UK surname
Derived from a nickname referring to a person who was fair-haired or had a pale complexion.
In the 1881 census there were 232 people recorded with the Beals surname, ranking it #11,677 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 70, ranked #33,700, down from #11,677 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Hepworth, Creake, North and St John Hackney. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Beals is 232 in 1881. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 69.8%.
1881 census count
232
Ranked #11,677
Modern count
70
2016, ranked #33,700
Peak year
1881
232 bearers
Map years
6
1851 to 1911
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Beals surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Beals surname density by area, 1881 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 | 185 | #11,077 |
| 1861 | historical | 219 | #11,124 |
| 1881 | historical | 232 | #11,677 |
| 1891 | historical | 202 | #14,808 |
| 1901 | historical | 157 | #17,577 |
| 1911 | historical | 129 | #19,577 |
| 1997 | modern | 74 | #30,218 |
| 1998 | modern | 72 | #30,775 |
| 1999 | modern | 74 | #30,759 |
| 2000 | modern | 69 | #31,273 |
| 2001 | modern | 76 | #30,366 |
| 2002 | modern | 74 | #31,048 |
| 2003 | modern | 79 | #30,549 |
| 2004 | modern | 79 | #30,799 |
| 2005 | modern | 77 | #31,156 |
| 2006 | modern | 75 | #31,733 |
| 2007 | modern | 73 | #32,287 |
| 2008 | modern | 70 | #32,856 |
| 2009 | modern | 71 | #33,102 |
| 2010 | modern | 70 | #33,480 |
| 2011 | modern | 71 | #33,392 |
| 2012 | modern | 69 | #33,695 |
| 2013 | modern | 71 | #33,693 |
| 2014 | modern | 77 | #33,336 |
| 2015 | modern | 70 | #33,717 |
| 2016 | modern | 70 | #33,700 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Hepworth, Creake, North, St John Hackney, Ringland and East Dereham. 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 | Hepworth | Norfolk |
| 2 | Creake, North | Norfolk |
| 3 | St John Hackney | London (North Districts) |
| 4 | Ringland | Norfolk |
| 5 | East Dereham | Norfolk |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Beals 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 Beals, 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 Beals surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Beals 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, Beals 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 Beals is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Beals, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname BEALS is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "beal" meaning "a clearing" or "a meadow." It is believed to have originated in the 12th or 13th century as a topographic name, referring to a person who lived near a meadow or clearing.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name BEALS can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from the year 1273, where it appears as "de Beal." This suggests that the name was initially used as a locational surname, indicating a person from a place called Beal.
In the Hundred Rolls of 1275, the name appears as "Beal," further reinforcing its connection to the Old English word "beal." This record also shows that the name was present in various parts of England during the medieval period.
Notable individuals with the surname BEALS include John Beals (1605-1667), one of the early settlers of Hingham, Massachusetts, who arrived in the American colonies in 1638. Another prominent figure was Charles Beals (1841-1904), an American artist and illustrator known for his Civil War sketches and paintings.
In the 19th century, the BEALS surname was associated with the town of Beal in Northumberland, England. This connection is evident in the work of John Hodgson, a historian who mentioned the Beals family in his "History of Northumberland" published in 1827.
Another notable figure was Charles Henry Beals (1859-1943), an American botanist and professor at the University of Michigan, who made significant contributions to the study of plant morphology and embryology.
Additionally, the name BEALS can be found in various historical records, such as the Subsidy Rolls of Suffolk from 1327, where it appears as "Bel," and the Subsidy Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1379, where it is recorded as "Beale."
Throughout history, the surname BEALS has undergone variations in spelling, including Beal, Beale, Beall, and Beel, reflecting the regional dialects and scribal variations of the time.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Beals 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. Norfolk leads with 66 Beals' recorded in 1881 and an index of 18.97x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Norfolk | 66 | 18.97x |
| Yorkshire | 48 | 2.14x |
| Middlesex | 25 | 1.10x |
| Suffolk | 24 | 8.71x |
| Surrey | 9 | 0.82x |
| Durham | 8 | 1.19x |
| Lancashire | 8 | 0.30x |
| Staffordshire | 8 | 1.05x |
| Lincolnshire | 6 | 1.66x |
| Nottinghamshire | 6 | 1.97x |
| Bedfordshire | 4 | 3.41x |
| Cornwall | 4 | 1.56x |
| Essex | 3 | 0.67x |
| Kent | 3 | 0.39x |
| Devon | 2 | 0.42x |
| Hampshire | 2 | 0.43x |
| Buckinghamshire | 1 | 0.73x |
| Cambridgeshire | 1 | 0.70x |
| Cheshire | 1 | 0.20x |
| Cumberland | 1 | 0.51x |
| Midlothian | 1 | 0.33x |
| Warwickshire | 1 | 0.18x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. North Creake in Norfolk leads with 34 Beals' recorded in 1881 and an index of 7234.04x.
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Beals surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
| Name | Count |
|---|---|
| Sarah | 16 |
| Elizabeth | 11 |
| Mary | 9 |
| Ann | 7 |
| Ellen | 5 |
| Emma | 5 |
| Martha | 5 |
| Harriet | 3 |
| Matilda | 3 |
| Annie | 2 |
| Esther | 2 |
| Hannah | 2 |
| Jemima | 2 |
| Louisa | 2 |
| Sophia | 2 |
| Alice | 1 |
| Amelia | 1 |
| Amey | 1 |
| Anna | 1 |
| Betsy | 1 |
| Catherine | 1 |
| Charlotte | 1 |
| Clara | 1 |
| Clarry | 1 |
| Daisy | 1 |
| Effie | 1 |
| Eliza | 1 |
| Emily | 1 |
| Ethel | 1 |
| Fanny | 1 |
| Florence | 1 |
| Frances | 1 |
| Gertrude | 1 |
| Harriett | 1 |
| Isabella | 1 |
| Jane | 1 |
| Janette | 1 |
| Jennet | 1 |
| Kezia | 1 |
| Laura | 1 |
| Lilly | 1 |
| Lucy | 1 |
| Lydia | 1 |
| Margaret | 1 |
| Margart | 1 |
| Margret | 1 |
| Maria | 1 |
| Marth | 1 |
| Maryann | 1 |
| Pheaba | 1 |
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Beals surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
| Name | Count |
|---|---|
| John | 15 |
| William | 14 |
| James | 8 |
| Edward | 6 |
| George | 5 |
| Charles | 4 |
| Alfred | 3 |
| Fredrick | 3 |
| Harry | 3 |
| Henry | 3 |
| Richard | 3 |
| Robert | 3 |
| Samuel | 3 |
| Thomas | 3 |
| Walter | 3 |
| Albert | 2 |
| Elijah | 2 |
| Frederick | 2 |
| Jesse | 2 |
| Joseph | 2 |
| Alexander | 1 |
| Arnold | 1 |
| Arther | 1 |
| Bertie | 1 |
| David | 1 |
| Ebenezer | 1 |
| Edmund | 1 |
| Esau | 1 |
| Francis | 1 |
| Frank | 1 |
| Gordon | 1 |
| Infant | 1 |
| J. | 1 |
| Jonas | 1 |
| Knight | 1 |
| Maskel | 1 |
| Phillip | 1 |
| Rhodes | 1 |
| Sidney | 1 |
| Simon | 1 |
| Thos. | 1 |
| Wilfred | 1 |
| Wm. | 1 |
| Wm.Robt. | 1 |
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 Beals households.
FAQ
In 1881, 232 people were recorded with the Beals surname. That placed it at #11,677 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 70 in 2016. That gives Beals a modern rank of #33,700.
Derived from a nickname referring to a person who was fair-haired or had a pale complexion.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Beals 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.