2000
#1,381
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 23,540
First available Census row
Per 100,000 8.73
Uncommon Last name
Butts
An English toponymic surname derived from place names meaning "a strip of land" or "an archery target."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 24,468 Americans carry the last name Butts. That puts it at #1,634 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 7.14 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 14,008 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Butts 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 Butts with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
24K
1 in 14,008
Census rank
#1,634
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
7.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
21K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 21,337 bearers of the surname Butts in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 7.14 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 1634th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Butts, the largest self-reported group is White at 63.1%. The next largest groups are Black (29.3%) and Two or More Races (3.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Butts
The surname Butts originates from England, with its roots dating back to the 13th century. The name is derived from the Old English word "butt," meaning a ridge of land or a piece of ground that juts out. It is believed that the surname was initially given to people who lived on or near such a geographical feature.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Butts can be found in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, where a person named Richard de la Butte is mentioned. This early spelling variation highlights the connection to the Old English word for a ridge or promontory.
During the 14th century, the name appeared in various records, including the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire in 1379, which listed a Walter Butte. The Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327 also mentioned a John atte Butte, showcasing another variant spelling.
In the 15th century, the surname Butts became more widespread, and several notable individuals bore this name. One of the most prominent figures was Sir William Butts (c. 1490-1545), who served as a royal physician to King Henry VIII. He was highly respected for his medical expertise and played a significant role in the king's court.
Another notable figure was Sir William Butts (1573-1639), an English landowner and Member of Parliament who served as Sheriff of Norfolk in 1628. He was known for his involvement in local politics and his advocacy for the rights of Norfolk residents.
During the 16th and 17th centuries, the surname Butts was also associated with several places in England, such as Butts Close in Gloucestershire and Butts Farm in Somerset. These place names likely derived from the same Old English word and may have influenced the surname's development.
Throughout history, other individuals with the surname Butts have made their mark in various fields. Sir William Butts (1810-1882) was a British army officer who served in the Crimean War and later became a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath. John Butts (1728-1785) was an English lawyer and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Bletchingley.
The surname Butts has a rich history rooted in the English landscape and has been borne by many notable individuals over the centuries, spanning various professions and backgrounds.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Butts
Among Census respondents with the surname Butts, the largest self-reported group is White at 63.1%. The next largest groups are Black (29.3%) and Two or More Races (3.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Butts 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 Butts surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White63.1% · 13,468
- Black or African American29.3% · 6,250
- Two or more races3.9% · 836
- Hispanic or Latino2.8% · 592
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 123
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.3% · 68
Timeline
Historical Census data for Butts
Butts 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
#1,548
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 23,227
-313 bearers (-1.3%)
Per 100,000 7.87
Rank movement Down 167 places
2020
#1,634
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 21,337
-1,890 bearers (-8.1%)
Per 100,000 7.14
Rank movement Down 86 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #1,381 | 23,540 | 8.73 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #1,548 | 23,227 | 7.87 | -313 bearers (-1.3%) | Down 167 places |
| 2020 | #1,634 | 21,337 | 7.14 | -1,890 bearers (-8.1%) | Down 86 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 Butts 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 | #1,548 | #1,634 | -5.6% |
| Count | 23,227 | 21,337 | -8.1% |
| Per 100K | 7.87 | 7.14 | -9.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Butts bearers went from 23,227 to 21,337 (-8.1% change). The surname moved down 86 positions in the national ranking, going from #1,548 to #1,634.
FAQ
Butts surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Butts?
Name Census estimates that about 24,468 living Americans carry the surname Butts. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 14,008 residents.
How common is Butts?
Butts ranks #1,634 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 7.14 per 100,000 residents, which is about 7 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 21,337 people with the surname Butts. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (24,468), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 7.14 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 7.14 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 7 of them to have the surname Butts.
Has Butts become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Butts went from 23,227 recorded bearers to 21,337. That is a decrease of 1,890 (-8.1%). In the national ranking it fell from #1,548 to #1,634.
What does the Census say about the background of Butts?
Among Census respondents with the surname Butts, the largest self-reported group is White at 63.1%. The next largest groups are Black (29.3%) and Two or More Races (3.9%). 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 Butts in the 2020 Census, accounting for 63.1% (13,468 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Butts appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (63.1%), Black (29.3%), Two or More Races (3.9%). 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 Butts (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 Butts mean?
An English toponymic surname derived from place names meaning "a strip of land" or "an archery target." 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 Butts (7.14 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 Americans have the surname Butts?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.