Origins of the Butler surname

What does the name Butler mean?

The Butler surname in English, where it is thought to have arrived with the Normans and is found in documents dating back to the 1100s. Butler derives from the Norman French word 'butuiller' (bottler or bottlemaker) and was an occupational name describing someone who looked after bottles and casks of wine in a serving capacity, and those who descend from them. The 'botiler' to the king was considered a position of great importance and through this position, the name found its way to Ireland with Norman nobility.

Alternative variations of the name Butler

Butler, Buttler, Butlar, Batler, Burtler

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Delve deeper into the Butler family's history

OrkneyShetlandHighlandsWestern IslesGrampianTaysideCentralStrathclydeFifeLothianBordersDumfriesNorth East 877North West 625Isle of Man 23Yorkshire 2740East Midlands 1404West Midlands 2384East 1551London 6316South East 3071South West 930South Wales 375Mid Wales 86West WalesNorth Wales 97Republic of IrelandNorthern Ireland

In 1921, most Butlers lived in london

Census records trace your ancestors through each generation, so you can follow where your relatives lived through each decade.

73,000 Butler Travel & migration records
290,000 Butlers found in all Census records

Interesting facts about Butler

How common is your surname?

99th most common surname in the UK

We have for the Butler surname. The oldest one dates back to 1220.

Who were Butlers most likely to marry?

Our tell us which families married Butlers.

What are the most common Butler first names?

John

William

Mary

Elizabeth

Our tell us the names of Butler family members
Man with milk churns and census card collage
Census records provide incredible detail on names, ages, marital statuses, occupations and more.

Common jobs for Butlers

Men and women often performed different types of jobs, so these are displayed by gender to maintain their historical accuracy.

Common female occupations for Butlers in 1921

Dressmaker

1,169

Laundress

801

Domestic Servant

735

General Servant Domestic

651

Charwoman

525

Common male occupations for Butlers in 1921

Agricultural Labourer

1,411

General Labourer

1,202

Farm Labourer

767

Coal Miner

741

Carpenter

740

We found over 390,000 family trees with the Butler surname

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