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Bu Family History

Bu Surname Meaning

Norwegian: habitational name from a farm named with Old Norse bú ‘farmstead; livestock’ or búth ‘small house hut’. Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 卜 meaning ‘astrologer, fortune-teller, diviner’ in ancient Chinese: (i) from the post names Bu Ren (卜人) or Bu Shi (卜筮), the title of astrologers who performed divination in ancient China. (ii) borne by descendants of the younger brother of Tai Kang (the 3rd king of the Xia dynasty (2070–1600 BC)). (iii) borne by descendants of Teng Shuxiu, a son of the virtuous King Wen of Zhou (1152–1056 BC). (iv) adopted as a surname by the Xu Bu (須卜) family from the Huns during the Northern Wei dynasty (386–534 AD).

Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 步 meaning ‘steps’ in Chinese: (i) from the placename Bu (步), the name of a fief (located in Shanxi province) granted to an official in the state of Jin during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC). (ii) adopted as the surname by the Bu Lu Gen (步鹿根) family from the Xianbei ethnic group in northern China during the Northern Wei dynasty (386–534 AD).

Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 布 meaning ‘cloth’ in Chinese: (i) from the first element of the personal name Bu Zi (布子), an official who lived in the state of Zhao during the Warring States period (475–221 BC) who was noted for his gift of choosing strong horses. (ii) shortened form of the Chinese surname Gu-Bu (姑布). (iii) a surname of the king of the state of Kucha (or Kuche), a Buddhist kingdom in northwestern China during the Tang dynasty (618–907 AD). (iv) borne by descendants of some refugees at the end of the Qin dynasty (221–206 BC) who fled to southern China and changed their original surnames to Bu (布) in a wish for a good life with good clothing.

Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 補 meaning ‘supplement’ in Chinese: from Bu (補), the name of an ancient state (possibly located in present-day Henan province) annexed by the state of Zheng during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC).

Chinese: Teochew form of the surname 巫, see Wu.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


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Where is the Bu family from?

You can see how Bu families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Bu family name was found in the USA, and Scotland between 1861 and 1920. The most Bu families were found in USA in 1880. In 1880 there were 3 Bu families living in California. This was about 25% of all the recorded Bu's in USA. California and 2 other states had the highest population of Bu families in 1880.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Bu surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Bu ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Bu. 100% of Bu men worked as a General Labourer and 85% of Bu women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Bu | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

England shown, Canada data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • General Labourer
    100%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    85%
  • Domestic Servant
    16%

What Bu family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 11,000 census records available for the last name Bu. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Bu census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

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Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Bu. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Canada, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

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Draft Cards

There are 14,000 military records available for the last name Bu. For the veterans among your Bu ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average Bu lifespan?

Between 1968 and 2003, in the United States, Bu life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1988, and highest in 1993. The average life expectancy for Bu in 1968 was 53, and 86 in 2003.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Bu

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Bu ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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