NameCensus.

UK surname

Bacchus

An English surname derived from the name of Dionysus, the Greek god of wine, winemaking, fertility, and theater.

In the 1881 census there were 236 people recorded with the Bacchus surname, ranking it #11,540 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 654, ranked #8,139, up from #11,540 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Acton, St Leonard Shoreditch and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wycombe, St Edmundsbury and Waltham Forest.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bacchus is 672 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 177.1%.

1881 census count

236

Ranked #11,540

Modern count

654

2016, ranked #8,139

Peak year

2014

672 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bacchus had 236 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,540 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 654 in 2016, ranked #8,139.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 321 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established Multi-Ethnic Communities.

Bacchus surname distribution map

The map shows where the Bacchus surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Bacchus surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bacchus over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 162 #12,215
1861 historical 133 #16,835
1881 historical 236 #11,540
1891 historical 255 #12,552
1901 historical 315 #11,263
1911 historical 321 #10,902
1997 modern 570 #8,442
1998 modern 605 #8,343
1999 modern 611 #8,345
2000 modern 606 #8,374
2001 modern 591 #8,377
2002 modern 596 #8,501
2003 modern 583 #8,497
2004 modern 596 #8,389
2005 modern 598 #8,288
2006 modern 595 #8,335
2007 modern 604 #8,310
2008 modern 612 #8,279
2009 modern 637 #8,196
2010 modern 652 #8,224
2011 modern 632 #8,346
2012 modern 631 #8,266
2013 modern 656 #8,153
2014 modern 672 #8,037
2015 modern 661 #8,092
2016 modern 654 #8,139

Geography

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Where Bacchus' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Acton, St Leonard Shoreditch, London parishes, St Matthew Bethnal Green and Luton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wycombe, St Edmundsbury and Waltham Forest. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Acton Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
2 St Leonard Shoreditch London (East Districts)
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Matthew Bethnal Green London (East Districts)
5 Luton Bedfordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wycombe 006 Wycombe
2 Wycombe 017 Wycombe
3 St Edmundsbury 014 St Edmundsbury
4 Wycombe 011 Wycombe
5 Waltham Forest 026 Waltham Forest

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bacchus

These lists show first names that appear often with the Bacchus surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bacchus

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Bacchus, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Established Multi-Ethnic Communities

Nationally, the Bacchus surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established Multi-Ethnic Communities, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Bacchus household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Parents and young children in this Group are drawn from diverse ethnic backgrounds in broadly similar proportions. Employment is typically in elementary occupations, though workers in professional, intermediate or skilled trades occupations are also present. The residential landscape is dominated by terraced housing, although semi-detached houses and flats are also present. This Group is found in London and in many provincial towns and cities throughout the U.K.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Bacchus is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Bacchus is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Bacchus falls in decile 5 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Bacchus is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Bacchus, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Bacchus

The surname Bacchus originates from ancient Greece, derived from the name of the god of wine, fertility, and ritual madness, known as Bacchus in Roman mythology and Dionysus in Greek mythology. The name is believed to have been adopted as a surname during the Middle Ages, possibly by individuals associated with wine-making or vineyards.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Bacchus can be traced back to 13th century England, where it appeared in various forms such as Bacche, Bachee, and Bache. These early spellings indicate the surname's Greek roots and its association with the god Dionysus/Bacchus.

One notable historical reference to the surname Bacchus comes from the 14th century work "The Canterbury Tales" by Geoffrey Chaucer, where a character named Bacchus appears as a representation of the god of wine and revelry.

In the 16th century, the surname Bacchus was found in various English records, including the Subsidy Rolls of Staffordshire from 1523, where a Richard Bacchus was listed. Around the same time, a John Bacchus was recorded in the Subsidy Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1545.

Prominent individuals with the surname Bacchus include William Bacchus (1559-1639), an English clergyman and scholar who served as the Dean of St. Paul's Cathedral in London. Another notable figure was Roger Bacchus (1580-1644), an English lawyer and Member of Parliament during the reign of King Charles I.

In the 18th century, John Bacchus (1704-1786) was a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy and participated in several important battles during the Seven Years' War. Towards the end of the same century, Sir Edmund Bacchus (1757-1828) was a British naval officer who served as a captain during the American Revolutionary War and the French Revolutionary Wars.

One of the most celebrated individuals with the surname Bacchus was James Bacchus (1813-1887), a British-born Australian explorer and surveyor. He played a significant role in the exploration and mapping of Western Australia, and several geographical features, including the Bacchus Marsh region, were named after him.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bacchus families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bacchus surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 82 Bacchus' recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.56x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 82 3.56x
Bedfordshire 35 29.36x
Yorkshire 22 0.96x
Warwickshire 15 2.58x
Surrey 14 1.25x
Cheshire 11 2.16x
Hampshire 10 2.12x
Lancashire 10 0.37x
Worcestershire 10 3.33x
Essex 6 1.32x
Staffordshire 6 0.77x
Oxfordshire 5 3.52x
Buckinghamshire 2 1.44x
Northamptonshire 2 0.92x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.69x
Kent 1 0.13x
Lanarkshire 1 0.13x
Lincolnshire 1 0.27x
Renfrewshire 1 0.56x
Sussex 1 0.26x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Luton in Bedfordshire leads with 33 Bacchus' recorded in 1881 and an index of 159.96x.

Place Total Index
Luton 33 159.96x
St George Hanover Square 15 36.98x
Bethnal Green London 14 14.00x
Hackney London 11 8.52x
Birmingham 9 4.65x
Hammersmith London 9 15.87x
Shoreditch London 8 8.02x
Acton 7 51.85x
Frensham 7 424.24x
Kensington London 7 5.47x
Manchester 7 5.70x
Sandbach 7 161.66x
Kings Norton 6 22.26x
Doncaster 5 29.99x
Hornton 5 1282.05x
St Pancras London 5 2.70x
Tettenhall 5 105.26x
West Ham 5 4.98x
Keighley 4 16.45x
Leamington Priors 4 28.01x
Southampton All Sts 4 49.38x
Betchworth 3 217.39x
Monks Coppenhall 3 15.64x
Wakefield 3 17.13x
Worcester St John 3 83.57x
Aspley Guise 2 175.44x
Cove 2 322.58x
Croydon 2 3.21x
Easington In Patrington 2 666.67x
Hulme 2 3.51x
Manningham 2 7.12x
Nether Hallam 2 6.48x
Northampton All Sts 2 27.21x
Portsea 2 2.16x
Aldershot 1 6.33x
Alsager 1 79.37x
Ashford 1 54.95x
Aston 1 0.63x
Brighton 1 1.28x
Brothertoft 1 500.00x
Chelsea London 1 1.44x
Chiswick 1 7.95x
Ecclesall Bierlow 1 2.16x
Edgbaston 1 5.56x
Elstead 1 185.19x
Feltham 1 43.48x
Fulham London 1 2.99x
Glasgow 1 0.76x
Heaton Norris 1 6.43x
Holdenhurst 1 8.08x
Huddersfield 1 3.01x
Leeds 1 0.78x
Limehouse London 1 3.96x
Middle Greenock 1 20.53x
Newington 1 1.18x
Newport Pagnell 1 34.36x
North Crawley 1 181.82x
Parlington 1 588.24x
St Andrewthe Great 1 53.19x
Stone 1 10.06x
Thanington Wilton In 1 270.27x
Tollesbury 1 87.72x
Whistones 1 45.87x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Bacchus surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Sarah 9
Elizabeth 7
Emily 7
Emma 7
Clara 6
Ellen 6
Alice 5
Mary 5
Ada 4
Ann 4
Martha 4
Rose 4
Annie 3
Eliza 3
Florence 3
Jane 3
Margaret 3
Edith 2
Ethel 2
Harriett 2
Louisa 2
Nellie 2
Priscilla 2
Adela 1
Amelia 1
Catherine 1
Christina 1
Dora 1
Elenor 1
Elizabth.A. 1
Evelyn 1
Fanny 1
Frances 1
Francis 1
George 1
Georgine 1
Hannah 1
Harriet 1
Heneritta 1
Isabella 1
Jemima 1
Jesse 1
Kate 1
Leah 1
Lilian 1
Maria 1
Matilda 1
Maud 1
Rebecca 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Bacchus surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
William 14
Henry 8
James 8
George 7
Walter 6
Arthur 5
Frederick 5
John 5
Charles 4
Joseph 4
Alfred 3
Edward 3
Robert 3
... 2
Edmund 2
Samuel 2
Thomas 2
...nes 1
Amos 1
Bernard 1
Chas.Edward 1
Daniel 1
Earnest 1
Edwin 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Harry 1
Hubert 1
Infant 1
J.K. 1
Lewis 1
Phillip 1
Ramsden 1
Reginald 1
Richard 1
Robt. 1
Sidney 1
Willm. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Bacchus surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bacchus surname in 1881?

In 1881, 236 people were recorded with the Bacchus surname. That placed it at #11,540 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bacchus surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 654 in 2016. That gives Bacchus a modern rank of #8,139.

What does the Bacchus surname mean?

An English surname derived from the name of Dionysus, the Greek god of wine, winemaking, fertility, and theater.

What does the Bacchus map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Bacchus bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.