NameCensus.

UK surname

Beard

An occupational surname referring to someone who wore a beard or worked as a barber.

In the 1881 census there were 7,871 people recorded with the Beard surname, ranking it #531 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 9,534, ranked #675, down from #531 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Churcham, Sandhurst, St Mary-de-Lode, St Catherine Longford, Barnwood, Wootton Ville, North Hamlet, and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Forest of Dean and Stroud.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Beard is 10,582 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 21.1%.

1881 census count

7,871

Ranked #531

Modern count

9,534

2016, ranked #675

Peak year

1911

10,582 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Beard had 7,871 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #531 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 9,534 in 2016, ranked #675.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 10,582 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Beard surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Beard surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Beard 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 5,289 #521
1861 historical 5,213 #541
1881 historical 7,871 #531
1891 historical 8,451 #521
1901 historical 9,778 #537
1911 historical 10,582 #461
1997 modern 10,079 #611
1998 modern 10,496 #610
1999 modern 10,580 #609
2000 modern 10,498 #612
2001 modern 10,207 #616
2002 modern 10,364 #621
2003 modern 10,110 #622
2004 modern 10,064 #625
2005 modern 9,799 #638
2006 modern 9,653 #650
2007 modern 9,712 #648
2008 modern 9,744 #652
2009 modern 9,962 #653
2010 modern 10,008 #661
2011 modern 9,858 #662
2012 modern 9,608 #664
2013 modern 9,791 #665
2014 modern 9,757 #669
2015 modern 9,605 #673
2016 modern 9,534 #675

Geography

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Where Beards are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Churcham, Sandhurst, St Mary-de-Lode, St Catherine Longford, Barnwood, Wootton Ville, North Hamlet,, London parishes and Glossop. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Forest of Dean and Stroud. 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 Churcham, Sandhurst, St Mary-de-Lode, St Catherine Longford, Barnwood, Wootton Ville, North Hamlet, Gloucestershire
3 London parishes London 1
4 Glossop Derbyshire
5 London parishes London 3

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Forest of Dean 004 Forest of Dean
2 Forest of Dean 003 Forest of Dean
3 Stroud 004 Stroud
4 Forest of Dean 002 Forest of Dean
5 Stroud 006 Stroud

Forenames

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First names often paired with Beard

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Beard

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

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Beard is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, 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

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

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

Beard 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

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

Meaning and origin of Beard

The surname BEARD is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "beerd," which means "hair on the chin and jaw." It is an occupational surname given to someone who had a prominent beard or who worked as a beard-trimmer.

The name can be traced back to the 13th century, with records showing it in Cambridgeshire, England, as early as 1273. It was also recorded in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1279, where it appeared as "Berd."

In the 14th century, the name appeared in various spellings, such as "Berd," "Berde," and "Berdd," in records across England, including the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327 and the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire in 1379.

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was William Berd, who was mentioned in the Assize Rolls of Staffordshire in 1344.

The name BEARD can also be found in the famous Domesday Book of 1086, where it was recorded as "Berde" in the county of Lincolnshire.

Notable individuals with the surname BEARD include:

1. Thomas Beard (c. 1520-1577), an English Puritan clergyman and writer. 2. Richard Beard (1801-1885), an English cricketer who played for Hampshire and England. 3. Daniel Carter Beard (1850-1941), an American illustrator, author, and one of the founders of the Boy Scouts of America. 4. Amanda Beard (born 1981), an American former competitive swimmer and seven-time Olympic medalist. 5. Tyler Beard (born 1988), an American professional basketball player.

The name BEARD has also been associated with various place names in England, such as Beardsley, Beardmore, and Beardall, which may have contributed to the development of the surname.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Beard families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Beard 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 932 Beards recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.18x.

County Total Index
Gloucestershire 932 6.18x
Middlesex 819 1.07x
Surrey 572 1.53x
Lancashire 569 0.62x
Staffordshire 480 1.85x
Derbyshire 455 3.78x
Cheshire 444 2.62x
Essex 431 2.84x
Sussex 318 2.45x
Kent 298 1.14x
Worcestershire 298 2.97x
Cornwall 274 3.15x
Warwickshire 244 1.26x
Yorkshire 230 0.30x
Nottinghamshire 117 1.13x
Devon 111 0.69x
Shropshire 104 1.57x
Wiltshire 99 1.46x
Somerset 97 0.78x
Bedfordshire 96 2.41x
Cambridgeshire 94 1.93x
Berkshire 81 1.40x
Glamorgan 76 0.57x
Hampshire 70 0.44x
Monmouthshire 62 1.12x
Hertfordshire 61 1.15x
Lincolnshire 55 0.45x
Durham 49 0.21x
Herefordshire 46 1.46x
Suffolk 38 0.41x
Oxfordshire 37 0.78x
Buckinghamshire 34 0.73x
Northamptonshire 26 0.36x
Leicestershire 25 0.29x
Northumberland 16 0.14x
Westmorland 15 0.89x
Denbighshire 13 0.45x
Norfolk 12 0.10x
Lanarkshire 11 0.04x
Anglesey 10 0.73x
Royal Navy 10 1.09x
Cardiganshire 9 0.48x
Dorset 9 0.18x
Huntingdonshire 9 0.59x
Brecknockshire 7 0.46x
Fife 6 0.13x
Channel Islands 4 0.18x
Cumberland 3 0.05x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.01x
Argyllshire 1 0.05x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.03x
Carmarthenshire 1 0.03x
Midlothian 1 0.01x
Rutland 1 0.18x
Wigtownshire 1 0.10x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Glossop Dale in Derbyshire leads with 132 Beards recorded in 1881 and an index of 23.41x.

Place Total Index
Glossop Dale 132 23.41x
Lambeth 122 1.82x
Islington London 107 1.44x
Camberwell 97 1.97x
Aston 92 1.72x
Brighton 80 3.06x
Birmingham 74 1.14x
St Pancras London 73 1.18x
Gloucester Barton St Mary 64 23.19x
Manchester 62 1.51x
Macclesfield 61 8.08x
Stroud 52 17.72x
Westbury On Severn East 50 14.66x
Ashton Under Lyne 49 2.46x
Bermondsey 49 2.14x
Ecclesfield 49 8.77x
Kempston 49 54.21x
Kensington London 46 1.08x
Newington 46 1.62x
Bethnal Green London 45 1.35x
Chailey 45 112.02x
Cheltenham 44 3.78x
Mile End Old Town London 40 2.44x
St Marylebone London 39 0.95x
Stockport 38 4.35x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 37 2.61x
St Stithians 37 77.10x
Stoke Upon Trent 37 1.34x
Battersea 36 1.27x
Shoreditch London 36 1.08x
Chelsea London 35 1.51x
Oldham 35 1.19x
Walsall Foreign 35 2.61x
West Ham 34 1.01x
Mellor 32 97.80x
Stayley 32 16.49x
Gillingham 31 5.73x
Cannock 30 6.62x
Newland 30 23.67x
Tregoney St James 30 185.64x
Lydney 29 37.25x
Wolverhampton 29 1.45x
Dudley 28 2.29x
Burslem 27 3.63x
Church Gresley 27 14.10x
Clapham 27 2.81x
Fordham 27 145.71x
Hyde 27 5.39x
Tetbury 27 31.58x
Chapel En Le Frith 26 23.65x
Deptford St Paul 25 1.24x
Grays Thurrock 25 17.72x
Leek Lowe 25 7.24x
St George In East London 25 3.46x
Bollington In 24 15.88x
Croydon 24 1.15x
Dukinfield 24 3.06x
Longhope 24 93.71x
Orsett 24 60.62x
Pendleton In Salford 24 2.21x
Salford 24 0.89x
Edgbaston 23 3.83x
Ludworth 23 40.56x
St George Hanover Square 23 1.70x
Stoke Damerel 23 2.05x
Wrockwardine 23 15.74x
Beard Ollerset Whitle 22 27.78x
Claines 22 7.98x
Ipstones 22 58.98x
Kingswinford 22 2.33x
Pershore Holy Cross 22 34.18x
Plumstead 22 2.52x
Southwark St George Martyr 22 1.42x
St Austell 22 7.39x
Swansea Town 22 2.00x
Wardleworth 22 4.22x
Wednesbury 22 3.39x
West Derby 22 0.82x
Hackney London 21 0.49x
Newton 21 2.99x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 487
Elizabeth 323
Sarah 273
Ann 143
Eliza 143
Jane 140
Emma 136
Annie 130
Alice 126
Ellen 102
Hannah 101
Emily 88
Martha 73
Louisa 67
Maria 61
Florence 58
Fanny 54
Harriet 52
Caroline 51
Charlotte 49
Edith 49
Margaret 49
Susan 43
Kate 40
Lucy 40
Ada 37
Catherine 36
Clara 31
Esther 31
Rose 29
Anne 27
Frances 27
Matilda 25
Harriett 23
Sophia 23
Amelia 20
Rebecca 19
Eleanor 18
Susannah 18
Agnes 17
Amy 17
Ethel 17
Julia 17
Minnie 16
Grace 14
Laura 14
Maud 14
Rachel 14
Rosa 14
Jessie 13

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 482
John 402
George 273
Thomas 234
James 233
Charles 176
Joseph 173
Henry 168
Alfred 106
Samuel 94
Richard 83
Arthur 79
Edward 79
Frederick 77
Walter 74
Robert 66
Albert 61
Ernest 42
Harry 42
Edwin 38
Frank 38
Herbert 31
David 26
Benjamin 25
Francis 23
Wm. 19
Tom 16
Fredrick 15
Geo. 15
Peter 15
Stephen 15
Andrew 14
Fredk. 14
Fred 13
Daniel 11
Oliver 11
Sidney 11
Thos. 11
Isaac 10
Percy 10
Earnest 7
Horace 7
Jacob 7
Joel 7
Timothy 7
Joe 6
Jonathan 6
Joshua 6
Philip 6
W. 6

FAQ

Beard surname: questions and answers

How common was the Beard surname in 1881?

In 1881, 7,871 people were recorded with the Beard surname. That placed it at #531 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Beard surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 9,534 in 2016. That gives Beard a modern rank of #675.

What does the Beard surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to someone who wore a beard or worked as a barber.

What does the Beard map show?

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