NameCensus.

UK surname

Buzza

A surname derived from an Italian word meaning "stinger" or "pricker."

In the 1881 census there were 157 people recorded with the Buzza surname, ranking it #15,046 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 163, ranked #22,407, down from #15,046 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Callington, Gwennap and Kenwyn, Tregavethan. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cornwall and Carmarthenshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Buzza is 209 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 3.8%.

1881 census count

157

Ranked #15,046

Modern count

163

2016, ranked #22,407

Peak year

1911

209 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Buzza had 157 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,046 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 163 in 2016, ranked #22,407.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 209 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Buzza surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Buzza surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Buzza 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 143 #13,343
1861 historical 104 #20,477
1881 historical 157 #15,046
1891 historical 160 #17,555
1901 historical 179 #16,227
1911 historical 209 #14,557
1997 modern 163 #20,038
1998 modern 169 #20,104
1999 modern 172 #20,009
2000 modern 170 #20,120
2001 modern 160 #20,616
2002 modern 166 #20,532
2003 modern 160 #20,789
2004 modern 160 #20,926
2005 modern 152 #21,572
2006 modern 151 #21,818
2007 modern 150 #22,212
2008 modern 150 #22,429
2009 modern 162 #21,791
2010 modern 159 #22,577
2011 modern 162 #22,101
2012 modern 157 #22,551
2013 modern 163 #22,342
2014 modern 159 #22,930
2015 modern 163 #22,407
2016 modern 163 #22,407

Geography

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Where Buzzas are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Callington, Gwennap, Kenwyn, Tregavethan, Camborne and Kea. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cornwall and Carmarthenshire. 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 Callington Cornwall
2 Gwennap Cornwall
3 Kenwyn, Tregavethan Cornwall
4 Camborne Cornwall
5 Kea Cornwall

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cornwall 046 Cornwall
2 Cornwall 050 Cornwall
3 Cornwall 042 Cornwall
4 Cornwall 024 Cornwall
5 Carmarthenshire 021 Carmarthenshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Buzza

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Buzza

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Established Homeowners with Children

Within London, Buzza is most associated with areas classed as Established Homeowners with Children, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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 predominantly British-born residents are typically married/in civil partnerships and own the properties in which they are raising their children. Parents are typically over 45, and many other residents are beyond normal retirement age. Detached and semi-detached houses predominate and multiple car ownership is common.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Buzza is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Buzza falls in decile 3 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.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Buzza

The surname Buzza originated in Cornwall, England, and is believed to have derived from the Cornish word 'buzho', meaning 'dwelling' or 'cottage'. It is thought to have first emerged as a surname in the 13th century, referring to people who lived in a particular dwelling or area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Buzza can be found in the Assize Rolls of Cornwall from 1284, which mentions a person named John Buzza. This suggests that the name was already well-established in the region by the late 13th century.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the name Buzza was particularly prevalent in the Cornish parishes of St Erth and St Hilary. Records from this period show various spellings of the name, including Buzzo, Buza, and Buzza.

In the 17th century, a notable figure named John Buzza (born around 1620) was a prominent merchant and shipowner in the town of Penzance, Cornwall. He was involved in the local tin mining industry and played a significant role in the economic development of the region.

Another historical figure with the surname Buzza was Richard Buzza (1752-1824), a Cornish mathematician and astronomer. He made contributions to the study of planetary motion and published several works on celestial mechanics.

During the 19th century, the Buzza family continued to be well-represented in Cornwall, with several members becoming involved in the local mining industry and commerce. One notable individual was William Buzza (1826-1892), who served as the Mayor of Penzance from 1884 to 1885.

In more recent times, the surname Buzza has spread beyond Cornwall, although it remains strongly associated with its Cornish origins. Some notable individuals with this surname include the Australian author and playwright Terry Buzza (born 1941) and the American businessman and philanthropist John Buzza (born 1944).

While the surname Buzza has evolved over the centuries, its roots can be traced back to the Cornish language and the historical dwellings of the region, reflecting the rich cultural heritage of this part of England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Buzza families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Buzza 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. Cornwall leads with 105 Buzzas recorded in 1881 and an index of 60.56x.

County Total Index
Cornwall 105 60.56x
Lancashire 23 1.27x
Cumberland 8 6.07x
Devon 7 2.20x
Cheshire 6 1.77x
Surrey 6 0.80x
Hampshire 1 0.32x
Middlesex 1 0.07x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Kenwyn in Cornwall leads with 31 Buzzas recorded in 1881 and an index of 684.33x.

Place Total Index
Kenwyn 31 684.33x
Callington 11 1089.11x
Gwennap 11 336.39x
Gorton 8 46.84x
Ashton Under Lyne 7 17.63x
Camborne 7 98.04x
Cleator 6 109.29x
Monks Coppenhall 6 47.02x
Battersea 5 8.87x
St Austell 5 84.32x
St Ive 5 450.45x
Ardwick 4 24.41x
Bodmin 4 139.37x
Falmouth 4 65.15x
Hulme 4 10.54x
Maker 4 250.00x
St Cleer 4 266.67x
St Clement 4 220.99x
Calstock 3 88.24x
Plymouth St Andrew 3 12.22x
St Stithians 3 312.50x
Stoke Damerel 3 13.45x
Hensingham 2 185.19x
Liskeard 2 68.97x
Mylor 2 172.41x
Redruth 2 40.82x
Hornsey 1 5.16x
Kea 1 77.52x
Padstow 1 86.96x
Plymouth Charles The 1 7.12x
Portsea 1 1.63x
Putney 1 14.33x
Tywardreath 1 90.09x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 11
Elizabeth 10
Jane 6
Catherine 5
Ann 4
Emily 4
Susan 4
Amelia 3
Eliza 3
Grace 2
Laura 2
Margaret 2
Sarah 2
Alice 1
Alma 1
Annie 1
Betrice 1
Betsy 1
Cecilia 1
Clara 1
Elisabeth 1
Florence 1
Haphzibah 1
Harriatt 1
Harriet 1
Hetty 1
Joanna 1
Joseph 1
Kate 1
Katy 1
Matilda 1
Maud 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 13
William 12
James 7
Joseph 5
Thomas 4
Charles 3
Edward 3
Frederick 3
Henry 3
Wm. 3
Chs. 2
Fred 2
George 2
Nicholas 2
Richard 2
Richd. 2
Albert 1
David 1
Edmund 1
Ernest 1
Frank 1
Fredrick 1
Horace 1
Isaac 1
Jno. 1
Livington 1
Rd. 1
Willm.Charles 1

FAQ

Buzza surname: questions and answers

How common was the Buzza surname in 1881?

In 1881, 157 people were recorded with the Buzza surname. That placed it at #15,046 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Buzza surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 163 in 2016. That gives Buzza a modern rank of #22,407.

What does the Buzza surname mean?

A surname derived from an Italian word meaning "stinger" or "pricker."

What does the Buzza map show?

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