NameCensus.

UK surname

Buttler

An occupational surname for a wine steward or butler.

In the 1881 census there were 901 people recorded with the Buttler surname, ranking it #4,231 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 188, ranked #20,417, down from #4,231 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, Sunderland and Wednesbury. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bournemouth, Southampton and Eastleigh.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Buttler is 1,122 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 79.1%.

1881 census count

901

Ranked #4,231

Modern count

188

2016, ranked #20,417

Peak year

1861

1,122 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Buttler had 901 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,231 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 188 in 2016, ranked #20,417.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,122 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Buttler surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Buttler surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Buttler 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 991 #2,816
1861 historical 1,122 #2,501
1881 historical 901 #4,231
1891 historical 753 #5,289
1901 historical 515 #7,878
1911 historical 449 #8,519
1997 modern 183 #18,642
1998 modern 185 #18,973
1999 modern 192 #18,689
2000 modern 184 #19,190
2001 modern 178 #19,288
2002 modern 178 #19,671
2003 modern 179 #19,416
2004 modern 186 #19,059
2005 modern 172 #19,908
2006 modern 169 #20,294
2007 modern 180 #19,745
2008 modern 179 #20,015
2009 modern 202 #18,896
2010 modern 204 #19,200
2011 modern 189 #19,997
2012 modern 192 #19,730
2013 modern 197 #19,725
2014 modern 192 #20,230
2015 modern 187 #20,502
2016 modern 188 #20,417

Geography

Back to top

Where Buttlers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, Sunderland, Wednesbury, Glasgow and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bournemouth, Southampton, Eastleigh, Ashford and South Staffordshire. 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 Wolverhampton Staffordshire
2 Sunderland Durham
3 Wednesbury Staffordshire
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bournemouth 013 Bournemouth
2 Southampton 001 Southampton
3 Eastleigh 004 Eastleigh
4 Ashford 013 Ashford
5 South Staffordshire 003 South Staffordshire

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Buttler

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Buttler

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Buttler is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Buttler is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Buttler falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Buttler is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Buttler

The surname Buttler is of English origin and can be traced back to the 11th century. It derives from the Old French word "bouteillier", meaning "bottle bearer" or "cup bearer", referring to an occupation in medieval households of serving wine and other beverages to nobility.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Butiler". This suggests that the name was already well-established in England shortly after the Norman Conquest in 1066.

During the Middle Ages, the Buttlers were prominent landowners and held important positions in the royal court. One notable figure was Ralph Buttler, who served as Governor of Northampton Castle in the 13th century (1227-1286).

In Ireland, the Butlers (with the spelling variation) were among the most powerful Anglo-Norman families, tracing their ancestry back to Theobald Walter, who was appointed Chief Butler of Ireland in 1177. The Butlers of Ormond wielded significant influence and held vast estates across the country for centuries.

Another distinguished bearer of the name was James Buttler, Duke of Ormond (1610-1688), a prominent military commander and statesman during the English Civil War and the Restoration period. He played a crucial role in the events that led to the overthrow of King James II.

Samuel Buttler (1774-1839) was an English classical scholar and headmaster of Shrewsbury School, known for his contributions to the study of ancient Greek literature.

William Buttler Yeats (1865-1939), the celebrated Irish poet and one of the foremost figures of the 20th century literary renaissance, was a recipient of the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1923.

The name has also been associated with various places in England, such as Butlers Marston in Warwickshire and Butterleigh in Devon, reflecting the historical presence and influence of families bearing this surname.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Buttler families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Buttler 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 104 Buttlers recorded in 1881 and an index of 0.99x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 104 0.99x
Yorkshire 67 0.77x
Warwickshire 64 2.87x
Lincolnshire 57 4.03x
Durham 55 2.09x
Middlesex 51 0.58x
Gloucestershire 44 2.54x
Oxfordshire 41 7.51x
Staffordshire 41 1.37x
Buckinghamshire 38 7.11x
Glamorgan 27 1.75x
Hampshire 25 1.38x
Cheshire 24 1.23x
Northamptonshire 23 2.77x
Sussex 23 1.54x
Surrey 19 0.44x
Cambridgeshire 17 3.04x
Devon 17 0.92x
Shropshire 16 2.10x
Derbyshire 15 1.08x
Lanarkshire 14 0.49x
Worcestershire 14 1.21x
Kent 11 0.36x
Monmouthshire 9 1.41x
Cumberland 8 1.05x
Essex 8 0.46x
Hertfordshire 8 1.31x
Wiltshire 8 1.02x
Angus 7 0.86x
Cornwall 6 0.60x
Norfolk 6 0.44x
Leicestershire 5 0.51x
Midlothian 5 0.42x
Dumfriesshire 4 2.05x
Northumberland 4 0.30x
Channel Islands 3 1.15x
Dunbartonshire 3 1.26x
Nottinghamshire 3 0.25x
Pembrokeshire 3 1.07x
Suffolk 2 0.19x
Anglesey 1 0.64x
Ayrshire 1 0.15x
Berkshire 1 0.15x
Huntingdonshire 1 0.57x
Royal Navy 1 0.95x
West Lothian 1 0.75x
Westmorland 1 0.51x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Edgcott in Buckinghamshire leads with 38 Buttlers recorded in 1881 and an index of 6666.67x.

Place Total Index
Edgcott 38 6666.67x
Bisley 20 127.31x
Aston 19 3.10x
Sunderland 16 34.46x
Braunton 15 240.38x
Chichester St Pancras 15 337.08x
Liverpool 15 2.36x
Banbury 14 128.09x
Fulham London 14 10.92x
Ystradyfodwg 14 10.37x
Darlington 13 12.81x
Fringford 11 887.10x
Lower Holker 11 547.26x
Whittlesey St Mary St 11 56.27x
Bethnal Green London 10 2.60x
Blatchinworth 10 41.88x
Brading 10 41.55x
Fillingham 10 1075.27x
Salford 10 3.24x
Great Lever 9 80.86x
Manchester 9 1.91x
St Pancras London 9 1.27x
Bothwell 8 10.32x
Chelmsford 8 26.73x
Gloucester St John Baptist 8 71.49x
Hoole 8 108.40x
Portsea 8 2.25x
Spridlington 8 909.09x
Worthen 8 98.64x
Bicker 7 319.63x
Birmingham 7 0.94x
Blackburn 7 2.51x
Cheslyn Hay 7 128.44x
Cubbington 7 235.69x
Dundee 7 2.29x
Leamington Priors 7 12.76x
Little Harrowden 7 280.00x
Monkwearmouth Shore 7 13.64x
Oldham 7 2.07x
Southwick 7 28.11x
Stamford St Michael 7 174.56x
Stokenchurch 7 143.44x
Bedwellty 6 5.32x
Burton Upon Stather 6 333.33x
Cheltenham 6 4.49x
Great Bedwin 6 108.11x
Hindley 6 13.42x
Lynesack Softley 6 84.51x
Mirfield 6 12.48x
Old Sleaford 6 377.36x
Thame 6 60.42x
Welford 6 287.08x
Aspenden 5 265.96x
Bedworth 5 30.75x
Brightside Bierlow 5 2.91x
Burton By Lincoln 5 588.24x
Camberwell 5 0.89x
Great Harrowden 5 1063.83x
Hardwicke 5 255.10x
Illogan 5 18.88x
Kingswinford 5 4.62x
Ovenden 5 12.83x
Preston Quarter 5 23.45x
Pytchley 5 294.12x
Saddleworth 5 7.40x
Southwark St George Martyr 5 2.81x
Thorpe Next Norwich 5 34.72x
Timperley 5 73.75x
Warrington 5 4.02x
Wilberfoss 5 396.83x
Willenhall 5 8.95x
Wolverhampton 5 2.18x
Wortley In Bramley 5 7.21x
Ashby De La Zouch 4 17.61x
Bromley London 4 2.06x
Ellesmere Trench 4 404.04x
Hunslet 4 2.93x
Oystermouth 4 33.59x
Rathmell 4 606.06x
Whittlesford 4 155.64x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 67
Elizabeth 38
Sarah 27
Ann 25
Alice 18
Emma 16
Eliza 15
Jane 15
Margaret 9
Annie 8
Ellen 8
Charlotte 7
Edith 7
Hannah 7
Susan 7
Clara 6
Emily 6
Fanny 6
Harriet 6
Maria 5
Rose 5
Anne 4
Caroline 4
Catherine 4
Frances 4
Louisa 4
Lucy 4
Martha 4
Rebecca 4
Amy 3
Elizebth 3
Harriett 3
Kate 3
Lydia 3
Ruth 3
Ada 2
Charlott 2
Elizeth. 2
Ester 2
Florance 2
Florence 2
Isabella 2
Margret 2
Matilda 2
Minnie 2
Phebe 2
Rhoda 2
Sophia 2
Susannah 2
Velez 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 66
John 52
Thomas 40
George 36
James 33
Joseph 22
Henry 15
Charles 12
Edward 11
Richard 10
Samuel 8
Albert 6
Frank 6
Robert 6
Arthur 4
Francis 4
Fredrick 4
Harry 4
Herbert 4
Patrick 4
Alfred 3
Benjamin 3
David 3
Frederick 3
Michael 3
Benjaman 2
Benjm 2
Edwin 2
Ernest 2
Josiah 2
Leonard 2
Martin 2
Mathew 2
Oliver 2
Reubin 2
Thos. 2
Auther 1
Bertram 1
Chas. 1
Daniel 1
Enos 1
Evington 1
Fred 1
Fredrk.W. 1
Joshua 1
Mark 1
Matthias 1
Nicholas 1
Obadiah 1
Willie 1

FAQ

Buttler surname: questions and answers

How common was the Buttler surname in 1881?

In 1881, 901 people were recorded with the Buttler surname. That placed it at #4,231 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Buttler surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 188 in 2016. That gives Buttler a modern rank of #20,417.

What does the Buttler surname mean?

An occupational surname for a wine steward or butler.

What does the Buttler map show?

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