NameCensus.

UK surname

Beardsworth

Originally denoted someone from the town of Beardsworth or Beardworth.

In the 1881 census there were 544 people recorded with the Beardsworth surname, ranking it #6,344 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 553, ranked #9,240, down from #6,344 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Preston, Blackburn and Penwortham. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Blackburn with Darwen, Chorley and Wigan.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Beardsworth is 654 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 1.7%.

1881 census count

544

Ranked #6,344

Modern count

553

2016, ranked #9,240

Peak year

1901

654 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Beardsworth had 544 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,344 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 553 in 2016, ranked #9,240.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 654 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Beardsworth surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Beardsworth surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Beardsworth 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 306 #7,524
1861 historical 312 #8,127
1881 historical 544 #6,344
1891 historical 572 #6,649
1901 historical 654 #6,607
1911 historical 643 #6,497
1997 modern 526 #8,963
1998 modern 544 #9,000
1999 modern 579 #8,642
2000 modern 586 #8,542
2001 modern 568 #8,602
2002 modern 584 #8,598
2003 modern 568 #8,637
2004 modern 556 #8,794
2005 modern 547 #8,819
2006 modern 555 #8,752
2007 modern 552 #8,883
2008 modern 554 #8,911
2009 modern 568 #8,944
2010 modern 572 #9,082
2011 modern 561 #9,118
2012 modern 542 #9,279
2013 modern 564 #9,139
2014 modern 565 #9,191
2015 modern 567 #9,082
2016 modern 553 #9,240

Geography

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Where Beardsworths are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Preston, Blackburn, Penwortham, Bolton-le-Moors and Leyland. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Blackburn with Darwen, Chorley, Wigan, South Lakeland and Rossendale. 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 Preston Lancashire
2 Blackburn Lancashire
3 Penwortham Lancashire
4 Bolton-le-Moors Lancashire
5 Leyland Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Blackburn with Darwen 009 Blackburn with Darwen
2 Chorley 005 Chorley
3 Wigan 016 Wigan
4 South Lakeland 012 South Lakeland
5 Rossendale 010 Rossendale

Forenames

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First names often paired with Beardsworth

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Beardsworth

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Beardsworth surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Beardsworth household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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, Beardsworth 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

Beardsworth 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

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

Meaning and origin of Beardsworth

The surname Beardsworth is of English origin, deriving from a locational name referring to a now lost or unidentified place named Beardsworth. It is an amalgamation of the Old English words "bearde," meaning beard or bearded man, and "worth," meaning an enclosed homestead or farm. The name likely originated in the 12th or 13th century.

The earliest recorded instance of the Beardsworth name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Staffordshire in 1199, where a Robert de Berdesworth is mentioned. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 also reference a William de Berdesworth from Oxfordshire. These early spellings highlight the variations in the name's spelling over time.

In the 13th century, the Beardsworth surname appeared in the Taxatio Ecclesiastica of Yorkshire, indicating the presence of the family in that region. The Yorkshire Poll Tax Returns of 1379 also list several individuals with the name, such as Johannes Berdesworth and Ricardus Berdesworth.

One of the earliest notable individuals with this surname was Sir William Beardsworth, who lived in the late 14th and early 15th centuries. He was a prominent landowner and served as the Sheriff of Derbyshire in 1397.

During the 16th century, the Beardsworth name was found in Lancashire, as evidenced by the baptismal records of St. Mary's Church in Eccles. In 1587, a Thomas Beardsworth was recorded as having been baptized there.

In the 17th century, the Beardsworth family had a presence in Cheshire. The parish registers of Wilmslow mention several individuals with this surname, such as John Beardsworth, who was born in 1634, and Elizabeth Beardsworth, who was born in 1668.

One notable bearer of the Beardsworth name was Edward Beardsworth (1655-1711), a prominent merchant and landowner from Yorkshire. He was involved in the wool trade and owned several properties in the region.

Another individual of note was Joseph Beardsworth (1760-1834), a successful businessman and industrialist from Yorkshire. He established a successful textile manufacturing business and was involved in the development of the town of Barnsley.

The Beardsworth surname has been associated with several places in England, such as Beardsworth Green in Derbyshire and Beardsworth Hall in Yorkshire, which was once the ancestral seat of the Beardsworth family.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Beardsworth families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Beardsworth 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. Lancashire leads with 496 Beardsworths recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.88x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 496 7.88x
Yorkshire 19 0.36x
Rutland 8 20.53x
Kent 6 0.33x
Middlesex 5 0.09x
Surrey 5 0.19x
Cheshire 2 0.17x
Leicestershire 2 0.34x
Hampshire 1 0.09x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Blackburn in Lancashire leads with 69 Beardsworths recorded in 1881 and an index of 41.18x.

Place Total Index
Blackburn 69 41.18x
Preston 50 29.68x
Penwortham 49 1644.30x
Walton Le Dale 22 130.02x
Leyland 19 173.36x
Farington 15 408.72x
Little Bolton 15 18.53x
Longton 15 566.04x
Mawdesley 15 887.57x
Chorley 14 39.63x
Euxton 14 669.86x
Halliwell 14 61.08x
Atherton 13 56.72x
Dilworth 13 336.79x
Whittle Le Woods 13 622.01x
Billington 9 350.19x
Bradford 9 7.07x
Great Bolton 9 10.79x
Layton With Warbreck 9 38.94x
Lytham 8 83.25x
Uppingham 8 172.41x
Westhoughton 7 41.67x
Clitheroe 6 32.38x
Golborne 6 73.08x
Kirkby 6 235.29x
Pennington In Leigh 6 49.67x
Haslingden 5 19.18x
Kirkdale 5 4.72x
Newington 5 2.55x
Selling 5 335.57x
Wheelton 5 177.31x
Witton 5 63.13x
Ashton Under Lyne 4 2.91x
Castleton 4 6.36x
Everton 4 1.99x
Hackney London 4 1.34x
Horwich 4 58.22x
Leeds 4 1.35x
Liverpool 4 1.05x
Tyldesley Cum Shakerley 4 22.06x
Whalley 4 43.57x
Withnell 4 103.63x
Alston 3 102.39x
Ashton In Makerfield 3 16.73x
Over Darwen 3 5.96x
Blackrod 2 25.54x
Broughton In Salford 2 3.47x
Chipping 2 111.73x
Dukinfield 2 3.69x
East Ardsley 2 43.96x
Leicester Black Friars 2 52.22x
Manningham 2 3.09x
Much Hoole 2 188.68x
Oldham 2 0.98x
Adlington 1 16.95x
Blackley 1 9.06x
Cabus 1 312.50x
Crayford 1 12.64x
Culcheth 1 24.21x
Fishwick 1 25.71x
Fulwood 1 14.71x
Great Harwood 1 8.79x
Hammersmith London 1 0.77x
Heapey 1 149.25x
Huddersfield 1 1.31x
Linthwaite 1 9.05x
Ribchester 1 42.02x
Southampton All Sts 1 5.36x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 39
Mary 35
Alice 25
Jane 16
Ellen 15
Ann 14
Margaret 11
Sarah 9
Annie 8
Catherine 6
Martha 6
Hannah 5
Ada 4
Eliza 4
Emily 4
Esther 4
Isabella 3
Sophia 3
Susannah 3
Amelia 2
Bertha 2
Betty 2
Catharine 2
Charlotte 2
Elizebeth 2
Emma 2
Fanny 2
Kate 2
Lavinia 2
Lucy 2
Margery 2
Maria 2
Nancy 2
Phillis 2
Rebecca 2
Susan 2
Theresa 2
Anne 1
Birtha 1
Cathrine 1
Edith 1
Elizth. 1
Elizth.A.T. 1
Eveline 1
Gertrude 1
Jennett 1
Manda 1
Margret 1
Margt. 1
Marjory 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 40
William 38
John 37
Richard 28
Thomas 19
Edward 14
Robert 9
George 7
Joseph 7
Henry 5
Jonathan 5
Alfred 4
Albert 3
Arthur 3
Charles 3
David 3
Benjamin 2
Herbert 2
Oliver 2
Peter 2
Ralph 2
Thos. 2
Adam 1
Alexander 1
Christopher 1
Clarence 1
Edwin 1
Elijah 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Frederic 1
Frederick 1
Fredk. 1
Harry 1
Hugh 1
Hy. 1
Jas 1
Jno. 1
Jonathon 1
Mary 1
Matthew 1
Oscar 1
Robt. 1
Saml. 1
Samuel 1
Tom 1
Walter 1
Willie 1

FAQ

Beardsworth surname: questions and answers

How common was the Beardsworth surname in 1881?

In 1881, 544 people were recorded with the Beardsworth surname. That placed it at #6,344 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Beardsworth surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 553 in 2016. That gives Beardsworth a modern rank of #9,240.

What does the Beardsworth surname mean?

Originally denoted someone from the town of Beardsworth or Beardworth.

What does the Beardsworth map show?

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