NameCensus.

UK surname

Becks

A topographic surname derived from a stream or brook.

In the 1881 census there were 97 people recorded with the Becks surname, ranking it #20,127 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 156, ranked #23,098, down from #20,127 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Charlton-near-Dover, London parishes and Eccles. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Stockton-on-Tees, South Bucks and Kettering.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Becks is 163 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 60.8%.

1881 census count

97

Ranked #20,127

Modern count

156

2016, ranked #23,098

Peak year

1861

163 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Becks had 97 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #20,127 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 156 in 2016, ranked #23,098.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 163 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Becks surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Becks surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Becks 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 103 #16,835
1861 historical 163 #14,242
1881 historical 97 #20,127
1891 historical 103 #23,558
1901 historical 109 #21,712
1911 historical 128 #19,664
1997 modern 116 #24,688
1998 modern 118 #25,041
1999 modern 114 #25,766
2000 modern 126 #24,220
2001 modern 129 #23,557
2002 modern 133 #23,585
2003 modern 117 #25,282
2004 modern 122 #24,812
2005 modern 123 #24,663
2006 modern 116 #25,813
2007 modern 120 #25,606
2008 modern 122 #25,638
2009 modern 129 #25,314
2010 modern 138 #24,801
2011 modern 135 #24,922
2012 modern 140 #24,376
2013 modern 142 #24,547
2014 modern 141 #24,855
2015 modern 146 #24,148
2016 modern 156 #23,098

Geography

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Where Becks' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Charlton-near-Dover, London parishes, Eccles, Lambeth and Ingoldesthorpe. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Stockton-on-Tees, South Bucks, Kettering and Milton Keynes. 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 Charlton-near-Dover Kent
2 London parishes London 3
3 Eccles Lancashire
4 Lambeth London (South Districts)
5 Ingoldesthorpe Norfolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Stockton-on-Tees 003 Stockton-on-Tees
2 South Bucks 007 South Bucks
3 Kettering 004 Kettering
4 Milton Keynes 002 Milton Keynes
5 Milton Keynes 004 Milton Keynes

Forenames

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First names often paired with Becks

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Becks

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

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Becks is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Becks is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Becks falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Becks

The surname Becks has its origins in England and is derived from the Old English word "bæcc", which translates to "a stream or brook". This suggests that the name likely originated as a topographic name, referring to someone who lived near a small body of water.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be traced back to the 13th century. One notable example is found in the Assize Rolls of Lancashire from 1285, which mentions a William del Bec. The use of the preposition "del" suggests a Norman French influence, indicating that the name had already been established in England prior to the Norman Conquest of 1066.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, there are several references to places with similar names, such as Bec in Berkshire and Beche in Gloucestershire, which may have contributed to the formation of the surname Becks.

During the Middle Ages, the name was often spelled in various ways, including Bek, Beck, and Beke. It's worth noting that the spelling "Becks" with an "s" at the end is relatively more recent and may have emerged as a way to distinguish the surname from the word "beck" (stream).

One of the earliest notable figures with the surname Becks was Thomas Becket (1118-1170), the Archbishop of Canterbury who was famously murdered by knights of King Henry II, leading to his canonization as a martyr. Although his surname is often spelled "Becket", it is believed to have originated from the same root.

Other historical figures with the surname Becks include:

1. William de Bec (c. 1195-1258), a prominent 13th-century English judge and writer. 2. John Bek (c. 1300-1370), an English prelate who served as Bishop of Lincoln and played a significant role in the events leading up to the Hundred Years' War. 3. Anthony Beck (c. 1551-1623), an English Jesuit priest and theologian who was a prominent figure in the Counter-Reformation. 4. James Becks (1767-1855), an American politician and lawyer who served as a U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania. 5. John Becks (1855-1919), an English cricketer who played first-class cricket for Gloucestershire County Cricket Club in the late 19th century.

While the surname Becks has a long and varied history, it has maintained its connection to its Old English roots, reflecting the importance of geographical features in the formation of many English surnames.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Becks families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Becks 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. Lancashire leads with 14 Becks' recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.34x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 14 1.34x
Middlesex 12 1.37x
Nottinghamshire 11 9.30x
Lincolnshire 7 4.99x
Staffordshire 6 2.02x
Warwickshire 6 2.71x
Herefordshire 5 13.89x
Norfolk 5 3.70x
Derbyshire 4 2.91x
Leicestershire 4 4.11x
Northamptonshire 4 4.84x
Hampshire 2 1.11x
Somerset 2 1.42x
Surrey 2 0.47x
Sussex 2 1.35x
Durham 1 0.38x
Glamorgan 1 0.65x
Kent 1 0.33x
Yorkshire 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. Annesley in Nottinghamshire leads with 11 Becks' recorded in 1881 and an index of 2444.44x.

Place Total Index
Annesley 11 2444.44x
Kensington London 8 16.39x
Claxby In Caistor 7 7000.00x
Aston 6 9.84x
Pendleton In Salford 5 40.29x
Stoke Upon Trent 5 15.91x
Kettering 4 119.76x
Leicester St Mary 4 50.89x
Salford 4 13.05x
Youlgreave 4 1000.00x
Monkland 3 5000.00x
Thornham 3 1500.00x
Aldershot 2 33.17x
Bathwick 2 128.21x
Chorlton On Medlock 2 12.08x
Hastings Holy Trinity 2 183.49x
Bethnal Green London 1 2.62x
Bridlington 1 50.25x
Cardiff St Mary 1 11.88x
Clapham 1 9.12x
Deptford St Paul 1 4.33x
Everton 1 3.01x
Hampton London 1 69.44x
Handsworth 1 13.70x
Hereford St Owen 1 84.03x
Hockham 1 666.67x
Ingoldisthorpe 1 1111.11x
Lambeth 1 1.31x
Layton With Warbreck 1 26.18x
Leominster Out 1 294.12x
Limehouse London 1 10.37x
Liverpool 1 1.58x
St George Hanover Square 1 6.46x
Stockton On Tees 1 7.94x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Annie 4
Jane 4
Sarah 4
Hannah 3
Martha 3
Mary 3
Ann 2
Catherine 2
Clara 2
Eliza 2
Emma 2
Harriett 2
Louisa 2
Alice 1
Amy 1
Betsey 1
Caroline 1
Dinah 1
Edith 1
Elizbth. 1
Ellen 1
Frances 1
Grace 1
Henrietta 1
Kate 1
Laura 1
Margaret 1
Marian 1
Matilda 1
Rosa 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Becks surname: questions and answers

How common was the Becks surname in 1881?

In 1881, 97 people were recorded with the Becks surname. That placed it at #20,127 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Becks surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 156 in 2016. That gives Becks a modern rank of #23,098.

What does the Becks surname mean?

A topographic surname derived from a stream or brook.

What does the Becks map show?

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