NameCensus.

UK surname

Butters

An occupational surname referring to one who makes or sells butter.

In the 1881 census there were 1,462 people recorded with the Butters surname, ranking it #2,852 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,954, ranked #3,285, down from #2,852 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, London parishes and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bradford, Cornwall and Breckland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Butters is 2,077 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 33.7%.

1881 census count

1,462

Ranked #2,852

Modern count

1,954

2016, ranked #3,285

Peak year

1999

2,077 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Butters had 1,462 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,852 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,954 in 2016, ranked #3,285.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,874 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Butters surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Butters surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Butters 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 867 #3,141
1861 historical 794 #3,470
1881 historical 1,462 #2,852
1891 historical 1,480 #2,976
1901 historical 1,874 #2,810
1911 historical 1,820 #2,705
1997 modern 1,872 #3,218
1998 modern 2,068 #3,078
1999 modern 2,077 #3,090
2000 modern 2,067 #3,089
2001 modern 2,027 #3,078
2002 modern 2,052 #3,113
2003 modern 1,968 #3,157
2004 modern 1,986 #3,136
2005 modern 1,929 #3,179
2006 modern 1,916 #3,213
2007 modern 1,936 #3,205
2008 modern 1,958 #3,193
2009 modern 1,980 #3,234
2010 modern 2,016 #3,253
2011 modern 1,967 #3,278
2012 modern 1,923 #3,293
2013 modern 1,976 #3,277
2014 modern 1,993 #3,271
2015 modern 1,977 #3,267
2016 modern 1,954 #3,285

Geography

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Where Butters' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, London parishes, Edinburgh, Hoo and Ashill. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bradford, Cornwall, Breckland and Newcastle-under-Lyme. 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 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Hoo Norfolk
5 Ashill Norfolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bradford 051 Bradford
2 Cornwall 037 Cornwall
3 Breckland 007 Breckland
4 Newcastle-under-Lyme 016 Newcastle-under-Lyme
5 Breckland 005 Breckland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Butters

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Butters

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Butters is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Butters 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

Butters falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Butters

The surname Butters has its origins in the Old English word "butere," which means "one who makes or sells butter." The name first appeared in records in England during the 13th century, primarily in the counties of Suffolk, Norfolk, and Essex.

The earliest known record of the surname Butters is found in the Hundred Rolls of Norfolk, dated 1273, which mentions a Roger le Buttere. The Hundred Rolls were administrative records that documented the names of landholders and their holdings across various counties in England.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as Butter, Buttere, and Butteres, reflecting the evolution of spelling during that period. One notable example is John le Buttere, who was mentioned in the Court Rolls of the Borough of Colchester in 1373.

The Butters surname is also associated with several place names in England, such as Butters Green in Essex and Butters Hill in Norfolk. These place names likely derived from individuals or families with the surname Butters who lived or owned land in those areas.

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was Sir William Butters, a prominent merchant and alderman of London in the 15th century. He was born around 1420 and served as the Sheriff of London in 1460.

In the 16th century, the surname Butters gained prominence with the birth of Henry Butters (1491-1564), an English politician and Member of Parliament for Southampton during the reign of Queen Mary I.

During the 17th century, the name was associated with notable figures such as John Butters (1607-1677), an English clergyman and author who served as the Rector of Ipswich.

In the 18th century, Captain William Butters (1728-1805) was a British naval officer who distinguished himself during the American Revolutionary War and the Napoleonic Wars.

The 19th century saw the birth of Charles Butters (1822-1891), a British architect who designed several notable buildings in London, including the headquarters of the Prudential Assurance Company.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Butters families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Butters 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. Norfolk leads with 244 Butters' recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.06x.

County Total Index
Norfolk 244 11.06x
Lincolnshire 191 8.32x
Staffordshire 162 3.34x
Lancashire 111 0.65x
Middlesex 109 0.76x
Yorkshire 87 0.61x
Fife 70 8.24x
Midlothian 59 3.07x
Cheshire 46 1.45x
Suffolk 38 2.17x
Cornwall 37 2.28x
Lanarkshire 31 0.67x
Durham 29 0.68x
Surrey 25 0.36x
Essex 17 0.60x
Devon 16 0.54x
Shropshire 16 1.29x
Kent 15 0.31x
Northumberland 15 0.70x
Channel Islands 14 3.29x
Sussex 14 0.58x
Cambridgeshire 13 1.43x
Perthshire 13 2.02x
Gloucestershire 12 0.43x
Nottinghamshire 12 0.62x
Angus 11 0.83x
Derbyshire 8 0.36x
Warwickshire 7 0.19x
Hertfordshire 6 0.61x
Denbighshire 5 0.92x
Huntingdonshire 5 1.75x
Northamptonshire 5 0.37x
Renfrewshire 5 0.45x
Clackmannanshire 4 3.38x
Kinross-shire 4 11.03x
Ross-shire 4 1.02x
Kirkcudbrightshire 2 0.96x
Oxfordshire 2 0.23x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.08x
East Lothian 1 0.53x
Hampshire 1 0.03x
Inverness-shire 1 0.23x
Leicestershire 1 0.06x
Royal Navy 1 0.58x
Somerset 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stoke Upon Trent in Staffordshire leads with 37 Butters' recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.20x.

Place Total Index
Stoke Upon Trent 37 7.20x
Hoe 31 3195.88x
Ashill 29 900.62x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 27 3.49x
Wolstanton 27 18.35x
Eccleshall 25 136.09x
Sculcoates 22 9.76x
Toxteth Park 22 3.82x
Bintree 18 800.00x
Swaffham 18 100.28x
Barony 16 1.36x
Islington London 16 1.15x
Louth 15 28.53x
Tyrley 15 398.94x
Woodbridge 15 67.14x
Audley 14 29.21x
Hackney London 14 1.74x
East Looe 13 197.27x
St George In East London 13 9.63x
Cheltenham 12 5.53x
Thetford St Mary 12 199.67x
Ferry Corner 11 5000.00x
Hulme 11 3.09x
Little Coates 11 3793.10x
St Pancras London 11 0.95x
Tealby 11 341.61x
Camberwell 10 1.09x
Cranage 10 460.83x
Gedney 10 106.72x
Tathwell 10 483.09x
Abdie 9 186.34x
Eccleshall Croxton 9 629.37x
Edinburgh Greenside 9 35.43x
Govan 9 0.78x
Long Houghton 9 407.24x
Marske In Guisbrough 9 35.64x
Monks Coppenhall 9 7.53x
North Somercotes 9 149.75x
St Helier 9 6.50x
Wanstead 9 18.14x
Wells Next Sea 9 69.98x
Wiggenhall St Mary 9 263.16x
Anstruther Easter 8 130.51x
Ashley 8 202.02x
Ashton Under Lyne 8 2.15x
Besthorpe 8 333.33x
Bethnal Green London 8 1.28x
Bury St Edmunds St James 8 17.14x
Cheetham 8 6.30x
Cleethorpes 8 59.26x
Crail 8 92.27x
Drypool 8 36.75x
Duloe 8 168.07x
Farnworth 8 7.84x
Fordham 8 136.29x
Nantwich 8 21.74x
Plymouth St Andrew 8 3.48x
Worsley 8 7.62x
Allington 7 429.45x
Carleton In Pontefract 7 424.24x
Dawdon 7 13.33x
Dunfermline 7 5.36x
East Lavant 7 355.33x
Edinburgh Canongate 7 14.31x
Fleet 7 107.03x
Holkham 7 264.15x
Holy Trinity 7 2.05x
Salford 7 1.40x
South Lynn 7 28.11x
Terrington St Clement 7 70.21x
Wigan 7 2.94x
Bedlington 6 8.42x
Birmingham 6 0.50x
Dundee 6 1.21x
Liverpool 6 0.58x
New Monkland 6 4.37x
Pudsey 6 7.89x
St Marylebone London 6 0.78x
Westoe 6 2.48x
Worth 6 34.17x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 84
John 80
James 43
George 41
Charles 38
Henry 31
Thomas 30
Joseph 24
Robert 24
Richard 19
Edward 17
Walter 16
Francis 8
Wm. 8
Alfred 7
Christopher 7
Harry 7
Ernest 6
Frank 6
Frederick 6
Samuel 6
Albert 5
Arthur 5
David 5
Herbert 5
Thos. 5
Isaac 4
Alexander 3
Caleb 3
Chas. 3
Fred 3
Fredk. 3
Jabez 3
Abraham 2
Benjamin 2
Boyce 2
Daniel 2
Henery 2
Lawrence 2
Richd. 2
Simon 2
Allan 1
Benjaman 1
Earnest 1
Ebenezer 1
Edmund 1
Edwin 1
Eli 1
Fergus 1
I.T. 1

FAQ

Butters surname: questions and answers

How common was the Butters surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,462 people were recorded with the Butters surname. That placed it at #2,852 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Butters surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,954 in 2016. That gives Butters a modern rank of #3,285.

What does the Butters surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to one who makes or sells butter.

What does the Butters map show?

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