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

Busey, 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 Busey surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Busey in America

Busey is the 22749th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Busey surname appeared 1,126 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 Busey.

We can also compare 2010 data for Busey 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.

The history of the last name Busey

The surname Busey originated in England, with records dating back to the late 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "bury," which refers to a fortified town or dwelling. The name may have been given to someone who lived near a prominent bury or one who worked as a guardian or keeper of a bury.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Staffordshire from 1199, where a Richard de Bures is mentioned. This spelling variation suggests a connection to the town of Bures in Suffolk, which further reinforces the name's association with a place of residence.

In the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, a William de Bures is recorded as holding lands in Hertfordshire. This record provides evidence of the surname's usage and establishment during the medieval period.

The Busey surname has also been linked to the village of Bushey in Hertfordshire, which was once spelled as "Bußey" or "Busshy." This connection suggests that the name may have originated from a person who hailed from or was associated with this particular location.

Notable individuals with the surname Busey include Sir John Busby (1765-1857), a British Army officer who served in the Napoleonic Wars and later became a Member of Parliament. Another prominent figure was William Henry Busey (1826-1898), an American politician and lawyer who served as a U.S. Representative from Illinois.

In the realm of literature, the American author and poet John Busby (1918-1989) gained recognition for his works, including the novel "House of Fury" and the poetry collection "The Summon."

The Busey name can also be found in the arts, with Gary Busey (born 1944) being a notable American actor known for his roles in films such as "The Buddy Holly Story," "Lethal Weapon," and "Point Break."

Additionally, the American baseball player Gus Busey (1888-1953) played in the Major Leagues from 1911 to 1924, primarily for the Chicago White Sox and Boston Red Sox.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Busey

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

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 Busey was:

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 Busey has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

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 Busey was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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