Welcome to the Butler Family page at Surname Finder, a service of Genealogy Today. Our editors have compiled this checklist of genealogical resources, combining links to commercial databases along with user-contributed information and web sites for the Butler surname. As additional sources for vital records, original documents, vintage photographs and surname-based DNA projects are discovered, this page is updated to offer the best list for researching Butler ancestry. Share this page on Twitter!
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The Butler Family Tree
It is important to remember that there is no single Butler family tree, as last names were assigned to people for various reasons. We are often asked, How can I find the second married name of a female Butler ancestor? and you might be surprised at the answer.
Best Tree Collections for Discovering Butler Ancestors
Butler Genealogy
Sometimes two people can look at the same handwritten record, and come up with different spellings of the name. Be creative when searching for your Butler ancestors -- we often search for misspellings intentionally to see if we missed any records. Genealogy is more than just searching through databases. Articles like "Digital Books and Microfilm" can help accelerate your Butler research.
Top Five Genealogy Databases to Search for Butler
Vital records are essential for family history research because they were typically created at or near the time of the event, making the record more reliable.
There are currently matching Butler records at Ancestry.com!
Start exploring this online Butler family history resource today.
Death Records
Military Records
Origins of the Butler Surname
While some countries have limited historical records for last name assignments, you are most likely to only find general guidance on the origin and meaning of the Butler surname. Were you aware that Butler is considered a very common surname, which offers its own set of challenges? The article "Researching Common Names" may be helpful for your research. Keep in mind that it was not unusual for a last name to be altered as an ancestor entered a new country.
According to An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names [page 87], the surname BUTLER is defined as This family derive their origin from the old Counts of Briony or Biony, in Normandy, a descendant of whom, Herveius Fitz Walter, accompanied the Conqueror into England. His son, Theobold, went with Henry II. Into Ireland, where, having greatly assisted i
Butler DNA Projects
While DNA testing cannot conclusively tell you if two Butler ancestors were related, it can easily prove if they weren't. Be sure you understand what types of research issues each different DNA test can address before you spend any money. If you're not sure how DNA testing could aid your Butler research, read "When do you use DNA?".
Butler Family History
There is more to exploring your Butler ancestry than just gathering a bunch of names and dates. Understanding where your ancestors lived, how they were employed, and what they did for fun, may give you a better appreciation of your heritage. Whether you are a beginner or expert genealogists, knowing Where can I find a biography of my Butler ancestor? is always useful.
Photo Collections
Networking with Butler Researchers
When you've come up against a brick wall in your genealogy research, posting a message board query can help; one of the biggest benefits is that message board queries are accessed through search engines, which means even someone not specifically engaged in genealogy but interested in your subject may find your query and bring valuable new information to the table -- it happens! The article "Are Your Queries Getting Results?" provides some valuable tips for posting successful Butler queries.
You may also want to consider posting a query to the Community Message Boards at Genealogy Today to get assistance from other researchers on your most elusive Butler ancestors.
Butler Achievements & Celebrities
Did you know that Butler was the 91st most popular surname in the 1990 census of the United States?
Web Sites & Blogs with Butler Research
If you are having difficulty locating records for the last name of Butler, contact the folks at ProGenealogists for a free research estimate. You may also find it helpful to read, "When, Why and How to Hire a Professional Genealogist."
RootsWeb search of US Naturalization Records
RootsWeb search of Obituary Daily Times
RootsWeb search of Social Security Death Index
To recommend your web site/blog for inclusion on this page, please submit a link to the user-contributed directory at Genealogy Today. Your web page may appear once its content has been reviewed by our editors.
Recently Discovered BUTLER Clippings and Mentions
Upcoming Butler Family Reunions
Notifying everyone in advance to bring old photos and documents can bring big rewards, making a special place at the reunion (maybe even a special Butler booth) where people can come at their leisure to sit, look and chat; in addition to information and clues that might be written on the back of a photo, every photograph has a story and serves as an excellent stimulus to recall -- people might comment not only on the people in the photo, but also on what's in the background, or they might have information around where the photo was taken or the event -- just be sure to have someone there to capture new information. The article "Family Reunions Don't Always Turn Out as one has Pictured" may provide you with tips for hosting a successful Butler reunion.
See Also
Surname Finder, The Butler Genealogy and Family Tree Page [on-line resource], New Providence, NJ, USA: Genealogy Today LLC, 2023.
