NameCensus.

UK surname

Beaman

An occupational surname referring to a beekeeper or one who collected honey from wild bees.

In the 1881 census there were 571 people recorded with the Beaman surname, ranking it #6,089 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 945, ranked #6,073, up from #6,089 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, Wellington, Wrockwardine, Eyton-on-the-Moors, Preston-on-the-Moors and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Shropshire and Telford and Wrekin.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Beaman is 997 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 65.5%.

1881 census count

571

Ranked #6,089

Modern count

945

2016, ranked #6,073

Peak year

1999

997 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Beaman had 571 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,089 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 945 in 2016, ranked #6,073.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 931 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Beaman surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Beaman surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Beaman 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 388 #6,190
1861 historical 551 #4,778
1881 historical 571 #6,089
1891 historical 688 #5,693
1901 historical 835 #5,436
1911 historical 931 #4,819
1997 modern 963 #5,658
1998 modern 996 #5,696
1999 modern 997 #5,728
2000 modern 981 #5,787
2001 modern 964 #5,757
2002 modern 988 #5,755
2003 modern 962 #5,784
2004 modern 966 #5,758
2005 modern 947 #5,799
2006 modern 926 #5,904
2007 modern 918 #6,004
2008 modern 928 #5,992
2009 modern 966 #5,924
2010 modern 961 #6,064
2011 modern 974 #5,930
2012 modern 947 #5,994
2013 modern 968 #5,980
2014 modern 973 #5,997
2015 modern 971 #5,953
2016 modern 945 #6,073

Geography

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Where Beamans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, Wellington, Wrockwardine, Eyton-on-the-Moors, Preston-on-the-Moors, London parishes and Walsall. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Shropshire and Telford and Wrekin. 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 Wolverhampton Staffordshire
2 Wellington, Wrockwardine, Eyton-on-the-Moors, Preston-on-the-Moors Shropshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Walsall Staffordshire
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Shropshire 018 Shropshire
2 Telford and Wrekin 016 Telford and Wrekin
3 Shropshire 016 Shropshire
4 Shropshire 023 Shropshire
5 Shropshire 034 Shropshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Beaman

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Beaman

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Beaman is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Beaman is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Beaman falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Beaman is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Beaman

The surname Beaman has its origins in England, emerging during the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "beo" meaning bee, and "mann" meaning man, suggesting the name may have referred to a beekeeper or someone involved in apiculture.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Beaman can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, where a John Beaman is listed. This suggests the surname was already established in the 14th century.

In the 15th century, records show a Thomas Beaman residing in Cheshire, England, as evidenced by the Cheshire County Lay Subsidy Roll of 1442. This provides further evidence of the name's presence in different regions of England during the medieval era.

The Beaman surname has also been associated with various place names in England, such as Beaminster in Dorset and Beamish in County Durham. These place names may have influenced the spelling variations of the surname over time.

One notable individual bearing the Beaman surname was Sir William Beaman (1542-1607), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Morpeth during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

Another notable figure was Thomas Beaman (1645-1706), an English Quaker who was imprisoned for his religious beliefs and later became a successful merchant and philanthropist in Pennsylvania.

In the 18th century, John Beaman (1734-1807) was an English mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the field of celestial mechanics.

The 19th century saw the birth of Charles Beaman (1858-1943), an American architect known for his work on several notable buildings in Portland, Oregon, including the Dekum Building and the Reed College campus.

Another distinguished individual with the Beaman surname was Thomas Beaman (1876-1948), a British artist and etcher who was elected a member of the Royal Society of Painter-Etchers and Engravers in 1920.

These examples illustrate the presence of the Beaman surname across various fields and time periods, from politics and religion to science and the arts, further underscoring its enduring legacy.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Beaman families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Beaman 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. Staffordshire leads with 107 Beamans recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.69x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 107 5.69x
Shropshire 88 18.29x
Worcestershire 66 9.07x
Lancashire 53 0.80x
Middlesex 46 0.83x
Yorkshire 40 0.72x
Essex 24 2.18x
Herefordshire 22 9.63x
Surrey 21 0.77x
Cheshire 20 1.63x
Gloucestershire 20 1.83x
Warwickshire 12 0.85x
Lincolnshire 10 1.12x
Bedfordshire 7 2.43x
Hampshire 6 0.53x
Monmouthshire 5 1.24x
Cornwall 4 0.63x
Norfolk 4 0.47x
Somerset 4 0.45x
Kent 3 0.16x
Durham 2 0.12x
Glamorgan 2 0.21x
Wiltshire 2 0.41x
Derbyshire 1 0.11x
Northumberland 1 0.12x
Sussex 1 0.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wellington in Shropshire leads with 18 Beamans recorded in 1881 and an index of 66.54x.

Place Total Index
Wellington 18 66.54x
Brightside Bierlow 15 13.86x
Pendleton In Salford 14 17.78x
West Ham 12 4.94x
Wednesbury 11 23.41x
West Bromwich 11 10.22x
Lutton 10 680.27x
Belbroughton 9 238.73x
Handsworth 9 19.42x
Kidderminster Borough 9 21.14x
Taynton 9 818.18x
Warrington 9 11.49x
Wednesfield 9 32.53x
Bilston 8 21.95x
Cannock 8 24.38x
Little Baddow 8 769.23x
Shrewsbury St Chad 8 47.37x
Worcester St Swithin 8 588.24x
Audlem 7 241.38x
Bedford St Cuthbert 7 273.44x
Castle Northwich 7 171.99x
Leebotwood 7 2058.82x
Marden 7 434.78x
Mile End New Town London 7 63.64x
Much Wenlock 7 157.66x
St Pancras London 7 1.56x
Walsall Foreign 7 7.21x
Wolverhampton 7 4.84x
Areley Kings 6 465.12x
Aston 6 1.55x
Battersea 6 2.93x
Claverley 6 184.62x
Croydon 6 3.98x
Gorton 6 9.66x
Haydock 6 52.68x
Kings Norton 6 9.20x
Kingswinford 6 8.79x
Ribbesford 6 99.17x
Southwark Christchurch 6 22.99x
St George In East London 6 11.45x
Stoke Upon Trent 6 3.01x
Bodenham 5 297.62x
Castleford 5 24.88x
Darlaston 5 19.25x
Leominster 5 52.91x
Linthorpe 5 15.18x
Shoreditch London 5 2.07x
Shrewsbury Holy Cross 5 93.99x
Shrewsbury St Julian 5 42.02x
Trevethin 5 13.15x
Barnsley 4 7.03x
Bromley London 4 3.26x
Chaddesley Corbett 4 146.52x
Checkley 4 81.97x
Creed 4 869.57x
Dalton In Huddersfield 4 32.36x
Dawley 4 22.84x
Farley 4 444.44x
Kensington London 4 1.29x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 4 15.56x
Leighton 4 701.75x
Liverpool 4 1.00x
Mile End Old Town London 4 3.37x
Southampton St Mary 4 5.57x
Stone 4 336.13x
West Ardsley 4 60.24x
Westbury On Severn East 4 16.19x
Bath St Catherine 3 1153.85x
Bridgnorth St Leonard 3 54.95x
Broseley 3 35.09x
Churcham 3 309.28x
Ludlow St Lawrence 3 31.35x
Oswaldtwistle 3 12.85x
Plumstead 3 4.74x
Sedgley 3 4.30x
Walmersley Cum 3 28.41x
Willenhall 3 8.52x
Adderley 2 240.96x
Eastnor 2 263.16x
Ombersley 2 49.38x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 40
Elizabeth 20
Sarah 18
Eliza 14
Harriet 13
Jane 12
Ann 11
Emma 11
Alice 9
Ellen 7
Annie 6
Emily 6
Frances 6
Maria 5
Isabella 4
Margaret 4
Martha 4
Ada 3
Caroline 3
Charlotte 3
Fanny 3
Florence 3
Hannah 3
Harriett 3
Juliet 3
Kate 3
Laura 3
Lucy 3
Matilda 3
Agnes 2
Amy 2
Anne 2
Beatrice 2
Catherine 2
Elizh. 2
Margt. 2
Maud 2
Rosina 2
Susan 2
Christiana 1
Cicily 1
Elizth. 1
Elizth.Julia 1
Enid 1
Faith 1
Joyce 1
Lois 1
Lotty 1
Louisa 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 33
William 32
Thomas 30
George 17
James 17
Joseph 16
Charles 14
Henry 13
Samuel 11
Edward 10
Richard 8
Walter 7
Francis 6
Alfred 5
Arthur 3
Benjamin 3
Ernest 3
Frederick 3
Harry 3
Wm. 3
Abraham 2
Albert 2
Edwin 2
Frank 2
Gilbert 2
Herbert 2
Ross 2
Thos. 2
Arden 1
Benjn. 1
Chas. 1
Christopher 1
Clive 1
Daniel 1
Edd 1
Emerie 1
Fred 1
G.W. 1
Geo. 1
H.S. 1
Harris 1
Isaac 1
Jabez 1
Jeremiah 1
Leonard 1
Maria 1
Nathaniel 1
Robert 1
Robt. 1
Ruth 1

FAQ

Beaman surname: questions and answers

How common was the Beaman surname in 1881?

In 1881, 571 people were recorded with the Beaman surname. That placed it at #6,089 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Beaman surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 945 in 2016. That gives Beaman a modern rank of #6,073.

What does the Beaman surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to a beekeeper or one who collected honey from wild bees.

What does the Beaman map show?

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