NameCensus.

UK surname

Butterworth

A locational surname referring to someone from any of the places named Butterworth in England.

In the 1881 census there were 10,743 people recorded with the Butterworth surname, ranking it #398 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 8,371, ranked #787, down from #398 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, Bury (Walmersley and Tottington, Heap),Middleton (Birtle with Bamford, Pilsworth) and Prestwich. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rossendale and Rochdale.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Butterworth is 11,866 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 22.1%.

1881 census count

10,743

Ranked #398

Modern count

8,371

2016, ranked #787

Peak year

1911

11,866 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Butterworth had 10,743 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #398 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 8,371 in 2016, ranked #787.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 11,866 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Butterworth surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Butterworth surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Butterworth 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 7,764 #360
1861 historical 7,801 #352
1881 historical 10,743 #398
1891 historical 10,685 #411
1901 historical 11,578 #452
1911 historical 11,866 #414
1997 modern 8,680 #725
1998 modern 8,846 #744
1999 modern 8,929 #744
2000 modern 8,874 #742
2001 modern 8,707 #741
2002 modern 8,766 #749
2003 modern 8,513 #756
2004 modern 8,466 #757
2005 modern 8,265 #771
2006 modern 8,324 #764
2007 modern 8,343 #769
2008 modern 8,295 #782
2009 modern 8,489 #785
2010 modern 8,694 #780
2011 modern 8,601 #777
2012 modern 8,285 #786
2013 modern 8,483 #784
2014 modern 8,542 #782
2015 modern 8,435 #782
2016 modern 8,371 #787

Geography

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Where Butterworths are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, Bury (Walmersley and Tottington, Heap),Middleton (Birtle with Bamford, Pilsworth) and Prestwich. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Rossendale and Rochdale. 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 Rochdale Lancashire
2 Bury (Walmersley and Tottington, Heap),Middleton (Birtle with Bamford, Pilsworth) Lancashire
3 Prestwich Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rossendale 009 Rossendale
2 Rochdale 005 Rochdale
3 Rochdale 003 Rochdale
4 Rochdale 001 Rochdale
5 Rochdale 017 Rochdale

Forenames

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First names often paired with Butterworth

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Butterworth

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Butterworth surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Butterworth household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Butterworth 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

Butterworth is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Butterworth falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Butterworth

The surname Butterworth originated in England during the late 12th century. It is a locational name derived from the town of Butterworth, near Rochdale in Lancashire. The name is believed to be a combination of the Old English words "butere" meaning butter, and "worth" meaning an enclosure or farm. This suggests the name may have originally referred to a dairy farm or an area known for producing butter.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is found in the Lancashire Pipe Rolls of 1177, where it is spelled "Buterwurth". The Pipe Rolls were a series of financial records kept by the English Exchequer during the Middle Ages. This early spelling variation highlights the evolving nature of surnames during that period.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, a survey of land ownership commissioned by William the Conqueror, there are references to several places with similar names, such as "Butterwic" in Huntingdonshire and "Butterwrth" in Derbyshire. While not directly linked to the Butterworth surname, these entries provide insights into the linguistic origins of the name.

Notable individuals with the surname Butterworth throughout history include:

1. John Butterworth (c. 1604-1670), an English clergyman and academic who served as Master of Christ's College, Cambridge. 2. Joseph Butterworth (1770-1826), a British textile manufacturer and philanthropist, known for his support of various religious and educational causes. 3. Benjamin Butterworth (1768-1828), an English architect and surveyor who designed numerous buildings in Manchester and its surrounding areas. 4. William Butterworth (1814-1900), a British merchant and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Coventry. 5. Hezekiah Butterworth (1839-1905), an American author and educator, best known for his children's stories and biographies of notable figures.

The surname Butterworth has also been associated with various place names throughout England, such as Butterworth Hall in Lancashire, Butterworth Farm in Derbyshire, and Butterworth Bridge in Yorkshire. These locations likely derived their names from the original Butterworth place name or from individuals bearing the surname who settled in those areas.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Butterworth families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Butterworth 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. Lancashire leads with 7,951 Butterworths recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.39x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 7,951 6.39x
Yorkshire 1,389 1.34x
Cheshire 311 1.34x
Middlesex 233 0.22x
Surrey 105 0.21x
Nottinghamshire 80 0.57x
Derbyshire 70 0.43x
Staffordshire 59 0.17x
Warwickshire 57 0.22x
Cumberland 48 0.53x
Kent 41 0.11x
Lincolnshire 35 0.21x
Northamptonshire 35 0.35x
Durham 34 0.11x
Leicestershire 29 0.25x
Westmorland 29 1.26x
Lanarkshire 26 0.08x
Somerset 21 0.12x
Essex 18 0.09x
Sussex 18 0.10x
Gloucestershire 14 0.07x
Hertfordshire 14 0.19x
Huntingdonshire 13 0.62x
Montgomeryshire 12 0.50x
Hampshire 11 0.05x
Wiltshire 11 0.12x
Devon 10 0.05x
Isle of Man 10 0.51x
Suffolk 8 0.06x
Midlothian 7 0.05x
Northumberland 7 0.04x
Oxfordshire 7 0.11x
Worcestershire 5 0.04x
Bedfordshire 4 0.07x
Cambridgeshire 4 0.06x
Glamorgan 4 0.02x
Renfrewshire 4 0.05x
Norfolk 3 0.02x
Anglesey 2 0.11x
Ayrshire 2 0.03x
Berkshire 2 0.03x
Channel Islands 2 0.06x
Banffshire 1 0.05x
Denbighshire 1 0.03x
Dorset 1 0.01x
Dumfriesshire 1 0.04x
Herefordshire 1 0.02x
Merionethshire 1 0.05x
Monmouthshire 1 0.01x
Royal Navy 1 0.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Castleton in Lancashire leads with 850 Butterworths recorded in 1881 and an index of 68.38x.

Place Total Index
Castleton 850 68.38x
Spotland 588 42.49x
Oldham 527 13.12x
Wardleworth 508 71.42x
Butterworth 437 144.10x
Wuerdle Wardle 425 112.48x
Crompton 283 79.84x
Heap 256 38.78x
Royton 246 64.61x
Manchester 209 3.73x
Blackburn 183 5.53x
Blatchinworth 180 63.51x
Ashton Under Lyne 134 4.93x
Bury 129 9.07x
Hulme 129 4.96x
Tonge 109 41.74x
Chadderton 102 16.76x
Stansfield 98 25.62x
Hopwood 93 57.15x
Newchurch 93 9.13x
Saddleworth 92 11.47x
Tottington Lower End 92 15.55x
Radcliffe 90 15.00x
Middleton In Oldham 86 23.04x
Habergham Eaves 76 6.68x
Pendleton In Salford 76 5.13x
Salford 75 2.05x
Blackley 74 33.91x
Newton 63 6.57x
Pilkington 61 12.90x
Todmorden Walsden 57 17.09x
North Meols 56 4.60x
Over Darwen 54 5.43x
Liverpool 53 0.70x
Elton 52 12.09x
Leeds 52 0.89x
Toxteth Park 52 1.23x
Accrington 51 4.51x
Burnley 51 4.87x
Livesey 51 23.35x
Warley 48 15.98x
Sowerby In Halifax 45 13.24x
Morley 44 8.14x
Oswaldtwistle 44 10.01x
Brightside Bierlow 41 2.01x
Dukinfield 40 3.74x
Lambeth 39 0.43x
Langfield 38 20.90x
Macclesfield 37 3.60x
Ossett Cum Gawthorpe 37 9.97x
Preston 36 1.08x
Broughton In Salford 35 3.08x
Chorlton On Medlock 35 1.77x
Higher Booths 35 15.60x
Ovenden 34 7.35x
Shoreditch London 34 0.75x
Colne 33 8.90x
Barton Upon Irwell 32 3.42x
Halifax 32 2.10x
Bradford 31 1.23x
Failsworth 31 10.89x
Sutton In Ashfield 31 10.10x
North Bierley 30 5.35x
Rochdale 30 33.05x
Ardwick 29 2.58x
Aston 29 0.40x
Birtle Cum Bamford 29 35.71x
Harpurhey 29 16.79x
Hindley 29 5.46x
Poynton 28 35.97x
Sculcoates 28 1.70x
Walmersley Cum 28 14.08x
Gorton 27 2.31x
Lower Booths 27 12.11x
Warrington 27 1.83x
Meltham 26 16.08x
Elland Cum Greetland 25 5.34x
Cowpe Lench Newhall Hey 24 18.05x
Cheadle 23 5.20x
West Derby 23 0.63x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 928
Sarah 591
Elizabeth 402
Alice 295
Ann 246
Jane 232
Hannah 218
Martha 191
Ellen 171
Emma 145
Annie 135
Betty 117
Eliza 114
Margaret 104
Emily 95
Betsy 54
Clara 54
Maria 54
Harriet 53
Esther 50
Ada 48
Rachel 41
Nancy 39
Edith 38
Fanny 35
Charlotte 33
Susannah 33
Isabella 32
Lucy 30
Susan 30
Frances 29
Agnes 26
Amelia 26
Louisa 24
Florence 23
Bertha 22
Rebecca 22
Elizth. 21
Ruth 21
Catherine 19
Caroline 16
Amy 15
Anne 15
Gertrude 15
Jessie 15
Harriett 14
Grace 13
Eleanor 12
Selina 12
Sophia 12

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 825
James 580
William 468
Thomas 367
Joseph 259
Robert 191
Samuel 168
George 159
Charles 146
Henry 121
Alfred 92
Edward 84
Albert 80
Walter 80
Arthur 71
Benjamin 66
Edmund 62
Richard 55
Edwin 49
Harry 47
Abraham 46
Fred 46
Frank 45
David 39
Herbert 38
Thos. 34
Frederick 33
Wm. 33
Ernest 29
Joshua 21
Isaac 19
Jas. 18
Daniel 17
Robt. 16
Jno. 14
Jonathan 13
Geo. 12
Chas. 11
Simeon 11
Tom 11
Willie 11
Eli 10
Saml. 10
Jacob 9
Joe 9
Luke 9
Abel 8
Andrew 8
Jabez 8
Percy 8

FAQ

Butterworth surname: questions and answers

How common was the Butterworth surname in 1881?

In 1881, 10,743 people were recorded with the Butterworth surname. That placed it at #398 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Butterworth surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 8,371 in 2016. That gives Butterworth a modern rank of #787.

What does the Butterworth surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone from any of the places named Butterworth in England.

What does the Butterworth map show?

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