NameCensus.

UK surname

Busch

A German and Jewish (Ashkenazic) topographic surname derived from the Middle High German word "busch," meaning "bush" or "thicket."

In the 1881 census there were 80 people recorded with the Busch surname, ranking it #22,225 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 165, ranked #22,234, down from #22,225 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Dunstan Stepney and West Derby. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Elmbridge, Kensington and Chelsea and Epping Forest.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Busch is 175 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 106.3%.

1881 census count

80

Ranked #22,225

Modern count

165

2016, ranked #22,234

Peak year

2014

175 bearers

Map years

5

1901 to 2016

Key insights

  • Busch had 80 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #22,225 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 165 in 2016, ranked #22,234.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 125 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Busch surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Busch surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Busch 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 4 #32,658
1861 historical 42 #28,691
1881 historical 80 #22,225
1891 historical 83 #26,376
1901 historical 125 #20,061
1911 historical 110 #21,519
1997 modern 107 #25,924
1998 modern 122 #24,556
1999 modern 119 #25,095
2000 modern 116 #25,452
2001 modern 118 #24,832
2002 modern 130 #23,903
2003 modern 124 #24,378
2004 modern 119 #25,200
2005 modern 117 #25,433
2006 modern 119 #25,413
2007 modern 123 #25,208
2008 modern 125 #25,249
2009 modern 133 #24,817
2010 modern 149 #23,598
2011 modern 151 #23,204
2012 modern 159 #22,361
2013 modern 162 #22,433
2014 modern 175 #21,477
2015 modern 171 #21,729
2016 modern 165 #22,234

Geography

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Where Buschs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Dunstan Stepney, West Derby and Swansea. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Elmbridge, Kensington and Chelsea, Epping Forest, Boston and East Riding of Yorkshire. 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 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 St Dunstan Stepney London (East Districts)
4 West Derby Lancashire
5 Swansea Glamorganshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Elmbridge 016 Elmbridge
2 Kensington and Chelsea 016 Kensington and Chelsea
3 Epping Forest 003 Epping Forest
4 Boston 008 Boston
5 East Riding of Yorkshire 025 East Riding of Yorkshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Busch

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Busch

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Busch surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Busch 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 includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Busch 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

Busch is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Busch falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Busch 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 - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Busch

The surname Busch is of German origin, derived from the word "Busch" meaning bush or shrub. It first emerged in the 12th century in the region of Westphalia, which was part of the Holy Roman Empire.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the 1275 Westphalian land registry, which mentions a "Hermann von dem Busche" (Hermann from the bush). This suggests the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near a notable bush or wooded area.

In the 14th century, variations such as "Bussche" and "Busschen" can be found in municipal records from cities like Cologne and Münster. The spelling eventually settled on the more modern "Busch" form by the 16th century.

An early prominent bearer of the name was Johann Busch, a 15th century Catholic priest and influential monastic reformer born in 1399 in Zwolle, Netherlands. His writings criticizing the lax observance of monastic rules were highly influential during the Devotio Moderna movement.

Another notable figure was the German Renaissance painter Hieronymus Busch, born around 1525 in Münster. He is best known for his religious altarpieces and portraits of wealthy patrons, which can still be seen in churches and museums across northwestern Germany.

In the 18th century, the Busch name spread across German-speaking lands along with several accomplished individuals. These include the philosopher and writer Johann Georg Büsch (1728-1800) and the renowned architect Johann Conrad Busch (1775-1844), responsible for many neoclassical buildings in Berlin.

As German immigrants came to America in the 19th century, the name took root there as well. One of the most famous American Busches was Adolphus Busch (1839-1913), the co-founder of the Anheuser-Busch brewing company in St. Louis, Missouri.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Busch families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Busch 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 41 Buschs recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.39x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 41 5.39x
Yorkshire 9 1.19x
Lancashire 8 0.89x
Surrey 8 2.16x
Glamorgan 7 5.28x
Midlothian 2 1.96x
Caernarfonshire 1 3.25x
Gloucestershire 1 0.67x
Hampshire 1 0.64x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Mile End Old Town London in Middlesex leads with 15 Buschs recorded in 1881 and an index of 92.65x.

Place Total Index
Mile End Old Town London 15 92.65x
Middlesbrough 7 71.28x
Swansea Town 7 64.46x
St George Hanover Square 6 44.78x
Shadwell London 5 234.74x
Shoreditch London 5 15.16x
Kirkdale 4 26.33x
Camberwell 3 6.17x
Sutton 3 111.94x
Liverpool 2 3.65x
Newington 2 7.12x
St Gilesin Fields London 2 312.50x
Whitechapel London 2 26.67x
Bettws Y Coed 1 500.00x
Bridewell Precinct London 1 1428.57x
Chelsea London 1 4.36x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 1 2.44x
Everton 1 3.48x
Feltham 1 131.58x
Kensington London 1 2.36x
Leith North 1 500.00x
Oldham 1 3.43x
Paddington London 1 3.58x
Prestbury 1 270.27x
Rothwell 1 65.79x
Ryde 1 29.85x
St Pancras London 1 1.63x
Wawne 1 1250.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 4
Ann 2
Caroline 2
Ellen 2
Emily 2
Julia 2
Louise 2
Agnes 1
Anna 1
Catarina 1
Catherine 1
Charlotte 1
Eleanor 1
Elise 1
Elizabeth 1
Evelina 1
Fredericka 1
Gertrude 1
Hannah 1
Henrietta 1
Ida 1
Katherine 1
Laura 1
Margaret 1
Margenn 1
Maria 1
Marie 1
Martha 1
Paulina 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 4
George 3
Arthur 2
Charles 2
James 2
Otto 2
Albert 1
Anders 1
Augustus 1
Barnard 1
Christian 1
Emile 1
Ernest 1
Frederic 1
Frederick 1
Ginnie 1
Henrich 1
Henry 1
Herman 1
Joseph 1
Julius 1
Lorenz 1
Martin 1
Peter 1
Wilhelnn 1
William 1
Y. 1

FAQ

Busch surname: questions and answers

How common was the Busch surname in 1881?

In 1881, 80 people were recorded with the Busch surname. That placed it at #22,225 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Busch surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 165 in 2016. That gives Busch a modern rank of #22,234.

What does the Busch surname mean?

A German and Jewish (Ashkenazic) topographic surname derived from the Middle High German word "busch," meaning "bush" or "thicket."

What does the Busch map show?

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