NameCensus.

UK surname

Beckles

From a brook or stream; an English toponymic surname.

In the 1881 census there were 19 people recorded with the Beckles surname, ranking it #30,872 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 370, ranked #12,591, up from #30,872 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Luton, Leeds and Vale of White Horse.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Beckles is 417 in 2009. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 1847.4%.

1881 census count

19

Ranked #30,872

Modern count

370

2016, ranked #12,591

Peak year

2009

417 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Beckles had 19 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #30,872 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 370 in 2016, ranked #12,591.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 27 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Beckles surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Beckles surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Beckles 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 15 #30,614
1861 historical 27 #30,543
1881 historical 19 #30,872
1891 historical 22 #32,449
1901 historical 24 #31,365
1911 historical 17 #31,675
1997 modern 336 #12,549
1998 modern 360 #12,300
1999 modern 360 #12,371
2000 modern 352 #12,510
2001 modern 338 #12,669
2002 modern 353 #12,512
2003 modern 360 #12,152
2004 modern 379 #11,740
2005 modern 385 #11,512
2006 modern 381 #11,644
2007 modern 392 #11,550
2008 modern 404 #11,374
2009 modern 417 #11,346
2010 modern 417 #11,606
2011 modern 387 #12,142
2012 modern 364 #12,564
2013 modern 380 #12,382
2014 modern 379 #12,483
2015 modern 370 #12,596
2016 modern 370 #12,591

Geography

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Where Beckles' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Luton, Leeds, Vale of White Horse, Haringey and Lambeth. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Luton 005 Luton
2 Leeds 042 Leeds
3 Vale of White Horse 015 Vale of White Horse
4 Haringey 028 Haringey
5 Lambeth 014 Lambeth

Forenames

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First names often paired with Beckles

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Beckles

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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations

Nationally, the Beckles surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Beckles 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 is often found in less central parts of London and other major towns and cities. Adults are more likely than the Supergroup average to have never been married and are typically aged less than 45 years. Many have young dependent children and individuals may have been born in Africa. There are many members identifying with a Black ethnic group, with the other ethnic groups (as listed in the glossary) also represented, though Chinese less so. Accommodation in flats, frequently socially rented, is common in these neighbourhoods. Part time employment is also common, and work is often in elementary occupations, while unemployment is also the highest within this Supergroup.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Beckles is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Beckles 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

Beckles falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Beckles 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
Other Ethnic Group

This describes the area pattern most associated with Beckles, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Beckles

The surname Beckles is believed to have originated in England, with its earliest recorded instances dating back to the 13th century. The name is derived from the Old English word "bece," meaning a stream or brook, and the suffix "-ley," which means a clearing or meadow. This suggests that the name likely referred to a person who lived near a small stream or brook in a clearing or meadow.

One of the earliest known references to the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which recorded the name as "de Beckeleg." This spelling variation highlights the fluidity of surnames during that time, as they were often adapted based on local dialects or individual preferences.

The Beckles name has been associated with various locations in England, particularly in the counties of Shropshire, Staffordshire, and Worcestershire, where the name is believed to have originated. Some notable early bearers of the name include John de Beckeles, who was mentioned in the Assize Rolls of Staffordshire in 1292, and William de Beckeleye, who was recorded in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Beckles surname gained prominence, with several notable individuals bearing the name. One such figure was Richard Beckles, a renowned English author and clergyman who lived from 1579 to 1661. He is best known for his work "A Discourse of the Philosophy of the Ancients" published in 1620.

Another notable bearer of the Beckles surname was Sir Reginald Beckles, a prominent English politician and landowner who lived from 1616 to 1676. He served as a Member of Parliament and played a significant role in the English Civil War, supporting the Royalist cause.

In the 18th century, the Beckles surname continued to be associated with influential individuals. Sir Thomas Beckles, born in 1726 and died in 1809, was a British naval officer who served with distinction during the American Revolutionary War and the French Revolutionary Wars.

Moving into the 19th century, one of the most notable figures with the Beckles surname was Samuel Husbands Beckles, born in 1789 and died in 1854. He was a renowned English historian and author who wrote extensively about the history of Devon and Cornwall, where he lived and worked.

Throughout its history, the Beckles surname has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including authors, politicians, military officers, and landowners. While its origins can be traced back to medieval England, the name has since spread to other parts of the world, reflecting the global reach of English surnames.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Beckles families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Beckles 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 9 Beckles' recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.86x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 9 4.86x
Sussex 7 22.41x
Surrey 2 2.22x
Lanarkshire 1 1.67x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Heene in Sussex leads with 6 Beckles' recorded in 1881 and an index of 12000.00x.

Place Total Index
Heene 6 12000.00x
Paddington London 4 58.74x
St Marylebone London 3 30.33x
Richmond 2 158.73x
Barony 1 6.60x
Christ Church Newgate 1 1111.11x
Hastings St Mary 1 128.21x
St Pancras London 1 6.71x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Margaret 2
A.D. 1
Agnes 1
Amelia 1
Elia 1
Frances 1
Harriet 1
M.E. 1
Mary 1
Phoebe 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Charlotte 1
Eustace 1
Henry 1
Robert 1
Samuel 1
St 1

Top occupations

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 Beckles households.

FAQ

Beckles surname: questions and answers

How common was the Beckles surname in 1881?

In 1881, 19 people were recorded with the Beckles surname. That placed it at #30,872 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Beckles surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 370 in 2016. That gives Beckles a modern rank of #12,591.

What does the Beckles surname mean?

From a brook or stream; an English toponymic surname.

What does the Beckles map show?

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