NameCensus.

UK surname

Bache

A French surname denoting someone who resided near a small stream or brook.

In the 1881 census there were 616 people recorded with the Bache surname, ranking it #5,709 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 987, ranked #5,863, down from #5,709 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Oldswinford, Halesowen (all except Hunnington, Romsley; partly in Halesowen, Worcestershire) and Birmingham Town: Birmingham. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Shropshire, South Staffordshire and East Lindsey.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bache is 1,086 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 60.2%.

1881 census count

616

Ranked #5,709

Modern count

987

2016, ranked #5,863

Peak year

1998

1,086 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bache had 616 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,709 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 987 in 2016, ranked #5,863.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 993 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Bache surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bache surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bache 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 426 #5,735
1861 historical 337 #7,564
1881 historical 616 #5,709
1891 historical 676 #5,774
1901 historical 924 #5,043
1911 historical 993 #4,567
1997 modern 1,040 #5,319
1998 modern 1,086 #5,316
1999 modern 1,075 #5,378
2000 modern 1,051 #5,466
2001 modern 1,036 #5,427
2002 modern 1,036 #5,533
2003 modern 1,005 #5,567
2004 modern 1,005 #5,574
2005 modern 999 #5,555
2006 modern 991 #5,598
2007 modern 1,011 #5,554
2008 modern 990 #5,694
2009 modern 1,030 #5,634
2010 modern 1,024 #5,767
2011 modern 1,011 #5,769
2012 modern 1,004 #5,716
2013 modern 1,017 #5,745
2014 modern 1,012 #5,799
2015 modern 997 #5,818
2016 modern 987 #5,863

Geography

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Where Baches are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Oldswinford, Halesowen (all except Hunnington, Romsley; partly in Halesowen, Worcestershire), Birmingham Town: Birmingham, Birmingham Town: Aston and Kingswinford. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Shropshire, South Staffordshire and East Lindsey. 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 Oldswinford Worcestershire
2 Halesowen (all except Hunnington, Romsley; partly in Halesowen, Worcestershire) Staffordshire
3 Birmingham Town: Birmingham Warwickshire
4 Birmingham Town: Aston Warwickshire
5 Kingswinford Worcestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Shropshire 035 Shropshire
2 South Staffordshire 014 South Staffordshire
3 East Lindsey 013 East Lindsey
4 Shropshire 034 Shropshire
5 Shropshire 039 Shropshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bache

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bache

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Bache, 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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Bache surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Bache household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Bache is most associated with areas classed as Senior Professionals, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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

These very central neighbourhoods house residents whose ages are more skewed towards older age cohorts than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Few households have young children. Rates of illness are low. Indian ethnicity is rare compared to the Supergroup mean. Property under occupation is more common, despite the centrality of neighbourhoods, and more residents live in communal establishments than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Bache is most concentrated in decile 5 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Bache falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Bache 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 Bache, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Bache

The surname Bache is of Old French origin, derived from the Old French word "bache," meaning a small stream or brook. It is believed to have originated as a topographic name, referring to someone who lived near a small stream or brook.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the 12th century in various regions of France, particularly in the northern and central parts of the country. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Robert de la Bache, who was mentioned in the Cartulaire de Molême, a collection of medieval charters from the Benedictine abbey of Molême, in Burgundy, France, dated around 1150.

In England, the name is found in records from the 13th century onwards, likely introduced by Norman settlers after the conquest of 1066. One of the earliest recorded examples is that of William de la Bache, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Somerset in 1227.

The name Bache has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One of the most prominent was Benjamin Franklin Bache (1769-1798), an American printer, journalist, and publisher who was the grandson of Benjamin Franklin. He was a staunch supporter of the French Revolution and was known for his outspoken criticism of the Federalist party.

Another notable bearer of the name was Samuel Bache (1804-1876), an English clergyman and writer who served as the Principal of Birmingham College from 1848 to 1876. He was a prominent figure in the Unitarian movement and wrote several works on theology and education.

In the 17th century, there was a John Bache (c. 1630-1704), an English Quaker who was imprisoned several times for his religious beliefs. He is known for his writings on Quaker theology and his opposition to the Conventicle Act, which prohibited religious gatherings outside of the Church of England.

Other notable individuals with the surname Bache include: Sarah Bache (1743-1808), an American philanthropist and the daughter of Benjamin Franklin; and Constance Bache (1846-1917), an English artist and illustrator known for her depictions of children and fairy tales.

While the surname Bache is not among the most common in the English-speaking world, it has a rich history spanning several centuries and has been borne by individuals from diverse backgrounds, including printers, clergymen, artists, and activists.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bache families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bache 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. Staffordshire leads with 170 Baches recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.38x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 170 8.38x
Worcestershire 123 15.67x
Shropshire 83 15.99x
Warwickshire 72 4.75x
Yorkshire 42 0.71x
Lancashire 28 0.39x
Surrey 22 0.75x
Middlesex 15 0.25x
Essex 14 1.18x
Cornwall 11 1.62x
Lanarkshire 7 0.36x
Gloucestershire 5 0.42x
Durham 4 0.22x
Sussex 4 0.39x
Cheshire 3 0.23x
Flintshire 2 1.24x
Hampshire 2 0.16x
Montgomeryshire 2 1.45x
Radnorshire 2 4.13x
Angus 1 0.18x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.28x
Devon 1 0.08x
Kent 1 0.05x
Norfolk 1 0.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Kingswinford in Staffordshire leads with 66 Baches recorded in 1881 and an index of 89.61x.

Place Total Index
Kingswinford 66 89.61x
Aston 37 8.87x
Stourbridge 35 173.35x
Birmingham 29 5.74x
West Bromwich 25 21.53x
Handsworth 16 32.01x
Much Wenlock 16 334.03x
Ormesby 16 100.00x
Gradley 15 395.78x
Toxteth Park 15 6.21x
Dudley 13 13.63x
Rowley Regis 10 17.69x
West Ham 10 3.82x
Wollescote 10 158.23x
Ardwick 9 13.99x
Bilston 9 22.89x
Amblecote 8 138.41x
Camberwell 8 2.08x
Hoyland Nether 8 54.79x
Kirkleatham 8 99.50x
Lambeth 8 1.53x
Wolverhampton 8 5.13x
Dawley 7 37.06x
Eccleshall 7 91.03x
Glasgow 7 2.03x
Lye 7 53.60x
Wellington 7 23.99x
Wollaston 7 140.56x
Barrow 6 845.07x
Chelmarsh 6 612.24x
Cleobury North 6 1538.46x
Cradley 6 84.51x
Halesowen 6 87.08x
Hughley 6 2608.70x
Newington 6 2.70x
Perranarworthal 6 264.32x
The Hill 6 119.05x
Bridgnorth St Mary 5 98.81x
Harborne 5 7.69x
Sedgley 5 6.64x
St Marylebone London 5 1.56x
Tipton 5 8.05x
Upperswinford 5 75.30x
Bristol St James St Paul 4 10.18x
Falmouth 4 16.61x
Farnley In Bramley 4 53.84x
Hylton 4 126.98x
St George Bloomsbury 4 11.60x
Wednesfield 4 13.40x
Alresford 3 566.04x
Alsager 3 90.91x
Beverley St Martin 3 30.18x
Chichester St Martin 3 600.00x
Claverley 3 85.71x
Edgbaston 3 6.38x
Ludlow St Lawrence 3 29.04x
Lulsley 3 909.09x
Middleton Scriven 3 1578.95x
Pendleton In Salford 3 3.53x
St Andrew Holborn London 3 11.53x
Upton Cressett 3 476.19x
Wolverley 3 43.54x
Clerkenwell London 2 1.41x
Ditton Priors 2 162.60x
Kidderminster Foreign 2 18.03x
Knighton 2 51.02x
Leamington 2 19.92x
Mold 2 13.65x
Richards Castle 2 127.39x
Upper Penn 2 39.37x
Hopesay 1 75.76x
Kings Norton 1 1.42x
Llanllwchaiarn 1 16.75x
Munslow 1 80.00x
N Lydbury 1 49.51x
Pedmore 1 97.09x
Quatt 1 140.85x
Quatt Jervis 1 243.90x
St Pancras London 1 0.21x
West Teignmouth 1 10.45x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 39
William 34
Thomas 28
Henry 15
Joseph 13
Charles 11
David 10
George 10
James 10
Samuel 10
Walter 8
Alfred 7
Benjamin 7
Frederick 7
Arthur 6
Richard 5
Edward 4
Harry 4
Jesse 4
Willm. 4
Ernest 3
Noah 3
Robert 3
Albert 2
Edwin 2
Elijah 2
Felix 2
Frank 2
Fredrick 2
Percy 2
Benjn. 1
Clement 1
Edwd. 1
F.William 1
Francis 1
Fred 1
Fredk. 1
Fredk.C. 1
Geevas 1
Geo.H. 1
Jessie 1
Jno. 1
Job 1
Jobe 1
Joel 1
Joshua 1
Kentish 1
Lawrence 1
Leonard 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Bache surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bache surname in 1881?

In 1881, 616 people were recorded with the Bache surname. That placed it at #5,709 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bache surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 987 in 2016. That gives Bache a modern rank of #5,863.

What does the Bache surname mean?

A French surname denoting someone who resided near a small stream or brook.

What does the Bache map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Bache 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.