NameCensus.

UK surname

Buyers

An occupational surname derived from someone employed as a buyer or purchaser.

In the 1881 census there were 136 people recorded with the Buyers surname, ranking it #16,433 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 114, ranked #28,515, down from #16,433 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Paddington, Gateshead and Old Luce. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Braeside, Mannofield, Broomhill and Seafield East, Dyce and West End North.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Buyers is 240 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 16.2%.

1881 census count

136

Ranked #16,433

Modern count

114

2016, ranked #28,515

Peak year

1891

240 bearers

Map years

7

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Buyers had 136 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,433 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 114 in 2016, ranked #28,515.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 240 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Small Town Suburbia.

Buyers surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Buyers surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Buyers 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 83 #19,181
1861 historical 150 #15,296
1881 historical 136 #16,433
1891 historical 240 #13,123
1901 historical 155 #17,704
1911 historical 94 #23,391
1997 modern 105 #26,188
1998 modern 105 #26,822
1999 modern 103 #27,305
2000 modern 114 #25,717
2001 modern 111 #25,767
2002 modern 110 #26,412
2003 modern 108 #26,486
2004 modern 110 #26,451
2005 modern 101 #27,854
2006 modern 102 #27,926
2007 modern 100 #28,669
2008 modern 95 #29,822
2009 modern 100 #29,597
2010 modern 109 #28,831
2011 modern 111 #28,294
2012 modern 109 #28,689
2013 modern 116 #27,992
2014 modern 118 #27,961
2015 modern 117 #27,982
2016 modern 114 #28,515

Geography

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Where Buyers' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Paddington, Gateshead, Old Luce, Midmar and Ware (Ware). Hertford St John, Hertford All Saints. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Braeside, Mannofield, Broomhill and Seafield East, Dyce, West End North, East Craigs North and North Tyneside. 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 Paddington London (West Districts)
2 Gateshead Durham
3 Old Luce Wigtown
4 Midmar Aberdeen
5 Ware (Ware). Hertford St John, Hertford All Saints Hertfordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Braeside, Mannofield, Broomhill and Seafield East Aberdeen City
2 Dyce Aberdeen City
3 West End North Aberdeen City
4 East Craigs North City of Edinburgh
5 North Tyneside 010 North Tyneside

Forenames

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First names often paired with Buyers

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Buyers

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Small Town Suburbia

Nationally, the Buyers surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Small Town Suburbia, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Buyers 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 is predominantly comprised of married couples with no resident dependent children, living in areas characterised neither by under-occupancy nor overcrowding throughout the UK in or adjacent to small towns. White ethnic groups and affiliation with Christianity predominates. Housing tends to be predominantly semi-detached or detached and workers are employed principally in managerial and professional occupations, with semi-skilled occupations also in evidence. These areas of the Supergroup are of higher population density.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Buyers is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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 residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Buyers is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Buyers 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 Buyers is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Buyers

The surname BUYERS is of English origin, and it is believed to have emerged in the late 12th or early 13th century. It is a occupational surname derived from the Old English word "bycgan," meaning "to buy." This suggests that the name was initially given to someone who worked as a buyer or merchant.

The earliest known record of the surname BUYERS dates back to the 13th century, with a mention of a Thomas le Buyer in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273. This document was a survey of landowners conducted by King Edward I. The use of the prefix "le" before the surname indicates that it was an occupational name at the time.

Another early reference to the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1301, which mention a John le Byer. This spelling variation highlights the fluidity of surnames in the Middle Ages before they became fixed.

During the 14th century, the surname BUYERS began to appear in various records across England. In the Subsidy Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1327, a William Byer is listed, while the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1332 mention a John Byer.

One of the earliest notable individuals with the surname BUYERS was William Buyers (c. 1542-1615), an English clergyman and theologian who served as the Dean of Lichfield from 1595 until his death.

In the 17th century, the surname BUYERS was also found in Scotland. A prominent figure with this name was Robert Buyers (c. 1615-1681), a Scottish minister and theologian who served as the Rector of the University of Aberdeen from 1647 to 1652.

The 18th century saw the emergence of several distinguished individuals with the surname BUYERS. One such person was John Buyers (1695-1766), an English theologian and clergyman who served as the Dean of Ely from 1756 until his death.

Another notable figure was Thomas Buyers (1737-1811), an English physician and writer who published works on medicine and natural history.

In the 19th century, the surname BUYERS continued to be found across various parts of Britain. One prominent individual was William Buyers (1805-1877), an English architect and surveyor who designed several notable buildings in London.

Throughout its history, the surname BUYERS has maintained its connection to its occupational origins as a name associated with merchants and traders. While the spelling may have varied slightly over time, the core meaning and significance of the name have remained consistent.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Buyers families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Buyers 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. Aberdeenshire leads with 77 Buyers' recorded in 1881 and an index of 62.22x.

County Total Index
Aberdeenshire 77 62.22x
Middlesex 14 1.05x
Durham 8 2.01x
Kent 5 1.10x
Angus 4 3.23x
Banffshire 4 14.43x
Cheshire 4 1.36x
Midlothian 4 2.23x
Bedfordshire 3 4.34x
Wigtownshire 3 16.91x
Lanarkshire 2 0.46x
Glamorgan 1 0.43x
Gloucestershire 1 0.38x
Inverness-shire 1 2.51x
Lancashire 1 0.06x
Morayshire 1 4.82x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.56x
Royal Navy 1 6.28x
Surrey 1 0.15x
West Lothian 1 4.97x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Aberdeen Old Machar in Aberdeenshire leads with 43 Buyers' recorded in 1881 and an index of 166.41x.

Place Total Index
Aberdeen Old Machar 43 166.41x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 15 64.79x
South Shields 8 225.99x
Paddington London 6 12.21x
Fraserburgh 5 143.68x
Woolwich 5 29.69x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 4 5.55x
Islington London 4 3.09x
Midmar 4 833.33x
St Fergus 4 571.43x
Kinnel 3 937.50x
Luton 3 25.04x
Portpatrick 3 508.47x
Tranmere 3 27.68x
Udny 3 400.00x
Westminster St James 3 21.83x
Barony 2 1.83x
Cluny 2 333.33x
Bristol St George 1 8.25x
Cardiff St Mary 1 7.80x
Cheetham 1 8.45x
Ellon 1 58.82x
Hackney London 1 1.33x
Higher Bebington 1 52.91x
King Edward 1 69.93x
Livingstone 1 144.93x
Meldrum 1 96.15x
Mitcham 1 24.27x
Monifieth 1 22.88x
Nottingham St Mary 1 2.15x
Pitsligo 1 84.75x
Raasay 1 10000.00x
Tarves 1 85.47x
Urquhart 1 102.04x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Emma 3
Ellen 2
Jane 2
Mary 2
Annie 1
Catharine 1
Catherine 1
Clara 1
Edith 1
Elizath. 1
Elizth. 1
Georgeana 1
Jessie 1
Mabel 1
Margaret 1
Rose 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Edwin 2
John 2
William 2
Albert 1
Alexander 1
Edward 1
F. 1
Fred 1
George 1
James 1
Rowland 1
Samuel 1
Thomas 1
Walter 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Buyers households.

FAQ

Buyers surname: questions and answers

How common was the Buyers surname in 1881?

In 1881, 136 people were recorded with the Buyers surname. That placed it at #16,433 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Buyers surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 114 in 2016. That gives Buyers a modern rank of #28,515.

What does the Buyers surname mean?

An occupational surname derived from someone employed as a buyer or purchaser.

What does the Buyers map show?

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