NameCensus.

UK surname

Bedwell

An English locational surname derived from any of several places named Bedwell, likely referring to a spring or stream.

In the 1881 census there were 1,157 people recorded with the Bedwell surname, ranking it #3,469 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,207, ranked #4,927, down from #3,469 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Pancras and Earsham. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Waveney, Windsor and Maidenhead and Southampton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bedwell is 1,710 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 4.3%.

1881 census count

1,157

Ranked #3,469

Modern count

1,207

2016, ranked #4,927

Peak year

1911

1,710 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bedwell had 1,157 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,469 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,207 in 2016, ranked #4,927.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,710 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Bedwell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bedwell surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bedwell 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 753 #3,529
1861 historical 753 #3,632
1881 historical 1,157 #3,469
1891 historical 1,296 #3,337
1901 historical 1,480 #3,456
1911 historical 1,710 #2,867
1997 modern 1,306 #4,385
1998 modern 1,359 #4,385
1999 modern 1,348 #4,449
2000 modern 1,341 #4,450
2001 modern 1,300 #4,481
2002 modern 1,320 #4,509
2003 modern 1,264 #4,597
2004 modern 1,283 #4,538
2005 modern 1,243 #4,620
2006 modern 1,227 #4,684
2007 modern 1,225 #4,738
2008 modern 1,232 #4,743
2009 modern 1,263 #4,737
2010 modern 1,255 #4,861
2011 modern 1,238 #4,860
2012 modern 1,215 #4,861
2013 modern 1,240 #4,854
2014 modern 1,232 #4,902
2015 modern 1,207 #4,946
2016 modern 1,207 #4,927

Geography

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Where Bedwells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Pancras, Earsham and Steventon. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Waveney, Windsor and Maidenhead, Southampton, Ashford and Ross and Cromarty Central. 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 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 St Pancras London (North Districts)
4 Earsham Norfolk
5 Steventon Berkshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Waveney 013 Waveney
2 Windsor and Maidenhead 003 Windsor and Maidenhead
3 Southampton 002 Southampton
4 Ashford 012 Ashford
5 Ross and Cromarty Central Highland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bedwell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bedwell

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

London Fringe

Within London, Bedwell is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

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

Bedwell 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

Bedwell falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Bedwell

The surname Bedwell is of English origin, derived from a combination of two Old English words: "bed" meaning "prayer" and "well" meaning "stream" or "spring." This suggests that the name may have originated from a place where people would gather for religious ceremonies or rituals near a stream or natural spring.

The earliest recorded instances of the Bedwell name can be traced back to the 13th century in various counties of England, including Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, and Essex. The name is believed to have originated as a topographic surname, referring to a specific location or geographic feature associated with a stream or well used for religious or spiritual purposes.

One of the earliest known references to the Bedwell surname can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Bedfordshire from the year 1309, which mentions a Johannes de Bedwell. This record provides evidence of the name's existence and usage during the medieval period.

In the 16th century, the Bedwell surname gained prominence through the life of William Bedwell (1561-1632), an English scholar and linguist who was proficient in Arabic and Persian languages. He was appointed as a lecturer in Arabic at the University of Cambridge and contributed to the translation of the Bible into Arabic.

Another notable figure with the Bedwell surname is Thomas Bedwell (1601-1663), an English clergyman and author who served as the rector of Littlington in Cambridgeshire. He is known for his work titled "The Whole System of Divinity," published in 1654.

In the 18th century, John Bedwell (1700-1774) was a prominent English lawyer and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Hertfordshire from 1741 to 1747. He was also a prominent landowner and held the position of Recorder of Hertford.

During the 19th century, Henry Bedwell (1825-1897) was a notable English cricketer who played first-class cricket for Middlesex County Cricket Club. He was a right-handed batsman and served as the club's secretary for several years.

In more recent times, Sir Kenneth Bedwell (1919-2002) was a distinguished British civil servant and diplomat who served as the Governor of the Falkland Islands from 1977 to 1980 and later as the Governor of Bermuda from 1983 to 1988.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bedwell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bedwell 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 268 Bedwells recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.36x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 268 2.36x
Suffolk 136 9.82x
Kent 120 3.09x
Sussex 107 5.58x
Surrey 101 1.82x
Essex 97 4.32x
Gloucestershire 74 3.32x
Berkshire 65 7.61x
Norfolk 41 2.34x
Warwickshire 27 0.94x
Hertfordshire 25 3.19x
Hampshire 17 0.73x
Cambridgeshire 12 1.67x
Devon 10 0.42x
Staffordshire 10 0.26x
Yorkshire 8 0.07x
Buckinghamshire 6 0.87x
Nottinghamshire 6 0.39x
Channel Islands 5 1.48x
Worcestershire 5 0.34x
Monmouthshire 4 0.49x
Oxfordshire 4 0.57x
Cheshire 3 0.12x
Durham 3 0.09x
Royal Navy 3 2.21x
Denbighshire 2 0.47x
Bedfordshire 1 0.17x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.22x
Derbyshire 1 0.06x
Dorset 1 0.13x
Herefordshire 1 0.21x
Lincolnshire 1 0.06x
Somerset 1 0.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Pancras London in Middlesex leads with 48 Bedwells recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.24x.

Place Total Index
St Pancras London 48 5.24x
Steventon 47 1305.56x
Bethnal Green London 39 7.89x
Islington London 27 2.45x
Colchester St James 23 252.75x
Croydon 23 7.48x
Aston 22 2.79x
Earsham 18 756.30x
West Ham 18 3.63x
Brandeston 17 1089.74x
Deal 17 51.36x
Naunton 17 825.24x
Ripe 17 1125.83x
Maresfield 16 198.02x
Camberwell 15 2.06x
Fletching 15 174.83x
Mile End Old Town London 15 6.20x
Bibury 13 483.27x
Shoreditch London 13 2.64x
Plumstead 12 9.28x
Prittlewell 12 38.56x
Battle 11 85.01x
Colchester All Sts 11 628.57x
Fulham London 11 6.67x
Kensington London 11 1.74x
Paddington London 11 2.63x
Bow London 10 6.91x
Bungay Holy Trinity 10 140.65x
Hackney London 10 1.57x
Lambeth 10 1.01x
Middleton 10 510.20x
Quenington 10 675.68x
St Clement Danes London 10 42.48x
St George Hanover Square 10 4.99x
Cheltenham 9 5.23x
St Andrewthe Less 9 10.93x
Westminster St John 9 6.50x
Whitstable 9 47.29x
Brighton 8 2.07x
Cheshunt 8 29.19x
Clapham 8 5.63x
Leiston 8 84.03x
Portsea 8 1.75x
St Luke London 8 4.39x
Stowmarket 8 49.97x
Westminster St Margaret 8 14.58x
Ipswich St Nicholas 7 91.74x
Newbury 7 25.59x
Rotherfield 7 41.44x
Streatham 7 8.29x
Walton On Thames 7 27.50x
Watford 7 11.52x
West Hendred 7 507.25x
Battersea 6 1.43x
Bishopstoke 6 100.33x
Broadhembury 6 228.14x
Carlton Colville 6 118.11x
Charlton Next Woolwich 6 14.83x
Chester All Sts 6 333.33x
Erith 6 15.69x
Faversham 6 16.21x
Great Barrington 6 340.91x
Greenstead 6 183.49x
Hastings St Clement 6 33.24x
Lydd 6 72.20x
Royston 6 89.82x
Saxmundham 6 116.73x
Stone 6 12.22x
Beccles 5 22.42x
Bermondsey 5 1.48x
Birmingham 5 0.52x
Hastings St Andrew 5 72.78x
Ipswich St Margaret 5 10.64x
Kirby Bedon 5 476.19x
Kirkley 5 43.14x
Maiseyhampton 5 378.79x
Seasalter 5 102.04x
South Lopham 5 236.97x
St Helier 5 4.56x
Thetford St Cuthbert 5 79.11x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 74
John 56
George 54
Thomas 34
Charles 32
Henry 30
James 30
Alfred 22
Joseph 18
Arthur 16
Richard 12
Albert 11
Edward 11
Ernest 11
Robert 10
Walter 10
Frederick 8
Harry 8
Frank 7
Benjamin 6
Stephen 5
Edwin 4
Herbert 4
Percy 4
Samuel 4
Caleb 3
Francis 3
Fredk. 3
Fredrick 3
Geo. 3
Robt. 3
Saml. 3
Wm. 3
Chas. 2
Clement 2
David 2
Fred 2
Mark 2
Phillip 2
Ritchard 2
Tom 2
Alfd. 1
Antony 1
Cecil 1
Charley 1
Fredich 1
Fredric 1
Isac 1
Jas. 1
Jesse 1

FAQ

Bedwell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bedwell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,157 people were recorded with the Bedwell surname. That placed it at #3,469 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bedwell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,207 in 2016. That gives Bedwell a modern rank of #4,927.

What does the Bedwell surname mean?

An English locational surname derived from any of several places named Bedwell, likely referring to a spring or stream.

What does the Bedwell map show?

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