Find out how popular the last name Bushé is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Bushé.
A surname derived from the Old French word "busche" meaning bush or thicket.
Bushé, 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 Bushé surname is from the 2000 census data.
Bushé is the 96480th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.
The Bushé surname appeared 175 times in the 2000 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Bushé.
The surname Bushe has its origins in medieval England, specifically dating back to the Norman Conquest of 1066. It is derived from the Old French word "bois," which means "wood" or "forest," indicating that the name originally denoted someone who lived near or in a wooded area. The transition from "bois" to "Bushe" exemplifies the linguistic shifts that occurred as Old French merged with Old English over the centuries.
The earliest historical references to the surname Bushe are found in the feudal records of England. One notable record is the Domesday Book of 1086, where a similar name, "Bosc," appears. This document, commissioned by William the Conqueror, aimed to catalogue land ownership and resources in post-Norman England. The similarity in phonetic structure and meaning suggests an evolutionary link to the surname Bushe.
The earliest recorded example of the surname Bushe is from the early 13th century. An individual by the name of John Bushe is mentioned in the "Feet of Fines" for the county of Norfolk in 1221. This record is a type of legal transaction that documents land disputes and settlements, indicating that John Bushe was likely a landowner or someone of some importance within the local community.
The surname appears in variations such as Bush and Busshe in different English counties over the years. One notable historical figure bearing the surname is Richard Bushe, who served as a Member of Parliament for Taunton in the late 15th century. His political career is well-documented, with records showing his participation in the 1485 Parliament summoned by Henry VII.
Simon Bushe, another notable figure, was a merchant in the thriving port city of Bristol during the early 16th century. His involvement in the wool and cloth trade contributed significantly to the economic development of the region. Records show that he was an influential figure within the merchant guilds and was active around 1523.
In Ireland, the surname took root during the Tudor plantations in the 16th and 17th centuries. John Bushe, an English landowner, settled in County Cork around 1603. He was involved in the administration of the newly acquired lands and played a crucial role in the establishment of English governance in the region.
A famous bearer of the name in more recent history is Judge Charles Kendal Bushe, born in 1767 and died in 1843. He served as the Lord Chief Justice of Ireland from 1822 to 1841 and was renowned for his legal acumen and oratory skills. His contributions to the Irish judicial system have been well-documented, and he remains a prominent figure in Irish legal history.
Evidently, the surname Bushe has a storied history with roots stretching back nearly a millennium. Its evolution from a descriptor of woodland dwellers to a name associated with political, economic, and legal prominence reflects the dynamic nature of surname development in English and Irish history. Over the centuries, individuals bearing the surname have left their mark in various fields, contributing to the rich tapestry of history associated with the name Bushe.
We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Bushé.
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:
For the most recent 2000 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Bushé was:
Race/Ethnicity | Percentage | Total Occurrences |
---|---|---|
Non-Hispanic White Only | 79.43% | 139 |
Non-Hispanic Black Only | 10.86% | 19 |
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only | (S)% | (S) |
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native | (S)% | (S) |
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races | 4.57% | 8 |
Hispanic Origin | 3.43% | 6 |
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.
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 Bushé was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.
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<a href="http://namecensus.com/last-names/bushe-surname-popularity/">Bushé last name popularity, history, and meaning</a>
"Bushé last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on July 8, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/bushe-surname-popularity/.
"Bushé last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/bushe-surname-popularity/. Accessed 8 July, 2025
Bushé last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/bushe-surname-popularity/.
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