NameCensus.

UK surname

Bawden

Derived from a place name, denoting someone from Bawden or Bawden Manor.

In the 1881 census there were 1,479 people recorded with the Bawden surname, ranking it #2,828 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,274, ranked #4,696, down from #2,828 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Redruth, Illogan and Breage. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Devon, Cornwall and Sedgemoor.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bawden is 1,597 in 1851. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 13.9%.

1881 census count

1,479

Ranked #2,828

Modern count

1,274

2016, ranked #4,696

Peak year

1851

1,597 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bawden had 1,479 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,828 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,274 in 2016, ranked #4,696.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,597 in 1851.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Bawden surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bawden surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Bawden 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 1,597 #1,800
1861 historical 1,396 #2,054
1881 historical 1,479 #2,828
1891 historical 1,529 #2,886
1901 historical 1,532 #3,363
1911 historical 1,466 #3,290
1997 modern 1,287 #4,429
1998 modern 1,362 #4,378
1999 modern 1,360 #4,416
2000 modern 1,344 #4,439
2001 modern 1,315 #4,445
2002 modern 1,329 #4,485
2003 modern 1,295 #4,503
2004 modern 1,275 #4,569
2005 modern 1,259 #4,568
2006 modern 1,231 #4,673
2007 modern 1,262 #4,603
2008 modern 1,297 #4,521
2009 modern 1,325 #4,530
2010 modern 1,321 #4,636
2011 modern 1,293 #4,667
2012 modern 1,260 #4,698
2013 modern 1,286 #4,703
2014 modern 1,293 #4,698
2015 modern 1,276 #4,713
2016 modern 1,274 #4,696

Geography

Back to top

Where Bawdens are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Redruth, Illogan, Breage, Middlezoy, Weston Zoyland, Woolavington and Gwennap. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Devon, Cornwall and Sedgemoor. 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 Redruth Cornwall
2 Illogan Cornwall
3 Breage Cornwall
4 Middlezoy, Weston Zoyland, Woolavington Somerset
5 Gwennap Cornwall

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Devon 013 North Devon
2 Cornwall 052 Cornwall
3 Cornwall 053 Cornwall
4 Cornwall 057 Cornwall
5 Sedgemoor 009 Sedgemoor

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Bawden

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Bawden

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

Bawden is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Bawden falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Bawden

The surname BAWDEN is of English origin, originating in the county of Cornwall in the southwest of England during the medieval period. The name is believed to be derived from the Old English words "bald" and "dun," meaning "bald hill" or "bare hill." This suggests that the name may have referred to a person who lived near a prominent bare or treeless hill.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the BAWDEN surname can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Cornwall from the late 13th century. These tax records list individuals with variations of the name, such as "Baldewyne" and "Baldewine," which are believed to be early spellings of BAWDEN.

In the 16th century, the name appears in the Parish Records of St. Mellion, Cornwall, with entries for individuals named "Bawden" and "Balden." This suggests that the spelling had become more standardized by this time.

The BAWDEN surname has also been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One example is William Bawden (1675-1756), an English clergyman and author who served as the Rector of Winwick in Lancashire.

Another notable figure was John Bawden (1789-1859), a Cornish mining engineer and entrepreneur who played a significant role in the development of the Cornish mining industry during the 19th century.

In the field of art, Edward Bawden (1903-1989) was a renowned English painter, illustrator, and graphic artist known for his whimsical and colorful depictions of everyday life in Britain.

The name BAWDEN has also been linked to several place names in Cornwall, such as Bawden Farm and Bawden Rocks, which may have derived their names from early settlers or landowners with the surname.

Another prominent individual with the BAWDEN surname was Sir Frank Bawden (1908-1972), a British plant virologist who made significant contributions to the understanding of plant diseases and viruses.

Overall, the surname BAWDEN has a rich history rooted in the English county of Cornwall, with its origins tracing back to the medieval period and possibly referring to a geographic feature or settlement near a bare or treeless hill.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Bawden families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bawden 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. Cornwall leads with 852 Bawdens recorded in 1881 and an index of 51.40x.

County Total Index
Cornwall 852 51.40x
Devon 207 6.79x
Somerset 118 5.01x
Middlesex 71 0.48x
Surrey 29 0.41x
Cumberland 28 2.22x
Lancashire 24 0.14x
Isle of Man 23 8.46x
Cheshire 21 0.65x
Berkshire 19 1.73x
Gloucestershire 16 0.56x
Glamorgan 12 0.47x
Wiltshire 12 0.93x
Durham 11 0.25x
Kent 10 0.20x
Nottinghamshire 8 0.41x
Warwickshire 8 0.22x
Yorkshire 6 0.04x
Hampshire 5 0.17x
Staffordshire 4 0.08x
Brecknockshire 3 1.02x
Essex 3 0.10x
Derbyshire 2 0.09x
Royal Navy 2 1.15x
Shropshire 2 0.16x
Sussex 2 0.08x
Dorset 1 0.10x
Monmouthshire 1 0.09x
Norfolk 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. Camborne in Cornwall leads with 102 Bawdens recorded in 1881 and an index of 149.34x.

Place Total Index
Camborne 102 149.34x
Gwennap 91 291.01x
Redruth 63 134.36x
Sithney 57 340.30x
Kenwyn 52 119.95x
Illogan 44 100.25x
Breage 35 231.33x
North Molton 33 555.56x
Cleator 28 53.36x
Phillack 21 98.13x
Perranzabuloe 20 139.86x
South Molton 20 119.40x
St Austell 19 33.53x
Germoe 18 612.24x
Antony 17 106.18x
Madron Penzance 17 28.20x
Bishops Nympton 16 275.39x
Liskeard 16 57.68x
Ludgvan 16 121.12x
Hawkridge 15 3333.33x
Islington London 15 1.06x
Lambeth 15 1.17x
Tavistock 15 43.20x
Kea 14 113.36x
St Agnes 14 60.29x
St Ives 14 43.16x
Patrick 13 98.11x
Crowan 12 91.39x
Gulval 12 112.46x
St Ewe 12 239.04x
Weston Super Mare 12 20.16x
Calstock 11 33.84x
Clerkenwell London 11 3.18x
East Stonehouse 11 18.32x
Lanreath 10 353.36x
St Erme 10 393.70x
St Erth 10 99.60x
Stoke Climsland 10 94.43x
Tamerton Foliott 10 170.65x
Exeter St Sidwell 9 12.89x
Gwithian 9 292.21x
Wendron 9 39.10x
Bristol St Augustine 8 17.26x
Compton Bishop 8 289.86x
Cornwood 8 137.46x
Plymouth Charles The 8 5.96x
Poulton Cum Seacombe 8 21.52x
Truro St Mary 8 57.43x
Burnham 7 38.95x
Chelsea London 7 1.59x
Exford 7 305.68x
Menheniot 7 101.74x
Plymouth St Andrew 7 2.98x
Quethiock 7 288.07x
Reading St Mary 7 7.95x
St Cleer 7 48.71x
St Enoder 7 124.33x
Steeple Ashton 7 200.57x
Stoke Damerel 7 3.28x
Sunninghill 7 45.90x
Tranmere 7 5.89x
Woolavington 7 395.48x
Bridgewater 6 9.38x
Catcott 6 217.39x
East Brent 6 168.54x
Exeter St David 6 23.04x
Kirkdale 6 2.05x
Lawhitton 6 276.50x
Little Hulton 6 20.86x
Moorsley 6 128.21x
Raby 6 500.00x
St Clement 6 34.68x
St Stithians 6 65.65x
Stonehouse East 6 38.81x
Altarnun 5 86.81x
Devonport 5 14.28x
Kewstoke 5 134.77x
Keynsham 5 29.53x
Minster In Sheppey 5 6.04x
Sandford 5 67.11x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 107
Elizabeth 92
Jane 45
Sarah 34
Eliza 29
Ann 27
Annie 27
Emily 22
Ellen 20
Bessie 17
Louisa 13
Caroline 12
Catherine 12
Margaret 12
Susan 12
Fanny 11
Maria 11
Ada 9
Alice 9
Amelia 9
Edith 9
Charlotte 8
Frances 8
Lucy 8
Emma 7
Harriet 7
Matilda 7
Elizth. 6
Martha 6
Clara 5
Grace 5
Hannah 5
Lavinia 5
Minnie 5
Sophia 5
Rebecca 4
Anne 3
Christiana 3
Esther 3
Florence 3
Kate 3
Mabel 3
Phillipa 3
Selina 3
Celia 2
Elizth.A. 2
Isabel 2
Jenefer 2
Johanna 2
Lilian 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 118
John 109
Thomas 63
James 57
Charles 30
Richard 29
Edward 26
Henry 23
George 22
Joseph 20
Samuel 16
Frederick 13
Alfred 11
Wm. 9
Ernest 7
Albert 6
Arthur 6
Robert 6
Hugh 5
Thos. 5
Walter 5
Benjamin 4
Edwin 4
Francis 4
Josiah 4
Nicholas 4
Peter 4
Frank 3
Harry 3
Herbert 3
Phillip 3
Reginald 3
Sidney 3
Andrew 2
Chas. 2
Cornelius 2
Edwd. 2
Fred 2
Fredk. 2
Fredrick 2
J. 2
Jas. 2
Lambert 2
Matthew 2
Moses 2
Philip 2
Thos.Hy. 2
Tobias 2
Christopher 1
Fredk.Alex. 1

FAQ

Bawden surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bawden surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,479 people were recorded with the Bawden surname. That placed it at #2,828 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bawden surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,274 in 2016. That gives Bawden a modern rank of #4,696.

What does the Bawden surname mean?

Derived from a place name, denoting someone from Bawden or Bawden Manor.

What does the Bawden map show?

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