NameCensus.

UK surname

Beavan

An old English habitational surname referring to someone from Bevan near Chipping Sodbury, Gloucestershire.

In the 1881 census there were 1,176 people recorded with the Beavan surname, ranking it #3,422 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 817, ranked #6,789, down from #3,422 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), London parishes and Merthyr Tydfil. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Herefordshire and Shropshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Beavan is 1,435 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 30.5%.

1881 census count

1,176

Ranked #3,422

Modern count

817

2016, ranked #6,789

Peak year

1901

1,435 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Beavan had 1,176 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,422 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 817 in 2016, ranked #6,789.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,435 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Beavan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Beavan surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Beavan 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 1,117 #2,524
1861 historical 849 #3,254
1881 historical 1,176 #3,422
1891 historical 1,233 #3,503
1901 historical 1,435 #3,539
1911 historical 1,231 #3,835
1997 modern 918 #5,886
1998 modern 942 #5,947
1999 modern 970 #5,849
2000 modern 943 #5,962
2001 modern 915 #6,007
2002 modern 912 #6,139
2003 modern 882 #6,179
2004 modern 892 #6,143
2005 modern 845 #6,334
2006 modern 843 #6,363
2007 modern 835 #6,473
2008 modern 841 #6,484
2009 modern 847 #6,582
2010 modern 865 #6,603
2011 modern 846 #6,643
2012 modern 834 #6,628
2013 modern 845 #6,668
2014 modern 850 #6,655
2015 modern 847 #6,631
2016 modern 817 #6,789

Geography

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Where Beavans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), London parishes, Merthyr Tydfil, Mold and Hawarden. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Herefordshire and Shropshire. 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 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Merthyr Tydfil Glamorganshire
4 Mold Flintshire
5 Hawarden Cheshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Herefordshire 012 Herefordshire, County of
2 Shropshire 037 Shropshire
3 Herefordshire 017 Herefordshire, County of
4 Herefordshire 020 Herefordshire, County of
5 Herefordshire 001 Herefordshire, County of

Forenames

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First names often paired with Beavan

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Beavan

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Beavan surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Beavan household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Beavan is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Beavan 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

Beavan falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Beavan

The surname BEAVAN is believed to have originated in England, deriving from the Old English word "bēo," which means "bee." The name likely emerged during the Anglo-Saxon period, potentially as early as the 5th century AD.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname can be found in areas such as Devon, Somerset, and Cornwall, where it was often associated with occupations related to beekeeping or honey production. Variations in spelling, including Bevan, Bevan, and Beeven, were common in historical records.

One of the earliest documented references to the BEAVAN surname is found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings commissioned by William the Conquer in 1086. The record mentions a landowner named "Beuan" in the county of Devon.

Notable individuals with the BEAVAN surname throughout history include:

1. William Beavan (c. 1519-1584), an English churchman who served as the Archdeacon of Surrey from 1569 until his death. 2. Robert Beavan (1627-1698), a British politician and Member of Parliament for Derby from 1679 to 1685. 3. Edward Beavan (1770-1849), a prominent British lawyer and legal writer known for his works on the law of bankruptcy. 4. Samuel Beavan (1789-1868), an English engraver and illustrator who produced numerous engravings for publications such as Picturesque Antiquities of Great Britain. 5. Edwyn Robert Bevan (1870-1943), a renowned British scholar and historian who specialized in the study of early Christianity and the philosophy of Neoplatonism.

The BEAVAN surname has also been associated with various place names in England, such as Beavan's Hill in Gloucestershire and Beavan's Farm in Somerset, further suggesting its longstanding presence in certain regions of the country.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Beavan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Beavan 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. Herefordshire leads with 329 Beavans recorded in 1881 and an index of 70.24x.

County Total Index
Herefordshire 329 70.24x
Glamorgan 130 6.54x
Middlesex 95 0.83x
Flintshire 79 25.73x
Monmouthshire 75 9.08x
Shropshire 66 6.69x
Brecknockshire 53 23.20x
Radnorshire 46 49.91x
Surrey 40 0.72x
Gloucestershire 36 1.61x
Staffordshire 24 0.62x
Lancashire 21 0.15x
Worcestershire 21 1.41x
Devon 20 0.84x
Montgomeryshire 18 6.88x
Somerset 17 0.92x
Kent 16 0.41x
Warwickshire 12 0.42x
Carmarthenshire 11 2.28x
Durham 11 0.32x
Wiltshire 11 1.09x
Yorkshire 10 0.09x
Lincolnshire 8 0.44x
Denbighshire 3 0.70x
Derbyshire 3 0.17x
Channel Islands 2 0.59x
Cheshire 2 0.08x
Cumberland 2 0.20x
Essex 2 0.09x
Lanarkshire 2 0.05x
Pembrokeshire 2 0.55x
Hampshire 1 0.04x
Leicestershire 1 0.08x
Suffolk 1 0.07x
Sussex 1 0.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Clase in Glamorgan leads with 26 Beavans recorded in 1881 and an index of 35.15x.

Place Total Index
Clase 26 35.15x
Mold 23 82.59x
St Marylebone London 21 3.44x
Ystradyfodwg 21 12.04x
Hereford All Sts 20 93.20x
Llangattock 18 96.77x
Clehonger 16 914.29x
Hereford St Owen 16 103.43x
Llansamlet Lower 16 88.84x
Peterchurch 16 640.00x
Flint 15 86.06x
Hereford St Peter 14 111.91x
Vowchurch 13 1023.62x
Aberystruth 12 16.49x
Hawarden Ewloe Town 12 361.45x
Hay 12 141.51x
Ludlow St Lawrence 12 61.13x
Presteigne 12 205.13x
Islington London 11 0.99x
Llanwonno 11 15.39x
Stoke Damerel 11 6.61x
Trevethin 11 14.11x
Camberwell 10 1.37x
Hawarden 10 41.46x
Kilpeck 10 1136.36x
Llanfair Waterdine 10 460.83x
Withington 10 326.80x
Abergavenny 9 29.11x
Bedminster 9 5.21x
Boughrood 9 873.79x
Dorstone 9 514.29x
Holmer 9 106.76x
Llangunider 9 63.25x
Newtown 9 53.76x
Over Darwen 9 8.31x
Tryddyn 9 134.93x
Breinton 8 439.56x
Hammersmith London 8 2.84x
Kington 8 68.97x
Little Birch 8 727.27x
Llanelly 8 7.38x
Mynyddyslwyn 8 24.55x
Newent 8 70.24x
Powick 8 77.44x
St Gregory By St Pauls 8 279.72x
Sutton St Mary 8 46.32x
Trowbridge 8 17.92x
West Teignmouth 8 43.98x
Wistanstow 8 250.78x
Worthen Hope 8 382.78x
Bedwellty 7 4.80x
Cardiff St John 7 10.77x
Cheltenham 7 4.05x
Claines 7 17.10x
Felton 7 1707.32x
Gateshead 7 2.75x
Merthyr Tydfil 7 3.66x
Much Birch 7 339.81x
Newchurch 7 1750.00x
Roath 7 7.75x
Toxteth Park 7 1.53x
Aberdare 6 4.39x
Allensmore 6 265.49x
Bermondsey 6 1.76x
Birmingham 6 0.63x
Cleobury Mortimer 6 96.46x
Credenhill 6 631.58x
Enfield 6 8.01x
Gelligaer 6 13.21x
Greenwich 6 3.30x
Gwenddwr North 6 740.74x
Lambeth 6 0.60x
Llandyssil 6 213.52x
Madley 6 182.37x
Newington 6 1.42x
Rockfield 6 666.67x
Tiberton 6 1250.00x
Walsall Foreign 6 3.01x
West Dean 6 16.49x
Birley 5 819.67x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 84
Elizabeth 53
Sarah 42
Ann 29
Eliza 18
Emily 18
Jane 17
Hannah 16
Margaret 16
Emma 15
Ellen 14
Alice 12
Annie 11
Catherine 11
Anne 10
Caroline 9
Fanny 9
Harriet 9
Martha 9
Ada 8
Clara 8
Edith 7
Harriett 7
Louisa 7
Charlotte 5
Agnes 4
Beatrice 4
Eleanor 4
Elizth. 4
Maria 4
Susan 4
Esther 3
Florence 3
Jessie 3
Kate 3
Lucy 3
Rachel 3
Agness 2
Amelia 2
Dinah 2
Frances 2
Gertrude 2
Henrietta 2
Joanna 2
Julia 2
Lydia 2
Margret 2
Matilda 2
Maud 2
Olive 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 96
William 87
Thomas 59
James 48
George 31
Charles 21
Henry 21
Edward 19
David 15
Alfred 13
Edwin 13
Samuel 13
Joseph 11
Richard 10
Arthur 9
Francis 7
Benjamin 6
Frederick 5
Albert 4
Evan 4
Isaac 4
Thos. 4
Walter 4
Ernest 3
Harry 3
Herbert 3
Lewis 3
Rees 3
Wm. 3
Amos 2
Arnold 2
Daniel 2
Ebenezer 2
Frank 2
Jonathan 2
Josiah 2
Leonard 2
Philip 2
Price 2
Willie 2
Aquila 1
Chas.Hy. 1
Christifor 1
Clara 1
Elijah 1
Emanuel 1
Geo.Hy. 1
Jerimiah 1
Laurence 1
Wm.H. 1

FAQ

Beavan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Beavan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,176 people were recorded with the Beavan surname. That placed it at #3,422 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Beavan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 817 in 2016. That gives Beavan a modern rank of #6,789.

What does the Beavan surname mean?

An old English habitational surname referring to someone from Bevan near Chipping Sodbury, Gloucestershire.

What does the Beavan map show?

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