NameCensus.

UK surname

Basham

An English locational surname derived from a place name meaning "Bassa's homestead" in Old English.

In the 1881 census there were 744 people recorded with the Basham surname, ranking it #4,932 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 892, ranked #6,340, down from #4,932 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hedingham, Castle, Whissonsett and Chigwell. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Taunton Deane, South Cambridgeshire and Mid Suffolk.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Basham is 1,118 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 19.9%.

1881 census count

744

Ranked #4,932

Modern count

892

2016, ranked #6,340

Peak year

1911

1,118 bearers

Map years

0

Key insights

  • Basham had 744 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,932 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 892 in 2016, ranked #6,340.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,118 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Timeline

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Basham 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 511 #4,895
1861 historical 370 #6,899
1881 historical 744 #4,932
1891 historical 797 #5,051
1901 historical 1,027 #4,649
1911 historical 1,118 #4,155
1997 modern 1,005 #5,480
1998 modern 1,009 #5,637
1999 modern 967 #5,865
2000 modern 954 #5,907
2001 modern 928 #5,932
2002 modern 927 #6,059
2003 modern 881 #6,182
2004 modern 888 #6,162
2005 modern 876 #6,149
2006 modern 853 #6,301
2007 modern 857 #6,339
2008 modern 864 #6,338
2009 modern 891 #6,320
2010 modern 899 #6,389
2011 modern 905 #6,300
2012 modern 901 #6,245
2013 modern 912 #6,289
2014 modern 911 #6,316
2015 modern 901 #6,320
2016 modern 892 #6,340

Geography

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Where Bashams are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hedingham, Castle, Whissonsett, Chigwell, London parishes and Haverhill, Little Wratting. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Taunton Deane, South Cambridgeshire, Mid Suffolk and St Edmundsbury. 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 Hedingham, Castle Essex
2 Whissonsett Norfolk
3 Chigwell Essex
4 London parishes London 3
5 Haverhill, Little Wratting Suffolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Taunton Deane 004 Taunton Deane
2 South Cambridgeshire 016 South Cambridgeshire
3 Mid Suffolk 012 Mid Suffolk
4 St Edmundsbury 010 St Edmundsbury
5 St Edmundsbury 014 St Edmundsbury

Forenames

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First names often paired with Basham

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Basham

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Basham, 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 Basham surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Basham 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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Basham is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Basham is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Basham 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 Basham 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 Basham, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Basham

The surname Basham is of English origin, deriving from the Old English words "bæcc" meaning "ridge" or "hill," and "ham" meaning "home" or "settlement." It is believed to have emerged in the 11th century as a locational surname, referring to individuals who resided near a prominent ridge or hill.

During the medieval period, the name was initially recorded with various spellings, such as Baccham, Bacham, and Bakham, reflecting the regional dialects and scribal variations of the time. One of the earliest known references to the name appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Baccham."

In the 13th century, the surname is found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire, with the entry "Willelmus de Baccham" recorded in 1230. This suggests that the name was well-established in the northern regions of England by this time.

Notable historical figures bearing the surname Basham include Sir William Basham (1557-1624), a wealthy merchant and alderman of London, and Robert Basham (1632-1702), an English clergyman and author of religious works.

In the 18th century, the name gained prominence with the birth of John Basham (1736-1819), a renowned English architect responsible for designing several notable buildings in London, including the Church of St. Mary-le-Strand.

Another prominent individual was Sir William Basham (1804-1877), a British surgeon and medical writer who served as the principal medical officer in the East India Company's Bengal Army. His contributions to the field of tropical medicine were widely recognized during his lifetime.

The 19th century saw the birth of Alfred Harry Basham (1891-1986), a distinguished British historian and indologist known for his seminal work on ancient Indian history and culture, including the book "The Wonder That Was India."

Throughout its history, the name Basham has maintained a connection to its geographical roots, often appearing in areas with prominent ridges or hills, such as the counties of Yorkshire, Derbyshire, and Nottinghamshire in England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Basham families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Basham 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. Suffolk leads with 185 Bashams recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.01x.

County Total Index
Suffolk 185 21.01x
Essex 121 8.48x
Norfolk 109 9.81x
Middlesex 85 1.18x
Durham 54 2.51x
Monmouthshire 47 8.99x
Surrey 35 0.99x
Yorkshire 31 0.43x
Cambridgeshire 23 5.02x
Gloucestershire 10 0.71x
Glamorgan 7 0.56x
Brecknockshire 6 4.15x
Lancashire 4 0.05x
Northamptonshire 4 0.59x
Sussex 4 0.33x
Hampshire 3 0.20x
Kent 3 0.12x
Lincolnshire 3 0.26x
Berkshire 1 0.18x
Leicestershire 1 0.12x
Northumberland 1 0.09x
Oxfordshire 1 0.22x
Royal Navy 1 1.16x
Somerset 1 0.09x
Staffordshire 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Haverhill in Suffolk leads with 94 Bashams recorded in 1881 and an index of 1202.05x.

Place Total Index
Haverhill 94 1202.05x
Poslingford 49 5568.18x
Maldon St Peter 26 357.63x
Whissonsett 20 1333.33x
Castle Hedingham 19 739.30x
Chigwell 18 133.63x
Brandon 16 268.01x
Hackney London 16 3.95x
Graig 14 595.74x
Haverhill 14 1076.92x
Islington London 14 2.00x
Stansfield 14 1359.22x
Lambeth 10 1.59x
South Creake 10 396.83x
Westoe 10 8.20x
Holt 9 236.84x
Middleton St George 9 334.57x
Penhow 9 1451.61x
Rotherhithe 9 10.08x
Whitburn 9 179.64x
Bethnal Green London 8 2.55x
Gately 8 2105.26x
Harwich St Nicholas 8 72.60x
Toppesfield 8 375.59x
Low Dinsdale 7 1129.03x
Risca 7 71.07x
St Giles Cambridge 7 118.44x
Swansea Town 7 6.78x
Tanfield 7 27.38x
Acle 6 264.32x
Cheltenham 6 5.49x
Llanelly 6 34.68x
Shoreditch London 6 1.91x
St Marylebone London 6 1.55x
Sudbury St Gregory 6 84.99x
Wickhambrook 6 181.27x
Cottingham 5 32.38x
Dullingham 5 242.72x
East Rudham 5 255.10x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 5 5.37x
Langley 5 505.05x
Mattishall 5 225.23x
Sculcoates 5 4.40x
Skelton In Guisbrough 5 25.80x
St Pancras London 5 0.86x
Stanhope 5 22.52x
Willesden 5 7.34x
Camberwell 4 0.87x
Chatteris 4 34.25x
Cleasby 4 909.09x
Hulme 4 2.23x
Morley 4 10.74x
Newport 4 16.04x
Northampton All Sts 4 17.34x
Ousden 4 526.32x
Ratcliffe London 4 10.02x
Withersfield 4 281.69x
Battersea 3 1.13x
Boston 3 8.55x
Chesterton 3 21.25x
Crimplesham 3 410.96x
Ipswich St Peter 3 25.32x
Kensington London 3 0.75x
Kimberworth 3 7.55x
Leyton 3 12.21x
Llanarth 3 500.00x
Loughton 3 42.55x
Mile End Old Town London 3 1.95x
Portsea 3 1.03x
St Marythe Great 3 201.34x
Tottenham 3 2.61x
Trevethin 3 6.08x
Warham All Sts 3 500.00x
West Ham 3 0.95x
Aldeburgh 2 38.39x
Banham 2 70.67x
Diss 2 20.99x
Fakenham 2 36.56x
Monmouth 2 14.43x
St Olave Silver Street 2 1000.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 34
Sarah 29
Elizabeth 18
Harriet 18
Emma 17
Ann 13
Ellen 13
Eliza 12
Jane 12
Maria 12
Alice 11
Kate 9
Anna 8
Annie 8
Susan 8
Martha 7
Emily 6
Charlotte 5
Hannah 5
Louisa 5
Sophia 5
Edith 4
Fanny 4
Francis 4
Susanna 4
Cecilia 3
Esther 3
Florence 3
Harriett 3
Julia 3
Margaret 3
Ruth 3
Susannah 3
Agnes 2
Amelia 2
Betsy 2
Caroline 2
Kezia 2
Laura 2
Lucy 2
Rachel 2
Rhoda 2
Rose 2
Rosetta 2
Selina 2
Susanah 2
Allice 1
Bessie 1
Eliz. 1
Elizebeth 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 45
John 43
George 27
Thomas 24
James 21
Charles 18
Walter 15
Alfred 12
Henry 12
Arthur 11
Frederick 11
Edward 10
Albert 7
Robert 7
Herbert 6
Joseph 6
David 5
Ernest 5
Harry 5
Stephen 4
Benjamin 3
Frank 3
Fredk. 3
Abraham 2
Chas. 2
Edgar 2
Edwin 2
Jas. 2
Lewis 2
Reginald 2
Richard 2
Samuel 2
Wm. 2
Archibald 1
Bertram 1
Bodham 1
Chas.N. 1
Earnest 1
Ebenezr.Willm. 1
Edmund 1
Edw. 1
Elijah 1
Heny 1
Horace 1
Hy. 1
Isaac 1
Ivor 1
Jabez 1
Jack 1
Johnathon 1

FAQ

Basham surname: questions and answers

How common was the Basham surname in 1881?

In 1881, 744 people were recorded with the Basham surname. That placed it at #4,932 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Basham surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 892 in 2016. That gives Basham a modern rank of #6,340.

What does the Basham surname mean?

An English locational surname derived from a place name meaning "Bassa's homestead" in Old English.

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.