NameCensus.

UK surname

Buxton

A locational surname referring to a town in Derbyshire, England, derived from Old English meaning "buck's town."

In the 1881 census there were 4,501 people recorded with the Buxton surname, ranking it #996 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 6,855, ranked #982, up from #996 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, London parishes and St Werburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Staffordshire Moorlands, Amber Valley and Stafford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Buxton is 7,436 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 52.3%.

1881 census count

4,501

Ranked #996

Modern count

6,855

2016, ranked #982

Peak year

1999

7,436 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Buxton had 4,501 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #996 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 6,855 in 2016, ranked #982.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 6,784 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Buxton surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Buxton surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Buxton 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 2,758 #1,063
1861 historical 2,133 #1,364
1881 historical 4,501 #996
1891 historical 4,734 #982
1901 historical 6,125 #907
1911 historical 6,784 #764
1997 modern 7,047 #924
1998 modern 7,408 #913
1999 modern 7,436 #918
2000 modern 7,304 #923
2001 modern 7,131 #928
2002 modern 7,273 #929
2003 modern 7,146 #918
2004 modern 7,079 #927
2005 modern 6,935 #938
2006 modern 6,881 #948
2007 modern 6,957 #945
2008 modern 6,914 #959
2009 modern 7,028 #966
2010 modern 7,172 #966
2011 modern 7,112 #960
2012 modern 6,858 #971
2013 modern 6,982 #971
2014 modern 7,023 #973
2015 modern 6,926 #981
2016 modern 6,855 #982

Geography

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Where Buxtons are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Staffordshire Moorlands, Amber Valley and Stafford. 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 St Werburgh Derbyshire
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Staffordshire Moorlands 006 Staffordshire Moorlands
2 Amber Valley 012 Amber Valley
3 Staffordshire Moorlands 005 Staffordshire Moorlands
4 Amber Valley 017 Amber Valley
5 Stafford 002 Stafford

Forenames

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First names often paired with Buxton

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Buxton

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Buxton 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

Buxton 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

Buxton falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Buxton

The surname Buxton has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is a locational surname derived from the town of Buxton in Derbyshire. The name is thought to have evolved from the Old English words "buck" meaning "male deer" and "tun" meaning "an enclosed settlement or estate."

Buxton is mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of land and property holdings commissioned by William the Conqueror. This early record suggests that the surname Buxton likely emerged from this area in the centuries following the Norman Conquest.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Buxton can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Staffordshire in 1199, where a William de Buckeston is mentioned. This spelling variation reflects the evolution of the name from its locational origins.

In the 13th century, a notable figure named Ralph de Buxton served as the Sheriff of Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire. He was appointed to this position in 1275 by King Edward I.

During the 16th century, a clergyman named William Buxton (c. 1516 - 1594) gained recognition for his role in the English Reformation. He served as the Bishop of Norwich from 1570 until his death.

In the 18th century, Sir Thomas Fowell Buxton (1786 - 1845) was a prominent social reformer and abolitionist. He played a significant role in the campaign to abolish slavery in the British Empire.

Another individual of note was the English naturalist and writer Richard Buxton (1786 - 1865), who authored several works on botany and natural history.

The surname Buxton has also been associated with various places across England, such as Buxton in Norfolk, Buxton with Lamas in Norfolk, and Buxton in Wiltshire, further highlighting its locational origins.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Buxton families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Buxton 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. Derbyshire leads with 933 Buxtons recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.58x.

County Total Index
Derbyshire 933 13.58x
Yorkshire 531 1.22x
Lancashire 446 0.86x
Nottinghamshire 421 7.12x
Staffordshire 373 2.52x
Middlesex 303 0.69x
Cheshire 225 2.32x
Suffolk 193 3.61x
Norfolk 183 2.71x
Surrey 135 0.63x
Leicestershire 120 2.47x
Kent 112 0.75x
Warwickshire 70 0.63x
Essex 67 0.77x
Lincolnshire 64 0.91x
Somerset 46 0.65x
Northumberland 32 0.49x
Durham 31 0.24x
Hertfordshire 23 0.76x
Berkshire 19 0.58x
Gloucestershire 19 0.22x
Sussex 18 0.24x
Worcestershire 15 0.26x
Cambridgeshire 14 0.50x
Devon 14 0.15x
Rutland 14 4.34x
Lanarkshire 12 0.08x
Flintshire 11 0.93x
Glamorgan 10 0.13x
Hampshire 7 0.08x
Angus 6 0.15x
Buckinghamshire 5 0.19x
Northamptonshire 5 0.12x
Monmouthshire 4 0.13x
Caernarfonshire 3 0.17x
Cornwall 3 0.06x
Westmorland 2 0.21x
Bedfordshire 1 0.04x
Brecknockshire 1 0.11x
Denbighshire 1 0.06x
Dorset 1 0.03x
Huntingdonshire 1 0.11x
Kincardineshire 1 0.19x
Montgomeryshire 1 0.10x
Perthshire 1 0.05x
Royal Navy 1 0.19x
Shropshire 1 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Nottingham St Mary in Nottinghamshire leads with 82 Buxtons recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.36x.

Place Total Index
Nottingham St Mary 82 5.36x
Sheffield 79 5.71x
Stoke Upon Trent 77 4.90x
Ecclesall Bierlow 64 7.24x
Eckington 61 36.54x
Heanor 52 50.60x
St Pancras London 52 1.47x
Greasley 48 35.97x
Hurdsfield 47 78.85x
Aston 44 1.44x
Manchester 44 1.88x
Derby St Alkmund 43 20.88x
Chesterfield 38 14.75x
Chorlton On Medlock 37 4.47x
Litchurch 36 13.02x
Barlborough 34 133.86x
Derby St Werburgh 34 8.57x
Wirksworth 34 54.43x
Alfreton 33 15.81x
Salford 33 2.15x
St George Hanover Square 33 4.27x
Burton Extra 31 36.50x
Leek Lowe 31 15.73x
Macclesfield 31 7.20x
Youlgreave 31 155.94x
Brightside Bierlow 29 3.40x
Brampton 28 29.15x
Sutton In Macclesfield 27 26.86x
Islington London 25 0.59x
South Normanton 25 51.79x
Allestree 24 272.73x
Ashton Under Lyne 24 2.11x
Hackney London 24 0.98x
Ripley 24 28.26x
Snenton 24 10.33x
Gorton 23 4.70x
Lambeth 22 0.57x
Leicester St Margaret 22 1.85x
Nether Hallam 22 3.74x
Bermondsey 21 1.61x
Birmingham 21 0.57x
Burslem 21 4.95x
Burton Upon Trent 21 6.06x
Glossop Dale 21 6.53x
Matlock 21 22.76x
Openshaw 20 8.20x
Buxton 19 32.67x
Hallaton 19 176.09x
Ratcliffe Upon Trent 19 128.03x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 18 4.44x
Eston 18 19.00x
Kimberworth 18 7.46x
Newark Upon Trent 18 8.47x
Rattlesden 18 115.09x
Belper 17 12.76x
Botesdale 17 205.07x
Colston Bassett 17 364.81x
Selston 17 25.73x
Castleton 16 3.08x
Heigham 16 4.42x
Radcliffe 16 6.37x
Stanton 16 338.27x
West Derby 16 1.05x
Wimbledon 16 6.66x
Billingford In Mitford 15 317.12x
Liverpool 15 0.47x
Radford 15 4.99x
Ruddington 15 37.82x
Swanscombe 15 22.30x
Byker 14 4.34x
Camberwell 14 0.50x
Heaton 14 283.98x
Little Bolton 14 2.09x
Newton 14 3.49x
Onehouse 14 267.69x
Rochester St Margaret 14 8.87x
Rushton Spencer 14 273.44x
Walsall Foreign 14 1.83x
Great Yarmouth 13 2.33x
Melbecks 13 74.20x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 306
Sarah 202
Elizabeth 166
Ann 97
Emma 78
Eliza 77
Hannah 72
Annie 71
Jane 60
Ellen 52
Emily 51
Alice 48
Martha 44
Harriet 33
Ada 32
Margaret 30
Louisa 29
Charlotte 28
Fanny 27
Edith 24
Caroline 23
Agnes 21
Florence 21
Maria 21
Lucy 19
Clara 17
Harriett 15
Kate 15
Ruth 15
Frances 14
Anne 13
Elizth. 13
Gertrude 13
Lydia 13
Anna 12
Catherine 12
Esther 12
Isabella 10
Helen 9
Rebecca 9
Sophia 9
Amelia 8
Bertha 8
Julia 8
Mabel 8
Matilda 8
Minnie 8
Rachel 8
Eleanor 7
Rose 7

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 272
John 261
George 178
Thomas 150
James 117
Henry 105
Charles 99
Joseph 98
Samuel 83
Edward 55
Arthur 54
Robert 50
Alfred 47
Frederick 41
Walter 32
Harry 30
Herbert 25
Richard 24
Albert 21
Ernest 17
Benjamin 16
Frank 15
David 13
Wm. 13
Fred 12
Isaac 12
Francis 11
Daniel 8
Edwin 8
Matthew 8
Fredrick 7
Percy 7
Tom 7
Saml. 6
Bennett 5
Edmund 5
Fredk. 5
Geo. 5
German 5
Harold 5
Henery 5
Jesse 5
Leonard 5
Peter 5
Sidney 5
Stephen 5
Thos. 5
Josiah 4
Sam 4
Sydney 4

FAQ

Buxton surname: questions and answers

How common was the Buxton surname in 1881?

In 1881, 4,501 people were recorded with the Buxton surname. That placed it at #996 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Buxton surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 6,855 in 2016. That gives Buxton a modern rank of #982.

What does the Buxton surname mean?

A locational surname referring to a town in Derbyshire, England, derived from Old English meaning "buck's town."

What does the Buxton map show?

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