The Butler surname
In the 2010 U.S. Census, 218,847 people carried this name — #108 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 1,350 people counted. That is up 4% from 210,879 in 2000.
What the name means
The meaning of the Butler surname
A surname. An English and Irish surname from Middle English [in turn originating as an occupation], for someone who was a butler or wine servant.
From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Butler» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.
In Ireland’s birth registers, 1890
Ireland registered 172 births for the Butler name in 1890.
They were registered in all four provinces, most of all in Leinster. By the Registrar-General’s own method — births multiplied by 44.38 — that is about 7,600 people bearing the name in Ireland at the time. 4 of them were indexed under other spellings of the name.
Where it concentrates, on the mapWhere they were born, 1890
Registrar-General for Ireland, «Special Report on Surnames in Ireland» (R. E. Matheson, 1894), births index of 1890 — public domain.
In Switzerland’s population statistics
1,190 people named Butler live in Switzerland.
They live in 20 of Switzerland’s 26 cantons, most of all in Aargau.
Where it concentrates, on the mapWhere they live today
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 Argentina’s national register
At least 246 people named Butler 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 mapWhere they live today
RENAPER (National Registry of Persons, Argentina), surnames of residents by province, December 2021 — CC BY 4.0.
In Poland’s population register
242 people named Butler have a registered home in Poland.
Of the 356 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 Masovian.
Where it concentrates, on the mapWhere they live today
PESEL register, Ministry of Digital Affairs of Poland (dane.gov.pl) — CC0 · living people by voivodeship of permanent residence, 20 January 2026.
In France’s civil register
France’s register of deaths holds 104 people named Butler.
Most of them — 57 — were born outside France. Those born in France came from 15 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
Fichier des personnes décédées, INSEE — Licence Ouverte 2.0 · deaths recorded in France since 1970, by place of birth.
In the Nordic population registers
176 people named Butler is counted in Sweden.
Sweden’s figure is from 31 December 2022, the last count Statistics Sweden published.
Counted, by country
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).
In print
Butler in American newspapers,
1896–1925.
Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 1,873,364 pages in all carry the name.
Who carried it
People named Butler,
with a public archive behind them.
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Ernie Butler d. 2007 · comedian
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Joseph Butler d. 1674 · composer
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John Butler d. 1791 · politician
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Andrew Butler d. 1430 · politician
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Philip Butler d. 1592 · politician
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John Butler d. 1423 · politician
Wikidata (CC0) · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.
Nearby in the index
Surnames next to Butler.
- Butaud 146 · U.S. census
- Buteau 1,139 · U.S. census
- Butel 138 · U.S. census
- Butera 2,965 · U.S. census
- Buti 222 · U.S. census
- Butin 179 · U.S. census
- Butscher 216 · U.S. census
- Butte 589 · U.S. census
- Butti 186 · U.S. census
- Buttigieg 216 · U.S. census
- Buttner 853 · U.S. census
- Button 7,341 · U.S. census
When the index is not enough
This page says where Butler 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.