UK surname
An English locational surname derived from a place named Baswell or Basewell.
In the 1881 census there were 18 people recorded with the Baswell surname, ranking it #31,019 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3, ranked #38,594, down from #31,019 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Wigston, Magna, St Leonard Shoreditch and Braunston. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Baswell is 218 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 83.3%.
1881 census count
18
Ranked #31,019
Modern count
3
2016, ranked #38,594
Peak year
1861
218 bearers
Map years
2
1861 to 1891
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Baswell surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Baswell surname density by area, 1891 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 70 | #21,020 |
| 1861 | historical | 218 | #11,175 |
| 1881 | historical | 18 | #31,019 |
| 1891 | historical | 119 | #21,415 |
| 1901 | historical | 38 | #29,914 |
| 1911 | historical | 39 | #29,025 |
| 1997 | modern | 1 | #38,839 |
| 1998 | modern | 1 | #38,814 |
| 1999 | modern | 1 | #38,820 |
| 2000 | modern | 2 | #38,472 |
| 2001 | modern | 2 | #38,335 |
| 2002 | modern | 2 | #38,400 |
| 2003 | modern | 2 | #38,424 |
| 2004 | modern | 3 | #38,241 |
| 2005 | modern | 4 | #38,078 |
| 2006 | modern | 4 | #38,130 |
| 2007 | modern | 4 | #38,169 |
| 2008 | modern | 4 | #38,216 |
| 2009 | modern | 4 | #38,287 |
| 2010 | modern | 3 | #38,552 |
| 2011 | modern | 4 | #38,338 |
| 2012 | modern | 2 | #38,754 |
| 2013 | modern | 2 | #38,761 |
| 2014 | modern | 2 | #38,791 |
| 2015 | modern | 3 | #38,558 |
| 2016 | modern | 3 | #38,594 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Wigston, Magna, St Leonard Shoreditch, Braunston, Beverley St Martin and St Nicholas and Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wigston, Magna | Leicestershire |
| 2 | St Leonard Shoreditch | London (East Districts) |
| 3 | Braunston | Northamptonshire |
| 4 | Beverley St Martin and St Nicholas | Yorkshire, East Riding |
| 5 | Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars | Leicestershire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Baswell surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Baswell, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Baswell surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Baswell household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Baswell is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Baswell is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Baswell, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Baswell originates from England, with records dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "bas" meaning "bass" or "perch," and "well," signifying a natural spring or water source. This suggests that the name may have initially referred to individuals residing near a body of water abundant with bass or perch fish.
In the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of land and property in England commissioned by William the Conqueror, there are several references to places with similar names, such as "Basewell" and "Bassewell." These place names could have influenced the eventual formation of the Baswell surname.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Baswell surname can be found in the parish records of St. Mary's Church in Warwickshire, where a John Baswell was baptized in 1587. Another early record comes from the marriage of Thomas Baswell and Elizabeth Browne in the village of Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire, in 1612.
Notable individuals with the Baswell surname include Sir John Baswell (1633-1701), a prominent merchant and alderman in the City of London, and William Baswell (1760-1832), a renowned clockmaker from Lincolnshire who became a master of the Clockmakers' Company in 1809.
In the literary realm, George Baswell (1801-1876) was an English author and translator who published works on various subjects, including history, biography, and travel. His most notable work was a translation of Dante's Divine Comedy, published in 1865.
Another noteworthy figure was Reverend Richard Baswell (1817-1892), an Anglican clergyman and author who served as the Rector of St. Michael's Church in Gloucester. He published several theological works, including a commentary on the Book of Psalms and a treatise on Church doctrine.
During the 18th and 19th centuries, the Baswell surname was particularly prevalent in the counties of Warwickshire, Oxfordshire, and Lincolnshire, though it can be found scattered throughout various regions of England.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Baswell surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Surrey leads with 7 Baswells recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.18x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Surrey | 7 | 8.18x |
| Middlesex | 6 | 3.42x |
| Devon | 2 | 5.47x |
| Lancashire | 2 | 0.96x |
| Hampshire | 1 | 2.78x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Camberwell in Surrey leads with 7 Baswells recorded in 1881 and an index of 62.39x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Camberwell | 7 | 62.39x |
| Hulme | 2 | 45.98x |
| Shoreditch London | 2 | 26.28x |
| St Marylebone London | 2 | 21.34x |
| Ilfracombe | 1 | 263.16x |
| Islington London | 1 | 5.88x |
| Portsea | 1 | 14.18x |
| St George Hanover Square | 1 | 32.36x |
| Stoke Damerel | 1 | 39.06x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Baswell surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Baswell surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
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 Baswell households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Schlr | 3 |
| Charwoman | 1 |
| Commercial Clerk Tailors | 1 |
| Dressmaker | 1 |
| Formerly Teacher (Dom SV) | 1 |
| Sch | 1 |
| Waiter | 1 |
| Warehouseman Drapers | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 18 people were recorded with the Baswell surname. That placed it at #31,019 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 3 in 2016. That gives Baswell a modern rank of #38,594.
An English locational surname derived from a place named Baswell or Basewell.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Baswell bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.