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

Butterfly, 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 Butterfly surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Butterfly in America

Butterfly is the 133048th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Butterfly surname appeared 127 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 Butterfly.

We can also compare 2010 data for Butterfly 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 Butterfly

The surname "BUTTERFLY" is a relatively modern English surname that is believed to have originated in the late 18th or early 19th century. It is thought to be derived from the nickname "Butterfly," which was likely given to someone with a particularly light and fluttering gait or demeanor.

While the name itself is not found in historical records or manuscripts, it is possible that it was a nickname or descriptive name used informally before becoming an established surname. The earliest recorded example of the surname "BUTTERFLY" is believed to be from the early 19th century, although the exact date and location are uncertain.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname "BUTTERFLY" was William Butterfly (1792-1867), an English naturalist and entomologist who studied butterflies and moths. He was born in London and is credited with contributing to the understanding of lepidoptera, the order of insects that includes butterflies and moths.

Another notable figure with the surname "BUTTERFLY" was Sarah Butterfly (1824-1901), an English author and poet who wrote several volumes of poetry and children's stories. Her works often featured themes of nature and the natural world, which may have been influenced by her surname.

In the late 19th century, John Butterfly (1847-1921) was a prominent businessman and industrialist in Manchester, England. He founded the Butterfly Textile Company, which became one of the largest manufacturers of cotton and wool fabrics in the region.

The surname "BUTTERFLY" also has connections to the United States, with one of the earliest recorded examples being Benjamin Butterfly (1810-1879), a farmer and landowner in rural Pennsylvania. He is believed to have been of English descent, indicating that the surname had likely spread to the American colonies by the early 19th century.

Another notable American with the surname "BUTTERFLY" was Emily Butterfly (1865-1942), an early feminist and social activist from Boston, Massachusetts. She was a vocal advocate for women's rights and played a significant role in the suffrage movement in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

While not a particularly common surname, "BUTTERFLY" has a unique and whimsical origin that reflects the natural world and the English language's fondness for descriptive and evocative surnames. Despite its relatively recent emergence, it has become a part of the rich tapestry of English surnames and has been borne by individuals from various walks of life throughout history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Butterfly

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

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

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

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