UK surname
An English occupational surname derived from the Middle English "bercer" meaning bear keeper or hunter.
In the 1881 census there were 3 people recorded with the Bearce surname, ranking it #33,498 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2, ranked #38,825, down from #33,498 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to St Saviour Southwark, Barnstaple, Bishops Tawton and Ipswich St Margaret, Cold Dunghills, George Street. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bearce is 104 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 33.3%.
1881 census count
3
Ranked #33,498
Modern count
2
2016, ranked #38,825
Peak year
1861
104 bearers
Map years
1
1861 to 1861
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Bearce surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Bearce surname density by area, 1861 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 | 11 | #31,309 |
| 1861 | historical | 104 | #20,477 |
| 1881 | historical | 3 | #33,498 |
| 1891 | historical | 90 | #25,399 |
| 1901 | historical | 16 | #32,260 |
| 1911 | historical | 7 | #33,083 |
| 1997 | modern | 6 | #37,704 |
| 1998 | modern | 1 | #38,814 |
| 1999 | modern | 3 | #38,318 |
| 2000 | modern | 1 | #38,790 |
| 2001 | modern | 1 | #38,647 |
| 2007 | modern | 1 | #38,907 |
| 2008 | modern | 2 | #38,673 |
| 2009 | modern | 2 | #38,725 |
| 2010 | modern | 3 | #38,552 |
| 2011 | modern | 2 | #38,745 |
| 2012 | modern | 2 | #38,754 |
| 2013 | modern | 2 | #38,761 |
| 2014 | modern | 2 | #38,791 |
| 2015 | modern | 2 | #38,793 |
| 2016 | modern | 2 | #38,825 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around St Saviour Southwark, Barnstaple, Bishops Tawton, Ipswich St Margaret, Cold Dunghills, George Street, St Decuman, Nettlecombe, Old Cleeve, Kilton, Lilstock, Dodington, Stringston, Holford and Middlesborough. 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 | St Saviour Southwark | London (South Districts) |
| 2 | Barnstaple, Bishops Tawton | Devon |
| 3 | Ipswich St Margaret, Cold Dunghills, George Street | Suffolk |
| 4 | St Decuman, Nettlecombe, Old Cleeve, Kilton, Lilstock, Dodington, Stringston, Holford | Somerset |
| 5 | Middlesborough | Durham |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Bearce 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 Bearce, 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 Bearce surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Bearce 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, Bearce 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 Bearce is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Bearce, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Bearce is of English origin, with its roots tracing back to the medieval period. It is believed to be a locational name, derived from a place name in England, possibly from the village of Bearce in Kent or Berkshire.
The name Bearce is thought to have evolved from the Old English words "bere" meaning barley and "ersce" meaning a fertile piece of land or field. This suggests that the name may have initially referred to an area known for its barley cultivation or a barley farm.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Bearce can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from the year 1202, where it is spelled as "Bearce." This historical record suggests that the name was already in use during the early 13th century.
In the Domesday Book, a medieval census commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, there are references to places that may have been the origin of the Bearce surname, such as "Beorcesham" (Berkshire) and "Berc" (Kent).
Notable individuals with the surname Bearce throughout history include:
1. Sir John Bearce (c. 1480-1544), an English Member of Parliament who served during the reign of Henry VIII. 2. William Bearce (1598-1673), one of the earliest settlers in the Massachusetts Bay Colony and a respected landowner in Hingham. 3. Abigail Bearce (1669-1755), an influential Puritan woman in colonial New England and one of the accused during the Salem Witch Trials. 4. Thomas Bearce (1712-1789), a prominent figure in the American Revolutionary War, serving as a Captain in the Continental Army. 5. Elizabeth Bearce (1820-1897), a renowned educator and advocate for women's rights in the 19th century, who founded the Bearce Academy for Girls in Pennsylvania.
The Bearce surname has also been associated with various place names, such as Bearce Manor in Kent, which was a medieval estate owned by the Bearce family in the 14th century. Additionally, the name has seen variations in spelling over time, including Bearce, Bearse, and Berce.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bearce 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. Derbyshire leads with 1 Bearces recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.88x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Derbyshire | 1 | 21.88x |
| Lancashire | 1 | 2.88x |
| Radnorshire | 1 | 416.67x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Crumpsall in Lancashire leads with 1 Bearces recorded in 1881 and an index of 1250.00x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Crumpsall | 1 | 1250.00x |
| Llanelwedd | 1 | 0.00x |
| Matlock | 1 | 1666.67x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Bearce surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
| Name | Count |
|---|---|
| Mary | 1 |
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Bearce surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
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 Bearce households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Butler (Domestic) | 1 |
| Gen Serv Dom | 1 |
| Groom & Coachman | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 3 people were recorded with the Bearce surname. That placed it at #33,498 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 2 in 2016. That gives Bearce a modern rank of #38,825.
An English occupational surname derived from the Middle English "bercer" meaning bear keeper or hunter.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Bearce 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.