NameCensus.

UK surname

Butland

A locational surname derived from a place name in England meaning "land by the butte" or hill.

In the 1881 census there were 331 people recorded with the Butland surname, ranking it #9,071 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 491, ranked #10,116, down from #9,071 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Dartmorth St Petrox, Dartmouth St Saviour, Townstall, Ashprington, Halwell, Blackawton, Stoke Flemin and Tormoham with Torquay. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Pembrokeshire and West Devon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Butland is 551 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 48.3%.

1881 census count

331

Ranked #9,071

Modern count

491

2016, ranked #10,116

Peak year

1999

551 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Butland had 331 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,071 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 491 in 2016, ranked #10,116.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 520 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Butland surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Butland surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Butland 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 255 #8,652
1861 historical 258 #9,603
1881 historical 331 #9,071
1891 historical 390 #9,058
1901 historical 488 #8,194
1911 historical 520 #7,607
1997 modern 492 #9,415
1998 modern 526 #9,238
1999 modern 551 #8,974
2000 modern 537 #9,118
2001 modern 516 #9,234
2002 modern 526 #9,300
2003 modern 520 #9,233
2004 modern 525 #9,184
2005 modern 496 #9,499
2006 modern 498 #9,512
2007 modern 495 #9,642
2008 modern 491 #9,785
2009 modern 509 #9,712
2010 modern 497 #10,111
2011 modern 488 #10,135
2012 modern 480 #10,168
2013 modern 482 #10,298
2014 modern 491 #10,222
2015 modern 497 #10,046
2016 modern 491 #10,116

Geography

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Where Butlands are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Dartmorth St Petrox, Dartmouth St Saviour, Townstall, Ashprington, Halwell, Blackawton, Stoke Flemin, Tormoham with Torquay, Portsmouth, Portsea and Gerrans. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Pembrokeshire and West Devon. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 Dartmorth St Petrox, Dartmouth St Saviour, Townstall, Ashprington, Halwell, Blackawton, Stoke Flemin Devon
3 Tormoham with Torquay Devon
4 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire
5 Gerrans Cornwall

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Pembrokeshire 013 Pembrokeshire
2 Pembrokeshire 015 Pembrokeshire
3 West Devon 004 West Devon
4 Pembrokeshire 014 Pembrokeshire
5 Pembrokeshire 016 Pembrokeshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Butland

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Butland

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

Established but Challenged

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Butland 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

Butland 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

Butland falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Butland

The surname Butland is of English origin, derived from the Old English words "butt" meaning "ridge" and "land" meaning "land or territory". It is believed to have originated in the 12th or 13th century, referring to someone who lived near a ridge of land or a piece of land with a prominent ridge.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is found in the Pipe Rolls of Buckinghamshire from 1209, where a Roger de Butteland is mentioned. This suggests that the name was already established by the early 13th century.

In the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire from 1279, a John de Bottelond is listed, indicating a slightly different spelling variation. Such variations were common in the Middle Ages due to inconsistent spelling practices.

The name Butland is also found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, where a William Buttelond is recorded. This further reinforces the presence of the name in medieval England.

One notable individual with the surname Butland was Sir William Butland (c. 1560-1632), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Ipswich in 1610 and 1614. He was a wealthy merchant and landowner in Suffolk.

Another historical figure was Thomas Butland (1670-1738), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Master of Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge from 1727 until his death.

In the 18th century, there was John Butland (1728-1786), an English engraver and printmaker known for his landscape and topographical works.

Moving into the 19th century, we find Edward Butland (1819-1885), an English architect who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Royal College of Surgeons and the Savoy Theatre.

Lastly, William Butland (1876-1959) was a British trade unionist and politician who served as the General Secretary of the National Union of Clerks and Administrative Workers from 1920 to 1946.

While the name Butland is not among the most common surnames, it has a long and rich history in England, with various individuals bearing the name leaving their mark across different fields over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Butland families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Butland 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. Devon leads with 132 Butlands recorded in 1881 and an index of 19.40x.

County Total Index
Devon 132 19.40x
Middlesex 42 1.29x
Cornwall 23 6.22x
Somerset 16 3.04x
Lancashire 13 0.34x
Hampshire 12 1.79x
Sussex 12 2.18x
Yorkshire 11 0.34x
Durham 10 1.03x
Gloucestershire 10 1.56x
Nottinghamshire 9 2.04x
Glamorgan 7 1.23x
Northumberland 7 1.44x
Pembrokeshire 6 5.78x
Leicestershire 5 1.38x
Herefordshire 4 2.99x
Royal Navy 4 10.27x
Warwickshire 4 0.49x
Essex 2 0.31x
Dorset 1 0.47x
Flintshire 1 1.14x
Kent 1 0.09x
Oxfordshire 1 0.50x
Staffordshire 1 0.09x
Worcestershire 1 0.23x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Exeter St Sidwell in Devon leads with 14 Butlands recorded in 1881 and an index of 89.86x.

Place Total Index
Exeter St Sidwell 14 89.86x
Tormoham 14 48.64x
Plymouth Charles The 12 40.04x
Taunton St James 10 130.38x
Bristol St Michael 9 163.93x
Elston 9 1764.71x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 9 21.37x
Paignton 9 173.75x
Alverstoke 8 33.00x
Baildon 7 114.75x
Kensington London 7 3.85x
Kingsteignton 7 370.37x
Paddington London 7 5.83x
Chelsea London 6 6.09x
Egg Buckland 6 517.24x
Gerrans 6 600.00x
Perranarworthal 6 483.87x
Ratcliffe London 6 33.24x
St Pancras London 6 2.28x
Stoke Damerel 6 12.60x
Totnes 6 150.75x
Wallsend 6 38.91x
Ashburton 5 153.85x
Buckfastleigh 5 159.24x
Dittisham 5 746.27x
Feock 5 215.52x
Gorton 5 13.72x
Holne 5 1470.59x
Leicester St Margaret 5 5.66x
Lewes St John Southover 5 135.14x
Martletwy 5 1190.48x
Plymouth St Andrew 5 9.54x
Walkhampton 5 769.23x
Carhampton 4 555.56x
Edgbaston 4 15.66x
Harberton 4 258.06x
Leominster 4 72.07x
Preston 4 3.86x
Royal Navy 4 12.02x
Ashprington 3 600.00x
Everton 3 2.43x
Falmouth 3 22.90x
Hove 3 12.41x
Kirk Hammerton 3 967.74x
Llanwonno 3 14.68x
Merthyr Tydfil 3 5.49x
Portsea 3 2.29x
Colchester St Peter 2 77.52x
Holy Trinity 2 139.86x
Lewes St Michael 2 183.49x
Marldon 2 350.88x
Marytavy 2 200.00x
St Clement Danes London 2 29.59x
St Marylebone London 2 1.15x
West Teignmouth 2 38.46x
Berry Pomeroy 1 88.50x
Bethnal Green London 1 0.70x
Bovey Tracey 1 42.02x
Brighton 1 0.90x
Cheltenham 1 2.02x
Chorlton On Medlock 1 1.62x
Erith 1 9.11x
Gillingham 1 27.10x
Hastings St Leonards 1 12.35x
Haverfordwest St Martin 1 52.08x
Laira 1 666.67x
Lamerton 1 77.52x
Meavy 1 312.50x
Oxford St Mary Magdalen 1 41.84x
Pannal 1 32.15x
Penarth 1 17.99x
Plympton St Mary 1 25.45x
Portsmouth 1 6.49x
Rhuddlan 1 12.94x
St Austell 1 7.91x
St Bartholomew Great 1 33.67x
St George Hanover Square 1 1.74x
St Giles 1 16.47x
Upton Pyne 1 217.39x
Westgate 1 3.32x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 20
Sarah 15
Jane 9
Ann 7
Annie 7
Eliza 7
Elizabeth 6
Emma 6
Florence 6
Alice 5
Bessie 3
Edith 3
Ellen 3
Hannah 3
Kate 3
Louisa 3
Margaret 3
Maria 3
Adelaide 2
Agnes 2
Anne 2
Clara 2
Gertrude 2
Harriet 2
Isabella 2
Martha 2
Rhoda 2
Beatrice 1
Betsy 1
Blanch 1
Charlotte 1
Elizath. 1
Esther 1
Eva 1
Fanny 1
Frances 1
Georgina 1
Jessie 1
Laura 1
Lillia 1
Liz.Daisy 1
Lizabeth 1
Mabel 1
Mahala 1
Marth 1
Maud 1
Naomi 1
Phoebe 1
Rebecca 1
Zipporah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 25
William 18
Thomas 16
James 15
Robert 12
Richard 9
Charles 7
George 7
Joseph 7
Edward 5
Francis 5
Albert 4
Frederick 4
Benjamin 3
Gilbert 3
Edwin 2
Ernest 2
Peter 2
Alfred 1
Archibald 1
Ashley 1
Austin 1
Ben 1
Clarence 1
Ebenezer 1
Frank 1
Fredk.J. 1
Fredk.Jas. 1
Fredrick 1
Harry 1
Henry 1
Herbert 1
Jno.Hy. 1
Mathew 1
N. 1
Nicholas 1
Orlando 1
Percy 1
Reuben 1
Roletto 1
Samuel 1
Stanley 1
Thos. 1
Thos.J. 1
Walter 1
Wm. 1
Wm.Edwd. 1

FAQ

Butland surname: questions and answers

How common was the Butland surname in 1881?

In 1881, 331 people were recorded with the Butland surname. That placed it at #9,071 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Butland surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 491 in 2016. That gives Butland a modern rank of #10,116.

What does the Butland surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place name in England meaning "land by the butte" or hill.

What does the Butland map show?

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