NameCensus.

UK surname

Beazley

Unclear origin, potentially derived from a place name or occupational term.

In the 1881 census there were 600 people recorded with the Beazley surname, ranking it #5,832 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 894, ranked #6,332, down from #5,832 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Tormoham with Torquay, London parishes and Newchurch. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Winchester, Rhondda Cynon Taf and Cupar Central.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Beazley is 976 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 49.0%.

1881 census count

600

Ranked #5,832

Modern count

894

2016, ranked #6,332

Peak year

1998

976 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Beazley had 600 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,832 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 894 in 2016, ranked #6,332.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 885 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Beazley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Beazley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Beazley 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 328 #7,098
1861 historical 220 #11,076
1881 historical 600 #5,832
1891 historical 564 #6,733
1901 historical 835 #5,436
1911 historical 885 #5,032
1997 modern 928 #5,824
1998 modern 976 #5,788
1999 modern 962 #5,895
2000 modern 944 #5,954
2001 modern 938 #5,872
2002 modern 944 #5,958
2003 modern 915 #6,004
2004 modern 898 #6,097
2005 modern 880 #6,123
2006 modern 872 #6,195
2007 modern 890 #6,139
2008 modern 887 #6,198
2009 modern 910 #6,205
2010 modern 932 #6,208
2011 modern 918 #6,232
2012 modern 878 #6,367
2013 modern 913 #6,284
2014 modern 909 #6,327
2015 modern 900 #6,326
2016 modern 894 #6,332

Geography

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Where Beazleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Tormoham with Torquay, London parishes, Newchurch and Calne, Bowood, Blackland, Calstone Withington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Winchester, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Cupar Central, Bromley and Reading. 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 Tormoham with Torquay Devon
2 London parishes London 1
3 Newchurch Hampshire
4 London parishes London 3
5 Calne, Bowood, Blackland, Calstone Withington Wiltshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Winchester 014 Winchester
2 Rhondda Cynon Taf 009 Rhondda Cynon Taf
3 Cupar Central Fife
4 Bromley 001 Bromley
5 Reading 018 Reading

Forenames

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First names often paired with Beazley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Beazley

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

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Beazley is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, 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

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

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

Beazley is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Beazley

The surname Beazley is of English origin, with roots dating back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English word "beonet," which means "bent grass" or "rushes." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near a place where these plants grew abundantly.

The Beazley name first appeared in records from the county of Hertfordshire, located in southeastern England. It is believed to have originated as a locational surname, referring to a specific place or area where the first bearers of the name resided.

One of the earliest documented references to the Beazley surname can be found in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, which listed individuals named John de Benesle and William de Benesley. These early spellings provide insight into the name's evolution over time.

During the 14th century, the name was recorded in various forms, including Benesley, Benesle, and Benesley. These variations likely resulted from differences in pronunciation and spelling conventions across different regions.

In the 16th century, the surname appeared in the parish records of St. Mary's Church in Baldock, Hertfordshire, where the baptism of Elizabeth Beazley was recorded in 1570.

One notable figure bearing the Beazley name was Sir William Beazley (1597-1675), an English merchant and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for the City of London in the 17th century.

Another prominent individual was John Beazley (1785-1855), a British naval officer and explorer who served in the Royal Navy and participated in several expeditions to the Arctic regions.

In the field of classical studies, Sir John Davidson Beazley (1885-1970) was a renowned scholar and archaeologist known for his influential work on ancient Greek vase painting.

The Beazley surname was also associated with significant landowners in Hertfordshire, such as the Beazley family of Ayot St. Lawrence, who owned estates in the area from the 16th to the 19th centuries.

Additionally, the name has been linked to various place names in England, including Beazley End in Bedfordshire and Beazley Farm in Essex, suggesting a connection between the surname and specific geographic locations.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Beazley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Beazley 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 186 Beazleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.17x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 186 3.17x
Hampshire 77 6.41x
Surrey 62 2.17x
Wiltshire 47 9.07x
Kent 30 1.50x
Devon 28 2.29x
Lancashire 28 0.40x
Gloucestershire 24 2.09x
Cambridgeshire 17 4.58x
Yorkshire 17 0.29x
Cheshire 12 0.93x
Staffordshire 11 0.56x
Oxfordshire 9 2.49x
Essex 8 0.69x
Berkshire 7 1.59x
Hertfordshire 7 1.73x
Glamorgan 5 0.49x
Norfolk 4 0.44x
Somerset 4 0.42x
Bedfordshire 3 0.99x
Warwickshire 3 0.20x
Cumberland 2 0.40x
Northamptonshire 2 0.36x
Sussex 2 0.20x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.28x
Durham 1 0.06x
Flintshire 1 0.63x
Huntingdonshire 1 0.86x
Leicestershire 1 0.15x
Worcestershire 1 0.13x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Islington London in Middlesex leads with 46 Beazleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.10x.

Place Total Index
Islington London 46 8.10x
Calne 22 206.19x
Portsea 21 8.92x
Ryde 18 69.74x
Camberwell 16 4.27x
Eston 16 126.48x
Battersea 14 6.49x
Bethnal Green London 13 5.10x
Ely Holy Trinity St Mary 13 80.30x
Westminster St John 12 16.81x
Chiswick 11 34.34x
Kensington London 10 3.07x
Shoreditch London 10 3.93x
St Marylebone London 10 3.19x
Westminster St James 9 14.93x
Plumstead 8 12.00x
Bow London 7 9.38x
Cirencester 7 44.96x
Croydon 7 4.41x
Meon Stoke 7 736.84x
Milton In Gravesend 7 23.33x
Quinton 7 700.00x
Reading St Mary 7 19.86x
St Pancras London 7 1.48x
Tatsfield 7 2058.82x
Tormoham 7 13.56x
Upton Grey 7 843.37x
West Derby 7 3.44x
Wootton Bassett 7 155.21x
Chipping Barnet 6 84.87x
Exeter St Sidwell 6 21.47x
Harborne 6 9.46x
Hindley 6 20.23x
Oxford St Clement 6 65.65x
Plymouth St Andrew 6 6.38x
Shadwell London 6 36.56x
St George Hanover Square 6 5.81x
Swindon 6 14.92x
Bilston 5 13.04x
Birkenhead 5 4.85x
Claughton With Grange 5 84.89x
Everton 5 2.26x
Exbury 5 724.64x
Hackney London 5 1.52x
Lambeth 5 0.98x
Limehouse London 5 7.77x
Plymouth Charles The 5 9.30x
Roath 5 10.78x
Stratton St Margaret 5 62.89x
West Ham 5 1.96x
Beddington 4 36.20x
Cricklade St Mary 4 487.80x
Denver 4 238.10x
Fairford 4 130.29x
Hammersmith London 4 2.77x
Mile End Old Town London 4 3.21x
Newton 4 7.46x
Southwark Christchurch 4 14.56x
St Andrewthe Less 4 9.43x
Tottenham 4 4.28x
Wick Rissington 4 1176.47x
Withycombe Rawleigh 4 62.89x
Bedminster 3 3.38x
Cheriton 3 243.90x
Dymchurch 3 270.27x
East Molesey 3 45.25x
Lewisham 3 2.81x
Liverpool 3 0.71x
Luton 3 5.71x
Paddington London 3 1.39x
Wickham 3 135.75x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 2 1.85x
Cliffe Pypard 2 128.21x
Ickford 2 266.67x
Isleworth 2 7.67x
Little Hallingbury 2 170.94x
Monks Coppenhall 2 4.10x
Southampton All Sts 2 9.70x
St James Dukes Place 2 160.00x
Westminster St Margaret 2 7.07x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 34
William 28
James 25
George 22
Charles 14
Thomas 12
Henry 10
Arthur 9
Samuel 9
Alfred 8
Frank 8
Joseph 8
Ernest 7
Edward 6
Frederick 6
Edwin 5
Harry 5
Richard 4
Stephen 4
Walter 4
Albert 3
Herbert 3
Percy 3
David 2
Edgar 2
Edmund 2
Francis 2
Jas. 2
Raymond 2
Robert 2
Sidney 2
Sydney 2
Cecil 1
Emanuel 1
Fredk.W. 1
Harold 1
Hugh 1
Hugo 1
Isaac 1
Langfor 1
Lewis 1
Maidean 1
Michal 1
Nathaniel 1
Patrick 1
Priscilla 1
Reginald 1
Rev 1
Rich. 1
Wm.Geo. 1

FAQ

Beazley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Beazley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 600 people were recorded with the Beazley surname. That placed it at #5,832 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Beazley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 894 in 2016. That gives Beazley a modern rank of #6,332.

What does the Beazley surname mean?

Unclear origin, potentially derived from a place name or occupational term.

What does the Beazley map show?

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