NameCensus.

UK surname

Bushnell

An English toponymic surname derived from places meaning "bush hill," referring to a dweller near a wooded hill.

In the 1881 census there were 723 people recorded with the Bushnell surname, ranking it #5,044 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,365, ranked #4,414, up from #5,044 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Lambeth and Stratfield Mortimer. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include West Berkshire, Cannock Chase and Hart.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bushnell is 1,476 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 88.8%.

1881 census count

723

Ranked #5,044

Modern count

1,365

2016, ranked #4,414

Peak year

2000

1,476 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bushnell had 723 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,044 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,365 in 2016, ranked #4,414.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,093 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Bushnell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bushnell surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bushnell 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 411 #5,901
1861 historical 401 #6,399
1881 historical 723 #5,044
1891 historical 825 #4,921
1901 historical 1,022 #4,672
1911 historical 1,093 #4,244
1997 modern 1,334 #4,312
1998 modern 1,454 #4,159
1999 modern 1,473 #4,148
2000 modern 1,476 #4,118
2001 modern 1,458 #4,082
2002 modern 1,454 #4,173
2003 modern 1,415 #4,186
2004 modern 1,431 #4,151
2005 modern 1,391 #4,209
2006 modern 1,379 #4,244
2007 modern 1,368 #4,314
2008 modern 1,373 #4,324
2009 modern 1,384 #4,367
2010 modern 1,402 #4,396
2011 modern 1,375 #4,421
2012 modern 1,373 #4,372
2013 modern 1,383 #4,419
2014 modern 1,387 #4,427
2015 modern 1,365 #4,437
2016 modern 1,365 #4,414

Geography

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Where Bushnells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Lambeth and Stratfield Mortimer. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to West Berkshire, Cannock Chase, Hart, Tendring and Hounslow. 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 Lambeth London (South Districts)
4 Stratfield Mortimer Berkshire
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 West Berkshire 022 West Berkshire
2 Cannock Chase 001 Cannock Chase
3 Hart 004 Hart
4 Tendring 011 Tendring
5 Hounslow 024 Hounslow

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bushnell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bushnell

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

Bushnell 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

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

Meaning and origin of Bushnell

The surname Bushnell has its origins in England, dating back to the 11th century. It is derived from the Old English words "busc" meaning bush, and "hyll" meaning hill, indicating that the name may have referred to someone who lived near a bush-covered hill.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Buschehelle" and "Buskenill." This suggests that the name was already established in various spellings during the Norman Conquest.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various records as "Bushnel" and "Bushnell." These spellings were likely influenced by the Norman-French pronunciation of the name.

The earliest known bearer of the name was Robert de Bushnell, who was recorded in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1199. Another notable figure was William Bushnell, who served as a member of parliament for Nottinghamshire in the 14th century.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Bushnell family was prominent in the county of Derbyshire, with several members holding positions of importance. One such individual was John Bushnell (1540-1610), who served as the High Sheriff of Derbyshire.

In the 18th century, David Bushnell (1742-1824) gained fame as an American inventor and the creator of the first submarine used in warfare, known as the "Turtle." His invention played a role in the American Revolutionary War.

Another notable bearer of the name was Katharine Bushnell (1855-1946), an American missionary and social reformer who advocated for women's rights and worked to end the trafficking of women and children.

In the literary world, Alan Bushnell (1911-1995) was a British author and journalist, best known for his novels set in the Middle East and his non-fiction works on the region.

While the Bushnell name has its roots in England, it has spread to other parts of the world, particularly through migration and colonization. The name remains prevalent in various English-speaking countries today.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bushnell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bushnell 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 151 Bushnells recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.13x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 151 2.13x
Surrey 118 3.42x
Oxfordshire 81 18.52x
Berkshire 70 13.17x
Hampshire 65 4.48x
Kent 45 1.86x
Wiltshire 31 4.95x
Angus 27 4.12x
Lancashire 21 0.25x
Durham 15 0.71x
Lanarkshire 14 0.61x
Staffordshire 13 0.54x
Essex 11 0.79x
Gloucestershire 10 0.72x
Sussex 10 0.84x
Warwickshire 8 0.45x
Denbighshire 7 2.62x
Worcestershire 6 0.65x
Nottinghamshire 5 0.52x
Somerset 3 0.26x
Buckinghamshire 2 0.47x
Channel Islands 2 0.95x
Cornwall 2 0.25x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.15x
Bedfordshire 1 0.27x
Derbyshire 1 0.09x
Hertfordshire 1 0.20x
Northamptonshire 1 0.15x
Northumberland 1 0.09x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.44x
Royal Navy 1 1.19x
Yorkshire 1 0.01x

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 27 Bushnells recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.49x.

Place Total Index
Portsea 27 9.49x
Battersea 21 8.06x
Lambeth 20 3.24x
Headington 17 250.37x
Great Bedwin 16 359.55x
Stranton 15 21.15x
Kensington London 14 3.56x
Brechin 13 50.43x
Cassington 13 1604.94x
Newington 13 4.97x
Montrose 12 30.18x
Bray 11 70.42x
Hendon 11 43.17x
Mortimer 11 431.37x
Paddington London 11 4.22x
West Ham 11 3.56x
Camberwell 10 2.21x
Clerkenwell London 10 5.98x
Maidstone 10 13.89x
Oxford St Clement 10 90.58x
Walsall Foreign 10 8.10x
Chelsea London 9 4.22x
Deal 9 43.67x
Henley On Thames 9 100.45x
Islington London 9 1.31x
Southwark St George Martyr 9 6.32x
St Pancras London 9 1.58x
Streatham 9 17.13x
Whitchurch 9 410.96x
Willesden 9 13.48x
Brighton 8 3.32x
Burbage 8 250.78x
Clapham 8 9.04x
Rotherhithe 8 9.14x
Abergele 7 91.03x
Alverstoke 7 13.32x
Basingstoke 7 41.92x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 7 5.35x
Chinnor 7 231.02x
Cutteslowe 7 11666.67x
Hackney London 7 1.76x
Maryhill 7 15.61x
Sutton Wick 7 823.53x
Barrow In Furness 6 5.25x
Cowley 6 43.96x
Eversley 6 359.28x
Haslingden 6 17.24x
Lewisham 6 4.66x
Reading St Giles 6 11.51x
St George Martyr London 6 41.84x
St Marylebone London 6 1.59x
Worplesdon 6 144.23x
Barony 5 0.86x
Feltham 5 70.72x
Hungerford 5 69.54x
Nottingham St Mary 5 2.03x
St Andrew Holborn London 5 16.31x
St Martin In Fields 5 11.79x
Beenham 4 312.50x
Kings Norton 4 4.82x
Liverpool 4 0.78x
Oxford St Thomas 4 19.60x
Portsmouth 4 11.97x
Rochester St Margaret 4 15.70x
St Giles In Fields London 4 11.51x
St Mary Extra 4 34.25x
St Paul Covent Garden 4 56.42x
Twickenham 4 13.17x
Woolwich 4 4.48x
Birmingham 3 0.50x
Bromley 3 8.15x
Ealing 3 4.74x
Goodworth Clatford 3 245.90x
Hammersmith London 3 1.72x
Harborne 3 3.92x
Leamington Priors 3 6.83x
Mile End Old Town London 3 1.99x
Old Windsor 3 48.78x
Thatcham 3 36.63x
Walcot 3 4.94x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Sarah 23
Elizabeth 20
Mary 19
Alice 15
Eliza 14
Jane 14
Ellen 13
Emma 13
Annie 11
Ann 10
Emily 9
Louisa 9
Caroline 6
Clara 6
Fanny 6
Kate 6
Margaret 6
Maria 6
Charlotte 5
Frances 5
Harriet 5
Harriett 5
Jessie 5
Martha 5
Eleanor 4
Esther 4
Anne 3
Florence 3
Hannah 3
Lucy 3
Susan 3
Amelia 2
Blanche 2
Edith 2
Elizh. 2
Elizth. 2
Flora 2
Harrt. 2
Isabella 2
Lily 2
Matilda 2
Maud 2
Rosa 2
Rosanna 2
Ruth 2
Zipporah 2
Charlote 1
Clare 1
Elizath 1
Elizth.J. 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Bushnell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bushnell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 723 people were recorded with the Bushnell surname. That placed it at #5,044 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bushnell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,365 in 2016. That gives Bushnell a modern rank of #4,414.

What does the Bushnell surname mean?

An English toponymic surname derived from places meaning "bush hill," referring to a dweller near a wooded hill.

What does the Bushnell map show?

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