NameCensus.

UK surname

Butt

An English occupational surname for a wine cask or barrel maker, derived from the Middle English word "butt."

In the 1881 census there were 3,864 people recorded with the Butt surname, ranking it #1,183 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 11,831, ranked #551, up from #1,183 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and Newchurch. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Redbridge, Manchester and Ealing.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Butt is 12,176 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 206.2%.

1881 census count

3,864

Ranked #1,183

Modern count

11,831

2016, ranked #551

Peak year

2010

12,176 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Butt had 3,864 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,183 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 11,831 in 2016, ranked #551.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 5,135 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Multicultural Communities and Students.

Butt surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Butt surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Butt 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 2,670 #1,108
1861 historical 2,809 #1,039
1881 historical 3,864 #1,183
1891 historical 4,178 #1,151
1901 historical 4,775 #1,185
1911 historical 5,135 #1,021
1997 modern 8,239 #774
1998 modern 8,610 #770
1999 modern 8,833 #750
2000 modern 8,975 #733
2001 modern 8,888 #726
2002 modern 9,646 #680
2003 modern 9,854 #644
2004 modern 10,255 #614
2005 modern 10,417 #595
2006 modern 10,631 #583
2007 modern 11,022 #564
2008 modern 11,217 #558
2009 modern 11,620 #559
2010 modern 12,176 #542
2011 modern 12,026 #541
2012 modern 11,725 #549
2013 modern 11,918 #552
2014 modern 12,012 #551
2015 modern 11,900 #553
2016 modern 11,831 #551

Geography

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Where Butts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, Newchurch and Portsmouth, Portsea. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Redbridge, Manchester, Ealing and Barking and Dagenham. 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 London parishes London 1
3 Newchurch Hampshire
4 London parishes London 3
5 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Redbridge 030 Redbridge
2 Manchester 027 Manchester
3 Ealing 026 Ealing
4 Manchester 008 Manchester
5 Barking and Dagenham 016 Barking and Dagenham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Butt

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Butt

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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Challenged Multicultural Communities and Students

Nationally, the Butt surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Multicultural Communities and Students, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Butt household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Married couples with dependent children are common in this Group, with many parents born in Africa or the EU. The representation of residents amongst different ethnic minority groups is high, particularly for individuals of Pakistani ethnic group. For many residents, English is not their main language, and affiliation to Christian religions is less common. Privately rented terrace properties predominate and levels of overcrowding are high. Part time work is common, with many employed in elementary occupations and sales and customer services. There are also many students living within these areas, and overall unemployment levels are high.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Young Asian Family Terraces

Within London, Butt 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

Butt 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

Butt falls in decile 3 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.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Butt is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
Other Ethnic Group

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

Meaning and origin of Butt

The surname "Butt" is of English origin and dates back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "butt," which referred to a small piece of land or a place where archery butts were set up for target practice.

The earliest recorded use of the surname "Butt" can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire in 1273, where a person named William Butt is mentioned. The name is also found in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1296, with references to John le Butt and Robert le Butt.

In the 14th century, the surname "Butt" appeared in various records across England, including the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1379, where a Robert del Butt is listed. The name is also found in the Subsidy Rolls of Suffolk in 1381, mentioning a John Butt.

One notable historical figure with the surname "Butt" was Sir William Butt (c. 1468-1545), an English courtier and Member of Parliament during the reigns of Henry VII and Henry VIII. He served as the Keeper of the Royal Wardrobe and was knighted in 1509.

Another prominent individual with the surname "Butt" was Sir Ralph Butt (c. 1550-1611), an English politician and Member of Parliament who served as the Sheriff of Norfolk and Suffolk. He was involved in the prosecution of Catholic recusants during the reign of Elizabeth I.

In the 17th century, the surname "Butt" was associated with various place names in England, such as Butt Lane in Cambridgeshire and Butt Farm in Wiltshire. The name was also found in the Protestation Returns of 1641-1642, which listed individuals who swore allegiance to the Protestant religion.

During the 18th century, the surname "Butt" continued to appear in various records, including the Land Tax Assessments of 1798, where individuals such as John Butt and Thomas Butt were listed as landowners.

One notable figure from this period was Isaac Butt (1813-1879), an Irish lawyer, politician, and founder of the Home Rule movement in Ireland. He was a prominent advocate for Irish self-government and served as a Member of Parliament in the British House of Commons.

In the 19th century, the surname "Butt" was found in various census records and parish registers across England and Ireland. One notable individual from this time was Sir Thomas Butt (1839-1923), an English-born Australian politician who served as the Premier of Victoria and the Minister for Lands in the 1890s.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Butt families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Butt 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 551 Butts recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.46x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 551 1.46x
Hampshire 543 7.03x
Gloucestershire 392 5.30x
Somerset 349 5.75x
Surrey 313 1.70x
Dorset 238 9.62x
Devon 180 2.29x
Wiltshire 126 3.78x
Kent 98 0.76x
Warwickshire 97 1.02x
Lancashire 93 0.21x
Glamorgan 80 1.22x
Cambridgeshire 78 3.27x
Sussex 68 1.07x
Yorkshire 67 0.18x
Worcestershire 63 1.28x
Staffordshire 60 0.47x
Essex 45 0.60x
Northamptonshire 42 1.19x
Derbyshire 41 0.70x
Lincolnshire 41 0.68x
Cheshire 38 0.46x
Leicestershire 25 0.60x
Buckinghamshire 21 0.92x
Nottinghamshire 20 0.39x
Bedfordshire 18 0.92x
Durham 17 0.15x
Hertfordshire 17 0.65x
Oxfordshire 17 0.73x
Monmouthshire 15 0.55x
Berkshire 12 0.42x
Carmarthenshire 12 0.76x
Herefordshire 12 0.78x
Suffolk 12 0.26x
Channel Islands 11 0.99x
Cumberland 8 0.25x
Norfolk 6 0.10x
Huntingdonshire 5 0.67x
Northumberland 5 0.09x
Angus 4 0.11x
Brecknockshire 3 0.40x
Lanarkshire 3 0.02x
Shropshire 3 0.09x
Dunbartonshire 2 0.20x
Kirkcudbrightshire 2 0.37x
Midlothian 2 0.04x
Royal Navy 2 0.45x
Westmorland 2 0.24x
Anglesey 1 0.15x
Buteshire 1 0.44x
Denbighshire 1 0.07x
Rutland 1 0.36x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Millbrook in Hampshire leads with 110 Butts recorded in 1881 and an index of 56.55x.

Place Total Index
Millbrook 110 56.55x
Islington London 64 1.75x
Kensington London 60 2.86x
Aston 59 2.25x
Portsea 51 3.37x
Lambeth 47 1.43x
Cheltenham 41 7.19x
Shoreditch London 40 2.45x
Hackney London 38 1.80x
Milton Abbas 38 313.27x
South Stoneham 38 22.68x
Chelsea London 37 3.26x
St Marylebone London 37 1.84x
Camberwell 36 1.50x
St Pancras London 35 1.15x
Whittlesey St Mary St 34 40.78x
Bedminster 33 5.79x
Stroud 33 22.95x
Birmingham 32 1.01x
Bisley 30 44.80x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 30 4.31x
Croydon 26 2.55x
Frome 25 17.23x
Burnham 24 51.90x
Carisbrooke 23 21.45x
Ryde 23 13.86x
Swansea Town 23 4.28x
Withnell 23 83.82x
West Ham 22 1.34x
Arlingham 21 259.58x
Bradford On Avon 20 18.75x
Iwerne Courtnay 20 120.12x
Paddington London 20 1.44x
St George Hanover Square 20 3.01x
Walcot 20 6.19x
Bethnal Green London 19 1.16x
Newington 18 1.29x
Northwood 18 16.37x
Alverstoke 17 6.08x
Kingston On Thames 17 3.85x
Stockley Pomeroy 17 758.93x
Southampton All Sts 16 12.07x
Southampton St Mary 16 3.29x
Titchfield 16 27.49x
Farnham 15 10.51x
Mile End Old Town London 15 1.87x
Penselwood 15 276.75x
Roath 15 5.03x
Sandhurst 15 251.68x
Sutton St Edmunds 15 175.85x
Woolwich 15 3.16x
Bermondsey 14 1.25x
Brighton 14 1.09x
Clerkenwell London 14 1.57x
Holdenhurst 14 6.91x
Southwark St George Martyr 14 1.85x
St Mary Kalendar 14 87.01x
Wincanton 14 44.84x
Wisbech St Mary 14 51.09x
Anstey 13 343.92x
Blandford Forum 13 26.64x
Gillingham 13 30.59x
Godshill 13 72.91x
Kidderminster Borough 13 4.51x
Leicester St Margaret 13 1.28x
Lytchett Minster 13 118.72x
Monks Coppenhall 13 4.14x
Stonehouse 13 30.95x
Bristol St James St Paul 12 4.87x
Donhead St Andrew 12 117.07x
Heaton Norris 12 4.71x
Poplar London 12 1.69x
Salisbury St Edmund 12 22.43x
Lyncombe Widcombe 11 6.93x
March 11 13.76x
Polebrook 11 189.00x
Romsey Infra 11 42.03x
St Maurice Winchester 11 34.26x
Westminster St James 11 2.84x
Woking 11 9.94x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 214
Elizabeth 159
Sarah 125
Alice 82
Eliza 75
Ellen 73
Emily 65
Ann 61
Annie 58
Emma 55
Jane 45
Louisa 43
Caroline 33
Fanny 33
Clara 30
Florence 30
Charlotte 29
Harriet 28
Martha 27
Hannah 26
Maria 26
Kate 24
Ada 21
Harriett 21
Amelia 19
Edith 18
Frances 16
Sophia 16
Anne 15
Agnes 14
Ethel 13
Susan 13
Bessie 12
Lucy 12
Rose 11
Catherine 10
Elizth. 10
Julia 10
Margaret 10
Amy 9
Minnie 9
Rosa 9
Anna 7
Isabella 7
Selina 7
Grace 6
Henrietta 6
Hester 6
Laura 6
Maud 6

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 242
John 165
George 157
Charles 109
Henry 109
James 107
Thomas 107
Albert 52
Frederick 51
Alfred 47
Walter 45
Arthur 44
Joseph 43
Edward 41
Frank 34
Samuel 32
Robert 28
Harry 26
Francis 24
Richard 23
Edwin 22
Herbert 20
Stephen 14
Ernest 13
Sidney 12
Benjamin 10
Daniel 10
Edgar 10
Christopher 8
Fredk. 8
Fred 7
Geo. 7
David 6
Fredrick 6
Mark 6
Percy 6
Tom 6
Wm. 6
Sydney 5
Andrew 4
Edmund 4
Martin 4
Cecil 3
Emanuel 3
Frederic 3
Jesse 3
Josiah 3
Michael 3
Peter 3
Philip 3

FAQ

Butt surname: questions and answers

How common was the Butt surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3,864 people were recorded with the Butt surname. That placed it at #1,183 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Butt surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 11,831 in 2016. That gives Butt a modern rank of #551.

What does the Butt surname mean?

An English occupational surname for a wine cask or barrel maker, derived from the Middle English word "butt."

What does the Butt map show?

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