The Bush surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 84,018 people carried this name — #372 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 3,510 people counted. That is up 3% from 81,524 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Bush surname

Either the family name for those who live near a bush or a thicket of bushes, or the family name for those living at or near a bush (in the archaic sense of wine merchant or tavern).

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Bush» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a local name, from where the family lived: ‘at the bush’.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 151 · public domain.

In France’s civil register

France’s register of deaths holds 33 people named Bush.

Most of them — 20 — were born outside France. Those born in France came from 4 départements, most often Paris.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they were born

Born outside France 20
Paris 5
Maine-et-Loire 4
Aube 2
Val-de-Marne 2

Fichier des personnes décédées, INSEE — Licence Ouverte 2.0 · deaths recorded in France since 1970, by place of birth.

In Switzerland’s population statistics

21 people named Bush live in Switzerland.

They live in 5 of Switzerland’s 26 cantons, most of all in Graubünden.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they live today

Graubünden 7
Aargau 4
Zurich 4
St. Gallen 3
Vaud 3

Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO), «Surnames of the permanent resident population by canton», 2025, opendata.swiss/en/dataset/nachnamen-der-standigen-wohnbevolkerung-nach-kanton3 · names with fewer than 3 bearers in a canton are not published.

In the Nordic population registers

45 people named Bush is counted in Sweden.

Sweden’s figure is from 31 December 2022, the last count Statistics Sweden published.

Counted, by country

Sweden (2022) 45

Own calculations based on data from Statistics Sweden (SCB), surnames with at least two bearers, 31 December 2022 — CC BY 4.0 (names with 20 or more bearers shown).

Among the farmers of England and Wales, 1880s

Bush was found among the farmers of 3 counties.

It was most frequent in Norfolk: 33 in every 10,000 farmers there — about 1 in 303. Guppy counted the farmers listed in each county’s directory and recorded a name only where it reached about 7 in every 10,000; where it does not appear, it was rarer than that, not absent.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Per 10,000 farmers, by county

Norfolk 33
Essex 12
Lincolnshire 10

H. B. Guppy, «Homes of Family Names in Great Britain» (London, 1890), alphabetical list of English and Welsh names — public domain · farmers in Kelly’s Post Office Directories of the 1880s, per 10,000 farmers in each county.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

234 families named Bush, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 1,275 people lived in those households, 5.4 to a family on average. The table counts it together with 2 other spellings. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

New York 60
Virginia 39
Massachusetts 36
Pennsylvania 34
Connecticut 21
South Carolina 13
Maryland 10
North Carolina 10
Vermont 8
Rhode Island 2
New Hampshire 1

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 232 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Bush in American newspapers,
1878–1910.

Newspaper page from The New Orleans Daily Democrat carrying the name Bush
The New Orleans Daily Democrat 1878-04-21
Newspaper page from The Semi-weekly Leader carrying the name Bush
The Semi-weekly Leader 1910-02-19
Newspaper page from Red Lodge Picket carrying the name Bush
Red Lodge Picket 1900-08-31

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 8,834 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Bush in Australian newspapers,
1810s–2000s.

53,531 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Bush. The most, 11,954, date from the 1930s. New South Wales has the most articles, but weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, the name stands out most in the Australian Capital Territory, at 1.4 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 21,977
Victoria 11,244
Queensland 7,962
Western Australia 3,596
ACT (Canberra) 2,970
South Australia 2,960
Tasmania 2,588
Northern Territory 91

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Bush.

Who carried it

People named Bush,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Ralph Bush d. 1441 · politician
  • Ann E. Bush d. 1911 · curator
  • Margaret Bush d. 1924
  • Elizabeth Bush d. 1849
  • John Bush d. 1818
  • Emily Bush d. 1857

Wikidata (CC0) · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Bush,
in the records of 8 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States7,433 records

7,433 records of the Bush name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 2,862
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 1,469
  • Other U.S. records 3,102
  1. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Nathaniel Bush

    Born 1947; from Baltimore, Maryland. U.S. Army, infantryman; killed in action 1969 in Tay Ninh, South Vietnam. Buried at Baltimore National Cemetery, Maryland.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Myles J. Bush

    Born 1917 in Oklahoma. Enlisted 1943 at Jefferson Barracks, Missouri; driver. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1998, buried at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, Missouri.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Maria Bush

    Arrived at Baltimore in 1846 aboard the Johannes from Bremen, aged 37; farmer. From Belm, Germany.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 7,433 records for Bush in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0) · New York State, Open NY (police and firefighter memorial rolls). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia1,499 records

1,499 records of the Bush name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 648
  • Tasmanian Names Index 353
  • Other Australian records 498
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Hanna Bush

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Martin Luther, sailing from Dublin in 1852. Native of Cork. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1857.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Robert Bush

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Susan, sailing from Plymouth in 1842. Native of High Ongar, Essex. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1854.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record David Watson Bush

    Died 1866 in Hobart, Tasmania, aged 74. Will registered in Tasmania in 1866.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 1,499 records for Bush in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · City of Ballarat, Avenue of Honour Plaques (CC BY 3.0 AU). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain).

Canada410 records

410 records of the Bush name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 320
  • Canadian Virtual War Memorial 25
  • Other Canadian records 65
  1. The first page of an emigration file from Gündlingen, Baden, 1883
    Example: German emigration file, 1883
    Emigration record Cuffie Bush

    Left New York in 1783 aboard the William and Mary, bound for Annapolis Royal, aged 50.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record George Bush

    Came to Ontario in 1869 aboard the Germany, landing at Quebec, bound for Weston, Ontario; English.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  3. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Malcolm Leonard Bush

    Buried in 1995 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 59.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.

Showing 3 of 410 records for Bush in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · City of Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Contains information provided by the City of Waterloo under licence. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Emigration file, Gündlingen, 1883, Landesarchiv Baden-Württemberg, Staatsarchiv Freiburg B 694/1 Nr. 1389 (CC BY 4.0); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0).

United Kingdom59 records

59 records of the Bush name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 51
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 5
  • Other British records 3
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Thomas George Bush

    Died 1993, aged 33; buried at St Thomas Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland.

    Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Grace Ella Bush

    Will proved in 1933; of Swansea, Glamorgan.

    National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record R. H. Bush

    Border Regiment. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1917.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 3 of 59 records for Bush in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0) · Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

New Zealand50 records

50 records of the Bush name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 32
  • Marlborough District cemetery records 11
  • Other New Zealand records 7
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Colin David Bush

    Died 1982, aged 47; buried at Memorial Park Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Margaret Bush

    Died 1921, aged 81; buried at Omaka Cemetery, Marlborough.

    Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Charles Cyril Bush

    Buried in 1914 at Shortland Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato, aged 25.

    Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 50 records for Bush in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0) · Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0) · Waimakariri District Council (CC BY 4.0) · Canterbury Maps (Environment Canterbury), Timaru and Mackenzie District Councils (CC BY 3.0 NZ). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

Netherlands18 records

18 records of the Bush name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 10
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 5
  • Dutch population registers 3
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record William Bush

    Died 1887 in Rotterdam, aged 41.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Rotterdam (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record George Charles Bush

    Died 1934 in Texel, aged 31.

    Open Archives, Noord-Hollands Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record James Michael Bush

    Married in 1946 in Baarn.

    Open Archives, Het Utrechts Archief (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 18 records for Bush in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain).

France14 records

14 records of the Bush name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Jocelyn Bush

    Born 1912 in the United States; died 2000 in Anglet (Pyrénées-Atlantiques).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Georges Marie Bush

    Born 1904 in Vincennes (Paris); died 1986 in Troyes (Aube).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  3. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Evelyne Denise Georgette Bush

    Born 1931 in Angers (Maine-et-Loire); died 2000 in Saint-Nazaire (Loire-Atlantique).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 3 of 14 records for Bush in France.

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Belgium1 record

1 record of the Bush name in Belgium Belgian civil registers (births, marriages, deaths)
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Birth record Albertus Bush

    Born 1903 in Gent.

    Open Archives, Archief Gent (CC BY 4.0)

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Bush.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Bush is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

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