NameCensus.

UK surname

Bedell

An occupational surname referring to a beadle, an official who maintains order in church or court.

In the 1881 census there were 179 people recorded with the Bedell surname, ranking it #13,787 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 107, ranked #29,762, down from #13,787 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hopesay, London parishes and St John Hackney. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Shropshire, Monmouthshire and Redcar and Cleveland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bedell is 190 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 40.2%.

1881 census count

179

Ranked #13,787

Modern count

107

2016, ranked #29,762

Peak year

1901

190 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bedell had 179 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #13,787 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 107 in 2016, ranked #29,762.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 190 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Bedell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bedell surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bedell 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 106 #16,512
1861 historical 189 #12,570
1881 historical 179 #13,787
1891 historical 181 #16,065
1901 historical 190 #15,634
1911 historical 187 #15,600
1997 modern 124 #23,669
1998 modern 135 #23,118
1999 modern 120 #24,960
2000 modern 119 #25,072
2001 modern 118 #24,832
2002 modern 126 #24,393
2003 modern 125 #24,265
2004 modern 120 #25,078
2005 modern 113 #25,974
2006 modern 109 #26,872
2007 modern 114 #26,491
2008 modern 112 #27,061
2009 modern 112 #27,685
2010 modern 124 #26,582
2011 modern 119 #27,063
2012 modern 128 #25,852
2013 modern 122 #27,122
2014 modern 119 #27,813
2015 modern 110 #29,157
2016 modern 107 #29,762

Geography

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Where Bedells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hopesay, London parishes, St John Hackney, Paul and Bradford. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Shropshire, Monmouthshire, Redcar and Cleveland and Sheffield. 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 Hopesay Shropshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 St John Hackney London (North Districts)
4 Paul Yorkshire, East Riding
5 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Shropshire 010 Shropshire
2 Monmouthshire 003 Monmouthshire
3 Shropshire 024 Shropshire
4 Redcar and Cleveland 007 Redcar and Cleveland
5 Sheffield 044 Sheffield

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bedell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bedell

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Bedell is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Bedell 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

Bedell 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 Bedell is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Bedell

The surname Bedell has its origins in England, dating back to the 11th century. It is derived from the Old French word "bedel," which means a messenger or a herald. The name likely referred to someone who held the position of a messenger or a crier in a medieval court or a manor.

The earliest recorded instance of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Bedellus." This entry suggests that the name was already in use during the Norman Conquest of England in the 11th century.

In the 12th century, the name Bedell was prevalent in the county of Norfolk, England. Several records from this period mention individuals with this surname, such as William Bedel, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Norfolk in 1199.

During the 13th century, the name Bedell spread to other parts of England, particularly in the counties of Suffolk, Essex, and Hertfordshire. One notable individual from this period was John Bedell, who was recorded as a landowner in Suffolk in the Hundred Rolls of 1273.

In the 14th century, the name Bedell appeared in various spellings, including Bedel, Bedill, and Beadell. One of the most famous individuals with this surname was William Bedell (1571-1642), an Anglican clergyman who served as the Bishop of Kilmore and Ardagh in Ireland.

The 16th century saw the rise of another prominent figure named Gregory Bedell (1510-1551), who was a Roman Catholic priest and martyred during the English Reformation under the reign of Edward VI.

During the 17th century, the Bedell surname gained further recognition with the birth of William Bedell (1613-1693), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Bishop of Kilmore and Ardagh, following in the footsteps of his namesake from the previous century.

Another notable individual with this surname was John Bedell (1633-1686), an English philosopher and theologian who was a follower of René Descartes and wrote extensively on metaphysics and ethics.

As the centuries progressed, the Bedell surname continued to be prevalent across various regions of England, with some members of the family migrating to other parts of the British Isles and eventually to the American colonies.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bedell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bedell 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. Yorkshire leads with 51 Bedells recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.93x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 51 2.93x
Middlesex 44 2.51x
Cheshire 15 3.87x
Lancashire 13 0.62x
Surrey 12 1.40x
Durham 11 2.11x
Somerset 7 2.48x
Shropshire 6 3.96x
Kent 4 0.67x
Derbyshire 3 1.09x
Essex 3 0.87x
Gloucestershire 3 0.87x
Hampshire 2 0.56x
Leicestershire 2 1.03x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.85x
Devon 1 0.27x
Sussex 1 0.34x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Haswell in Durham leads with 10 Bedells recorded in 1881 and an index of 267.38x.

Place Total Index
Haswell 10 267.38x
Lambeth 9 5.88x
Micklefield 9 2142.86x
Hackney London 8 8.13x
Harrow 8 298.51x
Lymm 8 283.69x
Alverthorpe Cum Thornes 7 110.76x
Bedminster 7 26.36x
Paddington London 6 9.29x
Bollin Fee 5 290.70x
Hampton Wick London 5 387.60x
Hulme 5 11.49x
Toxteth Park 5 7.09x
Clunbury 4 677.97x
Elstronwick Danthorpe 4 4000.00x
Nether Hallam 4 16.99x
Wakefield 4 29.94x
Wortley In Bramley 4 29.03x
Bromley London 3 7.77x
Humbleton Flinton 3 1250.00x
Islington London 3 1.76x
Scarborough 3 18.98x
Snodland 3 176.47x
Swadlincote 3 1000.00x
Westbury On Trym 3 25.71x
Armley 2 26.08x
Burstwick With 2 800.00x
Cheadle 2 27.03x
Hammersmith London 2 4.62x
Henderskelf 2 2500.00x
Hopesay 2 512.82x
Kirkby In Ashfield 2 79.05x
Limehouse London 2 10.38x
Portsea 2 2.84x
Southcoates 2 20.70x
West Derby 2 3.28x
West Newton W Burton 2 2222.22x
Aveley 1 172.41x
Battersea 1 1.55x
Bethnal Green London 1 1.31x
Camberwell 1 0.89x
Enfield 1 8.68x
Exeter Allhallows Onthe 1 588.24x
Gateshead 1 2.56x
Grays Thurrock 1 31.06x
Hastings St Mary 1 13.57x
Hornsey 1 4.50x
Leicester St Margaret 1 2.11x
Maidstone 1 5.61x
Newington 1 1.54x
Patrington 1 121.95x
Preston 1 1.79x
Ravenstone 1 370.37x
Rayleigh 1 125.00x
Sculcoates 1 3.63x
Shoreditch London 1 1.31x
St Andrew Holborn London 1 13.16x
St George Hanover Square 1 3.23x
St Marylebone London 1 1.07x
Thorngumbald 1 625.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Sarah 7
Jane 6
Alice 5
Annie 5
Ann 4
Eliza 4
Elizabeth 4
Catherine 3
Emily 3
Hannah 3
Mary 3
Susan 3
Ethel 2
Margaret 2
Ada 1
Agnes 1
Bessie 1
Celia 1
Charlotte 1
Daisy 1
Dorethea 1
Edith 1
Eleanor 1
Elizth. 1
Ellen 1
Emilie 1
Emma 1
Esther 1
Fanny 1
Florence 1
Frances 1
Harriet 1
Harriett 1
Helen 1
Henrietta 1
Henryetta 1
Jessie 1
Jessy 1
Josephine 1
Julia 1
Kate 1
Lily 1
Louisa 1
Maria 1
Martha 1
Matha 1
Sophia 1
Teresa 1
Violet 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Henry 11
William 10
John 8
James 6
George 5
Benjamin 3
Frederick 3
Thomas 3
Alexander 2
Alfred 2
Chas. 2
Edwin 2
Jno. 2
Joseph 2
Peter 2
Spencer 2
Thos. 2
Albert 1
Alex. 1
Arthur 1
Benjaman 1
Bryan 1
Caleb 1
Enoch 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Frederic 1
Fredk. 1
Geo. 1
Harold 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
Hubert 1
Isacc 1
Jos. 1
Lewis 1
Richard 1
Samuel 1
Wright 1

FAQ

Bedell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bedell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 179 people were recorded with the Bedell surname. That placed it at #13,787 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bedell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 107 in 2016. That gives Bedell a modern rank of #29,762.

What does the Bedell surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to a beadle, an official who maintains order in church or court.

What does the Bedell map show?

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