NameCensus.

UK surname

Bunker

An occupational surname for someone who lived or worked in a shelter or small cottage.

In the 1881 census there were 1,206 people recorded with the Bunker surname, ranking it #3,343 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,527, ranked #4,055, down from #3,343 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Edmonton, London parishes and Modbury, Bigbury, Ermington, Kingston. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Sunderland, Central Bedfordshire and Bedford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bunker is 1,718 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 26.6%.

1881 census count

1,206

Ranked #3,343

Modern count

1,527

2016, ranked #4,055

Peak year

1999

1,718 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bunker had 1,206 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,343 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,527 in 2016, ranked #4,055.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,658 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Bunker surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bunker surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bunker 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 714 #3,662
1861 historical 633 #4,233
1881 historical 1,206 #3,343
1891 historical 1,218 #3,529
1901 historical 1,478 #3,463
1911 historical 1,658 #2,944
1997 modern 1,673 #3,556
1998 modern 1,716 #3,605
1999 modern 1,718 #3,626
2000 modern 1,696 #3,650
2001 modern 1,635 #3,700
2002 modern 1,638 #3,757
2003 modern 1,618 #3,722
2004 modern 1,612 #3,758
2005 modern 1,519 #3,913
2006 modern 1,498 #3,968
2007 modern 1,535 #3,914
2008 modern 1,547 #3,910
2009 modern 1,571 #3,937
2010 modern 1,594 #3,964
2011 modern 1,577 #3,964
2012 modern 1,525 #4,016
2013 modern 1,569 #3,984
2014 modern 1,565 #4,012
2015 modern 1,535 #4,044
2016 modern 1,527 #4,055

Geography

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Where Bunkers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Edmonton, London parishes, Modbury, Bigbury, Ermington, Kingston and Chesham (incl. Chartridge, Billington & Latimers with Waterside. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Sunderland, Central Bedfordshire, Bedford and Milton Keynes. 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 Edmonton Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Modbury, Bigbury, Ermington, Kingston Devon
5 Chesham (incl. Chartridge, Billington & Latimers with Waterside Buckinghamshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Sunderland 036 Sunderland
2 Central Bedfordshire 015 Central Bedfordshire
3 Sunderland 035 Sunderland
4 Bedford 020 Bedford
5 Milton Keynes 003 Milton Keynes

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bunker

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bunker

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

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Bunker is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, 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

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

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

Bunker is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Bunker

The surname Bunker originated in England and is believed to have derived from the Old English word "bunker," which referred to a person who lived near a bench or bank. It's possible that the name could also have originated from a place name containing the word "bunker."

The earliest recorded instance of the surname Bunker dates back to the 13th century. In the Hundred Rolls of Lincolnshire from 1273, a person named William Bunker was mentioned. The Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327 also included a reference to a Richard le Bunker.

During the Middle Ages, the surname Bunker appeared in various spellings, such as Bunker, Bunkar, and Bunkere. It's likely that these variations were due to regional dialects and the inconsistent spelling practices of the time.

One of the earliest known bearers of the surname Bunker was Sir John Bunker, a prominent English landowner who lived in the 14th century. He was a member of the gentry and held significant estates in Warwickshire.

Another notable figure with the surname Bunker was William Bunker, a 17th-century English clergyman and author. He was born in 1637 and served as the rector of St. Botolph's Church in Bishopsgate, London.

In the 18th century, a man named Thomas Bunker gained recognition for his involvement in the American Revolutionary War. He was a militiaman from Massachusetts and participated in the Battle of Bunker Hill in 1775, which took its name from the nearby Bunker's Hill.

During the 19th century, the Bunker surname was associated with several notable individuals. One of them was Edmund Bunker, a British writer and poet who was born in 1828. He published numerous works, including "Verses of a Country Clergyman" and "The Pilgrim's Road."

Another prominent figure with the Bunker surname was Henry Bunker, an English architect and surveyor who lived from 1832 to 1898. He was known for his work on several important buildings in London, including the Royal Albert Hall.

While the surname Bunker originated in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, including the United States, Canada, and Australia, due to migration and immigration patterns.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bunker families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bunker 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 256 Bunkers recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.18x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 256 2.18x
Bedfordshire 233 38.25x
Devon 184 7.51x
Hertfordshire 103 12.70x
Surrey 72 1.26x
Buckinghamshire 60 8.44x
Yorkshire 37 0.32x
Nairnshire 34 94.68x
Sussex 20 1.01x
Essex 18 0.78x
Gloucestershire 18 0.78x
Hampshire 17 0.71x
Oxfordshire 17 2.34x
Staffordshire 17 0.43x
Derbyshire 15 0.81x
Kent 15 0.37x
Northamptonshire 12 1.08x
Somerset 12 0.63x
Durham 9 0.26x
Nottinghamshire 8 0.50x
Peeblesshire 7 12.65x
Cumberland 5 0.49x
Westmorland 5 1.93x
Channel Islands 4 1.15x
Lancashire 4 0.03x
Leicestershire 4 0.31x
Royal Navy 4 2.85x
Lanarkshire 3 0.08x
Warwickshire 3 0.10x
Cornwall 2 0.15x
Lincolnshire 2 0.11x
Norfolk 2 0.11x
Worcestershire 2 0.13x
Argyllshire 1 0.31x
Suffolk 1 0.07x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Plymouth St Andrew in Devon leads with 51 Bunkers recorded in 1881 and an index of 27.04x.

Place Total Index
Plymouth St Andrew 51 27.04x
Nairn 34 156.03x
Lambeth 32 3.12x
Plymstock 26 202.81x
Islington London 25 2.19x
St Pancras London 24 2.53x
Watford 24 38.17x
Edmonton 22 23.21x
Chesham 21 80.12x
Tottenham 19 10.14x
Hackney London 17 2.58x
Luton 17 16.12x
Houghton Conquest 16 640.00x
Brighton 15 3.75x
Dunstable 15 80.13x
Ermington 15 168.35x
Shoreditch London 15 2.94x
Marston Moretaine 14 294.74x
Paddington London 14 3.24x
Steppingley 14 1111.11x
Bromley London 13 5.02x
Berkhampstead 12 65.83x
Camberwell 12 1.60x
Millbrook 12 1081.08x
Pirton 12 263.16x
Shillington 12 133.78x
Silsoe 12 437.96x
Westoning 12 452.83x
Ampthill 11 121.01x
Exeter Heavitree 11 60.24x
Mickleton 11 361.84x
Otterbourne 10 289.86x
Plymouth Charles The 10 9.27x
Plympton St Mary 10 70.67x
Sarratt 10 354.61x
Bedford St Mary 9 57.36x
Cowley 9 39.68x
Hetton Le Hole 9 20.29x
Kensington London 9 1.38x
Offley 9 170.45x
Stoke Damerel 9 5.25x
Streatley 9 714.29x
Tilsworth 9 891.09x
Bestwood Park 8 284.70x
Chipping Barnet 8 56.42x
Denham 8 157.79x
Edlesborough 8 123.46x
Flitwick 8 242.42x
Limehouse London 8 6.19x
Matlock 8 32.35x
Paignton 8 42.94x
St Marylebone London 8 1.27x
West Ham 8 1.56x
Barton In Clay 7 163.55x
Beddington 7 31.57x
Chelsea London 7 1.97x
Croydon 7 2.20x
Derby St Peter 7 11.93x
Goole 7 35.84x
Handsworth 7 22.71x
Innerleithen 7 47.65x
Kirtlington 7 242.21x
Revelstoke 7 315.32x
South Mimms 7 43.40x
St George Hanover Square 7 3.38x
Abbots Langley 6 49.83x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 6 5.52x
Beaconsfield 6 91.05x
Bedford St Peter 6 37.93x
Bedminster 6 3.37x
Cardington 6 120.97x
Hampstead London 6 3.27x
Leighton Buzzard 6 22.90x
Newcastle Under Lyme 6 8.54x
Shefford 6 138.57x
Brixham 5 17.62x
Chipping Campden 5 66.58x
Enfield 5 6.48x
Gosforth 5 101.21x
St George Bloomsbury 5 7.41x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 84
John 46
Thomas 42
George 40
Charles 33
James 33
Samuel 22
Henry 19
Edward 17
Joseph 17
Albert 16
Alfred 16
Arthur 14
Frederick 11
Richard 9
Robert 9
Walter 9
Benjamin 8
Harry 8
Ernest 5
Frank 5
Herbert 4
Jonathan 4
Willie 4
Daniel 3
Edwin 3
Fredk. 3
Fredrick 3
Jesse 3
Joel 3
Charley 2
David 2
Eli 2
Francis 2
Moses 2
Beresford 1
Bertie 1
Christopher 1
Dawson 1
Emmanuel 1
Ezra 1
Feldrick 1
Fred 1
Fred. 1
Hy. 1
Isaac 1
J.H.W. 1
Jabez 1
Jacob 1
Zepheniah 1

FAQ

Bunker surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bunker surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,206 people were recorded with the Bunker surname. That placed it at #3,343 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bunker surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,527 in 2016. That gives Bunker a modern rank of #4,055.

What does the Bunker surname mean?

An occupational surname for someone who lived or worked in a shelter or small cottage.

What does the Bunker map show?

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