NameCensus.

UK surname

Beecher

An occupational surname for a beekeeper or seller of beeswax and honey.

In the 1881 census there were 310 people recorded with the Beecher surname, ranking it #9,488 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 573, ranked #9,014, up from #9,488 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Tunbridge, Bidborough and Brenchley. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wakefield, Merthyr Tydfil and Aylesbury Vale.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Beecher is 617 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 84.8%.

1881 census count

310

Ranked #9,488

Modern count

573

2016, ranked #9,014

Peak year

1998

617 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Beecher had 310 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,488 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 573 in 2016, ranked #9,014.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 444 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Beecher surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Beecher surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Beecher 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 147 #13,084
1861 historical 79 #23,702
1881 historical 310 #9,488
1891 historical 279 #11,698
1901 historical 444 #8,792
1911 historical 371 #9,830
1997 modern 591 #8,235
1998 modern 617 #8,228
1999 modern 616 #8,299
2000 modern 592 #8,497
2001 modern 576 #8,523
2002 modern 602 #8,442
2003 modern 585 #8,479
2004 modern 565 #8,697
2005 modern 580 #8,470
2006 modern 570 #8,606
2007 modern 577 #8,604
2008 modern 567 #8,761
2009 modern 564 #8,989
2010 modern 588 #8,923
2011 modern 576 #8,955
2012 modern 588 #8,735
2013 modern 589 #8,855
2014 modern 592 #8,900
2015 modern 582 #8,931
2016 modern 573 #9,014

Geography

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Where Beechers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Tunbridge, Bidborough, Brenchley and Maidstone, Linton, Loddington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wakefield, Merthyr Tydfil, Aylesbury Vale and Milton Keynes. 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 Tunbridge, Bidborough Kent
3 London parishes London 3
4 Brenchley Kent
5 Maidstone, Linton, Loddington Kent

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wakefield 024 Wakefield
2 Merthyr Tydfil 008 Merthyr Tydfil
3 Aylesbury Vale 004 Aylesbury Vale
4 Milton Keynes 003 Milton Keynes
5 Wakefield 038 Wakefield

Forenames

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First names often paired with Beecher

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Beecher

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Beecher 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

Beecher 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

Beecher falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Beecher

The surname Beecher originates from England, where it first appeared in the 12th century as an occupational name for a beekeeper or honey seller. It is derived from the Old English word "beo-cere," which translates to "bee-keeper."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Beecher surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Worcestershire in 1195, where it is spelled as "Becher." The name was also present in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, which were records of landowners in England.

During the Middle Ages, the Beecher family was primarily concentrated in the counties of Worcestershire, Warwickshire, and Oxfordshire. Some variations of the spelling include Beacher, Becher, and Beechere.

In the 16th century, the Beecher surname appeared in the records of the Manor of Maddresfield in Worcestershire, where a family of Beechers held land and property.

One notable figure in history with the Beecher name was Lyman Beecher (1775-1863), an American Presbyterian minister, and leader of the Second Great Awakening religious revival movement. He was also the father of Harriet Beecher Stowe, the author of the renowned anti-slavery novel "Uncle Tom's Cabin."

Another well-known Beecher was Henry Ward Beecher (1813-1887), a prominent American Congregationalist clergyman, social reformer, and abolitionist. He was also a renowned orator and the brother of Harriet Beecher Stowe.

In the 19th century, the Beecher family played a significant role in the anti-slavery movement in the United States. Thomas K. Beecher (1824-1900), a minister and educator, was an active abolitionist and a supporter of the Union cause during the American Civil War.

Another notable figure with the Beecher surname was Sir Eric Stuart Beecher (1884-1955), a British diplomat and colonial administrator who served as the Governor of Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) from 1937 to 1942.

Lastly, William H. Beecher (1849-1935) was an American lawyer and businessman who served as the president of the Boston and Maine Railroad from 1899 to 1912.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Beecher families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Beecher 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. Kent leads with 119 Beechers recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.50x.

County Total Index
Kent 119 11.50x
Middlesex 46 1.52x
Yorkshire 35 1.16x
Surrey 31 2.10x
Sussex 17 3.32x
Glamorgan 14 2.65x
Hampshire 13 2.09x
Essex 8 1.34x
Lancashire 7 0.19x
Monmouthshire 5 2.28x
Cambridgeshire 4 2.08x
Huntingdonshire 4 6.64x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.49x
Bedfordshire 1 0.64x
Devon 1 0.16x
Gloucestershire 1 0.17x
Hertfordshire 1 0.48x
Oxfordshire 1 0.53x
Royal Navy 1 2.77x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Tonbridge in Kent leads with 28 Beechers recorded in 1881 and an index of 75.01x.

Place Total Index
Tonbridge 28 75.01x
Maidstone 18 58.38x
Whitwood 16 374.71x
Cardiff St Mary 13 44.69x
Brenchley 12 324.32x
Farnborough 9 137.83x
Plumstead 9 26.09x
Bletchingley 8 414.51x
Halstead 8 1600.00x
Rumbolds Wyke 8 851.06x
Bow London 7 18.13x
Ealing 7 25.82x
Prittlewell 7 84.34x
Richmond 7 33.80x
West Peckham 7 1458.33x
Boxley 6 377.36x
Holy Trinity 6 8.30x
Salford 6 5.67x
St Pancras London 6 2.46x
Bedwellty 5 12.91x
East Peckham 5 232.56x
Hadlow 5 194.55x
Alverthorpe Cum Thornes 4 36.63x
Buxted 4 200.00x
Hemingford Abbots 4 1000.00x
Sutton Valence 4 338.98x
Cranbrook 3 68.49x
Gamlingay 3 150.00x
Kingston On Thames 3 8.45x
Leominster 3 181.82x
Mile End Old Town London 3 4.65x
Newington 3 2.68x
St Giles In Fields London 3 20.16x
Altofts 2 60.24x
Bethnal Green London 2 1.52x
Chatham 2 7.02x
East Ardsley 2 76.92x
Horsemonden 2 132.45x
Leeds 2 1.18x
Paddington London 2 1.79x
Portslade 2 63.90x
Selborne 2 157.48x
St George Bloomsbury 2 11.49x
St George In East London 2 7.01x
Streatham 2 8.88x
Walton On Thames 2 29.46x
Whitechapel London 2 6.69x
Wingham 2 166.67x
Bromley 1 6.34x
Camberwell 1 0.52x
Chelsea London 1 1.09x
Chiddingstone 1 74.07x
Christ Church Newgate 1 70.92x
Clerkenwell London 1 1.40x
Colchester St Botolph 1 19.65x
Croydon 1 1.22x
Dover St Mary Virgin 1 9.98x
Eaton Bray 1 62.89x
Folkestone 1 4.98x
Gelligaer 1 8.29x
Gloucester St Mary Lode 1 71.94x
Harworth 1 175.44x
Hertford St John 1 32.05x
Horley 1 40.32x
Lambeth 1 0.38x
Portsea 1 0.82x
Rotherham 1 5.90x
Royal Navy 1 3.24x
Sculcoates 1 2.10x
Seaton Wassand 1 227.27x
Shoreditch London 1 0.76x
St Marylebone London 1 0.62x
Strood 1 16.95x
Swalcliffe 1 153.85x
Tottenham 1 2.07x
Ulcombe 1 147.06x
Warsop 1 92.59x
West Malling 1 42.92x
Whippingham 1 21.23x
Wisbech St Peter 1 10.37x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 16
William 16
Henry 13
Richard 8
Thomas 8
Charles 7
Robert 7
Edward 6
Alfred 5
Arthur 5
Frederick 5
George 5
James 5
Benjamin 4
Stephen 4
Frank 3
Walter 3
Harry 2
Herbert 2
Joseph 2
M. 2
Samuel 2
Wm. 2
A.C. 1
Albert 1
Cecil 1
E.S. 1
Ebeneza 1
Edwd. 1
Edwin 1
Ephraim 1
F. 1
Harold 1
J. 1
Jno. 1
Judah 1
K.E. 1
Liberty 1
Luther 1
Mark 1
Matthew 1
Michael 1
N. 1
Peter 1
Rowland 1
Septimus 1
St 1
Tom 1

FAQ

Beecher surname: questions and answers

How common was the Beecher surname in 1881?

In 1881, 310 people were recorded with the Beecher surname. That placed it at #9,488 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Beecher surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 573 in 2016. That gives Beecher a modern rank of #9,014.

What does the Beecher surname mean?

An occupational surname for a beekeeper or seller of beeswax and honey.

What does the Beecher map show?

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