Butlers have emigrated to New Zealand for a variety of reasons, and the stories about who they were and when and where they landed in New Zealand make interesting reading.
The following, in Alphabetical order are some of those Butlers. Further details of these people and their descendants are available in our Members Only section.
As at 1st January 2023 the Register includes the following;
1907 Adelaide Edith Ellen Wilkinson (nee Butler)
Born in 1872 in Victoria, Australia, she married George Edward Wilkinson in Capetown, South Africa, in 1903. Two daughters, Hazel and Iris, were born in South Africa, before the family emigrated to Wellington, NZ in 1907. Two more daughters were born in Wellington. Mem 10
1905 Anna Victoria Cox (previously Butler)
Anna married James Cox as her second husband in 1898 in Victoria, Australia. She had two children from her first marriage – Vera (b 1894, d 1939 Invercargill), and Victor Lesley (b 1896 d 1920 Invercargill). By James Cox she had another child, Jimmy Cox,. The family emigrated to NZ from Australia in 1905. Mem 106
1910 Herbert Waltham Butler
Born in Norwood, Surrey, in 1866, he married Bertha Tidy in 1893 and they had two children – Leslie Waltham b 1897, and Phyllis Maureen b 1902. The family emigrated to Wellington in 1910. Mem D.R.
1840 Henry James Butler
Arrived in Wellington with his wife Martha and son Charles on the Slains Castle in 1841 from Ireland. Two sons were born in New Zealand, Henry b1841 and William bc842. Henry James was a sawyer. The family later moved to Australia and two daughters were born there, Amelia bc1857 and Anne. Mem 66
1875 John & Frances Butler
Arrived with their 10 children in Lyttleton aboard the Waimate in February 1875. John and Frances were both born in Gorey, Co Wexford. The family settled in Southland. Mem 112
1819 John Gare & Hanna Butler
John Gare Butler, an English missionary, arrived in Port Jackson in June 1819 with his wife Hanna nee Hitchman, son Samuel and daughter Hannah. The family then sailed on to New Zealand, arriving in the Bay of Islands in August 1819. John Gare was Superintendent of a mission established by the Church Missionary Society which position he filled until 1823 when he and his wife and daughter returned to England. In 1840 they returned, with daughter’s husband Mr Barton. John Gare Butler, who had learnt some Maori language, acted as an interpreter for the New Zealand Company in Wellington until his death. Mem 25
1874 Raymus & Martha Butler
Arrived in New Zealand in 1874 aboard the Cartvale. They emigrated from Fritwell in Oxfordshire, with their children Mary Ann b1865, William Raymus b1866, Rosina b1869, Alfred Frederick b1871, and Elizabeth Alice b1874. They settled in Manaia. A further seven children were born in New Zealand. Ellen Elizabeth b1875, Thomas b1877, George b1880, John b1881, Jesse Frederick b1883, Laurence b1885, and Arthur James b1889. Arthur James Butler later managed a theatre in Wellington for several years. Mem BM.
1819 Samuel Butler
Arrived with his parents John Gare and Hannah Butler and sister Hanna in 1819. (See above) Samuel was a missionary like his father. He married Ann Dunn and their children were Ann b1822, Samuel John b1824, Lucy b1827, James b1828, Elizabeth b1831, Lucy Ann b1833, and Elizabeth White b1836. Samuel and his wife Ann were witnesses to the marriage of Ann’s sister Margaret Dunn and Walter Butler (no relation) son of Laurence Butler in Sydney. (See First Butlers of Australia entry) Mem 25
1839 William Butler (Captain)
Born 1814, arrived in New Zealand on the Diane in 1839, and settled in the Bay of Islands area.
