NameCensus.

UK surname

Bax

A surname derived from a pet form of the given name Balthasar or Bartholomew.

In the 1881 census there were 372 people recorded with the Bax surname, ranking it #8,399 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 652, ranked #8,163, up from #8,399 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Minster, Dorking and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bolton, Blackburn with Darwen and Dover.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bax is 658 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 75.3%.

1881 census count

372

Ranked #8,399

Modern count

652

2016, ranked #8,163

Peak year

2014

658 bearers

Map years

6

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bax had 372 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,399 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 652 in 2016, ranked #8,163.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 497 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Bax surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bax surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bax 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 332 #7,031
1881 historical 372 #8,399
1891 historical 2 #34,436
1901 historical 497 #8,090
1997 modern 590 #8,250
1998 modern 622 #8,181
1999 modern 626 #8,196
2000 modern 623 #8,207
2001 modern 604 #8,260
2002 modern 619 #8,262
2003 modern 603 #8,304
2004 modern 610 #8,246
2005 modern 577 #8,506
2006 modern 592 #8,368
2007 modern 601 #8,349
2008 modern 594 #8,487
2009 modern 607 #8,517
2010 modern 636 #8,388
2011 modern 647 #8,183
2012 modern 629 #8,285
2013 modern 649 #8,230
2014 modern 658 #8,175
2015 modern 650 #8,196
2016 modern 652 #8,163

Geography

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Where Bax' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Minster, Dorking, London parishes, Margate and St Lawrence in Thanet. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bolton, Blackburn with Darwen, Dover and Thanet. 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 Minster Kent
2 Dorking Surrey
3 London parishes London 3
4 Margate Kent
5 St Lawrence in Thanet Kent

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bolton 005 Bolton
2 Blackburn with Darwen 004 Blackburn with Darwen
3 Dover 002 Dover
4 Thanet 017 Thanet
5 Blackburn with Darwen 006 Blackburn with Darwen

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bax

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bax

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

Bax 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

Bax falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Bax

The surname "BAX" is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "bæcce" or "baecce," meaning "baker." It emerged in the 12th century as a occupational surname for those who worked as bakers or were associated with the baking trade.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in various medieval records, such as the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1166, where a certain "Willelmus Bax" is mentioned. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 also contain references to individuals with the surname, including "Willelmus le Bax" and "Johannes le Bax."

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was John Bax, a baker from London, who was mentioned in records dating back to 1292. Another notable figure was Sir Walter Bax, a wealthy merchant and alderman of London, who lived in the late 14th century.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the surname "BAX" experienced a variety of spellings, including "Backes," "Bakes," "Bakes," and "Bakkes." These variations reflect the fluid nature of spelling patterns in those times. One notable individual from this period was Arnold Bax (1551-1616), a Dutch-born English merchant and diplomat.

In the 18th century, the surname gained further prominence with individuals such as Thomas Bax (1726-1787), an English clergyman and author, and Sir William Bax (1748-1823), a British naval officer who served during the American Revolutionary War and the Napoleonic Wars.

The 19th century saw the birth of several notable individuals bearing the "BAX" surname, including Arnold Bax (1883-1953), an English composer and poet, and Ernest Belfort Bax (1854-1926), a British socialist philosopher and writer. Another notable figure was Walter Bax (1859-1924), a British journalist and writer known for his works on Russian culture and history.

Throughout its history, the surname "BAX" has been associated with various occupations and fields, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and contributions of its bearers. While its origins can be traced back to the baking trade in medieval England, the name has since spread across the world and gained recognition in various spheres of influence.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bax families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bax 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. Kent leads with 172 Bax' recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.82x.

County Total Index
Kent 172 13.82x
Surrey 88 4.95x
Middlesex 35 0.96x
Sussex 32 5.20x
Lancashire 13 0.30x
Norfolk 8 1.43x
Devon 6 0.79x
Warwickshire 5 0.54x
Essex 4 0.56x
Huntingdonshire 4 5.52x
Gloucestershire 2 0.28x
Somerset 2 0.34x
Angus 1 0.30x
Midlothian 1 0.20x
Suffolk 1 0.23x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Dorking in Surrey leads with 30 Bax' recorded in 1881 and an index of 251.26x.

Place Total Index
Dorking 30 251.26x
Minster In Thanet 28 1081.08x
St Lawrence 26 303.74x
Brighton 19 15.31x
St Peters 16 277.78x
Tooting Graveney 15 303.03x
Ramsgate 13 63.98x
Lambeth 12 3.77x
Preston Next Faversham 8 273.04x
St Luke London 8 13.67x
Betchworth 7 319.63x
Clapham 7 15.35x
Deptford St Paul 7 7.29x
Great Yarmouth 7 15.06x
Margate St John Baptist 7 30.72x
Stretford 7 29.39x
Womenswould 7 2500.00x
Canterbury St Martin 6 2307.69x
Deal 6 56.50x
Hackney London 6 2.93x
Lower Booths 6 77.32x
Higham 5 297.62x
Ripple 5 1470.59x
Bromley 4 21.09x
Capel 4 239.52x
Dover St Mary Virgin 4 33.20x
Hove 4 14.82x
Hurstpierpoint 4 116.96x
Leamington Priors 4 17.67x
St George Hanover Square 4 6.22x
St Neots 4 101.52x
Stoke Newington London 4 14.07x
Streatham 4 14.78x
Bexley 3 27.27x
Isleworth 3 18.50x
Plympton St Mary 3 68.34x
Sandwich St Peter 3 229.01x
Southwark Christchurch 3 17.55x
Southwark St George Martyr 3 4.09x
Sundridge 3 144.23x
West Ham 3 1.89x
Ash Next Sandwich 2 72.73x
Boughton Under Blean 2 96.15x
Bristol St James St Paul 2 8.38x
Bromley London 2 2.49x
Canterbury St Peter 2 142.86x
Chelsea London 2 1.82x
Eastbourne 2 7.07x
Edmonton 2 6.81x
Hartlip 2 416.67x
Hastings St Mary In The 2 15.24x
Sandwich St Clement 2 190.48x
Sidmouth 2 45.98x
Staple 2 307.69x
Upchurch 2 142.86x
Acol 1 270.27x
Bathwick 1 15.38x
Beccles 1 13.99x
Dundee 1 0.79x
Eastry 1 57.80x
Edgbaston 1 3.51x
Elham 1 67.11x
Epsom 1 11.55x
Hammersmith London 1 1.11x
Harwick St Nicholas 1 87.72x
Islington London 1 0.28x
Kensington London 1 0.49x
Kings Nympton 1 126.58x
Lewes St Michael 1 81.97x
Newington In Milton 1 76.92x
Norwich St John Sepulchre 1 27.47x
Queensferry 1 200.00x
Rochester St Margaret 1 7.62x
St Marylebone London 1 0.51x
Walmer 1 18.48x
Wandsworth 1 2.85x
Weston Super Mare 1 6.74x
Woking 1 9.34x
Woodnesborough 1 87.72x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Sarah 16
Elizabeth 15
Mary 14
Louisa 10
Alice 8
Emily 8
Eliza 6
Ellen 6
Emma 6
Jane 6
Ann 4
Anne 4
Annie 4
Fanny 4
Harriet 4
Maria 4
Mabel 3
Martha 3
Ada 2
Charlotte 2
Esther 2
Frances 2
Hannah 2
Mercy 2
Minnie 2
Phoebe 2
Alberta 1
Alexandir 1
Blanche 1
Caroline 1
Catherine 1
Chare. 1
Dorothy 1
Edith 1
Eleaner 1
Elizebeth 1
Ellin 1
Eugenie 1
Evelyn 1
Gracie 1
Hephzibah 1
Jessie 1
John 1
Kate 1
Kathleen 1
Lillian 1
Lily 1
Lucy 1
Margarat 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 27
John 18
Thomas 16
James 13
Alfred 12
Robert 12
Edward 9
Henry 9
George 8
Charles 6
Frederick 5
Walter 4
Albert 3
Arthur 3
Ernest 3
Herbert 3
Richard 3
Stephen 3
Alexander 2
Edwin 2
Harry 2
Vincent 2
Wm. 2
Archibald 1
Aubry 1
Chas.Rchd. 1
Claud 1
Daniel 1
Ebenezer 1
Edgar 1
Emily 1
Frank 1
Fredk. 1
Hy.Jno. 1
Mark 1
Oscar 1
Pearce 1
Peter 1
Philip 1
Reginald 1
Rudolph 1
Samuel 1
Wm.Robt. 1
Wm.Thos. 1

FAQ

Bax surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bax surname in 1881?

In 1881, 372 people were recorded with the Bax surname. That placed it at #8,399 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bax surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 652 in 2016. That gives Bax a modern rank of #8,163.

What does the Bax surname mean?

A surname derived from a pet form of the given name Balthasar or Bartholomew.

What does the Bax map show?

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