NameCensus.

UK surname

Beardon

An English surname derived from a place name containing the elements "bear" and "dun" meaning "hill."

In the 1881 census there were 101 people recorded with the Beardon surname, ranking it #19,636 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 198, ranked #19,713, down from #19,636 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Winkleigh and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include West Devon, Torridge and Sevenoaks.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Beardon is 209 in 1997. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 96.0%.

1881 census count

101

Ranked #19,636

Modern count

198

2016, ranked #19,713

Peak year

1997

209 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Beardon had 101 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #19,636 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 198 in 2016, ranked #19,713.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 177 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Beardon surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Beardon surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Beardon 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 76 #20,127
1861 historical 164 #14,188
1881 historical 101 #19,636
1891 historical 144 #18,842
1901 historical 162 #17,271
1911 historical 177 #16,129
1997 modern 209 #17,157
1998 modern 203 #17,949
1999 modern 201 #18,179
2000 modern 204 #17,987
2001 modern 196 #18,146
2002 modern 205 #18,009
2003 modern 187 #18,856
2004 modern 179 #19,523
2005 modern 176 #19,667
2006 modern 175 #19,850
2007 modern 175 #20,090
2008 modern 164 #21,137
2009 modern 176 #20,632
2010 modern 186 #20,379
2011 modern 187 #20,132
2012 modern 185 #20,223
2013 modern 189 #20,273
2014 modern 194 #20,097
2015 modern 200 #19,567
2016 modern 198 #19,713

Geography

Back to top

Where Beardons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Winkleigh, St Pancras and Kingsteignton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to West Devon, Torridge, Sevenoaks, Breckland and Camden. 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 London parishes London 1
2 Winkleigh Devon
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Pancras London (North Districts)
5 Kingsteignton Devon

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 West Devon 002 West Devon
2 Torridge 007 Torridge
3 Sevenoaks 007 Sevenoaks
4 Breckland 009 Breckland
5 Camden 006 Camden

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Beardon

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Beardon

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

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Beardon is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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

These residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Beardon 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

Beardon falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Beardon 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 Beardon, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Beardon

The surname Beardon is of English origin, and it is derived from the Old English words "bere" meaning "barley" and "dun" meaning "hill" or "down." The name likely originated in the 12th or 13th century in various areas of England where barley was grown on hillsides.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Beardon can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Worcestershire in 1230, where a person named Richard Beardon is mentioned. The surname also appears in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1273, which lists a John de Bereden.

The name Beardon is sometimes associated with the place name Beardon, which is a small village in Wiltshire, England. This village's name is recorded as "Bereden" in the Domesday Book of 1086, suggesting a connection between the surname and the place name.

In the 14th century, the surname appeared in various spellings, such as Bereden, Beredun, and Beredon, reflecting the variations in pronunciation and spelling during that period. One notable individual with this surname was John Beardon, who was born around 1360 in Oxfordshire and served as a member of the King's Council during the reign of Richard II.

Another prominent figure with the surname Beardon was William Beardon, born in 1512 in Gloucestershire. He was a renowned scholar and author who wrote several works on theology and philosophy.

In the 16th century, the name Beardon was associated with several families in different parts of England. Thomas Beardon, born in 1540 in Somerset, was a successful merchant who owned several properties in the area. Meanwhile, in Warwickshire, the Beardon family was known for their involvement in the wool trade.

During the 17th century, a notable figure with the surname Beardon was Sir John Beardon, born in 1620 in Wiltshire. He was a respected judge and legal scholar who played a significant role in shaping English common law.

In the 18th century, the Beardon family had a strong presence in various parts of England. One notable individual was Elizabeth Beardon, born in 1725 in Gloucestershire, who was a renowned artist and portraitist during the Georgian era.

Throughout history, the surname Beardon has been associated with various professions, including agriculture, law, academia, and the arts. While the name may have originated from the combination of Old English words related to barley and hills, it has since evolved to become a distinctive surname with a rich heritage in England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Beardon families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Beardon 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. Middlesex leads with 59 Beardons recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.93x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 59 5.93x
Derbyshire 16 10.27x
Yorkshire 7 0.71x
Devon 6 2.90x
Surrey 5 1.03x
Lancashire 4 0.34x
Hampshire 2 0.98x
Channel Islands 1 3.39x
Dumfriesshire 1 4.55x
Northumberland 1 0.68x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Islington London in Middlesex leads with 25 Beardons recorded in 1881 and an index of 25.93x.

Place Total Index
Islington London 25 25.93x
Shoreditch London 9 20.87x
Tottenham 9 56.82x
Crich 8 784.31x
St Pancras London 6 7.49x
Pudsey 5 94.88x
Hulme 4 16.23x
Ilkeston 4 91.53x
Kingsteignton 4 689.66x
Ashover 3 389.61x
St George In East London 3 32.05x
Kensington London 2 3.62x
Portsea 2 5.01x
St Marylebone London 2 3.77x
Ashford 1 1666.67x
Bermondsey 1 3.38x
Bromley London 1 4.57x
Croydon 1 3.72x
Dryfesdale 1 99.01x
Lambeth 1 1.15x
Morley 1 19.53x
Newcastle On Tyne St John 1 51.28x
Paddington London 1 2.73x
Penge 1 15.75x
Sheffield 1 3.19x
Southwark St John 1 32.89x
Spitalfields London 1 13.37x
St Martin 1 55.25x
Winkleigh 1 238.10x
Winster 1 357.14x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 9
Elizabeth 5
Sarah 4
Alice 2
Hannah 2
Martha 2
Amy 1
Ann 1
Annie 1
Camilla 1
Charlotte 1
Edith 1
Eliza 1
Ellen 1
Emily 1
Emmeline 1
Florence 1
Floria 1
Grace 1
Hanna 1
Katherine 1
Laura 1
Lauria 1
Mabel 1
Margaret 1
Margret 1
May 1
Thirza 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Beardon surname: questions and answers

How common was the Beardon surname in 1881?

In 1881, 101 people were recorded with the Beardon surname. That placed it at #19,636 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Beardon surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 198 in 2016. That gives Beardon a modern rank of #19,713.

What does the Beardon surname mean?

An English surname derived from a place name containing the elements "bear" and "dun" meaning "hill."

What does the Beardon map show?

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