NameCensus.

UK surname

Beards

An English habitational surname for someone living by a wood or grove.

In the 1881 census there were 340 people recorded with the Beards surname, ranking it #8,934 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 491, ranked #10,116, down from #8,934 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, Birmingham Town: Birmingham and Tipton otherwise Tibington. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wolverhampton, Birmingham and Walsall.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Beards is 533 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 44.4%.

1881 census count

340

Ranked #8,934

Modern count

491

2016, ranked #10,116

Peak year

1998

533 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Beards had 340 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,934 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 491 in 2016, ranked #10,116.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 422 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Beards surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Beards surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Beards 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 196 #10,573
1861 historical 251 #9,830
1881 historical 340 #8,934
1891 historical 307 #10,914
1901 historical 376 #9,899
1911 historical 422 #8,936
1997 modern 500 #9,304
1998 modern 533 #9,135
1999 modern 530 #9,231
2000 modern 533 #9,169
2001 modern 514 #9,267
2002 modern 513 #9,464
2003 modern 490 #9,631
2004 modern 492 #9,616
2005 modern 491 #9,566
2006 modern 481 #9,750
2007 modern 489 #9,718
2008 modern 498 #9,664
2009 modern 505 #9,774
2010 modern 517 #9,792
2011 modern 496 #10,012
2012 modern 469 #10,348
2013 modern 479 #10,343
2014 modern 490 #10,233
2015 modern 483 #10,264
2016 modern 491 #10,116

Geography

Back to top

Where Beards' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, Birmingham Town: Birmingham, Tipton otherwise Tibington and West Bromwich. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wolverhampton, Birmingham and Walsall. 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 Wolverhampton Staffordshire
2 Birmingham Town: Birmingham Warwickshire
3 Tipton otherwise Tibington Staffordshire
4 West Bromwich Staffordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wolverhampton 010 Wolverhampton
2 Wolverhampton 001 Wolverhampton
3 Birmingham 044 Birmingham
4 Walsall 021 Walsall
5 Walsall 023 Walsall

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Beards

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Beards

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Beards surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Beards household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Beards 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

Beards is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Beards falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Beards is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Beards

The surname Beards is believed to have originated in England during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old English word "beard," referring to the facial hair, and was likely initially used as a nickname for someone with a distinctive beard.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Berde." This entry suggests that the name was already in use by the late 11th century in certain parts of England.

During the 13th century, the surname began appearing in various forms, such as "Berd," "Berde," and "Beerd," reflecting regional variations in spelling and pronunciation. These variations can be traced back to various place names, such as Beardwood in Buckinghamshire and Beardwell in Gloucestershire.

Notably, in the 14th century, a prominent figure named William Beards (c. 1330-1395) served as a Member of Parliament for Northamptonshire. His inclusion in historical records highlights the growing importance of the surname during this period.

In the 16th century, the spelling "Beards" became more standardized, and the name gained further recognition. One notable individual was John Beards (c. 1520-1583), a renowned English theologian and clergyman who served as the Bishop of Worcester.

Over the centuries, the Beards surname has been associated with various notable figures, including:

1. Sir John Beards (1573-1637), an English merchant and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1635. 2. William Beards (1745-1821), a British army officer who fought in the American Revolutionary War. 3. Mary Beards (1785-1867), a prominent English author and educationist known for her works on women's education. 4. James Beards (1813-1892), a Scottish-American industrialist and entrepreneur who founded the Beards Manufacturing Company. 5. Robert Beards (1901-1988), a renowned British artist and sculptor known for his modernist works.

While the surname Beards has roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to migration and cultural exchange. However, its origins can be traced back to the Middle Ages, when it emerged as a nickname reflecting a distinctive physical characteristic.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Beards families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Beards 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. Staffordshire leads with 191 Beards' recorded in 1881 and an index of 17.11x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 191 17.11x
Warwickshire 43 5.16x
Worcestershire 31 7.18x
Lancashire 17 0.43x
Kent 9 0.80x
Cheshire 6 0.82x
Cumberland 6 2.11x
Northamptonshire 5 1.61x
Surrey 5 0.31x
Yorkshire 5 0.15x
Middlesex 4 0.12x
Suffolk 4 0.99x
Cornwall 3 0.80x
Derbyshire 2 0.39x
Devon 2 0.29x
Durham 2 0.20x
Essex 1 0.15x
Hampshire 1 0.15x
Shropshire 1 0.35x
Sussex 1 0.18x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wolverhampton in Staffordshire leads with 78 Beards' recorded in 1881 and an index of 90.89x.

Place Total Index
Wolverhampton 78 90.89x
Birmingham 29 10.43x
Willenhall 28 133.91x
Bilston 24 110.96x
Tipton 23 67.29x
Lye 13 180.81x
Liverpool 10 4.20x
Sedgley 10 24.12x
West Bromwich 9 1343.28x
Aston 8 3.48x
Chester St Mary On Hill 6 95.85x
Evesham All Sts 6 298.51x
Walsall Foreign 6 10.41x
Wednesbury 6 21.51x
Beckenham 5 33.90x
Peterborough 5 22.20x
Wednesfield 5 30.43x
Bures St Mary 4 408.16x
Egham 4 40.44x
West Derby 4 3.48x
Caldewgate 3 19.23x
Hammersmith London 3 3.68x
Leeds 3 1.62x
St Clement 3 76.73x
St Cuthbert Within 3 90.91x
Sutton 3 22.80x
West Bromwich 3 4.69x
Burton Upon Trent 2 7.66x
Chatham 2 6.44x
Darlaston 2 12.96x
Darlington 2 5.27x
Derby St Werburgh 2 6.69x
Kidderminster Borough 2 7.91x
Southam 2 98.52x
Tettenhall 2 29.33x
Aldershot 1 4.41x
Bilton 1 52.08x
Clerkenwell London 1 1.28x
Devonport 1 12.64x
Handsworth 1 3.64x
Hastings St Mary 1 7.21x
Holy Trinity 1 1.27x
Horton Kirby 1 57.47x
Lambeth 1 0.35x
Leamington Priors 1 4.87x
Marks Tey 1 212.77x
Minster In Sheppey 1 5.35x
Ribbesford 1 27.86x
Rugby 1 8.87x
Sheffield 1 0.96x
Shifnal 1 12.89x
Stoke Damerel 1 2.08x
Trysull 1 153.85x
Warwick St Mary 1 13.81x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 27
John 15
George 13
Joseph 10
Thomas 10
Edward 8
Samuel 8
Alfred 5
Enoch 5
David 4
Henry 4
James 4
Charles 3
Richard 3
Abraham 2
Arthur 2
Benjamin 2
Frank 2
Fred 2
Harry 2
Herbert 2
Jacob 2
Nimrod 2
Robert 2
Simeon 2
Walter 2
Barnard 1
Caleb 1
Daniel 1
Edgar 1
Emanuel 1
Ernest 1
Ezekiel 1
Fredk. 1
Isaac 1
Jonah 1
Lewis 1
Mark 1
Morriss 1
Paul 1
Percy 1
Phillip 1
Reuben 1
Reubon 1
Rubene 1
Samuell 1
Seymour 1
Solomon 1
W. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Beards surname: questions and answers

How common was the Beards surname in 1881?

In 1881, 340 people were recorded with the Beards surname. That placed it at #8,934 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Beards surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 491 in 2016. That gives Beards a modern rank of #10,116.

What does the Beards surname mean?

An English habitational surname for someone living by a wood or grove.

What does the Beards map show?

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