NameCensus.

UK surname

Beamish

Derived from a place name referring to a dweller near a beam or tree trunk.

In the 1881 census there were 462 people recorded with the Beamish surname, ranking it #7,183 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 904, ranked #6,283, up from #7,183 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lowestoft, Kirkley, London parishes and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Horsham and Waveney.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Beamish is 937 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 95.7%.

1881 census count

462

Ranked #7,183

Modern count

904

2016, ranked #6,283

Peak year

1999

937 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Beamish had 462 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,183 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 904 in 2016, ranked #6,283.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 680 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Beamish surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Beamish surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Beamish 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 255 #8,652
1861 historical 313 #8,103
1881 historical 462 #7,183
1891 historical 513 #7,274
1901 historical 654 #6,607
1911 historical 680 #6,214
1997 modern 902 #5,953
1998 modern 934 #5,982
1999 modern 937 #6,014
2000 modern 925 #6,056
2001 modern 919 #5,979
2002 modern 930 #6,034
2003 modern 912 #6,019
2004 modern 911 #6,034
2005 modern 888 #6,084
2006 modern 875 #6,169
2007 modern 884 #6,169
2008 modern 888 #6,191
2009 modern 894 #6,305
2010 modern 895 #6,416
2011 modern 885 #6,403
2012 modern 880 #6,349
2013 modern 900 #6,343
2014 modern 909 #6,327
2015 modern 912 #6,268
2016 modern 904 #6,283

Geography

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Where Beamishs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lowestoft, Kirkley, London parishes, St Pancras, Nuneaton and Coventry Holy Trinity (incl. Radford), Coventry St Michael, Wyken. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Horsham and Waveney. 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 Lowestoft, Kirkley Suffolk
2 London parishes London 3
3 St Pancras London (North Districts)
4 Nuneaton Warwickshire
5 Coventry Holy Trinity (incl. Radford), Coventry St Michael, Wyken Warwickshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Horsham 016 Horsham
2 Waveney 006 Waveney
3 Waveney 009 Waveney
4 Waveney 008 Waveney
5 Waveney 007 Waveney

Forenames

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First names often paired with Beamish

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Beamish

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

Beamish is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Beamish 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 Beamish 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 Beamish, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Beamish

The surname Beamish originated in England, deriving from the Old English words "beam" meaning "tree" and "hisc" meaning "wooded area" or "copse". This combination suggests the name likely referred to someone who lived near a wooded area or grove of trees. The earliest recorded spelling of the name appears in the Domesday Book of 1086 as "Beamis".

Over time, the name evolved with various spellings such as Beamish, Beemish, Bemish, and Bemmys. These variations were likely influenced by regional dialects and scribal errors in recording the name. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was William Beamish, recorded in the Pipe Rolls of Staffordshire in 1198.

The Beamish name has ties to several place names in England, including Beamish in County Durham, Beamish in Shropshire, and Beamish in Somerset. These locations may have been named after individuals bearing the surname or vice versa, with the name originating from the place.

Notable figures with the surname Beamish include Sir William Beamish (1609-1677), an English landowner and politician who served as Member of Parliament for Devon. Another prominent bearer was Michael Beamish (1760-1831), a British naval officer who served in the American Revolutionary War and the Napoleonic Wars.

In the literary world, Richard Beamish (1798-1828) was an English poet and writer, best known for his work "The Lay of the Bard". Isaac Beamish (1790-1860) was a British naval officer and hydrographer who published several works on navigation and charting.

A more recent figure was Tufton Beamish (1826-1891), a British Army officer and recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest military honor awarded for valor in the British Empire.

These are just a few examples of the many individuals throughout history who have borne the surname Beamish, which has its roots in the Old English language and reflects a connection to wooded areas or groves of trees in medieval England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Beamish families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Beamish 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. Suffolk leads with 90 Beamishs recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.43x.

County Total Index
Suffolk 90 16.43x
Middlesex 82 1.82x
Warwickshire 56 4.94x
Surrey 50 2.28x
Lancashire 39 0.73x
Kent 33 2.15x
Essex 18 2.03x
Yorkshire 16 0.36x
Leicestershire 15 3.01x
Hertfordshire 10 3.23x
Cheshire 9 0.91x
Hampshire 9 0.98x
Monmouthshire 8 2.46x
Devon 4 0.43x
Glamorgan 4 0.51x
Gloucestershire 4 0.45x
Inverness-shire 3 2.23x
Staffordshire 3 0.20x
Norfolk 2 0.29x
Bedfordshire 1 0.43x
Carmarthenshire 1 0.53x
Durham 1 0.07x
Lincolnshire 1 0.14x
Shropshire 1 0.26x
Somerset 1 0.14x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Barnby in Suffolk leads with 19 Beamishs recorded in 1881 and an index of 4750.00x.

Place Total Index
Barnby 19 4750.00x
Lowestoft 19 73.44x
Nuneaton 18 136.99x
St Pancras London 15 4.14x
Kirkley 14 305.68x
Salford 14 8.92x
Bexley 11 81.12x
Newington 11 6.62x
Coventry St Michael 10 27.45x
Islington London 9 2.06x
Leicester St Margaret 9 7.40x
Richmond 9 29.32x
St Martin In Fields 9 33.43x
Bedworth 8 96.62x
Bulkington 8 326.53x
Deptford St Paul 8 6.76x
Finchley 8 46.40x
Everton 7 4.12x
Kessingland 7 370.37x
Poplar London 7 8.25x
Romford 7 49.89x
Bovingdon 6 370.37x
Bungay Holy Trinity 6 213.52x
Camberwell 6 2.09x
Chepstow 6 108.30x
Kingston On Thames 6 11.40x
Liverpool 6 1.85x
Sheffield 6 4.23x
Bermondsey 5 3.73x
Carlton Colville 5 248.76x
Chorlton On Medlock 5 5.90x
Croydon 5 4.11x
Farnworth 5 15.64x
Halesworth 5 128.87x
Milton In Gravesend 5 21.73x
Paddington London 5 3.02x
St Marylebone London 5 2.08x
Sudbury St Gregory 5 113.90x
Aylestone 4 101.78x
Cheltenham 4 5.88x
Christchurch 4 20.01x
Coventry Holy Trinity 4 11.81x
Liscard 4 22.36x
Plumstead 4 7.82x
Cardiff St Mary 3 6.96x
Clerkenwell London 3 2.83x
Colchester St Giles 3 34.21x
Ealing 3 7.46x
Inverness 3 8.88x
Kensington London 3 1.20x
Leamington Priors 3 10.75x
Mutford 3 491.80x
Portsea 3 1.66x
Poulton Cum Seacombe 3 26.27x
South Cove 3 1250.00x
Southwark St George Martyr 3 3.32x
St Botolph Aldgate London 3 32.40x
Wanstead 3 19.29x
Burton Agnes 2 370.37x
Burton Hastings 2 800.00x
Chigwell 2 23.87x
Eccleshall 2 34.72x
Greenwich 2 2.79x
Hackney London 2 0.79x
Hampton London 2 27.06x
Harome 2 294.12x
Rotherhithe 2 3.60x
St George Hanover Square 2 2.52x
St George In East London 2 4.73x
Stayley 2 17.62x
Totnes 2 36.50x
Trevethin 2 6.51x
Welton Melton 2 153.85x
Wolvey 2 165.29x
Ashton Under Lyne 1 0.86x
Blackawton 1 61.35x
Norwich St Michael At 1 24.94x
Putney 1 4.88x
Walmer 1 14.99x
Wigginton 1 77.52x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 29
Sarah 17
Elizabeth 14
Emma 10
Eliza 9
Ellen 7
Edith 6
Louisa 6
Ann 5
Annie 5
Caroline 5
Catherine 5
Harriet 5
Isabella 5
Emily 4
Kate 4
Agnes 3
Hannah 3
Jane 3
Priscilla 3
Rosa 3
Alice 2
Charlotte 2
Clara 2
Eleanor 2
Ethel 2
Eva 2
Fanny 2
Florence 2
Frances 2
Julia 2
Laura 2
Margaret 2
Maria 2
Martha 2
Matilda 2
Selina 2
Amy 1
Beatrice 1
Bertha 1
Bessy 1
Blanch 1
Christina 1
E. 1
Ellon 1
Harriett 1
Harritt 1
Helena 1
Irene 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 27
William 22
Henry 17
Charles 16
George 11
James 10
Samuel 9
Thomas 7
Arthur 6
Richard 6
Alfred 5
Herbert 5
Albert 4
Edward 4
Frederick 4
Joseph 4
Robert 4
Walter 4
Ernest 3
Harry 3
Sidney 3
Amos 2
Benjamin 2
Chas. 2
Francis 2
Isaac 2
Job 2
Josiah 2
Percy 2
Sydney 2
Thos. 2
Alexander 1
Alton 1
Burton 1
Caulfield 1
Christopher 1
Daniel 1
F. 1
F.R.De 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Frederic 1
Fredk. 1
Fredrick 1
Geo. 1
Ludlow 1
Mary 1
Oliver 1
Phillip 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Beamish surname: questions and answers

How common was the Beamish surname in 1881?

In 1881, 462 people were recorded with the Beamish surname. That placed it at #7,183 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Beamish surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 904 in 2016. That gives Beamish a modern rank of #6,283.

What does the Beamish surname mean?

Derived from a place name referring to a dweller near a beam or tree trunk.

What does the Beamish map show?

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