2000
#7,494
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,100
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.52
Rare Last name
Bussell
An English occupational surname referring to a person who made a coarse woolen cloth known as burel.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 4,596 Americans carry the last name Bussell. That puts it at #7,939 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.34 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 74,577 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Bussell surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Bussell with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
4.6K
1 in 74,577
Census rank
#7,939
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
4.0K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 4,008 bearers of the surname Bussell in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.34 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 7939th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Bussell, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.0%. The next largest groups are Black (9.1%) and Two or More Races (4.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Bussell
The surname Bussell has its origins in England, originating as an English locational surname. It is derived from the Old English words "burh" meaning a fortified town or dwelling, and "sæl" meaning a hall or mansion. Together, these elements form the compound "Burghsæl" or "Burgsal", referring to a fortified manor house or estate.
Records indicate that the name was first found in Worcestershire, where the family held lands and estates. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Richard de Burghsale, who was recorded in the Pipe Rolls of Worcestershire in 1207. The name also appears in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 as Borgessale.
By the 13th century, the surname had evolved into its modern spelling of Bussell. In 1327, a John Bussell was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Staffordshire. The Subsidy Rolls were tax records, suggesting that the Bussell family had achieved a level of prominence and wealth by this time.
Over the centuries, various branches of the Bussell family acquired lands and estates across England, particularly in the counties of Worcestershire, Staffordshire, and Derbyshire. Notable individuals bearing the Bussell surname include Sir William Bussell (c.1530-1579), a Member of Parliament during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, and Sir Francis Bussell (1572-1641), a wealthy landowner and politician who served as High Sheriff of Derbyshire.
During the English Civil War, the Bussells were staunch Royalists, supporting King Charles I. Sir William Bussell (1607-1661) was knighted by the King in 1642 for his loyalty and service. After the Restoration of the monarchy in 1660, Sir William's son, also named William Bussell (1636-1684), was appointed High Sheriff of Derbyshire in recognition of his family's support for the Crown.
Another notable figure was Jervase Bussell (1615-1688), a successful merchant and landowner in Worcestershire. His grandson, Thomas Bussell (1679-1737), was a prominent attorney and served as Recorder of Worcester, a prestigious legal position.
Throughout its history, the Bussell surname has been associated with landed gentry, political figures, and influential families in various parts of England, particularly the Midlands and Derbyshire regions. While the name has evolved in spelling over time, its origins can be traced back to the Old English words denoting a fortified manor house or estate.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Bussell
Among Census respondents with the surname Bussell, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.0%. The next largest groups are Black (9.1%) and Two or More Races (4.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Bussell bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Bussell surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White81.0% · 3,247
- Black or African American9.1% · 366
- Two or more races4.3% · 171
- Hispanic or Latino3.3% · 132
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.6% · 63
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 29
Timeline
Historical Census data for Bussell
Bussell appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#7,713
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,305
+205 bearers (+5.0%)
Per 100,000 1.46
Rank movement Down 219 places
2020
#7,939
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,008
-297 bearers (-6.9%)
Per 100,000 1.34
Rank movement Down 226 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #7,494 | 4,100 | 1.52 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #7,713 | 4,305 | 1.46 | +205 bearers (+5.0%) | Down 219 places |
| 2020 | #7,939 | 4,008 | 1.34 | -297 bearers (-6.9%) | Down 226 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Bussell surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #7,713 | #7,939 | -2.9% |
| Count | 4,305 | 4,008 | -6.9% |
| Per 100K | 1.46 | 1.34 | -8.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Bussell bearers went from 4,305 to 4,008 (-6.9% change). The surname moved down 226 positions in the national ranking, going from #7,713 to #7,939.
FAQ
Bussell surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Bussell?
Name Census estimates that about 4,596 living Americans carry the surname Bussell. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 74,577 residents.
How common is Bussell?
Bussell ranks #7,939 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.34 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 4,008 people with the surname Bussell. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (4,596), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.34 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.34 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Bussell.
Has Bussell become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Bussell went from 4,305 recorded bearers to 4,008. That is a decrease of 297 (-6.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #7,713 to #7,939.
What does the Census say about the background of Bussell?
Among Census respondents with the surname Bussell, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.0%. The next largest groups are Black (9.1%) and Two or More Races (4.3%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Bussell in the 2020 Census, accounting for 81.0% (3,247 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Bussell appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (81.0%), Black (9.1%), Two or More Races (4.3%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Bussell (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Bussell mean?
An English occupational surname referring to a person who made a coarse woolen cloth known as burel. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Bussell (1.34 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people share the surname Bussell?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.