NameCensus.

UK surname

Basden

A topographic surname derived from an Old English place name meaning "valley of the basket makers".

In the 1881 census there were 92 people recorded with the Basden surname, ranking it #20,709 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 148, ranked #23,958, down from #20,709 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Upton with Chalvey and Farnham Royal. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Reading and Medway.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Basden is 155 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 60.9%.

1881 census count

92

Ranked #20,709

Modern count

148

2016, ranked #23,958

Peak year

1911

155 bearers

Map years

6

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Basden had 92 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #20,709 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 148 in 2016, ranked #23,958.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 155 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Basden surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Basden surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Basden 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 61 #22,412
1861 historical 88 #22,554
1881 historical 92 #20,709
1891 historical 118 #21,540
1901 historical 143 #18,570
1911 historical 155 #17,485
1997 modern 136 #22,398
1998 modern 137 #22,922
1999 modern 141 #22,702
2000 modern 143 #22,457
2001 modern 145 #21,951
2002 modern 139 #22,991
2003 modern 137 #22,939
2004 modern 142 #22,573
2005 modern 146 #22,146
2006 modern 140 #22,948
2007 modern 136 #23,708
2008 modern 147 #22,720
2009 modern 148 #23,141
2010 modern 150 #23,482
2011 modern 140 #24,395
2012 modern 142 #24,148
2013 modern 147 #23,977
2014 modern 154 #23,439
2015 modern 148 #23,934
2016 modern 148 #23,958

Geography

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Where Basdens are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Upton with Chalvey, Farnham Royal and Reading St Giles, Shinfield (East and West Side, Hartley Dammer), Sonning (Early),. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Reading and Medway. 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 Upton with Chalvey Buckinghamshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Farnham Royal Buckinghamshire
5 Reading St Giles, Shinfield (East and West Side, Hartley Dammer), Sonning (Early), Berkshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Reading 017 Reading
2 Medway 027 Medway
3 Medway 008 Medway
4 Medway 024 Medway
5 Reading 006 Reading

Forenames

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First names often paired with Basden

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Basden

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Basden surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Basden household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

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Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Basden 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.

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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

Basden 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

Basden falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Basden

The surname Basden is of English origin and can be traced back to the late medieval period. It is believed to have originated in the county of Wiltshire, where it was first recorded as a locational surname derived from the place name "Bastendene" or "Basteldene," which means "the valley of the bastard or illegitimate son."

One of the earliest known references to the name Basden can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Wiltshire from 1327, where it appears as "John de Basteldene." Over time, the spelling of the name evolved, with variations such as Bastelden, Basteldain, and Basteldene appearing in various records.

In the 16th century, the name Basden was associated with several notable individuals. One of them was William Basden, born in 1532, who was a wealthy landowner and merchant in the town of Marlborough, Wiltshire. Another was John Basden, born in 1567, who served as a member of the English Parliament representing the borough of Thetford, Norfolk.

The 17th century saw the rise of a prominent Basden family in the county of Somerset. Thomas Basden, born in 1612, was a successful cloth merchant and served as the Mayor of Taunton in 1662. His son, John Basden (1645-1721), followed in his footsteps and became a prominent figure in the local community, serving as a Justice of the Peace and a deputy lieutenant of Somerset.

In the 18th century, the Basden name was particularly prevalent in the counties of Wiltshire, Somerset, and Hampshire. One notable figure from this period was Reverend William Basden (1717-1795), who served as the vicar of the parish of Eversley, Hampshire, for over 50 years.

Another significant individual with the surname Basden was Sir Walter Basden (1792-1867), a British naval officer who rose to the rank of Admiral and served in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars and the War of 1812. He was also a member of the Basden family from Somerset.

Throughout history, the surname Basden has been associated with various occupations, including merchants, landowners, clergymen, and military personnel. While its origins can be traced back to a specific region in England, the name has since spread to other parts of the country and beyond, carried by individuals and families who have contributed to the rich tapestry of English history and culture.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Basden families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Basden 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. Buckinghamshire leads with 21 Basdens recorded in 1881 and an index of 38.70x.

County Total Index
Buckinghamshire 21 38.70x
Essex 15 8.47x
Berkshire 11 16.33x
Kent 11 3.59x
Sussex 9 5.95x
Middlesex 7 0.78x
Warwickshire 6 2.65x
Norfolk 5 3.62x
Surrey 4 0.91x
Midlothian 1 0.83x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.83x
Suffolk 1 0.91x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Farnham Royal in Buckinghamshire leads with 11 Basdens recorded in 1881 and an index of 3437.50x.

Place Total Index
Farnham Royal 11 3437.50x
Reading St Giles 10 151.29x
Upton Cum Chalvey 10 462.96x
West Ham 10 25.57x
Aston 5 8.02x
Denton 5 3333.33x
Hove 5 75.30x
Paddington London 4 12.12x
Pett 4 4444.44x
Plumstead 4 39.18x
Rivenhall 4 1904.76x
Deptford St Paul 3 12.70x
Battersea 2 6.06x
Yalding 2 259.74x
Camberwell 1 1.74x
Chigwell 1 59.88x
Coney Weston 1 1666.67x
Edinburgh St Stephens 1 42.19x
Fulham London 1 7.68x
Islington London 1 1.15x
Margate St John Baptist 1 17.83x
Newington 1 3.02x
Nottingham St Mary 1 3.20x
Old Stratford 1 78.13x
St Pancras London 1 1.38x
Westerham 1 140.85x
Wokingham 1 64.94x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 7
Sarah 5
Ellen 3
Charlotte 2
Elizabeth 2
Emma 2
Fanny 2
Ada 1
Alice 1
Allice 1
Ann 1
Annie 1
Catharine 1
E.A. 1
Eliz. 1
Eliza 1
Emily 1
Ernest 1
Eva 1
H.G. 1
Isabilla 1
Jane 1
Julia 1
Lizzie 1
Lois 1
Louisa 1
Lucy 1
Lydia 1
Margaret 1
Maria 1
Minnie 1
Wilhelmina 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Basden surname: questions and answers

How common was the Basden surname in 1881?

In 1881, 92 people were recorded with the Basden surname. That placed it at #20,709 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Basden surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 148 in 2016. That gives Basden a modern rank of #23,958.

What does the Basden surname mean?

A topographic surname derived from an Old English place name meaning "valley of the basket makers".

What does the Basden map show?

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