NameCensus.

UK surname

Busk

A surname derived from the English village of Busk, located in Yorkshire.

In the 1881 census there were 142 people recorded with the Busk surname, ranking it #16,012 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 137, ranked #25,254, down from #16,012 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Egham, London parishes and St Marylebone. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Thanet, Test Valley and West Oxfordshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Busk is 194 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 3.5%.

1881 census count

142

Ranked #16,012

Modern count

137

2016, ranked #25,254

Peak year

1891

194 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Busk had 142 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,012 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 137 in 2016, ranked #25,254.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 194 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Busk surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Busk surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Busk 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 128 #14,474
1861 historical 174 #13,483
1881 historical 142 #16,012
1891 historical 194 #15,277
1901 historical 146 #18,335
1911 historical 165 #16,808
1997 modern 151 #21,034
1998 modern 157 #21,058
1999 modern 150 #21,826
2000 modern 146 #22,170
2001 modern 140 #22,441
2002 modern 137 #23,198
2003 modern 148 #21,866
2004 modern 141 #22,689
2005 modern 149 #21,866
2006 modern 140 #22,948
2007 modern 137 #23,590
2008 modern 134 #24,249
2009 modern 141 #23,907
2010 modern 135 #25,127
2011 modern 134 #25,050
2012 modern 145 #23,780
2013 modern 145 #24,207
2014 modern 146 #24,274
2015 modern 144 #24,369
2016 modern 137 #25,254

Geography

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Where Busks are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Egham, London parishes, St Marylebone and Stoke Prior. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Thanet, Test Valley, West Oxfordshire, Ceredigion and Canterbury. 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 Egham Berkshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Marylebone London (North Districts)
5 Stoke Prior Worcestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Thanet 014 Thanet
2 Test Valley 009 Test Valley
3 West Oxfordshire 003 West Oxfordshire
4 Ceredigion 009 Ceredigion
5 Canterbury 011 Canterbury

Forenames

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First names often paired with Busk

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Busk

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Busk is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

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

Busk 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

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

Meaning and origin of Busk

The surname Busk has its roots in England and dates back to the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "busc" or "busk," which referred to a bush or thicket of bushes. This suggests that the name may have originally been used to identify someone who lived near a prominent bush or wooded area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Busk can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which listed a Robert de Busk in Lincolnshire. The "de" prefix indicates that the name was likely of Norman-French origin, suggesting the Busk family may have arrived in England during the Norman Conquest.

In the 14th century, the surname appeared in various records, including the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1379, which mentioned a John de Busk. This version of the name, with the "de" prefix, was common during this period and indicated the person's place of origin or residence.

Busk is also thought to be related to the place name Busk in the East Riding of Yorkshire, which was recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as "Buschebi." This suggests a connection between the surname and the location, possibly indicating that the name originated from this area.

One notable bearer of the surname was Sir John Busk (1513-1599), an English politician and member of Parliament during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. Another prominent figure was Ralph Busk (1738-1805), an English landowner and philanthropist who established several charities in Yorkshire.

In the 18th century, the botanist Robert Busk (1718-1787) made significant contributions to the study of plants and is remembered for his work on the flora of Yorkshire. Later, in the 19th century, George Busk (1807-1886) was a renowned surgeon and paleontologist who made important discoveries in the field of marine biology.

The name Busk has also been associated with the village of Busk in Leicestershire, which may have been the origin of some Busk families. Additionally, variations such as Busck and Buske have been recorded over the centuries, reflecting regional spelling differences.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Busk families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Busk 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 39 Busks recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.82x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 39 2.82x
Surrey 23 3.41x
Yorkshire 16 1.17x
Herefordshire 15 26.41x
Warwickshire 12 3.44x
Worcestershire 10 5.53x
Lancashire 9 0.55x
Hampshire 5 1.76x
Sussex 5 2.14x
Buckinghamshire 2 2.39x
Dorset 1 1.10x
Essex 1 0.37x
Monmouthshire 1 1.00x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.54x
Somerset 1 0.45x
Staffordshire 1 0.21x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Egham in Surrey leads with 13 Busks recorded in 1881 and an index of 314.01x.

Place Total Index
Egham 13 314.01x
Bewerley 11 1964.29x
Birmingham 8 6.87x
St Marylebone London 8 10.82x
St George Hanover Square 6 24.59x
Camberwell 5 5.65x
Christchurch 5 81.17x
Hackney London 5 6.44x
Hammersmith London 5 14.65x
Hereford All Sts 5 192.31x
Salford 5 10.34x
Aston 4 4.16x
Hastings St Mary 4 68.85x
Lambeth 4 3.31x
Leigh 4 181.82x
Stoke Lacy 4 2857.14x
Stoke Prior 4 357.14x
Westminster St John 4 23.71x
Bromley London 3 9.85x
St Pancras London 3 2.69x
Edmonton 2 17.92x
Eton 2 105.26x
Heap 2 22.94x
Hereford St Peter 2 131.58x
Holy Trinity 2 6.06x
Pudlestone 2 1428.57x
Astley 1 263.16x
Blackburn 1 2.29x
Charlcombe 1 333.33x
Chorlton On Medlock 1 3.83x
Clifton In Halifax 1 121.95x
Colchester St Botolph 1 42.92x
Croydon 1 2.67x
Hastings St Clement 1 45.45x
Hope Under Dinmore 1 434.78x
Hunmanby 1 156.25x
Islington London 1 0.74x
Kensington London 1 1.30x
Knighton On Teme 1 833.33x
Leeds 1 1.29x
Newport 1 20.92x
Nottingham St Mary 1 2.07x
Portland 1 20.45x
Ullingswick 1 714.29x
Westminster St Margaret 1 14.97x
Wolverhampton 1 2.78x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 6
Ann 5
Annie 5
Elizabeth 5
Ellen 5
Sarah 4
Alice 3
Louisa 3
Caroline 2
Eliza 2
Emily 2
Jane 2
Jessie 2
Maria 2
Nellie 2
Rose 2
Susan 2
Ada 1
Charlotte 1
Clara 1
Collorim 1
Edith 1
Elizth. 1
Ella 1
Emma 1
Fances 1
Hannah 1
Helen 1
Ida 1
Lilian 1
Lottie 1
Mabel 1
Margaret 1
Marian 1
Marion 1
Martha 1
Maud 1
Rachel 1
Rebecca 1
Ruth 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 9
George 8
James 7
Thomas 7
Charles 4
John 4
Frederick 3
Henry 3
Alfred 2
Arthur 2
Stephen 2
Albert 1
Andrew 1
Edward 1
Edwin 1
Francis 1
Hans 1
Hugh 1
Loinel 1
Nobee 1
Peter 1
Smith 1
Vincett 1
Walter 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Busk surname: questions and answers

How common was the Busk surname in 1881?

In 1881, 142 people were recorded with the Busk surname. That placed it at #16,012 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Busk surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 137 in 2016. That gives Busk a modern rank of #25,254.

What does the Busk surname mean?

A surname derived from the English village of Busk, located in Yorkshire.

What does the Busk map show?

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