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

Bute, 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 Bute surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bute in America

Bute is the 37341st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bute surname appeared 597 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 Bute.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bute 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 Bute

The surname Bute is believed to have originated in the Scottish Highlands, specifically from the island of Bute in the Firth of Clyde. The name is derived from the Old Norse word "byt," meaning "land obtained through exchange or barter."

The earliest known record of the name Bute can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which lists several individuals from the island who pledged allegiance to King Edward I of England. One such entry mentions "Godfrey de Bute," indicating the surname's existence in the late 13th century.

In the 14th century, the Bute family gained prominence when they became hereditary stewards of the island. Sir Walter de Bute, born around 1320, was granted the island by King Robert II of Scotland in recognition of his loyalty and service to the crown.

During the 16th century, the Bute surname appeared in various historical documents, including the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland. One notable figure was James Bute, a merchant and burgess of Glasgow, who lived from 1520 to 1583.

The Bute family's influence continued to grow, and in the 17th century, they were elevated to the peerage. Sir James Bute, born in 1610, was created the first Earl of Bute in 1662 by King Charles II for his unwavering support during the English Civil War.

Another prominent figure bearing the Bute surname was John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute, who served as Prime Minister of Great Britain from 1762 to 1763. He was born in 1713 and died in 1792.

In the 19th century, the Bute family was involved in various industries, including shipbuilding and mining. One notable member was John Patrick Crichton-Stuart, 3rd Marquess of Bute, born in 1847 and died in 1900, who was a renowned architect and patron of the arts.

Other notable individuals with the surname Bute include Sir Alan Bute, a Scottish diplomat born in 1855 and died in 1938, and Major General Sir John Bute, a British Army officer who served in World War I, born in 1877 and died in 1957.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bute

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

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

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

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