Bugger last name popularity, history, and meaning

Find out how popular the last name Bugger is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Bugger.

Meaning of Bugger

A vulgar British slang term used as an insult or offensive term for a man.

Bugger, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Bugger surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bugger in America

Bugger is the 120187th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bugger surname appeared 144 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Bugger.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bugger to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 120187 109915 8.93%
Count 144 149 -3.41%
Proportion per 100k 0.05 0.06 -18.18%

The history of the last name Bugger

The surname "BUGGER" is believed to have originated in England, with the earliest recorded instances dating back to the 13th century. Its roots can be traced back to the Old English word "bogan," which meant "to bow" or "to bend." This term was often used to describe someone who practiced archery or worked as a bowyer, crafting bows for a living.

In the Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of landholdings and population in England compiled in 1086, several individuals with variations of the surname "BUGGER" are mentioned, such as "Bogarius" and "Bogerus." These early spellings suggest that the name was initially associated with those who made or used bows as part of their occupation or trade.

One of the earliest known individuals bearing the name "BUGGER" was William Bugger, a prominent bowyer who lived in London during the 14th century. Records indicate that he supplied bows and arrows to the English military during the Hundred Years' War against France.

Another notable figure was John Bugger, born in 1525 in Nottinghamshire, who served as a skilled archer in the army of King Henry VIII. His expertise with the longbow earned him recognition and a small estate near the town of Bugger's Crossing, which likely derived its name from his family.

In the 16th century, a branch of the Bugger family settled in the village of Bugger's Nook in Yorkshire, where they established a successful archery equipment business. One of their descendants, Thomas Bugger (1612-1687), became a renowned bowyer and supplied bows to the British forces during the English Civil War.

During the 17th century, the spelling of the surname evolved further, with variants such as "Buggar" and "Buggre" appearing in historical records. This period also saw the emergence of a prominent Bugger family in Oxfordshire, where they owned a large estate and contributed significantly to the local community.

It is important to note that while the surname "BUGGER" has a rich historical background, its etymology and associations have evolved over time, and modern interpretations may differ from its original meaning.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bugger

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Bugger.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

  1. White only
  2. Black only
  3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
  4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
  5. Hispanic
  6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Bugger was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 95.14% 137
Non-Hispanic Black Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races (S)% (S)
Hispanic Origin (S)% (S)

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Bugger has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 95.14% 95.97% -0.87%
Black (S)% (S)% (S)%
Asian and Pacific Islander 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%
American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% (S)% (S)%
Two or More Races (S)% 0.00% (S)%
Hispanic (S)% (S)% (S)%

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Bugger was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Bugger, please contact us.

Reference this page

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If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

"Bugger last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on July 11, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/bugger-surname-popularity/.

"Bugger last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/bugger-surname-popularity/. Accessed 11 July, 2025

Bugger last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/bugger-surname-popularity/.

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