NameCensus.

UK surname

Beavis

A surname possibly derived from a Middle English nickname for a keen or hardworking person.

In the 1881 census there were 1,227 people recorded with the Beavis surname, ranking it #3,299 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,724, ranked #3,619, down from #3,299 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and Eling. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Pembrokeshire, Braintree and Stroud.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Beavis is 1,906 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 40.5%.

1881 census count

1,227

Ranked #3,299

Modern count

1,724

2016, ranked #3,619

Peak year

1999

1,906 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Beavis had 1,227 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,299 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,724 in 2016, ranked #3,619.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,808 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Beavis surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Beavis surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Beavis 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 676 #3,839
1861 historical 607 #4,375
1881 historical 1,227 #3,299
1891 historical 1,079 #3,906
1901 historical 1,572 #3,282
1911 historical 1,808 #2,715
1997 modern 1,855 #3,249
1998 modern 1,905 #3,285
1999 modern 1,906 #3,308
2000 modern 1,882 #3,332
2001 modern 1,835 #3,334
2002 modern 1,828 #3,411
2003 modern 1,758 #3,469
2004 modern 1,759 #3,469
2005 modern 1,734 #3,480
2006 modern 1,745 #3,472
2007 modern 1,729 #3,524
2008 modern 1,727 #3,548
2009 modern 1,760 #3,569
2010 modern 1,775 #3,603
2011 modern 1,739 #3,628
2012 modern 1,696 #3,655
2013 modern 1,753 #3,602
2014 modern 1,752 #3,617
2015 modern 1,742 #3,606
2016 modern 1,724 #3,619

Geography

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Where Beavis' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, Eling and Newchurch. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Pembrokeshire, Braintree, Stroud, Norwich and Caerphilly. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 London parishes London 1
3 Eling Hampshire
4 Newchurch Hampshire
5 London parishes London 3

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Pembrokeshire 010 Pembrokeshire
2 Braintree 001 Braintree
3 Stroud 008 Stroud
4 Norwich 007 Norwich
5 Caerphilly 017 Caerphilly

Forenames

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First names often paired with Beavis

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Beavis

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Beavis 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

Beavis is most concentrated in decile 2 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Beavis falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Beavis

The surname BEAVIS is an English name that originated in the county of Devon in the southwest of England. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "beo" meaning bee and "hiwisc" meaning household or family, thus suggesting the name may have referred to a bee-keeper or someone associated with bees and honey production.

The earliest recorded instances of the BEAVIS surname can be traced back to the late 12th century in Devon. One of the first documented references is in the Pipe Rolls of 1196, which mention a landowner named Robert Beuuis in the village of Beavis near Tiverton.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various spellings such as Beuuis, Beuvys, and Bevys, reflecting the variations in pronunciation and scribal practices of the time. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 record a John Beuuys as a landowner in the village of Beavis.

The BEAVIS name is also found in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of 1327, which were tax records listing property owners. One such entry mentions a Thomas Bevys from the town of Exeter in Devon.

During the Middle Ages, the BEAVIS family was well-established in the Devon area, with some members holding positions of importance in local government and the church. In the 15th century, a John Beavis (1420-1487) served as the Mayor of Exeter, while a Richard Beavis (1452-1518) was a prominent clergyman and the Vicar of Tiverton.

Another notable figure was Sir William Beavis (1580-1643), a Member of Parliament for Tiverton during the reign of King Charles I. He was a staunch Royalist and played a role in the English Civil War, fighting on the side of the King against the Parliamentarians.

In the 18th century, a John Beavis (1725-1802) was a renowned antiquarian and historian who wrote extensively about the history and culture of Devon. His work, "The History and Antiquities of the County of Devon," published in 1792, remains an important reference for scholars studying the region.

One of the most famous individuals with the BEAVIS surname was Sir Edward Beavis (1824-1900), a British naval officer and explorer. He served in the Royal Navy for over 50 years and was instrumental in surveying and mapping various regions of the Pacific Ocean, including the Solomon Islands and the Coral Sea.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Beavis families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Beavis 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 212 Beavis' recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.77x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 212 1.77x
Hampshire 204 8.32x
Devon 139 5.58x
Surrey 120 2.06x
Gloucestershire 57 2.43x
Somerset 55 2.86x
Suffolk 52 3.57x
Essex 46 1.95x
Cambridgeshire 42 5.54x
Wiltshire 38 3.59x
Dorset 34 4.33x
Norfolk 34 1.85x
Yorkshire 28 0.24x
Glamorgan 27 1.30x
Kent 25 0.61x
Durham 14 0.39x
Oxfordshire 14 1.90x
Monmouthshire 12 1.39x
Nottinghamshire 12 0.74x
Brecknockshire 11 4.60x
Midlothian 10 0.62x
Berkshire 9 1.00x
Sussex 9 0.45x
Derbyshire 7 0.37x
Lancashire 6 0.04x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.09x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.14x
Cornwall 1 0.07x
Lanarkshire 1 0.03x
Leicestershire 1 0.08x
Lincolnshire 1 0.05x
Northamptonshire 1 0.09x
Northumberland 1 0.06x
Renfrewshire 1 0.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Haverhill in Suffolk leads with 42 Beavis' recorded in 1881 and an index of 324.58x.

Place Total Index
Haverhill 42 324.58x
Southampton St Mary 36 23.35x
Eling 35 140.96x
Islington London 34 2.93x
Millbrook 32 51.83x
Lambeth 31 2.97x
Bedminster 27 14.93x
Ventnor 22 94.38x
Kensington London 20 3.01x
St Marylebone London 19 2.98x
Battersea 18 4.09x
Bermondsey 17 4.77x
Camberwell 17 2.23x
Swanage 14 144.48x
Acton 13 18.54x
Newington 13 2.94x
Sturmere 13 849.67x
Whitwell 13 448.28x
Bristol St Paul In 12 19.20x
Hackney London 12 1.79x
Haverhill 12 558.14x
Withycombe Rawleigh 12 92.52x
Bawburgh 11 632.18x
Crickhowell 11 198.92x
Exeter St Sidwell 11 19.29x
Littleham 11 60.44x
Roath 11 11.63x
Tangley 11 1222.22x
Hornsey 10 6.61x
Lyncombe Widcombe 10 19.84x
Sidmouth 10 70.18x
St Pancras London 10 1.04x
Wolborough 10 31.78x
Bickington 9 918.37x
Downe 9 398.23x
Eryholme 9 1184.21x
Glandford Cum Bayfield 9 2093.02x
St Bartholomew Great 9 82.72x
Twickenham 9 17.55x
West Teignmouth 9 47.27x
West Wickham 9 481.28x
Alveston 8 240.96x
Bodham 8 645.16x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 8 3.62x
Christchurch 8 15.05x
Fisherton Anger 8 40.86x
Nottingham St Mary 8 1.92x
Paddington London 8 1.82x
Risca 8 49.08x
Stapleford 8 349.35x
Topsham 8 68.09x
Aylesbeare 7 194.44x
Balsham 7 169.08x
Birdbrook 7 294.12x
Bristol St Mary Redcliff 7 32.76x
Castle Camps 7 192.31x
Chelsea London 7 1.94x
Clist St George 7 642.20x
Litchurch 7 9.29x
Shanklin 7 95.89x
Shoreditch London 7 1.35x
West Ham 7 1.34x
West Wellow 7 296.61x
Arreton 6 76.34x
Bath St Peter St Paul 6 70.51x
Bethnal Green London 6 1.15x
Caversham 6 40.62x
Great Bedwin 6 79.89x
Mottistone 6 1016.95x
Richmond 6 7.35x
Rotherhithe 6 4.06x
Staverton 6 196.08x
Steventon 6 158.73x
Weston 6 40.54x
Bisley 5 23.52x
Melcombe Regis 5 15.37x
Monken Hadley 5 104.60x
Okehampton 5 53.25x
Sandal Magna 5 28.52x
South Newton 5 181.16x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 71
John 61
George 52
James 37
Charles 36
Thomas 33
Henry 30
Walter 23
Arthur 22
Alfred 19
Robert 19
Joseph 17
Frederick 16
Albert 14
Edward 13
Frank 13
Samuel 11
Harry 7
Ernest 6
Edmund 4
Edwin 4
Francis 4
Fred 3
Herbert 3
Aaron 2
Ambrose 2
Benjamin 2
David 2
Fredk. 2
Harold 2
Isaac 2
Leonard 2
Maurice 2
Peter 2
Richard 2
Rowland 2
Sidney 2
Thos. 2
Chas. 1
Claude 1
Colin 1
Elizabeth 1
Eversden 1
Fred. 1
Frederic 1
Hubert 1
Jaes 1
Jas.A. 1
Jesse 1
Wm.Turner 1

FAQ

Beavis surname: questions and answers

How common was the Beavis surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,227 people were recorded with the Beavis surname. That placed it at #3,299 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Beavis surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,724 in 2016. That gives Beavis a modern rank of #3,619.

What does the Beavis surname mean?

A surname possibly derived from a Middle English nickname for a keen or hardworking person.

What does the Beavis map show?

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