UK surname
A Scottish surname derived from a place name meaning "dwelling" or "house".
In the 1881 census there were 181 people recorded with the Beath surname, ranking it #13,690 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 79, ranked #33,100, down from #13,690 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Melksham, Edinburgh and Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Beath is 360 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 56.4%.
1881 census count
181
Ranked #13,690
Modern count
79
2016, ranked #33,100
Peak year
1861
360 bearers
Map years
5
1851 to 1901
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Beath surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Beath surname density by area, 1881 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 253 | #8,709 |
| 1861 | historical | 360 | #7,095 |
| 1881 | historical | 181 | #13,690 |
| 1891 | historical | 203 | #14,754 |
| 1901 | historical | 149 | #18,146 |
| 1911 | historical | 54 | #27,423 |
| 1997 | modern | 67 | #30,915 |
| 1998 | modern | 62 | #31,735 |
| 1999 | modern | 71 | #31,036 |
| 2000 | modern | 74 | #30,785 |
| 2001 | modern | 73 | #30,699 |
| 2002 | modern | 78 | #30,601 |
| 2003 | modern | 75 | #30,994 |
| 2004 | modern | 71 | #31,578 |
| 2005 | modern | 73 | #31,616 |
| 2006 | modern | 69 | #32,343 |
| 2007 | modern | 69 | #32,662 |
| 2008 | modern | 72 | #32,656 |
| 2009 | modern | 74 | #32,835 |
| 2010 | modern | 77 | #32,927 |
| 2011 | modern | 76 | #32,989 |
| 2012 | modern | 75 | #33,263 |
| 2013 | modern | 72 | #33,631 |
| 2014 | modern | 77 | #33,336 |
| 2015 | modern | 78 | #33,210 |
| 2016 | modern | 79 | #33,100 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Melksham, Edinburgh, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry, Portmoak and St Mary Islington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Melksham | Wiltshire |
| 2 | Edinburgh | Edinburgh |
| 3 | Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry | Forfar |
| 4 | Portmoak | Kinross |
| 5 | St Mary Islington | London (North Districts) |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Beath surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Beath, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Beath surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Beath household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Beath is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Beath is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Beath, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Beath is of Scottish origin, tracing its roots back to the early medieval period. It is derived from the Gaelic word "beith," which means "a birch tree." This suggests that the name may have originally referred to someone who lived near or owned land with a prominent birch tree or birch grove.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a historical document containing the names of Scottish landowners who swore fealty to King Edward I of England. In this record, the name is spelled as "Bethe."
The name Beath is closely associated with the county of Fife in eastern Scotland. Several places in this region bear variations of the name, such as Bathgate and Bethelnie. These place names likely influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname over time.
In the 15th century, a notable figure named John Beath served as the Abbot of Dunfermline Abbey, a prominent religious institution in Fife. His tenure as Abbot spanned from 1446 to 1462, and he played a significant role in the administration of the abbey during a turbulent period in Scottish history.
Another notable Beath was Robert Beath, a Scottish minister and theologian who lived in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. He served as the minister of the parish of Falkirk and was involved in the debates surrounding the establishment of Presbyterianism in Scotland.
In the 18th century, James Beath, a Scottish agricultural writer and improver, gained recognition for his contributions to the advancement of farming techniques. His work, "A General View of the Agriculture of the County of Fife," published in 1808, was highly influential in its time.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Beath surname in North America dates back to the late 17th century, when James Beath, a Scottish immigrant, settled in Virginia. His descendants went on to establish themselves in various parts of the United States and Canada.
Throughout history, the Beath surname has been associated with various professions, including clergy, academics, and landowners. While not a particularly widespread name, it has maintained a strong presence in Scotland and has spread to other parts of the world through migration and family connections.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Beath surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Angus leads with 43 Beaths recorded in 1881 and an index of 26.14x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Angus | 43 | 26.14x |
| Fife | 25 | 23.79x |
| Midlothian | 18 | 7.57x |
| Kinross-shire | 17 | 378.62x |
| Wiltshire | 11 | 7.01x |
| Middlesex | 10 | 0.56x |
| Derbyshire | 9 | 3.24x |
| Lancashire | 7 | 0.33x |
| Aberdeenshire | 6 | 3.65x |
| Surrey | 6 | 0.69x |
| Gloucestershire | 5 | 1.44x |
| Lanarkshire | 5 | 0.87x |
| Yorkshire | 5 | 0.28x |
| Cheshire | 2 | 0.51x |
| Durham | 2 | 0.38x |
| Oxfordshire | 2 | 1.82x |
| Perthshire | 2 | 2.51x |
| Suffolk | 2 | 0.92x |
| Banffshire | 1 | 2.72x |
| East Lothian | 1 | 4.25x |
| Renfrewshire | 1 | 0.73x |
| Somerset | 1 | 0.35x |
| Sussex | 1 | 0.33x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Dundee in Angus leads with 29 Beaths recorded in 1881 and an index of 47.23x.
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Beath surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Beath surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Beath households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 20 |
| Ag Lab | 2 |
| Dom Serv | 2 |
| Housemaid | 2 |
| Laundress | 2 |
| Ag Lab Widow | 1 |
| Annuitant | 1 |
| Barman | 1 |
| Bootmaker | 1 |
| Carpet Weaver | 1 |
| Carter | 1 |
| Coal Miner | 1 |
| Coal Miner Wife | 1 |
| Comm Porter | 1 |
| Cook Domestic Serv | 1 |
| Engineer | 1 |
| Farm Labourer | 1 |
| General Serv | 1 |
| General Servt Domestic | 1 |
| Housework | 1 |
| India Rubber Worker | 1 |
| Publican | 1 |
| Railway Porter | 1 |
| Seamans Wife | 1 |
| Servt Domestic | 1 |
| Slater | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 181 people were recorded with the Beath surname. That placed it at #13,690 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 79 in 2016. That gives Beath a modern rank of #33,100.
A Scottish surname derived from a place name meaning "dwelling" or "house".
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Beath bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.