NameCensus.

UK surname

Baum

A German and Jewish (Ashkenazic) topographic surname referring to someone who lived near a tree or worked with wood.

In the 1881 census there were 463 people recorded with the Baum surname, ranking it #7,170 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 775, ranked #7,102, up from #7,170 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Barrow-on-Soar (Barrow-on-Soar, Mountsorrel, Woodhouse, Woodhouse Eaves, Maplewell), Beaumanor, Roth, Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars and Stanton Stoney. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Southend-on-Sea, Blaby and Charnwood.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Baum is 823 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 67.4%.

1881 census count

463

Ranked #7,170

Modern count

775

2016, ranked #7,102

Peak year

1998

823 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Baum had 463 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,170 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 775 in 2016, ranked #7,102.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 743 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Outer Suburbs.

Baum surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Baum surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Baum 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 212 #9,965
1861 historical 180 #13,057
1881 historical 463 #7,170
1891 historical 405 #8,789
1901 historical 713 #6,189
1911 historical 743 #5,776
1997 modern 803 #6,522
1998 modern 823 #6,609
1999 modern 809 #6,737
2000 modern 801 #6,767
2001 modern 786 #6,738
2002 modern 797 #6,794
2003 modern 772 #6,848
2004 modern 763 #6,935
2005 modern 762 #6,870
2006 modern 779 #6,780
2007 modern 747 #7,075
2008 modern 753 #7,087
2009 modern 771 #7,089
2010 modern 803 #7,003
2011 modern 786 #7,057
2012 modern 789 #6,917
2013 modern 798 #6,973
2014 modern 790 #7,078
2015 modern 788 #7,016
2016 modern 775 #7,102

Geography

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Where Baums are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Barrow-on-Soar (Barrow-on-Soar, Mountsorrel, Woodhouse, Woodhouse Eaves, Maplewell), Beaumanor, Roth, Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars, Stanton Stoney, Sheffield and Syston. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Southend-on-Sea, Blaby, Charnwood and Barnet. 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 Barrow-on-Soar (Barrow-on-Soar, Mountsorrel, Woodhouse, Woodhouse Eaves, Maplewell), Beaumanor, Roth Leicestershire
2 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire
3 Stanton Stoney Leicestershire
4 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Syston Leicestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Southend-on-Sea 012 Southend-on-Sea
2 Blaby 012 Blaby
3 Charnwood 014 Charnwood
4 Barnet 014 Barnet
5 Barnet 034 Barnet

Forenames

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First names often paired with Baum

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Baum

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

Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals

Group

Outer Suburbs

Nationally, the Baum surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Outer Suburbs, within Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals. This does not mean every Baum household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods are found on the outer edges of many towns and cities. Many residents were born outside the UK. Indian ethnic group representation is high. There are high numbers of families with dependent children aged 5 to 14. Incidences of disability and of provision of unpaid care are low. Neighbourhoods provide a mix of detached housing and flats, and terraced housing is not uncommon. Levels of overcrowding are low and homeownership rates are high. Professional and managerial occupations are prevalent: unemployment is low and education to degree level is the norm.

Wider pattern

Those working within the managerial, professional and administrative occupations typically reflect a wide range of ethnic groups, and reside in detached or semi-detached housing. Their residential locations at the edges of cities and conurbations and car-based lifestyles are more characteristic of Supergroup membership than birthplace or participation in child-rearing. Houses are typically owner-occupied and marriage rates are lower than the national average. This Supergroup is found throughout suburban UK.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Baum is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

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

Baum is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Baum 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 Baum is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Baum

The surname Baum is of German origin, derived from the German word "Baum," which means "tree." It is thought to have originated as a descriptive surname, likely referring to someone who lived near a notable tree or forest.

The earliest known recorded instances of the name Baum date back to the 13th century in various regions of Germany. In 1295, a Henrich Boum was mentioned in records from the town of Meiningen, in the modern-day state of Thuringia. Around the same time, a Conradus dictus Boum was recorded in the town of Schlitz, in the state of Hesse.

Throughout the Middle Ages, the name appeared in various spellings, such as Baume, Bawm, and Bawme, reflecting regional variations in pronunciation and spelling conventions of the time. The name was also sometimes associated with place names containing the word "Baum," such as Baumgarten (meaning "tree garden") or Baumbach (meaning "tree stream").

One of the earliest notable individuals with the surname Baum was Johann Baum, a German theologian and reformer born in Nuremberg in 1515. He played a role in the Protestant Reformation and was a contemporary of Martin Luther.

Another historical figure with the surname Baum was Johann Wilhelm Baum, a German botanist and botanographer born in 1719. He is known for his work in cataloging and describing plant species, particularly in the genus Rubus (the raspberry and blackberry family).

In the 19th century, the name Baum was borne by several notable individuals, including the German-American writer and editor Lyman Frank Baum (1856-1919), best known as the author of the beloved children's novel "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz." Another 19th-century figure was the German politician and statesman Ludwig Bamberger (1823-1899), who served as a member of the Reichstag and played a prominent role in the unification of Germany.

In the arts, the name Baum is associated with the German expressionist painter and printmaker Sonia Delaunay-Terk (née Baum, 1885-1979), a co-founder of the Orphism art movement and a pioneering figure in abstract art.

Throughout history, the surname Baum has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including scholars, artists, politicians, and others who have made significant contributions to their respective fields.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Baum families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Baum 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. Leicestershire leads with 210 Baums recorded in 1881 and an index of 41.94x.

County Total Index
Leicestershire 210 41.94x
Middlesex 77 1.70x
Yorkshire 42 0.94x
Lancashire 30 0.56x
Caernarfonshire 19 10.40x
Warwickshire 16 1.40x
Kirkcudbrightshire 10 15.30x
Derbyshire 8 1.13x
Surrey 8 0.36x
Hertfordshire 7 2.25x
Devon 6 0.64x
Nottinghamshire 6 0.99x
Sussex 6 0.79x
Cheshire 5 0.50x
Renfrewshire 3 0.86x
Somerset 3 0.41x
Essex 2 0.22x
Northamptonshire 2 0.47x
Bedfordshire 1 0.43x
Gloucestershire 1 0.11x
Kent 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Leicester St Margaret in Leicestershire leads with 34 Baums recorded in 1881 and an index of 27.84x.

Place Total Index
Leicester St Margaret 34 27.84x
Barrow Upon Soar 25 603.86x
Mountsorrel 24 2666.67x
Mountsorrel North End 22 2291.67x
Syston 17 362.47x
Whitechapel London 15 33.69x
Manchester 14 5.81x
Mountsorrel South End 14 1971.83x
Pistill 13 921.99x
Urr 10 117.65x
Anstey 9 454.55x
Burbage 9 344.83x
Mile End Old Town London 9 9.36x
Hemsworth 8 311.28x
Coventry St Michael 7 19.13x
Derby St Werburgh 7 17.14x
St Albans St Peter 7 66.67x
Stoney Stanton 7 454.55x
Whitwick 7 109.89x
Allerston 6 869.57x
Kirby Muxloe 6 1016.95x
Lambeth 6 1.52x
Nevin 6 193.55x
Nottingham St Mary 6 3.81x
Paddington London 6 3.61x
Sheffield 6 4.21x
St George In East London 6 14.12x
Stoke Damerel 6 9.12x
Clerkenwell London 5 4.69x
Leicester All Sts 5 50.86x
Mile End New Town London 5 56.05x
Shafton 5 746.27x
St Pancras London 5 1.38x
Swithland 5 1315.79x
Widnes 5 12.94x
Aston 4 1.28x
Bowdon 4 101.01x
Castleton 4 7.47x
Chiswick 4 16.21x
Heckmondwike 4 27.80x
Southowram 4 29.28x
Westminster St James 4 8.62x
Belgrave 3 26.55x
Bootle Cum Linacre 3 7.05x
Brighton 3 1.95x
Great Bowden 3 65.93x
Islington London 3 0.69x
Middle Greenock 3 31.41x
Thornhill 3 22.97x
Tur Langton 3 697.67x
Abbas Combe 2 370.37x
Churchover 2 400.00x
Countesthorpe 2 116.96x
Croft 2 224.72x
Hackney London 2 0.79x
Hellingly 2 78.43x
Humberstone 2 48.66x
Kensington London 2 0.80x
Leyton 2 13.02x
Newtown Linford 2 266.67x
Northampton Priory St 2 7.85x
Shoreditch London 2 1.02x
St George Hanover Square 2 2.51x
St Marylebone London 2 0.83x
Stoke Newington London 2 5.69x
Stratford On Avon 2 31.65x
Thurmaston 2 227.27x
West Derby 2 1.28x
Willoughby Waterless 2 408.16x
Blatchinworth 1 8.20x
Bristol St James In 1 7.67x
Cheetham 1 2.50x
Cranfield 1 44.44x
Loughborough 1 4.40x
Maidstone 1 2.18x
Medbourne 1 116.28x
Rothley 1 61.35x
Thurstonland 1 64.52x
Wakefield 1 2.91x
Woodhouse 1 50.25x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 19
Mary 18
Sarah 12
Ellen 10
Eliza 9
Emma 9
Ann 8
Alice 5
Annie 5
Emily 4
Fanny 4
Hannah 4
Harriet 4
Louisa 4
Maria 4
Ada 3
Caroline 3
Clara 3
Esther 3
Florence 3
Harriett 3
Isabella 3
Leah 3
Rose 3
Bertha 2
Dinah 2
Drusilla 2
Jane 2
Leanora 2
Lily 2
Lizzie 2
Lucy 2
Lydia 2
Margaret 2
Martha 2
Millicent 2
Rachel 2
Rosa 2
Anna 1
Caraline 1
Catharina 1
Caty 1
Charlotte 1
Eliz 1
Eva 1
Janet 1
Kate 1
Kezia 1
Laura 1
Violletta 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 30
William 24
Thomas 14
Joseph 10
Arthur 9
George 8
Henry 8
Charles 7
David 5
Frederick 5
Harry 5
James 5
Alfred 4
Edward 3
Edwin 3
Ernest 3
Stephen 3
Walter 3
Abraham 2
Albert 2
Allan 2
Amos 2
Daniel 2
Francis 2
Franz 2
Frederic 2
Isaac 2
Louis 2
Maurice 2
Samuel 2
Wm. 2
Adolphus 1
Allen 1
Augustus 1
Barnet 1
Bernard 1
Burhara 1
Edmond 1
Elias 1
Elijah 1
Ellis 1
Ezra 1
Ferdinand 1
Fhurly 1
Harris 1
Heinrich 1
Herbert 1
Hori 1
Hyman 1
Israel 1

FAQ

Baum surname: questions and answers

How common was the Baum surname in 1881?

In 1881, 463 people were recorded with the Baum surname. That placed it at #7,170 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Baum surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 775 in 2016. That gives Baum a modern rank of #7,102.

What does the Baum surname mean?

A German and Jewish (Ashkenazic) topographic surname referring to someone who lived near a tree or worked with wood.

What does the Baum map show?

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