NameCensus.

UK surname

Bunton

Derived from a place name meaning "town in the hollow" in Old English.

In the 1881 census there were 420 people recorded with the Bunton surname, ranking it #7,694 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 662, ranked #8,057, down from #7,694 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Fordham and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Dundonald, Loans and Symington, Bradford and King's Lynn and West Norfolk.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bunton is 703 in 2004. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 57.6%.

1881 census count

420

Ranked #7,694

Modern count

662

2016, ranked #8,057

Peak year

2004

703 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bunton had 420 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,694 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 662 in 2016, ranked #8,057.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 620 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Bunton surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bunton surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bunton 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 454 #5,427
1861 historical 615 #4,330
1881 historical 420 #7,694
1891 historical 620 #6,235
1901 historical 531 #7,717
1911 historical 453 #8,460
1997 modern 638 #7,776
1998 modern 676 #7,680
1999 modern 695 #7,560
2000 modern 679 #7,671
2001 modern 666 #7,652
2002 modern 702 #7,492
2003 modern 690 #7,472
2004 modern 703 #7,367
2005 modern 685 #7,480
2006 modern 689 #7,457
2007 modern 680 #7,614
2008 modern 680 #7,655
2009 modern 684 #7,784
2010 modern 685 #7,907
2011 modern 679 #7,873
2012 modern 674 #7,852
2013 modern 685 #7,877
2014 modern 685 #7,919
2015 modern 683 #7,869
2016 modern 662 #8,057

Geography

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Where Buntons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Fordham, London parishes, King's Lynn St Margaret and Steeple Bumpstead, Birdbrook. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Dundonald, Loans and Symington, Bradford, King's Lynn and West Norfolk and Drumry East. 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 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
2 Fordham Essex
3 London parishes London 3
4 King's Lynn St Margaret Norfolk
5 Steeple Bumpstead, Birdbrook Suffolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Dundonald, Loans and Symington South Ayrshire
2 Bradford 015 Bradford
3 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 011 King's Lynn and West Norfolk
4 Drumry East Glasgow City
5 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 012 King's Lynn and West Norfolk

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bunton

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bunton

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Bunton 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

Bunton 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

Bunton falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Bunton

The surname Bunton originated in England during the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "bun," meaning a small hill or mound, and the suffix "-ton," which denotes a farm or settlement. This suggests that the name likely referred to someone who lived on or near a small hill or raised ground.

The earliest known record of the Bunton surname dates back to the 13th century, when it appeared in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire, a census-like document compiled in 1273. One of the earliest recorded instances was John de Bunton, mentioned in the rolls as residing in the village of Bunton, Oxfordshire.

In the 14th century, the name was also found in the records of the nearby county of Berkshire, with references to a William de Bunton in 1327 and a John Bunton in 1381. These records indicate that the name was well-established in the southern part of England during the Middle Ages.

The Bunton surname is not found in the Domesday Book, the famous survey of England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. This suggests that the name likely emerged later, possibly as a result of the Norman Conquest and the subsequent influence of French language and culture on English place names.

Notable individuals with the surname Bunton throughout history include:

1. John Bunton (c. 1630-1707), an English Puritan minister and author who served as the rector of St. Stephen's Church in Bristol.

2. William Bunton (1633-1693), an English writer and traveler who authored a book titled "The Travels of William Bunton, or, A Sure and Speedy Way to Preferment" in 1687.

3. Samuel Bunton (1628-1692), an English dissenting minister and educator who established a school in Coventry.

4. Thomas Bunton (1778-1846), a British architect and surveyor who designed several churches and public buildings in London.

5. James Bunton (1778-1853), an English landscape painter known for his depictions of rural scenes and landscapes.

While the Bunton surname has its origins in southern England, it eventually spread to other parts of the country and even to other English-speaking regions as a result of migration and settlement patterns.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bunton families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bunton 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. Essex leads with 98 Buntons recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.12x.

County Total Index
Essex 98 12.12x
Norfolk 47 7.46x
Durham 46 3.77x
Middlesex 30 0.73x
Yorkshire 27 0.67x
Northumberland 22 3.61x
Surrey 21 1.05x
Lanarkshire 20 1.51x
Kent 18 1.29x
Warwickshire 12 1.16x
Lancashire 10 0.21x
Angus 7 1.84x
Gloucestershire 7 0.87x
Sussex 7 1.01x
Wigtownshire 7 12.87x
Lincolnshire 5 0.76x
Midlothian 5 0.91x
Ayrshire 4 1.30x
Northamptonshire 4 1.04x
Staffordshire 4 0.29x
Cambridgeshire 3 1.16x
Derbyshire 3 0.47x
Hampshire 3 0.36x
Oxfordshire 2 0.79x
Renfrewshire 2 0.63x
Somerset 2 0.30x
Carmarthenshire 1 0.58x
Monmouthshire 1 0.34x
Perthshire 1 0.54x
Worcestershire 1 0.19x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Fordham in Essex leads with 34 Buntons recorded in 1881 and an index of 3434.34x.

Place Total Index
Fordham 34 3434.34x
Steeple Bumpstead 23 1554.05x
Lambeth 19 5.32x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 14 74.03x
Bishopwearmouth 13 12.43x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 13 35.70x
Birmingham 10 2.90x
Monk Hesleden 10 294.12x
North Walsham 10 220.26x
Buxton 9 1153.85x
Foots Cray 9 335.82x
Leeds 9 3.93x
Hartlepool 8 46.19x
Limehouse London 8 17.79x
Stambourne 8 1311.48x
Bristol St George 7 18.84x
Hastings St Mary 7 40.72x
Liff Benvie 7 12.15x
Barrow In Furness 6 9.07x
Benwell 6 90.09x
Govan 6 1.83x
Stranraer 6 120.48x
Woodford St Mary 6 659.34x
Brotton 5 94.34x
Edinburgh Canongate 5 35.79x
Erith 5 36.31x
Islington London 5 1.26x
West Thurrock 5 185.87x
Witton Gilbert 5 103.95x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 4 10.58x
Birdbrook 4 493.83x
Coylton 4 91.95x
Fulham London 4 6.73x
Lamesley 4 60.98x
Ormesby 4 36.66x
Ridgwell 4 434.78x
St Marylebone London 4 1.83x
West Bromwich 4 5.05x
Barony 3 0.89x
Byker 3 9.96x
Central Wingland 3 882.35x
Finchingfield 3 118.58x
Glasgow 3 1.28x
Hornsey 3 5.79x
Maryhill 3 11.57x
Old Buckenham 3 186.34x
Paddington London 3 1.99x
Pelton 3 51.72x
Sawston 3 120.00x
Warkworth 3 86.46x
Banbury 2 39.45x
Cambuslang 2 14.97x
Chelmsford 2 14.41x
Lesmahagow 2 14.28x
Little Fransham 2 625.00x
Liverpool 2 0.68x
Oulton 2 377.36x
Ramsgate 2 8.76x
Salford 2 1.40x
Swinton In Rotherham 2 18.62x
Upwell 2 68.26x
Walcot 2 5.69x
West Ham 2 1.12x
Wimbish 2 168.07x
Abbey 1 2.06x
Aldershot 1 3.55x
Derby All Sts 1 18.66x
East Dereham 1 12.56x
Inch 1 18.87x
Lewisham 1 1.34x
Llanelly 1 2.57x
Llanfoist 1 48.78x
Long Buckby 1 28.09x
Portsmouth 1 5.17x
Radwinter 1 84.75x
Redgorton 1 49.02x
Skelton In Guisbrough 1 9.11x
St George Hanover Square 1 1.39x
Stranton 1 2.44x
Warley Wigorn 1 58.48x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 23
Sarah 13
Jane 10
Ann 9
Margaret 8
Elizabeth 7
Emily 7
Eliza 6
Alice 5
Annie 5
Hannah 5
Charlotte 4
Edith 4
Harriet 4
Maria 4
Susannah 4
Ellen 3
Fanny 3
Isabella 3
Kate 3
Louisa 3
Rose 3
Bertha 2
Emma 2
Frances 2
Lily 2
Lizzie 2
Lydia 2
Amelia 1
Amy 1
Anna 1
Betsey 1
Carioline 1
Catherine 1
Dorothy 1
Eleanor 1
Elizath. 1
Ethel 1
Eva 1
Florence 1
Francis 1
Grace 1
Issibella 1
Jessie 1
Judith 1
Laura 1
Lilian 1
Lucy 1
Martha 1
Sushanah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 29
William 22
George 16
Robert 13
James 12
Thomas 11
Charles 9
Henry 9
Albert 5
Arthur 5
Edward 5
Joseph 5
Walter 5
Fredrick 3
Abraham 2
Benjaman 2
Edwin 2
Frederick 2
Harry 2
Isaac 2
Peter 2
Samuell 2
A. 1
Abel 1
Alfred 1
Anthony 1
Archibald 1
Chas.R. 1
Christopher 1
David 1
Ernest 1
Frank 1
Fredk. 1
Israel 1
Jacob 1
Maurice 1
Ralph 1
Richard 1
Samuel 1
Sidney 1
T.W.Bradbury 1
Wallace 1
Willie 1
Williie 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Bunton surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bunton surname in 1881?

In 1881, 420 people were recorded with the Bunton surname. That placed it at #7,694 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bunton surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 662 in 2016. That gives Bunton a modern rank of #8,057.

What does the Bunton surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "town in the hollow" in Old English.

What does the Bunton map show?

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