NameCensus.

UK surname

Bute

A topographic surname originally denoting someone living near a clump of trees or shrubs.

In the 1881 census there were 70 people recorded with the Bute surname, ranking it #23,670 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 143, ranked #24,505, down from #23,670 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Sedgley, Sunderland and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Sunderland and Sedgemoor.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bute is 148 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 104.3%.

1881 census count

70

Ranked #23,670

Modern count

143

2016, ranked #24,505

Peak year

2014

148 bearers

Map years

4

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bute had 70 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #23,670 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 143 in 2016, ranked #24,505.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 103 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Bute surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bute surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Bute 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 47 #24,810
1861 historical 87 #22,681
1881 historical 70 #23,670
1891 historical 103 #23,558
1901 historical 65 #26,917
1911 historical 71 #25,742
1997 modern 111 #25,394
1998 modern 116 #25,332
1999 modern 116 #25,487
2000 modern 122 #24,698
2001 modern 114 #25,344
2002 modern 117 #25,494
2003 modern 116 #25,415
2004 modern 117 #25,448
2005 modern 118 #25,301
2006 modern 122 #25,010
2007 modern 122 #25,353
2008 modern 122 #25,638
2009 modern 127 #25,564
2010 modern 133 #25,379
2011 modern 130 #25,547
2012 modern 134 #25,059
2013 modern 137 #25,149
2014 modern 148 #24,075
2015 modern 144 #24,369
2016 modern 143 #24,505

Geography

Back to top

Where Butes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Sedgley, Sunderland, London parishes, Llanbedr and St John Wapping. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Sunderland and Sedgemoor. 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 Sedgley Staffordshire
2 Sunderland Durham
3 London parishes London 3
4 Llanbedr Brecon
5 St John Wapping London (East Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Sunderland 016 Sunderland
2 Sunderland 006 Sunderland
3 Sunderland 002 Sunderland
4 Sedgemoor 002 Sedgemoor
5 Sunderland 012 Sunderland

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Bute

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Bute

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Young Families in Industrial Towns

Nationally, the Bute surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Bute household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Young Asian Family Terraces

Within London, Bute is most associated with areas classed as Young Asian Family Terraces, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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 households with dependent children typically live in terraced housing and are of (non-Chinese) Asian extraction. Individuals with Bangladeshi origins are particularly in evidence. Employment is often in elementary occupations or as process, plant or machine operatives, and part-time work is common. Students are much in evidence.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Bute 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

Bute falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Bute is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Bute

The surname Bute is believed to have originated in the Scottish Highlands, specifically from the island of Bute in the Firth of Clyde. The name is derived from the Old Norse word "byt," meaning "land obtained through exchange or barter."

The earliest known record of the name Bute can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which lists several individuals from the island who pledged allegiance to King Edward I of England. One such entry mentions "Godfrey de Bute," indicating the surname's existence in the late 13th century.

In the 14th century, the Bute family gained prominence when they became hereditary stewards of the island. Sir Walter de Bute, born around 1320, was granted the island by King Robert II of Scotland in recognition of his loyalty and service to the crown.

During the 16th century, the Bute surname appeared in various historical documents, including the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland. One notable figure was James Bute, a merchant and burgess of Glasgow, who lived from 1520 to 1583.

The Bute family's influence continued to grow, and in the 17th century, they were elevated to the peerage. Sir James Bute, born in 1610, was created the first Earl of Bute in 1662 by King Charles II for his unwavering support during the English Civil War.

Another prominent figure bearing the Bute surname was John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute, who served as Prime Minister of Great Britain from 1762 to 1763. He was born in 1713 and died in 1792.

In the 19th century, the Bute family was involved in various industries, including shipbuilding and mining. One notable member was John Patrick Crichton-Stuart, 3rd Marquess of Bute, born in 1847 and died in 1900, who was a renowned architect and patron of the arts.

Other notable individuals with the surname Bute include Sir Alan Bute, a Scottish diplomat born in 1855 and died in 1938, and Major General Sir John Bute, a British Army officer who served in World War I, born in 1877 and died in 1957.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Bute families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bute 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 17 Butes recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.39x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 17 2.39x
Kent 12 4.94x
Staffordshire 9 3.75x
Surrey 7 2.02x
Durham 6 2.83x
Lanarkshire 6 2.61x
Channel Islands 3 14.22x
Cheshire 3 1.91x
Hampshire 3 2.06x
Lancashire 2 0.24x
Monmouthshire 2 3.89x
Huntingdonshire 1 7.07x
Northumberland 1 0.94x
Somerset 1 0.87x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wapping London in Middlesex leads with 7 Butes recorded in 1881 and an index of 1296.30x.

Place Total Index
Wapping London 7 1296.30x
Woolwich 7 78.04x
New Monkland 5 73.42x
Sedgley 5 55.99x
Sunderland 5 133.69x
Wolverhampton 4 21.65x
Greenwich 3 26.48x
Runcorn 3 82.87x
Westminster St James 3 40.98x
Bedwellty 2 22.00x
Chelsea London 2 9.32x
Croydon 2 10.38x
Grouville 2 338.98x
Richmond 2 41.15x
Southampton St Mary 2 21.79x
Berwick Upon Tweed 1 44.64x
Bishopwearmouth 1 5.50x
Erith 1 41.84x
Hackney London 1 2.51x
Hammersmith London 1 5.70x
Huntingdon St John 1 243.90x
Lambeth 1 1.61x
Maidstone 1 13.81x
Manchester 1 2.63x
Much Woolton 1 86.96x
Ockham 1 769.23x
Old Monkland 1 10.94x
Shoreditch London 1 3.24x
Southampton All Sts 1 40.00x
St George Hanover Square 1 7.97x
St Peter Port 1 25.64x
Wandsworth 1 14.60x
Westminster St John 1 11.53x
Weston Super Mare 1 34.60x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Bute 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
Christine 2
Elizabeth 2
Letitia 2
(Mrs.) 1
Ada 1
Albert 1
Elise 1
Elizabh. 1
Ellen 1
Emily 1
Hannah 1
Isabella 1
Jane 1
Judith 1
L. 1
Louisa 1
Martha 1
Sarah 1
Selina 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 8
James 5
George 3
Henry 3
John 3
Joseph 3
Allen 2
Adam 1
Frederick 1
Fredk. 1
Isaac 1
Jose 1
Martha 1
Martin 1
Stephen 1
Walter 1
Wiliam 1
Willie 1

FAQ

Bute surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bute surname in 1881?

In 1881, 70 people were recorded with the Bute surname. That placed it at #23,670 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bute surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 143 in 2016. That gives Bute a modern rank of #24,505.

What does the Bute surname mean?

A topographic surname originally denoting someone living near a clump of trees or shrubs.

What does the Bute map show?

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