The Buss surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 9,177 people carried this name — #3,865 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 32,200 people counted. That is down 3% from 9,460 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Buss surname

As an English and Welsh surname

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

An early record he cites: Matilda Bus, Oxfordshire, 1273 — Hundred Rolls.

His entry covers Buss and Busse.

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

In Argentina’s national register

At least 397 people named Buss live in Argentina.

RENAPER only publishes a name in a province when more than ten people there share it, so the real number is higher. Most of them live in Buenos Aires Province.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Where they live today

Buenos Aires Province 165
La Pampa 55
Corrientes 44
Misiones 41
Chubut 27
Santa Fe 18
City of Buenos Aires 14
Córdoba 12

RENAPER (National Registry of Persons, Argentina), surnames of residents by province, December 2021 — CC BY 4.0.

In Poland’s population register

252 people named Buss have a registered home in Poland.

Of the 296 in Poland’s national register, these are the ones with a permanent address on file. They live in 12 of Poland’s 16 voivodeships, most of all in Łódź.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Where they live today

Łódź 66
Lower Silesian 43
Lublin 30
Silesian 29
West Pomeranian 21
Pomeranian 18
Masovian 17
Lesser Poland 14

PESEL register, Ministry of Digital Affairs of Poland (dane.gov.pl) — CC0 · living people by voivodeship of permanent residence, 20 January 2026.

In Switzerland’s population statistics

126 people named Buss live in Switzerland.

They live in 11 of Switzerland’s 26 cantons, most of all in Lucerne.

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

Where they live today

Lucerne 20
Zurich 16
Solothurn 16
Bern 14
Vaud 13
Neuchâtel 13
Basel-Stadt 10
Basel-Landschaft 9

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 France’s civil register

France’s register of deaths holds 20 people named Buss.

Most of them — 13 — were born outside France. Those born in France came from 6 départements, most often Seine-Maritime.

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

Where they were born

Born outside France 13
Seine-Maritime 2
Bouches-du-Rhône 1
Bas-Rhin 1
Haut-Rhin 1
Paris 1
Seine-et-Marne 1

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

In the Nordic population registers

186 people named Buss are counted in Finland and Sweden.

Sweden’s figure is from 31 December 2022, the last count Statistics Sweden published. Finland counts its citizens, at home or abroad.

Counted, by country

Finland (2026) 94
Sweden (2022) 92

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) · Digital and Population Data Services Agency (DVV), Finland, surname statistics, August 2026 — CC BY 4.0.

Among the farmers of England and Wales, 1880s

Buss was found among the farmers of Kent: 36 in every 10,000.

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

Kent 36

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 print

Buss in American newspapers,
1902–1912.

Newspaper page from The Colfax Chronicle carrying the name Buss
The Colfax Chronicle 1912-03-23
Newspaper page from Fergus County Argus carrying the name Buss
Fergus County Argus 1902-11-05

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 119,866 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Buss in Australian newspapers,
1830s–2000s.

12,515 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Buss. The most, 2,694, date from the 1930s. Weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, it stands out most in Queensland, at 3.5 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

Queensland 8,781
New South Wales 1,667
Victoria 885
Western Australia 502
South Australia 355
Tasmania 297
ACT (Canberra) 11
Northern Territory 1

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

Who carried it

People named Buss,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Robert William Buss
    Robert William Buss 1804–1875 · illustrator
  • Frances Buss
    Frances Buss 1827–1894 · head teacher
  • Amos E. Buss 1814–1872 · businessperson
  • Ernst Buss 1843–1928 · theologian
  • Georg Buß 1850– · architect
  • Alois Buss 1858–1926 · teacher

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Buss,
in the records of 11 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 States1,327 records

1,327 records of the Buss name in the United States
  • Passenger arrivals in the United States, 1820–1912 670
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 235
  • Other U.S. records 422
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Tony V. Buss

    Born 1917 in Minnesota. Enlisted 1942 at Los Angeles, California; farm hand. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1997, buried at Fort Snelling National Cemetery, Minnesota.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (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 Donald H. Buss

    Born 1921 in New York. Enlisted 1942 at Utica; machine shop worker from Oneida County. U.S. Army Air Forces veteran of World War II; died 1995, buried at St Patrick Cemetery, Chittenango, New York.

    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 Gerhardine Buss

    Arrived at New York in 1904 aboard the Blucher from Hamburg, aged 21; servant. From Altona, Germany; bound for New York.

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

Showing 3 of 1,327 records for Buss in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Germany891 records

891 records of the Buss name in Germany
  • Germany's First World War casualty lists, 1914–1919 843
  • German estate files 26
  • German emigration and citizenship files 22
  1. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Georg Büß

    Born 1896; from Stettin. Reported wounded in the Prussian casualty list of 30 November 1918 (Pioneer Battalion No. 21).

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)
  2. The first page of an emigration file from Gündlingen, Baden, 1883
    Example: German emigration file, 1883
    Emigration record Joseph Buss

    Left Nordrach for North America in 1873.

    Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek / Landesarchiv Baden-Württemberg (CC0)
  3. The first page of an emigration file from Gündlingen, Baden, 1883
    Example: German emigration file, 1883
    Emigration record Theresia Buss

    Left Ohlsbach for North America in 1883.

    Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek / Landesarchiv Baden-Württemberg (CC0)

Showing 3 of 891 records for Buss in Germany.

Counts: Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0) · Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Deutsche Verlustlisten, Prussian list 1116, 18 April 1918 (scan via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0); Emigration file, Gündlingen, 1883, Landesarchiv Baden-Württemberg, Staatsarchiv Freiburg B 694/1 Nr. 1389 (CC BY 4.0).

Netherlands785 records

785 records of the Buss name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 381
  • Dutch population registers 269
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 135
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Willem Reinders Buss

    Married in 1855 in Noordbroek; seaman. Died 1917 in Hoogezand, aged 94.

    Open Archives, Groninger Archieven (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Dina Buss

    Married in 1903 in Emmen; labourer. Died 1972 in Assen, aged 87.

    Open Archives, Drents Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Geziena Wilhelmina Buss

    Married in 1889 in Muntendam. Died 1952 in Sibculo (Hardenberg), aged 83.

    Open Archives, Groninger Archieven (CC BY 4.0); Open Archives, Collectie Overijssel locatie Zwolle (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 785 records for Buss in the Netherlands.

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

Australia197 records

197 records of the Buss name in Australia
  • Queensland State Archives indexes 114
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 46
  • Other Australian records 37
  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 William Buss

    Transported to New South Wales aboard the Phoenix, arriving 1828.

    Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Joseph H. Buss

    Arrived in Queensland in 1887 aboard the Dacca, aged 22.

    Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Andrejs Buss

    Retired of Ringwood, Victoria; died 1988.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 197 records for Buss in Australia.

Counts: Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0). 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); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain).

Canada40 records

40 records of the Buss name in Canada
  • Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver 15
  • City of Winnipeg cemetery records 14
  • Other Canadian records 11
  1. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Herbert Buss

    Died 1994, aged 65; buried at Brookside Cemetery, Winnipeg, Manitoba.

    City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Gertrude Isabel Buss

    Buried in 2000 at St. Mary's Pioneer Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 94.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
  3. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Sharon Lorraine Buss

    Buried in 1966 at Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver, British Columbia.

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

Showing 3 of 40 records for Buss in Canada.

Counts: City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0).

Belgium11 records

11 records of the Buss name in Belgium Belgian civil registers (births, marriages, deaths)
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Augusta Buss

    Died 1962 in Gent.

    Open Archives, Archief Gent (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Joannes Buss

    Died 1902 in Gent.

    Open Archives, Archief Gent (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 2 of 11 records for Buss in Belgium.

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

France8 records

8 records of the Buss 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 Amelie Buss

    Born 1919 in Poland; died 1992 in Marcq-en-Barœul (Nord).

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

    Born 1930 in Strasbourg; died 2001 in Obernai (Bas-Rhin).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 2 of 8 records for Buss 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).

United Kingdom7 records

7 records of the Buss name in the United Kingdom War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead
  1. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record W. Buss

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

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)
  2. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record E. G. Buss

    Gunner, Royal Garrison Artillery. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

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

Showing 2 of 7 records for Buss in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

Switzerland7 records

7 records of the Buss name in Switzerland Zürich marriage records, 16th–18th centuries
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Heinrich Buss

    Married in 1645 in Eglisau, canton of Zürich; of Steig.

    Staatsarchiv des Kantons Zürich, Zürcher Ehedaten (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Anna Buss

    Married in 1601 in Grossmünster, canton of Zürich; of Wil Sg.

    Staatsarchiv des Kantons Zürich, Zürcher Ehedaten (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 2 of 7 records for Buss in Switzerland.

Counts: Staatsarchiv des Kantons Zürich, Zürcher Ehedaten (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain).

Finland3 records

3 records of the Buss name in Finland Finland's war dead, 1939–1945
  1. A page of the Livre d’or of the French war dead, Paris
    Example: roll of the war dead
    War record Jarl Christian Buss

    Born 1903 in Sysmä. Died in 1940 during Finland's wars of 1939–1945; buried in Savonlinna.

    Kansallisarkisto, via WarSampo (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 1 of 3 records for Buss in Finland.

Counts: Kansallisarkisto, via WarSampo (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Livre d’or of the war dead, Paris, Ministère des pensions, Archives nationales (CC0).

New Zealand2 records

2 records of the Buss name in New Zealand Christchurch City cemetery records
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Mary Buss

    Died 1930, aged 63; buried at Waimairi Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 1 of 2 records for Buss in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Buss.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Buss 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.

See the Buss volume
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