NameCensus.

UK surname

Beames

A surname derived from the Old English word "beam," meaning a tree or timber.

In the 1881 census there were 234 people recorded with the Beames surname, ranking it #11,607 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 411, ranked #11,654, down from #11,607 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and Ashton, Long. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cheltenham, Gosport and The Vale of Glamorgan.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Beames is 496 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 75.6%.

1881 census count

234

Ranked #11,607

Modern count

411

2016, ranked #11,654

Peak year

1998

496 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Beames had 234 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,607 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 411 in 2016, ranked #11,654.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 418 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Beames surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Beames surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Beames 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 155 #12,604
1861 historical 196 #12,223
1881 historical 234 #11,607
1891 historical 264 #12,235
1901 historical 340 #10,647
1911 historical 418 #9,006
1997 modern 472 #9,716
1998 modern 496 #9,658
1999 modern 473 #10,069
2000 modern 468 #10,125
2001 modern 474 #9,847
2002 modern 478 #9,963
2003 modern 457 #10,156
2004 modern 463 #10,074
2005 modern 450 #10,209
2006 modern 448 #10,269
2007 modern 442 #10,495
2008 modern 448 #10,458
2009 modern 451 #10,649
2010 modern 464 #10,633
2011 modern 457 #10,651
2012 modern 426 #11,139
2013 modern 427 #11,325
2014 modern 416 #11,660
2015 modern 417 #11,532
2016 modern 411 #11,654

Geography

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Where Beames' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, Ashton, Long and Willesden. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cheltenham, Gosport, The Vale of Glamorgan and Hyndburn. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 London parishes London 1
3 Ashton, Long Somerset
4 Willesden Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
5 London parishes London 3

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cheltenham 013 Cheltenham
2 Gosport 010 Gosport
3 The Vale of Glamorgan 002 Vale of Glamorgan
4 Cheltenham 001 Cheltenham
5 Hyndburn 009 Hyndburn

Forenames

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First names often paired with Beames

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Beames

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Beames surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Beames household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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, Beames 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

Beames is most concentrated in decile 5 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Beames 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 Beames is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Beames

The surname Beames is of English origin and can be traced back to the late medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "beam," which referred to a tree trunk or a wooden beam used in construction. This name was likely adopted as a surname by someone who lived near a prominent beam or worked as a carpenter or woodworker.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Beames can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1327, where a John Beme is mentioned. The variant spelling "Beme" was common in those times, as the modern spelling of surnames was not standardized until much later.

In the 15th century, the name appears in several historical records, including the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1428, which mentions a William Beme. The Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1470 also list a Thomas Beame, indicating the gradual transition towards the modern spelling.

The name Beames has been found in various places across England, particularly in the counties of Cambridgeshire, Essex, and Worcestershire, where it was likely first adopted. Some early bearers of the name were associated with specific locations, such as John de Beam, who is recorded in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1255.

Among the notable historical figures with the surname Beames are: 1. Richard Beames (c. 1550-1625), an English clergyman and author known for his work on rhetoric. 2. John Beames (1608-1683), an English lawyer and politician who served as a Member of Parliament. 3. Thomas Beames (1705-1768), a British naval officer who participated in several significant battles during the War of the Austrian Succession. 4. William Beames (1785-1854), an English architect and surveyor who designed several notable buildings in London and the surrounding areas. 5. John Beames (1795-1871), a British civil servant and scholar who served as a judge in India and made significant contributions to the study of Indian law and linguistics.

While the Beames surname may not have been as widespread as some others, it has a rich history spanning several centuries and has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, including clergymen, lawyers, naval officers, architects, and scholars.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Beames families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Beames 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. Gloucestershire leads with 56 Beames' recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.46x.

County Total Index
Gloucestershire 56 12.46x
Middlesex 31 1.35x
Surrey 29 2.60x
Somerset 22 5.96x
Wiltshire 22 10.85x
Hampshire 20 4.26x
Worcestershire 13 4.34x
Warwickshire 9 1.56x
Essex 7 1.55x
Kent 6 0.77x
Devon 4 0.84x
Glamorgan 4 1.00x
Monmouthshire 4 2.41x
Oxfordshire 3 2.12x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.69x
Channel Islands 1 1.47x
Cheshire 1 0.20x
Staffordshire 1 0.13x
Sussex 1 0.26x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Willesden in Middlesex leads with 16 Beames' recorded in 1881 and an index of 74.04x.

Place Total Index
Willesden 16 74.04x
Long Ashton 15 819.67x
Chedworth 14 2153.85x
Kidderminster Borough 13 74.20x
Birmingham 9 4.67x
Kensington London 9 7.06x
Rowner 8 5333.33x
Camberwell 7 4.78x
Kempsford 7 1076.92x
Rotherhithe 7 24.72x
Bradford On Avon 6 92.45x
Lambeth 6 3.00x
Lewisham 6 14.39x
Minchinhampton 6 167.60x
Stogursey 6 606.06x
Horsley 5 251.26x
Leyton Low 5 54.35x
Thornbury 5 162.87x
Cardiff St John 4 30.67x
Fareham 4 70.80x
Kemble 4 1052.63x
Bampton 3 205.48x
Battersea 3 3.56x
Bermondsey 3 4.40x
Bristol Temple 3 101.35x
Chippenham 3 70.59x
Cirencester 3 49.26x
Clerkenwell London 3 5.54x
Corsham 3 101.35x
East Meon 3 243.90x
Titchfield 3 84.75x
Aberystruth 2 13.69x
Andover 2 45.05x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 2 4.72x
Cheltenham 2 5.77x
Devizes St John 2 131.58x
Gloucester St John Baptist 2 68.97x
Leyton 2 25.67x
Oxford St Thomas 2 30.26x
Acton Turville 1 434.78x
Bibury 1 185.19x
Clifton 1 4.40x
Combe 1 238.10x
Croxton 1 434.78x
Croydon 1 1.61x
Eastbourne 1 5.62x
Elworthy 1 769.23x
Hackney London 1 0.78x
Hazleton 1 666.67x
Islington London 1 0.45x
Langley Burrell 1 119.05x
Leckhampton 1 36.10x
Leek Lowe 1 9.71x
Liscard 1 10.96x
Malmesbury St Paul 1 57.47x
Minety 1 178.57x
Mynyddyslwyn 1 15.29x
North Nibley 1 156.25x
Penge 1 6.83x
Rodmarton 1 333.33x
St Bride London 1 75.19x
St Helier 1 4.52x
Stoke Damerel 1 2.99x
Sutton 1 12.38x
Tredunnock 1 833.33x
Wootton Bassett 1 56.82x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
Charles 11
William 10
Henry 9
Thomas 9
James 8
George 7
John 4
Edward 3
Herbert 3
Isaac 3
Robert 3
Albert 2
Alfred 2
Arthur 2
Frank 2
Fredk. 2
Joseph 2
Walter 2
Charlie 1
Chas. 1
Chas.P. 1
Clare 1
David 1
Edmund 1
Emmanuel 1
Eric 1
Francis 1
Frederick 1
Fredrick 1
Harry 1
Hewitt 1
Jacob 1
Job 1
Joshua 1
Josiah 1
Julius 1
Lewis 1
Luke 1
Martin 1
Otto 1
Pearson 1
Peter 1
Richard 1
Sidney 1
Tom 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Beames surname: questions and answers

How common was the Beames surname in 1881?

In 1881, 234 people were recorded with the Beames surname. That placed it at #11,607 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Beames surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 411 in 2016. That gives Beames a modern rank of #11,654.

What does the Beames surname mean?

A surname derived from the Old English word "beam," meaning a tree or timber.

What does the Beames map show?

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