NameCensus.

UK surname

Bacon

An occupational surname referring to a person who cured and sold pork.

In the 1881 census there were 7,513 people recorded with the Bacon surname, ranking it #566 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 8,939, ranked #734, down from #566 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bolsover, Derbyshire Dales and Uttlesford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bacon is 10,029 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 19.0%.

1881 census count

7,513

Ranked #566

Modern count

8,939

2016, ranked #734

Peak year

1911

10,029 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bacon had 7,513 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #566 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 8,939 in 2016, ranked #734.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 10,029 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Bacon surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bacon surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bacon 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 5,193 #531
1861 historical 4,837 #583
1881 historical 7,513 #566
1891 historical 7,703 #583
1901 historical 9,151 #574
1911 historical 10,029 #490
1997 modern 9,641 #649
1998 modern 9,823 #662
1999 modern 9,837 #666
2000 modern 9,762 #668
2001 modern 9,557 #667
2002 modern 9,685 #676
2003 modern 9,387 #683
2004 modern 9,287 #689
2005 modern 9,056 #699
2006 modern 8,994 #703
2007 modern 9,044 #704
2008 modern 9,039 #708
2009 modern 9,191 #714
2010 modern 9,273 #727
2011 modern 9,132 #725
2012 modern 8,990 #724
2013 modern 9,147 #724
2014 modern 9,116 #732
2015 modern 8,986 #732
2016 modern 8,939 #734

Geography

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Where Bacons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, St Pancras and Lambeth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bolsover, Derbyshire Dales, Uttlesford and Ashfield. 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 London parishes London 1
2 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Pancras London (North Districts)
5 Lambeth London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bolsover 010 Bolsover
2 Bolsover 009 Bolsover
3 Derbyshire Dales 003 Derbyshire Dales
4 Uttlesford 002 Uttlesford
5 Ashfield 004 Ashfield

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bacon

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bacon

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Bacon surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Bacon household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Bacon is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Bacon is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Bacon falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Bacon is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Bacon

The surname BACON is of English origin, derived from the Old French word "bacon" meaning "pork" or "pig." The name likely originated in the late 11th century, referring to someone who raised pigs or dealt in pork.

BACON is believed to have first emerged as a surname in the counties of Norfolk and Suffolk in East Anglia, England. This region was known for its pig farming and pork trade during the Middle Ages. The earliest recorded instance of the name dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Bachun."

Throughout the 13th and 14th centuries, the BACON surname can be found in various medieval records and documents across England. For instance, a John Bacon is mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Norfolk in 1275. Another notable early bearer was Robert Bacon (c. 1238-1314), an English judge and landowner from Suffolk.

By the 15th century, the name had spread to other parts of England, including London. One of the most famous BACON bearers was Sir Nicholas Bacon (1510-1579), an influential English politician and Lord Keeper of the Great Seal under Queen Elizabeth I. His son, Sir Francis Bacon (1561-1626), was a renowned philosopher, statesman, scientist, and author, widely regarded as a leading figure of the scientific revolution.

Other notable individuals with the BACON surname include Roger Bacon (c. 1220-1292), an English philosopher and Franciscan friar who made significant contributions to the study of optics and natural sciences. Nathaniel Bacon (1647-1676) was a wealthy planter and leader of Bacon's Rebellion in colonial Virginia, a pivotal event in the history of the American colonies.

In the literary world, Delia Bacon (1811-1859) was an American writer and scholar known for her controversial theory that William Shakespeare's works were written by Sir Francis Bacon or a group of authors. Pea Bacon (1866-1936), born Walter Francis Scott, was an English music hall entertainer and comedian who popularized the comedic character "Pea" in the early 20th century.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bacon families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bacon 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 1,099 Bacons recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.50x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 1,099 1.50x
Essex 841 5.80x
Derbyshire 710 6.18x
Norfolk 589 5.22x
Surrey 536 1.50x
Yorkshire 416 0.57x
Nottinghamshire 404 4.08x
Lincolnshire 287 2.44x
Suffolk 282 3.15x
Kent 255 1.02x
Sussex 254 2.05x
Lancashire 218 0.25x
Warwickshire 216 1.17x
Somerset 178 1.51x
Leicestershire 157 1.93x
Staffordshire 130 0.52x
Hampshire 122 0.81x
Cambridgeshire 95 2.04x
Hertfordshire 88 1.74x
Durham 74 0.34x
Berkshire 73 1.32x
Gloucestershire 59 0.41x
Dorset 41 0.85x
Devon 36 0.24x
Oxfordshire 36 0.79x
Wiltshire 35 0.54x
Worcestershire 33 0.34x
Northumberland 26 0.24x
Cheshire 22 0.14x
Bedfordshire 21 0.55x
Stirlingshire 21 0.78x
Buckinghamshire 16 0.36x
Cumberland 15 0.24x
Monmouthshire 15 0.28x
Glamorgan 14 0.11x
Northamptonshire 13 0.19x
Shropshire 11 0.17x
Herefordshire 10 0.33x
Cornwall 9 0.11x
Lanarkshire 9 0.04x
Renfrewshire 9 0.16x
Channel Islands 7 0.32x
Denbighshire 5 0.18x
Royal Navy 5 0.57x
Aberdeenshire 4 0.06x
Anglesey 4 0.31x
Huntingdonshire 4 0.27x
Rutland 4 0.74x
Westmorland 4 0.25x
Isle of Man 3 0.22x
Dunbartonshire 2 0.10x
Midlothian 2 0.02x
Pembrokeshire 2 0.09x
Argyllshire 1 0.05x
Buteshire 1 0.22x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.03x
West Lothian 1 0.09x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Lambeth in Surrey leads with 156 Bacons recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.44x.

Place Total Index
Lambeth 156 2.44x
Hackney London 98 2.38x
Islington London 96 1.35x
St Pancras London 95 1.61x
Bethnal Green London 70 2.19x
Great Yarmouth 70 7.49x
Shoreditch London 70 2.20x
Alfreton 68 19.47x
Camberwell 64 1.36x
Sheffield 63 2.72x
Saffron Walden 61 39.84x
Nottingham St Mary 60 2.34x
Heigham 59 9.74x
Sutton In Ashfield 59 27.48x
South Normanton 55 68.12x
Newington 54 1.99x
Horsley 52 75.19x
Kensington London 52 1.27x
Nuneaton 52 24.24x
West Ham 51 1.59x
Paddington London 50 1.85x
Youlgreave 49 147.37x
Birmingham 44 0.71x
Manchester 44 1.12x
St Marylebone London 44 1.12x
Bermondsey 38 1.74x
Bromley London 37 2.29x
Mile End Old Town London 37 2.37x
Broadwater 36 12.68x
Claylane 36 22.53x
Hornsey 36 3.88x
Chatham 34 4.93x
Dale Abbey 34 332.36x
Greenwich 34 2.91x
Lewisham 34 2.55x
Chelmsford 33 13.27x
Belper 32 14.36x
Eckington 32 11.46x
Aston 31 0.61x
Battersea 31 1.15x
Croydon 31 1.56x
Ecclesall Bierlow 31 2.09x
Selston 31 28.05x
Chesterfield 29 6.73x
St Luke London 27 2.29x
Wokingham 27 21.47x
Clevedon 26 21.16x
Leeds 26 0.63x
St George Hanover Square 26 2.01x
Chelsea London 25 1.13x
Brighton 24 0.96x
Derby St Werburgh 24 3.62x
Westminster St Margaret 24 6.78x
Yapton 24 171.80x
Deptford St Paul 23 1.19x
Steeple Bumpstead 23 86.66x
Thorrington 23 250.00x
Tottenham 23 1.97x
Burntwood Edial 22 13.90x
East Ruston 22 131.26x
Foleshill 22 11.29x
Fordingbridge 22 26.89x
Gorleston 22 9.68x
Portsea 22 0.75x
St Albans 22 21.22x
Willesden 22 3.18x
Ashton Under Lyne 21 1.10x
Holy Trinity 20 1.14x
Loughton 20 27.91x
Norwich St Clement 20 15.28x
Skegby 20 33.00x
Sutton 20 213.90x
Carsington 19 327.02x
Clapham 19 2.07x
Clee With Weelsby 19 7.39x
Leicester St Margaret 19 0.96x
Mansfield 19 5.55x
Mile End New Town London 19 13.10x
Pilsley 19 50.07x
South Weald 19 15.31x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 456
Elizabeth 288
Sarah 254
Emma 153
Eliza 147
Alice 125
Jane 118
Ann 109
Ellen 107
Annie 106
Emily 91
Hannah 82
Martha 72
Charlotte 61
Maria 58
Fanny 56
Harriet 52
Louisa 50
Ada 44
Edith 44
Florence 43
Caroline 40
Susan 39
Clara 38
Kate 37
Harriett 34
Lucy 34
Anne 29
Rose 29
Margaret 27
Matilda 27
Catherine 26
Frances 26
Susannah 23
Amelia 22
Agnes 20
Jessie 19
Minnie 19
Eleanor 18
Gertrude 18
Anna 17
Julia 17
Elizth. 16
Isabella 15
Lydia 15
Rebecca 15
Esther 14
Ethel 14
Laura 14
Selina 14

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 452
John 398
George 277
James 237
Henry 167
Charles 165
Thomas 161
Joseph 120
Arthur 104
Alfred 88
Frederick 87
Robert 84
Walter 77
Edward 76
Samuel 76
Francis 53
Richard 48
Albert 46
Ernest 44
Herbert 38
Harry 36
Benjamin 28
Wm. 26
Daniel 25
Frank 25
Isaac 21
Edwin 19
Stephen 17
David 16
Geo. 15
Percy 15
Edmund 13
Fred 12
Mark 12
Abraham 10
Chas. 10
Thos. 10
Tom 10
Horace 9
Matthew 9
Philip 9
Edgar 8
Joshua 7
Josiah 7
Peter 7
Sidney 7
Harold 6
Jonathan 6
Reginald 6
Willm. 6

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Bacon households.

FAQ

Bacon surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bacon surname in 1881?

In 1881, 7,513 people were recorded with the Bacon surname. That placed it at #566 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bacon surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 8,939 in 2016. That gives Bacon a modern rank of #734.

What does the Bacon surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to a person who cured and sold pork.

What does the Bacon map show?

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