NameCensus.

UK surname

Beason

An English toponymic surname derived from a place name meaning "bean field" or "place where beans are grown."

In the 1881 census there were 155 people recorded with the Beason surname, ranking it #15,174 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 199, ranked #19,653, down from #15,174 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Barking, London parishes and Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Staffordshire, Burnley and Hinckley and Bosworth.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Beason is 395 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 28.4%.

1881 census count

155

Ranked #15,174

Modern count

199

2016, ranked #19,653

Peak year

1861

395 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Beason had 155 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,174 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 199 in 2016, ranked #19,653.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 395 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Beason surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Beason surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Beason 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 143 #13,343
1861 historical 395 #6,492
1881 historical 155 #15,174
1891 historical 271 #11,992
1901 historical 176 #16,401
1911 historical 178 #16,073
1997 modern 195 #17,912
1998 modern 205 #17,850
1999 modern 198 #18,343
2000 modern 191 #18,752
2001 modern 189 #18,590
2002 modern 188 #19,012
2003 modern 177 #19,549
2004 modern 185 #19,114
2005 modern 186 #18,985
2006 modern 190 #18,898
2007 modern 190 #19,088
2008 modern 186 #19,524
2009 modern 190 #19,656
2010 modern 198 #19,577
2011 modern 203 #19,098
2012 modern 190 #19,864
2013 modern 190 #20,201
2014 modern 191 #20,302
2015 modern 195 #19,909
2016 modern 199 #19,653

Geography

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Where Beasons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Barking, London parishes, Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars, Birmingham Town: Aston and Bishop Wearmouth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Staffordshire, Burnley, Hinckley and Bosworth, Cornwall and Braintree. 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 Barking Essex
2 London parishes London 3
3 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire
4 Birmingham Town: Aston Warwickshire
5 Bishop Wearmouth Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Staffordshire 006 South Staffordshire
2 Burnley 004 Burnley
3 Hinckley and Bosworth 005 Hinckley and Bosworth
4 Cornwall 007 Cornwall
5 Braintree 004 Braintree

Forenames

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First names often paired with Beason

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Beason

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

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Beason is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Beason is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Beason

The surname BEASON is of English origin, with its earliest known roots traced back to the late 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "bæcere," which means "baker," suggesting that the name may have originally referred to someone who worked as a baker or was associated with that trade.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the BEASON surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1191, where a person named Richard le Bakere is mentioned. This particular spelling variation, "le Bakere," was a common way of identifying someone's occupation during that time period.

As the name evolved over the centuries, various spellings emerged, including Beason, Beeson, Beeson, and Beesone. These variations were often influenced by regional dialects and inconsistent record-keeping practices.

In the 13th century, the BEASON name appeared in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, where a person named Robert Bak' was recorded. This spelling variation likely reflects the regional pronunciation of the name at that time.

During the 14th century, the BEASON surname was present in the Poll Tax Records of Yorkshire from 1379, where a Johannes Beson was listed. This record provides evidence of the name's continued presence and evolution in different parts of England.

Notable individuals bearing the BEASON surname throughout history include:

1. John Beason (c. 1550 - c. 1615), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Shoreham in 1597 and 1604. 2. William Beason (1628 - 1708), an English Puritan minister and author who published several works on religious topics. 3. Samuel Beason (1762 - 1841), an American soldier who fought in the American Revolutionary War and later served as a member of the Virginia House of Delegates. 4. Mary Beason (1810 - 1892), an English writer and poet who published several collections of verse during the Victorian era. 5. Charles Beason (1867 - 1945), an American businessman and philanthropist who made significant contributions to the city of Birmingham, Alabama, where a park was named in his honor.

While the BEASON surname has evolved over time and has been spelled in various ways, its origins can be traced back to the Old English word "bæcere," reflecting the occupation of baking and its association with that trade in medieval England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Beason families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Beason 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 36 Beasons recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.38x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 36 2.38x
Lancashire 24 1.34x
Warwickshire 16 4.20x
Surrey 13 1.76x
Durham 12 2.67x
Leicestershire 7 4.18x
Buckinghamshire 6 6.56x
Cumberland 6 4.61x
Montgomeryshire 6 17.32x
Shropshire 5 3.83x
Worcestershire 5 2.53x
Glamorgan 3 1.14x
Hampshire 3 0.97x
Derbyshire 2 0.85x
Gloucestershire 2 0.67x
Kent 2 0.39x
Oxfordshire 2 2.14x
Berkshire 1 0.88x
Cheshire 1 0.30x
Devon 1 0.32x
Rutland 1 9.01x
Staffordshire 1 0.20x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bethnal Green London in Middlesex leads with 13 Beasons recorded in 1881 and an index of 19.79x.

Place Total Index
Bethnal Green London 13 19.79x
Newington 12 21.49x
Aston 11 10.48x
Bishopwearmouth 11 28.49x
Middleton In Oldham 7 130.11x
Oldham 7 12.09x
Dean 6 1395.35x
Ellesborough 6 1875.00x
Churchstoke 5 769.23x
Dudley 5 20.83x
Leicester St Margaret 5 12.23x
Spitalfields London 5 43.98x
Tonge 5 132.98x
Birmingham 4 3.15x
Heston 4 79.68x
St George Hanover Square 4 15.02x
Acton Burnell 3 1764.71x
Heaton Norris 3 29.38x
Portsmouth 3 42.08x
Westminster St John 3 16.30x
Chipping Norton 2 92.59x
Ireton Wood 2 3333.33x
Preston Gubbals 2 909.09x
Ruardean 2 298.51x
Shoreditch London 2 3.05x
Swansea Town 2 9.27x
Bromley London 1 3.01x
Clewer 1 21.51x
Cole Orton 1 322.58x
Darlaston 1 14.18x
Edgbaston 1 8.46x
Hackney London 1 1.18x
Hammersmith London 1 2.69x
Heworth 1 11.29x
Leicester St Mary 1 7.39x
Liscard 1 16.64x
Llanvedw 1 625.00x
Manchester 1 1.24x
Margate St John Baptist 1 10.59x
Milton In Gravesend 1 12.92x
Newtown 1 45.05x
Paddington London 1 1.80x
Paignton 1 41.84x
Pendleton In Salford 1 4.68x
Reigate Foreign 1 12.53x
Ryhall 1 270.27x
Whitechapel London 1 6.71x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 13
Charles 8
John 8
James 7
George 5
Joseph 4
Samuel 4
Thomas 4
Harry 3
Robert 3
Walter 3
Arthur 2
Henry 2
Alphred 1
Chas. 1
Cornelius 1
Edward 1
Ernest 1
Frank 1
Harold 1
Henery 1
Isaac 1
Mark 1
Percy 1
Richard 1
Thos. 1
Tom 1

FAQ

Beason surname: questions and answers

How common was the Beason surname in 1881?

In 1881, 155 people were recorded with the Beason surname. That placed it at #15,174 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Beason surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 199 in 2016. That gives Beason a modern rank of #19,653.

What does the Beason surname mean?

An English toponymic surname derived from a place name meaning "bean field" or "place where beans are grown."

What does the Beason map show?

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