NameCensus.

UK surname

Beech

An English toponymic surname referring to someone who lived near a beech tree or beech forest.

In the 1881 census there were 4,432 people recorded with the Beech surname, ranking it #1,014 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 7,185, ranked #934, up from #1,014 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolstanton, London parishes and Burslem. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire Moorlands and Cheshire East.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Beech is 7,710 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 62.1%.

1881 census count

4,432

Ranked #1,014

Modern count

7,185

2016, ranked #934

Peak year

1999

7,710 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Beech had 4,432 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,014 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 7,185 in 2016, ranked #934.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 6,779 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Beech surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Beech surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Beech 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 2,632 #1,122
1861 historical 2,298 #1,281
1881 historical 4,432 #1,014
1891 historical 4,572 #1,025
1901 historical 5,888 #943
1911 historical 6,779 #765
1997 modern 6,867 #942
1998 modern 7,618 #881
1999 modern 7,710 #876
2000 modern 7,642 #878
2001 modern 7,443 #881
2002 modern 7,590 #887
2003 modern 7,332 #894
2004 modern 7,330 #892
2005 modern 7,217 #894
2006 modern 7,171 #903
2007 modern 7,165 #911
2008 modern 7,164 #919
2009 modern 7,291 #924
2010 modern 7,487 #917
2011 modern 7,395 #916
2012 modern 7,230 #915
2013 modern 7,319 #917
2014 modern 7,340 #923
2015 modern 7,276 #923
2016 modern 7,185 #934

Geography

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Where Beechs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolstanton, London parishes, Burslem, Sheffield and Walsall. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire Moorlands, Cheshire East and Newcastle-under-Lyme. 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 Wolstanton Staffordshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Burslem Staffordshire
4 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Walsall Staffordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Stoke-on-Trent 018 Stoke-on-Trent
2 Staffordshire Moorlands 002 Staffordshire Moorlands
3 Cheshire East 033 Cheshire East
4 Newcastle-under-Lyme 010 Newcastle-under-Lyme
5 Cheshire East 029 Cheshire East

Forenames

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First names often paired with Beech

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Beech

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Beech is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Beech 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

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

Meaning and origin of Beech

The surname "Beech" is of English origin and is derived from the Old English word "bece," which means "beech tree." The name likely originated as a topographic surname, referring to someone who lived near a prominent beech tree or in an area with an abundance of beech trees.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "de Bece" or "de la Beche." This suggests that the name was already established in England by the late 11th century.

During the medieval period, the name was often spelled in various ways, such as "Beche," "Bech," or "Beche." These variations were common due to the lack of standardized spelling conventions at the time.

In the 13th century, there are records of a family named Beech residing in Berkshire, England. One notable member was Sir John de la Beche, who served as Lord Chancellor of England in the late 1200s.

Another significant figure was Edmond Beche, an English clergyman who lived in the 15th century and served as the Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield from 1453 to 1465.

Sir Henry Beech (1520-1587) was a prominent lawyer and politician during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. He served as Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas and was knighted in 1577.

John Beech (1580-1638) was an English clergyman and scholar who became the Bishop of Hereford in 1629. He was well-known for his contributions to theological literature.

Sir William Beechey (1753-1839) was a renowned English portrait painter who served as the principal painter to Queen Charlotte, the wife of King George III. He was elected as a member of the Royal Academy in 1798.

These are just a few examples of notable individuals who bore the surname "Beech" throughout history, illustrating the long-standing presence of this name in England and its association with various professions and social classes.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Beech families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Beech 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. Staffordshire leads with 1,238 Beechs recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.50x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 1,238 8.50x
Cheshire 507 5.32x
Lancashire 485 0.95x
Yorkshire 305 0.71x
Warwickshire 265 2.44x
Middlesex 257 0.60x
Surrey 157 0.75x
Shropshire 152 4.08x
Lincolnshire 149 2.16x
Worcestershire 117 2.08x
Kent 111 0.75x
Derbyshire 98 1.45x
Nottinghamshire 97 1.67x
Northamptonshire 74 1.82x
Essex 56 0.66x
Denbighshire 46 2.82x
Hampshire 37 0.42x
Sussex 35 0.48x
Northumberland 33 0.51x
Hertfordshire 29 0.98x
Leicestershire 25 0.52x
Lanarkshire 19 0.14x
Durham 15 0.12x
Monmouthshire 14 0.45x
Flintshire 13 1.12x
Norfolk 11 0.17x
Glamorgan 10 0.13x
Berkshire 9 0.28x
Devon 7 0.08x
Wiltshire 7 0.18x
Bedfordshire 6 0.27x
Nairnshire 6 4.56x
Buckinghamshire 4 0.15x
East Lothian 4 0.70x
Gloucestershire 4 0.05x
Huntingdonshire 4 0.47x
Kirkcudbrightshire 3 0.48x
Oxfordshire 3 0.11x
Royal Navy 3 0.58x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.03x
Anglesey 1 0.13x
Argyllshire 1 0.08x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.06x
Cumberland 1 0.03x
Dunbartonshire 1 0.09x
Somerset 1 0.01x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stoke Upon Trent in Staffordshire leads with 173 Beechs recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.20x.

Place Total Index
Stoke Upon Trent 173 11.20x
Birmingham 121 3.34x
Burslem 110 26.37x
Wolstanton 92 20.80x
Wolverhampton 74 6.61x
Newcastle Under Lyme 68 26.39x
Walsall Foreign 67 8.91x
Oldham 62 3.75x
Aston 59 1.97x
Audley 58 40.26x
Wednesfield 56 26.13x
Monks Coppenhall 52 14.47x
Kings Norton 45 8.91x
Darlaston 38 18.88x
Sandbach 37 45.56x
Stockport 35 7.14x
West Bromwich 35 4.20x
Ashton Under Lyne 33 2.95x
Horton 33 185.19x
West Ham 32 1.70x
Wolstanton Knutton 32 36.00x
Kidderminster Borough 31 9.40x
Wolstanton Chesterton 31 41.66x
Brightside Bierlow 29 3.46x
Coventry St Michael 29 8.30x
Manchester 29 1.26x
Congleton 28 17.02x
Islington London 28 0.67x
Stone 26 13.96x
Gorton 24 4.99x
Wootton 24 199.01x
Gnosall 23 65.45x
Salford 23 1.53x
Bethnal Green London 22 1.17x
Hackney London 22 0.91x
Richmond 22 7.47x
Wellington 22 10.50x
Madeley 21 57.87x
Nottingham St Mary 21 1.40x
Hadlow 20 54.79x
Nether Hallam 20 3.46x
Odd Rode 20 42.41x
Smallthorne 20 37.01x
Govan 19 0.55x
Portsea 19 1.10x
Preston 19 1.39x
Rotherhithe 19 3.56x
Trentham 19 15.34x
Biddulph 18 21.91x
Brinnington 18 20.24x
Camberwell 18 0.65x
Newbold Astbury 18 158.73x
Spittlegate 18 18.87x
Tettenhall 18 20.22x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 17 4.27x
Birkenhead 17 2.24x
Chester St Mary On Hill 17 20.81x
Everton 17 1.04x
Newport 17 37.79x
Peterborough 17 5.79x
Rock 17 75.56x
Chesterfield 16 6.32x
Kingswinford 16 3.03x
Lilleshall 16 28.09x
Llanfair Dyffryn Clwyd 16 96.91x
Shoreditch London 16 0.86x
St Marylebone London 16 0.69x
Catcliffe 15 249.17x
Paddington London 15 0.95x
Wombridge 15 32.60x
Battersea 14 0.88x
Gringley On Hill 14 113.91x
Hyde 14 4.98x
Worksop 14 8.12x
Ince In Makerfield 13 5.46x
Lambeth 13 0.35x
Rotherham 13 5.39x
Shifnal 13 12.85x
Shrewsbury St Chad 13 9.94x
Widnes 13 3.52x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 320
Sarah 203
Elizabeth 190
Ann 117
Jane 83
Hannah 76
Emma 73
Eliza 72
Ellen 59
Alice 56
Martha 54
Annie 53
Emily 41
Louisa 39
Fanny 32
Ada 29
Clara 29
Harriet 28
Maria 26
Florence 25
Margaret 25
Charlotte 23
Frances 20
Anne 19
Edith 18
Kate 16
Agnes 15
Betsy 14
Caroline 14
Catherine 13
Lizzie 13
Elizth. 12
Amy 11
Esther 11
Lucy 11
Rose 11
Susan 11
Susannah 10
Rachel 9
Rebecca 9
Harriett 8
Minnie 8
Ethel 7
Henrietta 7
Isabella 7
Lydia 7
Matilda 7
Maud 7
Ruth 7
Bertha 6

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 266
John 246
George 174
James 173
Thomas 165
Joseph 92
Henry 81
Charles 75
Samuel 61
Arthur 50
Alfred 48
Edward 47
Frederick 47
Richard 41
Albert 34
Robert 30
Walter 29
Edwin 19
Frank 19
Harry 18
Herbert 16
Francis 15
Benjamin 14
Wm. 14
Thos. 12
Fred 11
Edmund 10
Ernest 10
Ralph 9
Chas. 8
Isaac 8
Sidney 7
Aaron 6
Alexander 6
Clement 6
Daniel 6
David 6
Enoch 6
Jonathan 6
Peter 6
Richd. 6
Christopher 5
Jesse 5
Stephen 5
Abraham 4
Fredk. 4
Geo. 4
Hugh 4
Josiah 4
Tom 4

FAQ

Beech surname: questions and answers

How common was the Beech surname in 1881?

In 1881, 4,432 people were recorded with the Beech surname. That placed it at #1,014 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Beech surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 7,185 in 2016. That gives Beech a modern rank of #934.

What does the Beech surname mean?

An English toponymic surname referring to someone who lived near a beech tree or beech forest.

What does the Beech map show?

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