NameCensus.

UK surname

Buttress

A architectural term referring to a structural support built against a wall.

In the 1881 census there were 407 people recorded with the Buttress surname, ranking it #7,868 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 449, ranked #10,816, down from #7,868 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Chudleigh, London parishes and Fordham. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Cambridgeshire, North Dorset and South Kesteven.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Buttress is 520 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 10.3%.

1881 census count

407

Ranked #7,868

Modern count

449

2016, ranked #10,816

Peak year

1911

520 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Buttress had 407 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,868 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 449 in 2016, ranked #10,816.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 520 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Buttress surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Buttress surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Buttress 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 301 #7,626
1861 historical 249 #9,904
1881 historical 407 #7,868
1891 historical 399 #8,898
1901 historical 463 #8,526
1911 historical 520 #7,607
1997 modern 461 #9,886
1998 modern 496 #9,658
1999 modern 506 #9,574
2000 modern 490 #9,772
2001 modern 474 #9,847
2002 modern 482 #9,906
2003 modern 475 #9,848
2004 modern 483 #9,743
2005 modern 458 #10,077
2006 modern 448 #10,269
2007 modern 451 #10,318
2008 modern 448 #10,458
2009 modern 465 #10,393
2010 modern 478 #10,392
2011 modern 473 #10,376
2012 modern 462 #10,470
2013 modern 457 #10,705
2014 modern 451 #10,882
2015 modern 450 #10,819
2016 modern 449 #10,816

Geography

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Where Buttress' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Chudleigh, London parishes, Fordham, Cambridge: St Andrew the Less, St Andrew the Great, Holy Trinity, St Benedict and Halesowen (all except Hunnington, Romsley; partly in Halesowen, Worcestershire). These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Cambridgeshire, North Dorset, South Kesteven, Broxtowe and Harrogate. 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 Chudleigh Devon
2 London parishes London 3
3 Fordham Cambridgeshire
4 Cambridge: St Andrew the Less, St Andrew the Great, Holy Trinity, St Benedict Cambridgeshire
5 Halesowen (all except Hunnington, Romsley; partly in Halesowen, Worcestershire) Staffordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Cambridgeshire 011 South Cambridgeshire
2 North Dorset 002 North Dorset
3 South Kesteven 015 South Kesteven
4 Broxtowe 004 Broxtowe
5 Harrogate 009 Harrogate

Forenames

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First names often paired with Buttress

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Buttress

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Buttress is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Buttress is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Buttress falls in decile 7 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Buttress

The surname BUTTRESS is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period, with its roots traceable back to the Old French word "butrice" or "bouteresse," which referred to a type of structural support or buttress used in architecture. This term eventually evolved into the English word "buttress," denoting a projecting support built against the exterior of a wall to provide added strength and stability.

The name BUTTRESS is thought to have initially been an occupational surname, given to individuals who were responsible for constructing or maintaining buttresses on buildings, particularly churches and cathedrals. It is plausible that early bearers of this surname were skilled masons or stonemasons involved in the construction of these architectural features.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the BUTTRESS surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Worcestershire, dated 1275, which mention a certain Robert Buttress. Additionally, the Subsidy Rolls for Staffordshire in 1327 include an entry for a William Buttress.

Historically, the BUTTRESS surname has been associated with various place names throughout England, such as Buttress Green in Staffordshire and Buttress Hill in Wiltshire. These place names likely derived from the presence of buttressed structures or buildings in those locations.

Notable individuals with the BUTTRESS surname throughout history include:

1. John Buttress (c. 1556-1629), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Master of Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge. 2. William Buttress (1784-1861), a renowned English landscape gardener and nurseryman who designed and constructed gardens for several aristocratic estates. 3. Edwin Buttress (1807-1864), a British architect responsible for designing several notable buildings in London, including St. Mary's Church in Battersea. 4. Richard Buttress (1915-1991), a British actor and singer who appeared in various stage productions and television shows during the mid-20th century. 5. John Buttress (born 1955), a contemporary English sculptor and artist known for his large-scale public artworks and installations.

While the BUTTRESS surname may have evolved from its architectural origins, it has since become a widely recognized surname across various regions, transcending its initial occupational associations.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Buttress families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Buttress 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. Cambridgeshire leads with 103 Buttress' recorded in 1881 and an index of 40.76x.

County Total Index
Cambridgeshire 103 40.76x
Kent 49 3.60x
Staffordshire 40 2.97x
Warwickshire 30 2.98x
Surrey 21 1.08x
Lincolnshire 20 3.14x
Durham 18 1.52x
Hampshire 13 1.59x
Rutland 13 44.38x
Middlesex 12 0.30x
Norfolk 11 1.79x
Berkshire 10 3.34x
Devon 9 1.08x
Sussex 9 1.34x
Banffshire 8 9.67x
Northamptonshire 8 2.13x
Worcestershire 8 1.54x
Yorkshire 8 0.20x
Leicestershire 5 1.13x
Nottinghamshire 4 0.74x
Dorset 3 1.15x
Lancashire 2 0.04x
Shropshire 2 0.58x
Hertfordshire 1 0.36x
Northumberland 1 0.17x
Royal Navy 1 2.10x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Andrewthe Less in Cambridgeshire leads with 43 Buttress' recorded in 1881 and an index of 148.94x.

Place Total Index
St Andrewthe Less 43 148.94x
Deal 26 223.94x
Aston 20 7.22x
Fordham 12 736.20x
Weston 11 948.28x
Clewer 10 81.50x
Norwich St James 10 207.90x
Brighton 9 6.63x
Lambeth 9 2.59x
West Bromwich 9 11.67x
Fordyce 8 134.45x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 8 15.56x
Little Eversden 8 2758.62x
Portsea 8 4.99x
Teversham 8 2352.94x
Bartlow 7 4375.00x
Camberwell 7 2.75x
Chesterton 7 89.86x
Deptford St Paul 7 6.67x
Harborne 7 16.22x
Kingsley 7 278.88x
Oakham Lordshold 7 228.01x
Oldbury 7 27.31x
Ramsgate 7 31.50x
St Andrewthe Great 7 214.07x
Wolston Marston 7 933.33x
Chudleigh 6 227.27x
Fulbourn 6 247.93x
Handsworth 6 18.08x
Oakham Deanshold 6 458.02x
Thornaby 6 40.62x
Christchurch 5 28.20x
Frieston 5 331.13x
Stamford Baron St Martin 5 248.76x
Wednesbury 5 14.85x
Aslockton 4 727.27x
St Pancras London 4 1.25x
Stockton On Tees 4 6.99x
The Holy Sepulchre 4 645.16x
Buckland In Dover 3 66.52x
Cotton 3 337.08x
Merrington 3 131.58x
Poole St James 3 30.49x
South Shields 3 28.38x
Castle Bytham 2 224.72x
Kensington London 2 0.90x
Long Lawford 2 212.77x
Newington 2 1.36x
Northampton Priory St 2 8.88x
Slawston 2 800.00x
Stoke Upon Trent 2 1.40x
Tormoham 2 5.69x
Warrington 2 3.56x
Woolwich 2 3.98x
Austerfield 1 208.33x
Battersea 1 0.68x
Birthorpe 1 1250.00x
Burnham Sutton Cum Burnham 1 227.27x
Canterbury St Gregory 1 55.87x
Condover 1 41.15x
Cottenham 1 29.76x
Eastry 1 52.91x
Hackney London 1 0.45x
Hampstead London 1 1.61x
Highweek 1 33.78x
Kings Langley 1 50.00x
Kings Norton 1 2.14x
Leicester St Margaret 1 0.93x
Lutterworth 1 37.04x
Paddington London 1 0.68x
Putney 1 5.50x
Queniborough 1 133.33x
Ripple 1 263.16x
Royal Navy 1 2.46x
Spittlegate 1 11.34x
St George Hanover Square 1 1.42x
St George Martyr London 1 12.38x
St Marylebone London 1 0.47x
Tonbridge 1 2.04x
Uttoxeter 1 14.51x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 22
Sarah 18
Elizabeth 14
Eliza 13
Ann 9
Fanny 8
Louisa 8
Alice 6
Clara 6
Ellen 6
Annie 5
Edith 5
Emily 5
Lucy 5
Harriet 4
Agnes 3
Caroline 3
Catherine 3
Charlotte 3
Florence 3
Hannah 3
Jane 3
Ada 2
Dora 2
Harriett 2
Isabella 2
Kate 2
Martha 2
Rebecca 2
Sophia 2
Susan 2
Elizh. 1
Elizth. 1
Elzer 1
Emma 1
Ester 1
Esther 1
Eth.C. 1
Francis 1
Grace 1
Hilda 1
Judah 1
Julia 1
Laurala 1
Lavinia 1
Leviathan 1
Lizzie 1
Louie 1
Mabel 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 24
William 24
Robert 13
Thomas 13
George 11
James 11
Henry 9
Alfred 6
Joseph 6
Albert 5
Samuel 5
Charles 4
Arthur 3
Edward 3
Frank 3
Fred 3
Herbert 3
Richard 3
Adolphus 2
Ernest 2
Fredrick 2
Jno. 2
Walter 2
Allan 1
Burgess 1
Christopher 1
Clement 1
Daniel 1
David 1
Frederick 1
Fredk. 1
Fredk.Jas. 1
Garibaldi 1
Geo. 1
Harey 1
Harry 1
Henery 1
J. 1
Luke 1
Mackenzie 1
Page 1
Percy 1
Richd. 1
Ruben 1
Sydney 1
Thos. 1
Thos.H. 1
Wm 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Buttress surname: questions and answers

How common was the Buttress surname in 1881?

In 1881, 407 people were recorded with the Buttress surname. That placed it at #7,868 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Buttress surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 449 in 2016. That gives Buttress a modern rank of #10,816.

What does the Buttress surname mean?

A architectural term referring to a structural support built against a wall.

What does the Buttress map show?

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