NameCensus.

UK surname

Butlin

A surname referring to the occupation of a bowyer or maker of bows.

In the 1881 census there were 744 people recorded with the Butlin surname, ranking it #4,932 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 994, ranked #5,829, down from #4,932 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory and Welford. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bradford, Kettering and Derbyshire Dales.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Butlin is 1,136 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 33.6%.

1881 census count

744

Ranked #4,932

Modern count

994

2016, ranked #5,829

Peak year

1911

1,136 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Butlin had 744 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,932 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 994 in 2016, ranked #5,829.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,136 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Butlin surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Butlin surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Butlin 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 471 #5,275
1861 historical 290 #8,686
1881 historical 744 #4,932
1891 historical 778 #5,157
1901 historical 1,021 #4,676
1911 historical 1,136 #4,098
1997 modern 1,042 #5,306
1998 modern 1,092 #5,295
1999 modern 1,089 #5,329
2000 modern 1,102 #5,261
2001 modern 1,077 #5,260
2002 modern 1,081 #5,350
2003 modern 1,049 #5,381
2004 modern 1,036 #5,449
2005 modern 1,022 #5,451
2006 modern 1,006 #5,540
2007 modern 1,016 #5,536
2008 modern 1,006 #5,628
2009 modern 1,036 #5,612
2010 modern 1,049 #5,652
2011 modern 1,043 #5,620
2012 modern 1,007 #5,705
2013 modern 1,026 #5,709
2014 modern 1,045 #5,654
2015 modern 1,020 #5,719
2016 modern 994 #5,829

Geography

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Where Butlins are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory, Welford and Kettering. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bradford, Kettering, Derbyshire Dales, Wellingborough and Amber Valley. 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 Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory Northamptonshire
4 Welford Leicestershire
5 Kettering Northamptonshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bradford 011 Bradford
2 Kettering 005 Kettering
3 Derbyshire Dales 007 Derbyshire Dales
4 Wellingborough 001 Wellingborough
5 Amber Valley 003 Amber Valley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Butlin

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Butlin

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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Butlin is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Butlin 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

Butlin falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Butlin

The surname Butlin is of English origin, derived from the Old English words "botl" meaning a dwelling or house, and the suffix "ing" denoting belonging to or associated with. It is believed to have originated as a habitational name, referring to someone who lived near or owned a dwelling or homestead.

The name is first recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Botlinga" and "Botlingis", denoting individuals residing in various locations across England. These early records suggest the surname was already established by the 11th century.

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was William de Botling, who is mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1166. The surname also appears in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1273, where it is spelled as "Butlynge".

In the 14th century, the name was associated with several prominent individuals, including John Botelyn, who was the Mayor of Oxford in 1349, and Thomas Botelyn, a member of the English Parliament in 1376.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the surname Butlin was found in various parts of England, with notable bearers including William Butlin (1556-1632), a clergyman and author from Cambridgeshire, and Richard Butlin (1600-1680), a merchant and landowner from Gloucestershire.

In the 18th century, John Butlin (1728-1806) was a renowned clockmaker from London, while in the 19th century, Henry Trentham Butlin (1804-1868) was a prominent architect responsible for designing several churches and public buildings in Staffordshire.

Another notable bearer of the name was Sir William Butlin (1899-1980), a pioneering English entrepreneur who founded the Butlin's holiday camp empire in the 1930s, providing affordable seaside vacations for working-class families.

The surname Butlin has also been associated with various place names, such as Butlin's Green in Gloucestershire and Butlin's Farm in Warwickshire, further reinforcing its connection to dwellings and homesteads.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Butlin families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Butlin 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. Northamptonshire leads with 280 Butlins recorded in 1881 and an index of 41.02x.

County Total Index
Northamptonshire 280 41.02x
Middlesex 98 1.35x
Warwickshire 85 4.64x
Yorkshire 43 0.60x
Surrey 37 1.05x
Leicestershire 30 3.73x
Gloucestershire 24 1.69x
Derbyshire 20 1.76x
Essex 18 1.26x
Staffordshire 15 0.61x
Lancashire 12 0.14x
Kent 11 0.44x
Cornwall 10 1.22x
Nottinghamshire 9 0.92x
Hampshire 8 0.54x
Buckinghamshire 7 1.60x
Lincolnshire 7 0.60x
Oxfordshire 7 1.56x
Worcestershire 7 0.74x
Channel Islands 5 2.32x
Glamorgan 4 0.32x
Sussex 3 0.25x
Berkshire 1 0.18x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.22x
Rutland 1 1.88x
Wiltshire 1 0.16x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Rothwell in Northamptonshire leads with 54 Butlins recorded in 1881 and an index of 787.17x.

Place Total Index
Rothwell 54 787.17x
St Pancras London 21 3.59x
Welford 19 822.51x
Coventry Holy Trinity 18 32.94x
Northampton St Giles 17 65.38x
Derby St Werburgh 15 22.86x
Guilsborough 15 828.73x
Wellingborough 15 43.71x
Aston 14 2.78x
St Marylebone London 14 3.61x
Kingsthorpe 13 171.28x
Ravensthorpe 13 1056.91x
Finedon 12 200.67x
Southwark St Saviour 12 32.17x
West Ham 12 3.79x
Hendon 11 42.13x
Austonley 10 245.70x
Camborne 10 29.53x
Hammersmith London 10 5.59x
Leamington Priors 10 22.20x
Lambeth 9 1.42x
Camberwell 8 1.73x
Fulham London 8 7.60x
Little Harrowden 8 388.35x
Nuneaton 8 37.74x
Radford 8 16.10x
Weedon Beck 8 163.60x
Great Creaton 7 897.44x
Hardingstone 7 107.36x
Holdenhurst 7 17.94x
Huddersfield 7 6.68x
Keighley 7 9.13x
Kettering 7 25.35x
Limehouse London 7 8.79x
Manchester 7 1.81x
Stamford St Mary 7 297.87x
Upper Boddington 7 933.33x
Watford 7 608.70x
Wigston Magna 7 65.60x
Chingford 6 173.41x
Duston 6 96.77x
Leonard Stanley 6 320.86x
Northampton St Sepulchre 6 17.28x
Walsall Foreign 6 4.74x
Brington 5 243.90x
Great Easton 5 373.13x
Holy Trinity 5 2.89x
Leicester St Margaret 5 2.55x
Little Bowden 5 210.08x
Long Lawford 5 294.12x
Mangotsfield 5 35.24x
Oxford St Thomas 5 23.90x
Roade 5 279.33x
Rugby 5 20.19x
St Brelade 5 90.42x
Tamworth 5 38.17x
Withington 5 18.02x
Bermondsey 4 1.85x
Braunston 4 150.38x
Bulkington 4 101.01x
Claines 4 15.38x
Coln Rogers 4 1481.48x
Dallington 4 99.75x
Gelligaer 4 13.86x
Hinckley 4 20.95x
Hornsey 4 4.36x
Horton In Bradford 4 3.56x
Leicester St Mary 4 6.15x
Lilbourne 4 606.06x
Northampton Priory St 4 9.77x
Plumstead 4 4.85x
St Anne Soho London 4 9.65x
Sutton Coldfield 4 20.79x
Wolston 4 666.67x
Curdworth 3 178.57x
Ealing 3 4.63x
Islington London 3 0.43x
Quainton 3 139.53x
Walsall Borough 3 15.77x
Westbury On Trym 3 6.22x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 44
Elizabeth 29
Sarah 27
Ann 17
Annie 17
Eliza 17
Jane 14
Emma 12
Hannah 10
Emily 8
Martha 8
Ada 7
Alice 7
Ellen 6
Louisa 6
Florence 5
Harriet 5
Lucy 5
Maria 5
Agnes 4
Amelia 4
Sophia 4
A. 3
Anne 3
Clara 3
Frances 3
Gertrude 3
Julia 3
Kate 3
Minnie 3
Rebecca 3
Violet 3
Caroline 2
Catherine 2
Charlotte 2
Dorcas 2
E. 2
Edith 2
Eleanor 2
Elizh. 2
Elizth. 2
Eth. 2
Georgina 2
Harriett 2
Henrietta 2
Isabella 2
Lizzie 2
Matilda 2
Rose 2
Susan 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 58
John 39
George 29
Thomas 27
Charles 21
Arthur 15
Joseph 15
Henry 13
James 13
Alfred 10
Harry 9
Robert 9
Walter 8
Samuel 7
Richard 5
Albert 4
Edward 4
Herbert 4
David 3
Edwin 3
Ernest 3
Frederick 3
Geo. 3
Willm. 3
Wm. 3
Edmund 2
Fred 2
H. 2
Tom 2
W. 2
Willie 2
Andrew 1
Arther 1
Benjamin 1
C.M. 1
Charlie 1
Everitt 1
F. 1
Fk. 1
Frances 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Fred. 1
Infant 1
Isaac 1
Isaiah 1
J. 1
Jacob 1
Jesse 1
Wm.A. 1

FAQ

Butlin surname: questions and answers

How common was the Butlin surname in 1881?

In 1881, 744 people were recorded with the Butlin surname. That placed it at #4,932 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Butlin surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 994 in 2016. That gives Butlin a modern rank of #5,829.

What does the Butlin surname mean?

A surname referring to the occupation of a bowyer or maker of bows.

What does the Butlin map show?

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