Booth (surname)
Booth is a surname of northern English and Scottish origin, but arguably of pre 7th century Norse-Viking origins. It is or rather was, topographical, and described a person who lived in a small barn or bothy. Derived from the word "both", the word was used to denote various kinds of shelter, but especially a herdsman's dwelling on a summer pasture. The surname is most popular in Northern England, where early Scandinavian influence was marked, and to some extent in Scotland. One of the most-recognised persons with the surname Booth, is John Wilkes Booth, an American  actor, better known for being the assassin of President Abraham Lincoln. At the time of the British Census of 1881, its relative frequency was highest in Cheshire (4.2 times the British average), followed by Derbyshire, Yorkshire, Lancashire, Nottinghamshire, Aberdeenshire, Lincolnshire, Staffordshire and Westmorland. In all other British counties, its relative frequency was below national average. The name Booth may refer to: