NameCensus.

UK surname

Bushell

An archaic occupational surname referring to someone who made bushel measures.

In the 1881 census there were 2,901 people recorded with the Bushell surname, ranking it #1,544 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 4,501, ranked #1,508, up from #1,544 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Dover St James, Dover St Mary and Margate. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cheshire West and Chester, Bolton and Caerphilly.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bushell is 4,879 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 55.2%.

1881 census count

2,901

Ranked #1,544

Modern count

4,501

2016, ranked #1,508

Peak year

1999

4,879 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bushell had 2,901 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,544 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 4,501 in 2016, ranked #1,508.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 4,316 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Bushell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bushell surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bushell 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 1,804 #1,597
1861 historical 1,737 #1,657
1881 historical 2,901 #1,544
1891 historical 3,333 #1,432
1901 historical 3,875 #1,456
1911 historical 4,316 #1,201
1997 modern 4,732 #1,382
1998 modern 4,837 #1,404
1999 modern 4,879 #1,402
2000 modern 4,840 #1,408
2001 modern 4,765 #1,394
2002 modern 4,855 #1,400
2003 modern 4,711 #1,405
2004 modern 4,698 #1,406
2005 modern 4,567 #1,433
2006 modern 4,597 #1,422
2007 modern 4,569 #1,447
2008 modern 4,577 #1,451
2009 modern 4,673 #1,460
2010 modern 4,749 #1,470
2011 modern 4,629 #1,486
2012 modern 4,575 #1,478
2013 modern 4,638 #1,485
2014 modern 4,645 #1,491
2015 modern 4,567 #1,499
2016 modern 4,501 #1,508

Geography

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Where Bushells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Dover St James, Dover St Mary, Margate and St John Hackney. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cheshire West and Chester, Bolton, Caerphilly and Shepway. 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 Dover St James, Dover St Mary Kent
4 Margate Kent
5 St John Hackney London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cheshire West and Chester 015 Cheshire West and Chester
2 Bolton 031 Bolton
3 Caerphilly 017 Caerphilly
4 Shepway 005 Shepway
5 Shepway 006 Shepway

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bushell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bushell

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Bushell 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

Bushell is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Bushell falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Bushell

The surname Bushell has its origins in England, emerging in the late 12th century. It is derived from the Old French word "buisselle," which means a small bush or shrub. This name likely referred to someone who lived near a prominent bush or shrubland.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Bushell surname can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, a census-like record of landowners in England. Here, a William Bushell is listed as holding lands in Oxfordshire.

The Bushell name appears in various historical records throughout the Middle Ages, including the Plea Rolls of 1332, where a Robert Bushell is mentioned in relation to a legal case in Cambridgeshire. The Bushell surname is also found in the Pipe Rolls of 1379, which were financial records of the English Exchequer.

In the 15th century, the Bushell family established itself in the village of Bushell Green, located in what is now the West Midlands region of England. This place name likely contributed to the perpetuation of the surname in that area.

One notable figure bearing the Bushell surname was Thomas Bushell (1594-1674), an English entrepreneur and farmer who introduced new agricultural techniques to England from the Netherlands. He was also involved in mining and was credited with establishing the first copper smelting works in Wales.

Another prominent individual was Browne Bushell (1608-1701), a lawyer and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Westbury, Wiltshire. He was a staunch supporter of the Parliamentarian cause during the English Civil War.

In the 18th century, Seth Bushell (1725-1784) was a renowned English clockmaker and inventor who made significant contributions to the design and manufacturing of clocks and watches.

The Bushell surname also found its way to the American colonies, with records showing a William Bushell arriving in Virginia as an indentured servant in 1635.

Reverend Jonathan Bushell (1725-1801) was an influential Anglican clergyman and educator in Maryland, serving as the rector of St. Anne's Parish in Annapolis and as the first principal of King William's School.

While the Bushell surname originated in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world through emigration and continues to be a notable family name in various countries today.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bushell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bushell 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. Kent leads with 636 Bushells recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.59x.

County Total Index
Kent 636 6.59x
Lancashire 406 1.21x
Middlesex 321 1.13x
Warwickshire 172 2.41x
Surrey 150 1.09x
Norfolk 135 3.10x
Hampshire 132 2.28x
Staffordshire 126 1.32x
Cheshire 103 1.65x
Gloucestershire 98 1.77x
Berkshire 88 4.14x
Yorkshire 84 0.30x
Wiltshire 48 1.92x
Essex 46 0.82x
Worcestershire 46 1.24x
Devon 40 0.68x
Durham 33 0.39x
Northamptonshire 28 1.05x
Hertfordshire 27 1.38x
Sussex 25 0.52x
Buckinghamshire 17 0.99x
Glamorgan 16 0.32x
Lincolnshire 16 0.35x
Pembrokeshire 16 1.78x
Monmouthshire 14 0.68x
Northumberland 10 0.24x
Leicestershire 9 0.29x
Cambridgeshire 8 0.45x
Derbyshire 8 0.18x
Lanarkshire 8 0.09x
Flintshire 6 0.79x
Somerset 6 0.13x
Royal Navy 5 1.48x
Bedfordshire 4 0.27x
Renfrewshire 4 0.18x
Brecknockshire 2 0.35x
Denbighshire 2 0.19x
Midlothian 2 0.05x
Channel Islands 1 0.12x
Dunbartonshire 1 0.13x
Oxfordshire 1 0.06x
Suffolk 1 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Aston in Warwickshire leads with 102 Bushells recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.19x.

Place Total Index
Aston 102 5.19x
West Derby 97 9.87x
Hackney London 68 4.29x
Margate St John Baptist 53 29.98x
Ramsgate 50 31.72x
Birmingham 44 1.85x
West Bromwich 44 8.05x
Dover St Mary Virgin 39 41.73x
Liverpool 35 1.72x
Rowley Regis 31 11.64x
St Lawrence 31 46.70x
Ryde 29 23.27x
Kings Norton 28 8.45x
Islington London 27 0.98x
Sunbury 27 79.44x
Battersea 25 2.40x
Camberwell 23 1.27x
Chelsea London 23 2.70x
South Stoneham 23 18.28x
St Pancras London 23 1.01x
Heigham 22 9.42x
Tilehurst 22 51.27x
Hougham 21 36.58x
Millbrook 19 13.01x
Toxteth Park 19 1.67x
Edgbaston 18 8.13x
Herne 18 42.11x
Kensington London 17 1.08x
Cheltenham 16 3.74x
Deal 16 19.43x
Everton 16 1.50x
Bermondsey 15 1.78x
Crondall 15 48.15x
Minster In Thanet 15 74.63x
Newington 15 1.43x
Bowling 14 5.04x
Dover St James 14 33.09x
Downham Market 14 46.84x
Ince In Makerfield 14 8.96x
Lambeth 14 0.57x
Reading St Giles 14 6.72x
Runcorn 14 9.72x
St George Hanover Square 14 2.81x
Walmer 14 33.36x
Bristol St James St Paul 13 7.02x
Buckland In Dover 13 40.63x
East Bedfont 13 92.53x
Great Neston 13 63.05x
Great Yarmouth 13 3.61x
Handsworth 13 5.52x
Kingstanley 13 63.38x
Lyminge 13 156.82x
West Dereham 13 238.53x
Adisham 12 270.88x
Birkenhead 12 2.41x
Hindley 12 8.38x
Huyton With Roby 12 30.50x
Ringwould 12 145.28x
Sittingbourne 12 15.74x
St Peters 12 26.86x
Westoe 12 2.51x
Whitstable 12 25.34x
Chilton Foliat 11 201.83x
Clerkenwell London 11 1.65x
Ickham Well 11 198.92x
Kirkdale 11 1.95x
Much Woolton 11 24.14x
Salford 11 1.11x
Stockport 11 3.42x
Tring 11 21.12x
Woking 11 13.24x
Barnstaple 10 10.82x
Bradford On Avon 10 12.48x
Deptford St Paul 10 1.34x
Hampstead Norris 10 74.91x
North Stoneham 10 75.93x
Preston Next Wingham 10 230.41x
Reading St Mary 10 5.88x
Stafford St Mary 10 7.40x
Stretford 10 5.41x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 169
Sarah 122
Elizabeth 115
Emma 64
Ann 55
Ellen 54
Eliza 44
Alice 40
Annie 40
Jane 40
Margaret 34
Louisa 28
Emily 25
Hannah 24
Florence 22
Edith 20
Esther 19
Harriet 18
Kate 18
Caroline 17
Fanny 17
Maria 17
Martha 17
Charlotte 16
Frances 14
Lucy 14
Anne 13
Harriett 13
Clara 12
Amy 11
Catherine 11
Rose 11
Agnes 10
Susan 10
Laura 9
Ada 8
Mabel 8
Ethel 7
Gertrude 7
Isabella 7
Susannah 7
Amelia 6
Beatrice 6
Maud 6
Eleanor 5
Jessie 5
Julia 5
Lizzie 5
Rebecca 5
Bertha 4

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 167
John 141
George 122
Thomas 97
James 90
Henry 86
Charles 69
Alfred 53
Frederick 38
Joseph 38
Edward 33
Robert 33
Albert 31
Arthur 28
Samuel 24
Walter 23
Richard 20
Herbert 16
Stephen 16
Frank 13
Harry 13
Benjamin 12
David 11
Daniel 10
Ernest 10
Edmund 9
Wm. 8
Geo. 7
Christopher 6
Edwin 6
Fredrick 6
Nathan 5
Thos. 5
Archibald 4
Harold 4
Matthew 4
Sidney 4
Anthony 3
Chas. 3
Francis 3
Fredk. 3
Isaac 3
Josiah 3
Leonard 3
Percy 3
Timothy 3
Abraham 2
Earnest 2
Edgar 2
Maurice 2

FAQ

Bushell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bushell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,901 people were recorded with the Bushell surname. That placed it at #1,544 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bushell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 4,501 in 2016. That gives Bushell a modern rank of #1,508.

What does the Bushell surname mean?

An archaic occupational surname referring to someone who made bushel measures.

What does the Bushell map show?

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