NameCensus.

UK surname

Bednarz

A Polish occupational surname referring to a cooper or barrel maker, derived from the Polish word "bednarz".

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wyre Forest, Bolsover and Newcastle upon Tyne.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bednarz is 279 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

279

2016, ranked #15,534

Peak year

2016

279 bearers

Map years

1

2016 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 279 in 2016, ranked #15,534.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 4 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy Industrial and Coastal Communities.

Bednarz surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bednarz surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bednarz 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
1911 historical 4 #33,595
1997 modern 32 #34,472
1998 modern 41 #33,747
1999 modern 44 #33,601
2000 modern 46 #33,458
2001 modern 44 #33,490
2002 modern 46 #33,631
2003 modern 49 #33,456
2004 modern 61 #32,581
2005 modern 69 #32,007
2006 modern 95 #29,113
2007 modern 118 #25,913
2008 modern 132 #24,476
2009 modern 159 #22,072
2010 modern 178 #20,965
2011 modern 200 #19,280
2012 modern 251 #16,467
2013 modern 267 #16,053
2014 modern 270 #16,020
2015 modern 269 #15,955
2016 modern 279 #15,534

Geography

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Where Bednarz' 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 Wyre Forest, Bolsover, Newcastle upon Tyne and Lewisham. 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 Wyre Forest 009 Wyre Forest
2 Bolsover 010 Bolsover
3 Wyre Forest 008 Wyre Forest
4 Newcastle upon Tyne 029 Newcastle upon Tyne
5 Lewisham 013 Lewisham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bednarz

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bednarz

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

Baseline UK

Group

Legacy Industrial and Coastal Communities

Nationally, the Bednarz surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy Industrial and Coastal Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Bednarz household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Single-person households are common in these neighbourhoods, and these residents are typically divorced rather than never married. A high proportion of residents were born outside the UK in the EU. There are many young adults, some with young children, but relatively few residents are of normal retirement age or over. Although levels of identification with ethnic minorities are in line with the Supergroup average, individuals identifying with Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is more common than average. High long-term disability rates are observed, and unpaid care is more common than in the rest of the Group. The predominant housing types are terraced houses and flats, which are typically part of the social rented sector. This Group is commonly found in coastal areas and (present-day or former) industrial towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Bednarz 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

Bednarz is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Bednarz falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Bednarz is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Bednarz

The surname Bednarz has its origins in Poland and dates back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Polish word "bednarz," which means "cooper" or "barrel maker." The name likely originated as an occupational surname, given to those who made or repaired barrels, casks, and other wooden vessels for storing liquids.

In the Middle Ages, coopering was an essential trade, and the surname Bednarz would have been adopted by families engaged in this profession. As surnames became hereditary, it passed down from generation to generation, even as family members pursued other occupations.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Bednarz can be found in Polish parish records and other historical documents from the 15th and 16th centuries. For example, a man named Jakub Bednarz is mentioned in a 1564 record from the town of Krakow.

The name has also been found in various forms and spellings, such as Bednarski, Bednarczyk, and Bednarczuk, reflecting regional variations and linguistic changes over time. Some of these variations may have been influenced by the geographical location or local dialects of different areas within Poland.

One notable bearer of the Bednarz surname was Stanisław Bednarz, a Polish military officer and politician who lived from 1852 to 1939. He served in the Russian Imperial Army and later played a role in the formation of the Polish Legions during World War I.

Another individual of note was Kazimierz Bednarz, a Polish painter and graphic artist who lived from 1893 to 1975. He is known for his landscapes, portraits, and book illustrations, and his works are held in various museums and private collections.

In the 19th century, a Polish-American engineer named Jan Bednarz made significant contributions to the development of the railroad industry in the United States. He was born in 1836 and worked on numerous railroad projects, including the construction of the Union Pacific Railroad.

Additionally, there was a Polish philosopher and logician named Józef Bednarz, who lived from 1904 to 1987. He was a professor at the University of Warsaw and made important contributions to the field of mathematical logic and the foundations of mathematics.

Finally, Zygmunt Bednarz was a Polish chess master and author who lived from 1888 to 1972. He was a strong player in the early 20th century and wrote several books on chess theory and strategy, contributing to the development of the game in Poland.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Bednarz surname: questions and answers

How common is the Bednarz surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 279 in 2016. That gives Bednarz a modern rank of #15,534.

What does the Bednarz surname mean?

A Polish occupational surname referring to a cooper or barrel maker, derived from the Polish word "bednarz".

What does the Bednarz map show?

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