NameCensus.

UK surname

Bee

An English occupational surname referring to a beekeeper or seller of honey.

In the 1881 census there were 1,595 people recorded with the Bee surname, ranking it #2,668 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,433, ranked #2,709, down from #2,668 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Louth, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Gwynedd, North Kesteven and Wyre.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bee is 2,433 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 52.5%.

1881 census count

1,595

Ranked #2,668

Modern count

2,433

2016, ranked #2,709

Peak year

2016

2,433 bearers

Map years

7

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bee had 1,595 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,668 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,433 in 2016, ranked #2,709.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,220 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Bee surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bee surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bee 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 1,139 #2,473
1881 historical 1,595 #2,668
1891 historical 113 #22,162
1901 historical 2,220 #2,436
1997 modern 2,171 #2,851
1998 modern 2,274 #2,837
1999 modern 2,272 #2,852
2000 modern 2,237 #2,877
2001 modern 2,193 #2,876
2002 modern 2,274 #2,836
2003 modern 2,206 #2,855
2004 modern 2,196 #2,870
2005 modern 2,142 #2,896
2006 modern 2,157 #2,881
2007 modern 2,181 #2,877
2008 modern 2,204 #2,876
2009 modern 2,267 #2,870
2010 modern 2,367 #2,823
2011 modern 2,352 #2,803
2012 modern 2,327 #2,781
2013 modern 2,368 #2,781
2014 modern 2,388 #2,781
2015 modern 2,422 #2,729
2016 modern 2,433 #2,709

Geography

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Where Bees are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Louth, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, London parishes, Gainsborough, Paddocks and Edinburgh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Gwynedd, North Kesteven and Wyre. 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 Louth Lincolnshire
2 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Gainsborough, Paddocks Lincolnshire
5 Edinburgh Edinburgh

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Gwynedd 006 Gwynedd
2 North Kesteven 007 North Kesteven
3 Wyre 002 Wyre
4 Gwynedd 008 Gwynedd
5 North Kesteven 005 North Kesteven

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bee

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bee

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Bee is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Bee is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Bee 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 Bee 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 Bee, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Bee

The surname "BEE" is of English origin and is believed to have emerged in the late 12th century. It is thought to be an occupational surname, referring to a beekeeper or someone involved in the production of honey. The name is derived from the Old English word "beo" or "beo-cere," meaning "bee" or "bee-keeper," respectively.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1221, where a person named Adam Bee is mentioned. The name also appears in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1273, referring to a person named Willelmus Bee.

In the 14th century, the surname BEE can be found in various records, including the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327, where a person named Johannes Bee is listed. Additionally, in the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire in 1379, a person named Johannes Bee is recorded.

During the 16th century, the surname BEE gained more prominence, with several notable individuals bearing the name. One such person was Francis Bee (1515-1578), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Middlesex in 1555.

In the 17th century, the surname BEE continued to be found in various records. For instance, in the Hearth Tax Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1665, a person named John Bee is listed. Additionally, in the Protestation Returns of Buckinghamshire in 1642, a person named William Bee is recorded.

One of the most famous individuals with the surname BEE in history was Bernard Bee (1674-1738), an English clergyman and author who served as the Bishop of Bangor from 1718 until his death in 1738.

Another notable person with the surname BEE was Sir Henry Bee (1794-1876), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars and later became a rear admiral.

In the 19th century, the surname BEE was also associated with notable individuals, such as Thomas Bee (1806-1876), an American planter and politician who served as a brigadier general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War.

Overall, the surname "BEE" has a rich history that can be traced back to medieval England, where it was likely an occupational surname related to beekeeping and honey production.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bee families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bee 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. Lincolnshire leads with 414 Bees recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.72x.

County Total Index
Lincolnshire 414 15.72x
Lancashire 254 1.30x
Yorkshire 190 1.16x
Nottinghamshire 153 6.89x
Leicestershire 105 5.75x
Middlesex 93 0.56x
Midlothian 80 3.62x
Durham 71 1.45x
Staffordshire 63 1.13x
Gloucestershire 56 1.73x
Norfolk 33 1.30x
Surrey 31 0.39x
Derbyshire 29 1.12x
Hampshire 27 0.80x
Kent 25 0.44x
Selkirkshire 10 6.71x
Suffolk 10 0.50x
Flintshire 5 1.13x
Northumberland 5 0.20x
Worcestershire 5 0.23x
Cheshire 4 0.11x
Sussex 4 0.14x
Warwickshire 4 0.10x
Essex 3 0.09x
Northamptonshire 3 0.19x
Westmorland 3 0.83x
East Lothian 2 0.92x
Brecknockshire 1 0.30x
Channel Islands 1 0.20x
Cumberland 1 0.07x
Glamorgan 1 0.03x
Kirkcudbrightshire 1 0.42x
Monmouthshire 1 0.08x
Wiltshire 1 0.07x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Leicester St Margaret in Leicestershire leads with 43 Bees recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.65x.

Place Total Index
Leicester St Margaret 43 9.65x
Nottingham St Mary 43 7.49x
Leicester St Mary 40 27.10x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 33 3.72x
Great Grimsby 31 18.54x
St Pancras London 31 2.34x
Preston 30 5.74x
Hambleton 24 1095.89x
Holbeck 23 21.26x
Esh 22 61.68x
Gainsborough 22 35.42x
Billinghay 21 258.62x
Ashby 20 242.42x
Great Bolton 20 7.72x
Radford 20 17.73x
Stafford St Mary 18 22.86x
Ropsley 17 465.75x
Sheffield 17 3.27x
Stalmine With Staynall 17 600.71x
Louth 16 26.50x
Stanhope 16 31.61x
Wolverhampton 16 3.74x
Cheltenham 15 6.02x
Leicester St Leonard 14 80.97x
Humberstone 13 872.48x
Ault Hucknall 12 284.36x
Branston 12 148.70x
Brightside Bierlow 12 3.75x
Holy Trinity 12 3.06x
Morton In Gainsborough 12 231.66x
Nottingham St Nicholas 12 39.67x
Southampton St Mary 12 5.65x
Dalkeith 11 25.26x
Sutterton 11 209.52x
Wainfleet All Sts 11 143.42x
Walkeringham 11 275.00x
Worksop 11 16.70x
Inveresk 10 16.73x
Out Rawcliffe 10 214.59x
Scotton 10 671.14x
Tickhill 10 96.06x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 9 5.92x
Fritton 9 629.37x
Great Yarmouth 9 4.29x
Haddiscoe 9 403.59x
Heeley 9 18.14x
Islington London 9 0.56x
Nether Hallam 9 4.07x
Paddington London 9 1.49x
Plumstead 9 4.80x
Ripley 9 28.22x
Salford 9 1.57x
Southwell 9 55.69x
Stoke Upon Trent 9 1.53x
Swarby 9 937.50x
Waddingham 9 223.33x
Woolwich 9 4.33x
Barnacre With Bonds 8 154.74x
Bolsover 8 61.87x
Croft 8 187.35x
Dilworth 8 66.78x
Ewerby 8 314.96x
Hulme 8 1.96x
Monkwearmouth Shore 8 8.36x
Southampton All Sts 8 13.81x
Southcoates 8 8.83x
Stretford 8 7.44x
Toxteth Park 8 1.21x
Washingborough 8 194.65x
Worsley 8 6.64x
Ecclesall Bierlow 7 2.11x
Enfield 7 6.48x
Farmington 7 460.53x
Lambeth 7 0.49x
Penicuik 7 23.34x
Sedgefield 7 40.07x
South Wheatley 7 3333.33x
St Martin Lincoln 7 28.64x
Whittington 7 551.18x
Widnes 7 4.96x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 112
William 102
George 69
Thomas 54
James 42
Charles 28
Robert 28
Joseph 27
Henry 22
Richard 20
Edward 17
Frederick 17
Walter 16
Herbert 13
Alfred 12
Harry 12
Stephen 12
Arthur 11
Samuel 11
David 8
Edwin 8
Tom 8
Benjamin 7
Albert 6
Francis 6
Frank 6
Jesse 5
Daniel 4
Ernest 3
Fred 3
Geo. 3
Isaac 3
Matthew 3
Thos. 3
Wm 3
Abraham 2
Alan 2
Christopher 2
Ebenezer 2
Edmund 2
Elisha 2
Horace 2
Julian 2
Percy 2
Wm. 2
Charley 1
Charls. 1
Edgar 1
Elijah 1
Wm.Marshall 1

FAQ

Bee surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bee surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,595 people were recorded with the Bee surname. That placed it at #2,668 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bee surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,433 in 2016. That gives Bee a modern rank of #2,709.

What does the Bee surname mean?

An English occupational surname referring to a beekeeper or seller of honey.

What does the Bee map show?

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