modern 467 #10,535
2016 modern 459 #10,668

Geography

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Where Bungays are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Romsey Extra, Michelmersh, Barford St Martin, Baverstock, Poole St James, Salisbury St Edmund and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to New Forest, Test Valley and Vale of White Horse. 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 Romsey Extra, Michelmersh Hampshire
2 Barford St Martin, Baverstock Wiltshire
3 Poole St James Dorset
4 Salisbury St Edmund Wiltshire
5 London parishes London 3

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 New Forest 020 New Forest
2 Test Valley 013 Test Valley
3 New Forest 021 New Forest
4 Vale of White Horse 007 Vale of White Horse
5 New Forest 015 New Forest

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bungay

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bungay

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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Bungay surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Bungay household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Bungay is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Bungay is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Bungay falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Bungay

The surname Bungay has its origins in England, tracing back to the medieval period. It is derived from the name of the town of Bungay in Suffolk, which itself comes from the Old English words "bun" meaning a hollow and "gey" meaning an island, referring to the town's location on a low hill surrounded by marshes.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Bungay can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Suffolk from 1199, where a certain Willelmus de Bungay is mentioned. The name also appears in the Feet of Fines for Suffolk from 1310, suggesting that the surname was well-established by that time.

In the 14th century, a notable individual bearing the name was Thomas Bungay, a Benedictine monk and alchemist who lived from around 1285 to 1370. He was known for his work on the transmutation of metals and was the author of several alchemical treatises.

Another early bearer of the name was John Bungay, a 15th-century English cleric who served as the Archdeacon of Norfolk from 1427 to 1442. He is recorded as having attended the Council of Basel in 1431-1449, a significant event in the history of the Catholic Church.

Moving into the 16th century, we find William Bungay, who was born in Bungay, Suffolk, around 1520. He was a prominent merchant and landowner in the area, and his name appears in various legal documents and property records from that time.

In the 17th century, a noteworthy figure was Richard Bungay, a English clergyman and author who lived from 1628 to 1685. He wrote several religious works, including a book titled "The Doctrine of the Holy Trinity Explained and Defended" published in 1676.

Another individual of note was Edward Bungay, a 19th-century English architect who was born in 1824 and died in 1895. He was responsible for the design of several notable buildings in London, including the former headquarters of the Royal College of Surgeons.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bungay families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bungay 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 100 Bungays recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.08x.

County Total Index
Hampshire 100 16.08x
Wiltshire 78 29.07x
Dorset 29 14.57x
Middlesex 28 0.92x
Surrey 20 1.35x
Berkshire 19 8.34x
Somerset 6 1.23x
Yorkshire 6 0.20x
Essex 4 0.67x
Sussex 4 0.78x
Kent 3 0.29x
Worcestershire 3 0.76x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.49x
Suffolk 2 0.54x
Cheshire 1 0.15x
Durham 1 0.11x
Gloucestershire 1 0.17x
Hertfordshire 1 0.48x
Lincolnshire 1 0.21x
Oxfordshire 1 0.53x
Royal Navy 1 2.77x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Portsea in Hampshire leads with 12 Bungays recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.85x.

Place Total Index
Portsea 12 9.85x
Romsey Extra 11 297.30x
Plaitford 10 5555.56x
Wilton 10 526.32x
Milton 9 580.65x
Mottisfont 9 1666.67x
Alderbury 8 634.92x
Houghton 7 1555.56x
Shellingford 7 2592.59x
West Wellow 7 1166.67x
Woking 7 78.56x
Baverstock 6 4615.38x
Ellingham 6 2068.97x
Millbrook 6 38.31x
Salisbury St Thomas 6 281.69x
Britford 5 282.49x
Cranborne 5 207.47x
Fisherton Anger 5 100.60x
Goosey 5 2941.18x
Great Bookham 5 438.60x
Kings Somborne 5 384.62x
Lymington 5 109.41x
Newington 5 4.46x
Parkstone 5 215.52x
Semley 5 704.23x
St George Hanover Square 5 9.35x
Steeple 5 1612.90x
Stoke Newington London 5 21.16x
Bathford 4 400.00x
Bilton Cum Harrogate 4 38.91x
Hinton Martel 4 1000.00x
Letcombe Bassett 4 1739.13x
Michelmersh 4 330.58x
Swindon 4 19.22x
Bromsgrove 3 22.51x
Burcombe 3 909.09x
Dinton 3 638.30x
Eling 3 47.62x
Portland 3 28.01x
Uxbridge 3 86.46x
West Ham 3 2.27x
Winchfield 3 789.47x
Brighton 2 1.94x
Bury St Edmunds St James 2 20.26x
Carisbrooke 2 23.18x
Christchurch 2 14.84x
Clarborough 2 65.36x
Hackney London 2 1.18x
Hammersmith London 2 2.68x
Islington London 2 0.68x
Kensington London 2 1.19x
Marske In Guisbrough 2 37.45x
Milton In Gravesend 2 12.89x
Reading St Giles 2 8.95x
Romsey Infra 2 94.79x
Salisbury St Martin 2 71.68x
South Stoneham 2 14.83x
Southampton St Mary 2 5.12x
St Marylebone London 2 1.23x
Tarrant Gunville 2 540.54x
Bow London 1 2.59x
Bradford On Avon 1 11.64x
Chelsea London 1 1.09x
Chichester St Pancras 1 65.36x
Dovercourt 1 47.39x
East Coker 1 93.46x
Guildford Bowling Green 1 2500.00x
Holdenhurst 1 6.13x
Hornsey 1 2.61x
Leigh 1 285.71x
Shipley 1 86.21x
South Newton 1 142.86x
St Maurice Winchester 1 38.76x
St Pancras London 1 0.41x
St Swithin Lincoln 1 13.11x
Tudhoe 1 12.66x
Ware 1 16.69x
Winterborne Houghton 1 384.62x
Winterborne Whitechurch 1 227.27x
Winterbourne Gunner 1 555.56x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 17
Mary 14
Sarah 11
Ellen 8
Annie 7
Jane 7
Emma 6
Caroline 5
Emily 5
Maria 5
Charlotte 4
Eliza 4
Matilda 4
Edith 3
Louisa 3
Lucy 3
Rose 3
Sophia 3
Agnes 2
Alice 2
Clara 2
Fanny 2
Frances 2
Gertrude 2
Harriet 2
Harriett 2
Kate 2
Rachel 2
Susannah 2
Amelia 1
Ann 1
Betsy 1
Diana 1
Elizth. 1
Emmeline 1
Eva 1
Flory 1
Franes 1
Hannah 1
Isabella 1
Janet 1
Justina 1
Laura 1
Lavinia 1
Leah 1
Madona 1
Marian 1
Martha 1
Milly 1
Rachael 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 15
George 14
Henry 14
Charles 13
James 9
Edward 8
Frederick 8
Thomas 7
Arthur 6
John 6
Alfred 4
Frank 4
Samuel 4
Walter 4
Albert 3
Alexander 3
Francis 3
Harry 3
Tom 2
Bertram 1
Enos 1
Ernest 1
G. 1
H. 1
Herbert 1
Horace 1
Isaac 1
Joshua 1
Levi 1
Mark 1
Morris 1
Mortimer 1
Peter 1
Price 1
Richard 1
Sydney 1
Theodore 1
Timothy 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Bungay surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bungay surname in 1881?

In 1881, 310 people were recorded with the Bungay surname. That placed it at #9,488 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bungay surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 459 in 2016. That gives Bungay a modern rank of #10,668.

What does the Bungay surname mean?

A locational surname originating from the town of Bungay in Suffolk, England.

What does the Bungay map show?

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