NameCensus.

UK surname

Butterwick

A habitational name for someone from a place called Butterwick.

In the 1881 census there were 218 people recorded with the Butterwick surname, ranking it #12,158 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 183, ranked #20,813, down from #12,158 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Whitby, Stokesley and Hartlepool. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Central Bedfordshire, East Northamptonshire and Stockton-on-Tees.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Butterwick is 232 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 16.1%.

1881 census count

218

Ranked #12,158

Modern count

183

2016, ranked #20,813

Peak year

1901

232 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Butterwick had 218 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,158 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 183 in 2016, ranked #20,813.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 232 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Butterwick surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Butterwick surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Butterwick 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 192 #10,756
1861 historical 224 #10,882
1881 historical 218 #12,158
1891 historical 228 #13,582
1901 historical 232 #13,769
1911 historical 229 #13,712
1997 modern 180 #18,812
1998 modern 179 #19,372
1999 modern 171 #20,072
2000 modern 167 #20,332
2001 modern 171 #19,770
2002 modern 179 #19,598
2003 modern 181 #19,277
2004 modern 172 #20,008
2005 modern 166 #20,379
2006 modern 164 #20,715
2007 modern 166 #20,811
2008 modern 159 #21,598
2009 modern 172 #20,950
2010 modern 193 #19,880
2011 modern 180 #20,649
2012 modern 186 #20,141
2013 modern 184 #20,643
2014 modern 189 #20,441
2015 modern 182 #20,856
2016 modern 183 #20,813

Geography

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Where Butterwicks are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Whitby, Stokesley, Hartlepool, Thirsk and Fylingdales. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Central Bedfordshire, East Northamptonshire, Stockton-on-Tees, Huntingdonshire and Middlesbrough. 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 Whitby Yorkshire, North Riding
2 Stokesley Yorkshire, North Riding
3 Hartlepool Durham
4 Thirsk Yorkshire, North Riding
5 Fylingdales Yorkshire, North Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Central Bedfordshire 007 Central Bedfordshire
2 East Northamptonshire 002 East Northamptonshire
3 Stockton-on-Tees 018 Stockton-on-Tees
4 Huntingdonshire 022 Huntingdonshire
5 Middlesbrough 003 Middlesbrough

Forenames

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First names often paired with Butterwick

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Butterwick

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Established Homeowners with Children

Within London, Butterwick is most associated with areas classed as Established Homeowners with Children, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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 predominantly British-born residents are typically married/in civil partnerships and own the properties in which they are raising their children. Parents are typically over 45, and many other residents are beyond normal retirement age. Detached and semi-detached houses predominate and multiple car ownership is common.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Butterwick 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

Butterwick falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Butterwick

The surname Butterwick is of English origin, derived from a place name in the county of Yorkshire. It is believed to have originated in the 12th or 13th century, with the earliest known spelling being "de Boterwyk" in the 13th century Feet of Fines records.

The name is thought to be derived from the Old English words "butere" meaning butter, and "wic" meaning a dwelling or farm. This suggests that the name likely referred to a settlement or farm where butter was produced or traded. The placename Butterwick can still be found in various parts of Yorkshire today.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Butterwick is in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379, where a John de Butterwyk is listed. This indicates that the name had already been in use for some time by the 14th century.

In the 16th century, the surname appears in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire in various spellings such as "Butterwycke", "Butterwyke", and "Butterwicke". This demonstrates the evolution of the name's spelling over time.

Notable individuals with the surname Butterwick include William Butterwick (1619-1689), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Aldborough in Yorkshire during the reign of King Charles II. Another notable figure is Robert Butterwick (1779-1856), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars.

In the 19th century, the name appears in several historical records, such as the 1841 Census of England and Wales, where families with the surname are recorded living in various parts of Yorkshire and neighboring counties.

Other examples of individuals with the surname Butterwick throughout history include: - John Butterwick (c. 1500-1570), an English landowner and farmer from North Yorkshire. - Elizabeth Butterwick (1745-1821), a philanthropist and benefactor from Lincolnshire. - Thomas Butterwick (1823-1893), an English businessman and industrialist from Yorkshire. - Margaret Butterwick (1867-1949), a women's rights activist and suffragist from Lancashire.

Overall, the surname Butterwick has a rich history dating back to medieval England, with its origins rooted in the Yorkshire region and its meaning linked to the production or trade of butter in rural settlements.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Butterwick families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Butterwick 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. Yorkshire leads with 123 Butterwicks recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.84x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 123 5.84x
Durham 16 2.53x
Huntingdonshire 15 35.53x
Middlesex 14 0.66x
Lincolnshire 10 2.94x
Norfolk 9 2.75x
Kent 8 1.10x
Sussex 8 2.23x
Hertfordshire 6 4.09x
Hampshire 2 0.46x
Lancashire 2 0.08x
Lanarkshire 1 0.15x
Midlothian 1 0.35x
Northamptonshire 1 0.50x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.35x
Somerset 1 0.29x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Linthorpe in Yorkshire leads with 12 Butterwicks recorded in 1881 and an index of 95.39x.

Place Total Index
Linthorpe 12 95.39x
Thirsk 11 452.67x
Whitby 11 154.93x
Hackney London 9 7.55x
Orton Longville 9 4736.84x
Hartlepool 7 77.86x
Hunslet 7 21.30x
Thornaby 7 88.95x
Wortley In Bramley 7 41.94x
Bushey 6 171.92x
Fletton 6 444.44x
Fylingdales 6 571.43x
Holy Trinity 6 11.84x
Sittingbourne 6 104.71x
Headingley Cum Burley 5 36.87x
Holbeach 5 131.93x
Scruton 5 1923.08x
Stokesley 5 381.68x
Eastbourne 4 24.24x
Hastings St Mary In The 4 52.29x
Holbeck 4 28.65x
Manningham 4 15.41x
Newington 4 68.97x
Northallerton 4 148.70x
Stranton 4 18.78x
Tilney St Lawrence 4 754.72x
Wiggenhall St Mary 4 784.31x
Leeds 3 2.52x
Middlesbrough 3 10.93x
Sculcoates 3 8.98x
Chiswick 2 17.21x
Horncastle 2 56.98x
Ingleby Arncliffe 2 909.09x
Knaresborough 2 60.42x
Monkwearmouth Shore 2 16.19x
Pickhill With Roxby 2 952.38x
Rosedale West Side 2 909.09x
Thirsk Sand Hutton 2 869.57x
Ainderby Steeple 1 625.00x
Aldershot 1 6.85x
Barony 1 0.57x
Boston 1 9.69x
Charlton 1 20.75x
Clevedon 1 28.09x
Cliff Cum Lund 1 212.77x
Dalton Piercy 1 1666.67x
Eastoft 1 227.27x
Ecclesall Bierlow 1 2.33x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 1 0.87x
Fordham 1 769.23x
Forton 1 232.56x
Fosdyke 1 285.71x
Fulham London 1 3.24x
Liverpool 1 0.65x
Lofthouse 1 31.75x
Low Coniscliffe 1 833.33x
Mansfield 1 10.08x
Minster In Sheppey 1 8.32x
Paddington London 1 1.28x
Peterborough 1 6.91x
Poplar London 1 2.49x
Portsea 1 1.17x
Skelton In Howden 1 588.24x
Stillington 1 227.27x
Stockton On Tees 1 3.28x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 20
William 18
Thomas 14
George 7
Robert 5
James 4
Richard 4
Charles 3
Ernest 3
Frederick 3
Edward 2
Harry 2
Joseph 2
Matthew 2
Robt. 2
Stephen 2
Wm. 2
Abraham 1
Andrew 1
Arthur 1
Benjamin 1
Charlie 1
Edwin 1
Fredk.J. 1
Henry 1
Isiah 1
Matthias 1
Robt 1
Samuel 1
Willm.J. 1

FAQ

Butterwick surname: questions and answers

How common was the Butterwick surname in 1881?

In 1881, 218 people were recorded with the Butterwick surname. That placed it at #12,158 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Butterwick surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 183 in 2016. That gives Butterwick a modern rank of #20,813.

What does the Butterwick surname mean?

A habitational name for someone from a place called Butterwick.

What does the Butterwick map show?

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