UK surname
Derived from a place name meaning "bee cottage" in Old English.
In the 1881 census there were 29 people recorded with the Becton surname, ranking it #29,484 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 17, ranked #36,904, down from #29,484 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Becton is 211 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 41.4%.
1881 census count
29
Ranked #29,484
Modern count
17
2016, ranked #36,904
Peak year
1901
211 bearers
Map years
1
1901 to 1901
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Becton surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Becton surname density by area, 1901 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 78 | #19,840 |
| 1861 | historical | 91 | #22,206 |
| 1881 | historical | 29 | #29,484 |
| 1891 | historical | 65 | #28,660 |
| 1901 | historical | 211 | #14,647 |
| 1911 | historical | 37 | #29,263 |
| 1997 | modern | 17 | #36,181 |
| 1998 | modern | 19 | #36,009 |
| 1999 | modern | 19 | #36,041 |
| 2000 | modern | 17 | #36,207 |
| 2001 | modern | 16 | #36,160 |
| 2002 | modern | 16 | #36,267 |
| 2003 | modern | 14 | #36,512 |
| 2004 | modern | 16 | #36,439 |
| 2005 | modern | 15 | #36,621 |
| 2006 | modern | 13 | #36,902 |
| 2007 | modern | 12 | #37,095 |
| 2008 | modern | 14 | #36,950 |
| 2009 | modern | 13 | #37,140 |
| 2010 | modern | 15 | #37,038 |
| 2011 | modern | 13 | #37,191 |
| 2012 | modern | 17 | #36,811 |
| 2013 | modern | 16 | #36,955 |
| 2014 | modern | 16 | #36,974 |
| 2015 | modern | 17 | #36,887 |
| 2016 | modern | 17 | #36,904 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, London parishes, Waterbeach and Wilbraham, Great. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rochdale | Lancashire |
| 2 | Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard | Nottinghamshire |
| 3 | London parishes | London 3 |
| 4 | Waterbeach | Cambridgeshire |
| 5 | Wilbraham, Great | Cambridgeshire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Becton surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Becton, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Becton surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Becton household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Becton is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Becton is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Becton, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Becton is of English origin, derived from a place name. It originated in the medieval period, likely around the 12th or 13th century, in the county of Nottinghamshire, England.
The name Becton is believed to have evolved from the Old English words "bec" meaning a stream or brook, and "tun" meaning a farmstead or village. Thus, Becton originally referred to a settlement located near a small stream or brook.
One of the earliest known references to the name Becton appears in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of landholdings and estates in England compiled in 1086 by order of William the Conqueror. The Domesday Book mentions a place called "Bectone" in Nottinghamshire, which is likely the origin of the surname.
In the 13th century, a record from 1273 mentions a William de Becton, who was a landowner in Nottinghamshire. This is one of the earliest documented instances of the surname Becton being used by an individual.
Over the centuries, the name Becton has been spelled in various ways, including Beckton, Bectone, and Beighton, reflecting regional variations and changes in spelling conventions.
Notable individuals with the surname Becton throughout history include:
1. Sir John Becton (1496-1558), an English landowner and Member of Parliament for Nottinghamshire during the reign of Queen Mary I. 2. Thomas Becton (1571-1630), an English clergyman and author of religious works. 3. Elizabeth Becton (1632-1704), an English Quaker and one of the earliest female preachers in the Religious Society of Friends. 4. Samuel Becton (1715-1789), an American merchant and landowner in North Carolina, one of the early settlers in the region. 5. Joseph Becton (1847-1917), an English philanthropist and businessman who donated funds for the establishment of a public library and park in his hometown of Nottingham.
The surname Becton is still found today, primarily in England and the United States, where many descendants of early English settlers bearing this name have lived for generations.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Becton surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Nottinghamshire leads with 7 Bectons recorded in 1881 and an index of 18.36x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Nottinghamshire | 7 | 18.36x |
| Norfolk | 6 | 13.80x |
| Middlesex | 5 | 1.77x |
| Essex | 2 | 3.58x |
| Lancashire | 2 | 0.60x |
| Worcestershire | 2 | 5.42x |
| Cheshire | 1 | 1.60x |
| Cumberland | 1 | 4.11x |
| Huntingdonshire | 1 | 17.83x |
| Suffolk | 1 | 2.90x |
| Surrey | 1 | 0.73x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Trowell in Nottinghamshire leads with 7 Bectons recorded in 1881 and an index of 17500.00x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Trowell | 7 | 17500.00x |
| Hunstanton | 6 | 4000.00x |
| Dudley | 2 | 44.54x |
| Fulham London | 2 | 48.78x |
| West Ham | 2 | 16.23x |
| Bury St Edmunds St James | 1 | 108.70x |
| Chelsea London | 1 | 11.74x |
| Chorley In Macclesfield | 1 | 526.32x |
| Preston | 1 | 11.14x |
| Ramsey | 1 | 222.22x |
| Reigate Foreign | 1 | 67.11x |
| St George Hanover Square | 1 | 20.08x |
| St Mary Within | 1 | 333.33x |
| St Pancras London | 1 | 4.39x |
| Walton On Hill | 1 | 54.95x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Becton surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Becton surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
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 Becton households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Farm Lab | 3 |
| Scholar | 3 |
| Teacher (Sch) | 2 |
| Bread Baker | 1 |
| Buslar Stationer & Printer | 1 |
| Clerk | 1 |
| Coachman Dom Serv | 1 |
| Dressmaker | 1 |
| Gen Serv | 1 |
| General Serv | 1 |
| Governess (Teacher) | 1 |
| Housekeeper | 1 |
| Independent | 1 |
| Nurse (Dom) | 1 |
| Patentee | 1 |
| Visitor | 1 |
| Wife Of Above | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 29 people were recorded with the Becton surname. That placed it at #29,484 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 17 in 2016. That gives Becton a modern rank of #36,904.
Derived from a place name meaning "bee cottage" in Old English.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Becton bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.