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

Bushell, 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 Bushell surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bushell in America

Bushell is the 23634th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bushell surname appeared 1,073 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 Bushell.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bushell 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 Bushell

The surname Bushell has its origins in England, emerging in the late 12th century. It is derived from the Old French word "buisselle," which means a small bush or shrub. This name likely referred to someone who lived near a prominent bush or shrubland.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Bushell surname can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, a census-like record of landowners in England. Here, a William Bushell is listed as holding lands in Oxfordshire.

The Bushell name appears in various historical records throughout the Middle Ages, including the Plea Rolls of 1332, where a Robert Bushell is mentioned in relation to a legal case in Cambridgeshire. The Bushell surname is also found in the Pipe Rolls of 1379, which were financial records of the English Exchequer.

In the 15th century, the Bushell family established itself in the village of Bushell Green, located in what is now the West Midlands region of England. This place name likely contributed to the perpetuation of the surname in that area.

One notable figure bearing the Bushell surname was Thomas Bushell (1594-1674), an English entrepreneur and farmer who introduced new agricultural techniques to England from the Netherlands. He was also involved in mining and was credited with establishing the first copper smelting works in Wales.

Another prominent individual was Browne Bushell (1608-1701), a lawyer and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Westbury, Wiltshire. He was a staunch supporter of the Parliamentarian cause during the English Civil War.

In the 18th century, Seth Bushell (1725-1784) was a renowned English clockmaker and inventor who made significant contributions to the design and manufacturing of clocks and watches.

The Bushell surname also found its way to the American colonies, with records showing a William Bushell arriving in Virginia as an indentured servant in 1635.

Reverend Jonathan Bushell (1725-1801) was an influential Anglican clergyman and educator in Maryland, serving as the rector of St. Anne's Parish in Annapolis and as the first principal of King William's School.

While the Bushell surname originated in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world through emigration and continues to be a notable family name in various countries today.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bushell

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

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

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

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