UK surname
An English surname derived from the Old French word for beech tree.
In the 1881 census there were 106 people recorded with the Beechy surname, ranking it #19,083 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 18, ranked #36,832, down from #19,083 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Farringdon, Great and Lambeth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Beechy is 106 in 1881. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 83.0%.
1881 census count
106
Ranked #19,083
Modern count
18
2016, ranked #36,832
Peak year
1881
106 bearers
Map years
1
1881 to 1881
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Beechy surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Beechy surname density by area, 1881 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 62 | #22,232 |
| 1861 | historical | 65 | #25,618 |
| 1881 | historical | 106 | #19,083 |
| 1891 | historical | 86 | #25,951 |
| 1901 | historical | 83 | #24,900 |
| 1911 | historical | 31 | #29,952 |
| 1997 | modern | 21 | #35,692 |
| 1998 | modern | 19 | #36,009 |
| 1999 | modern | 17 | #36,261 |
| 2000 | modern | 21 | #35,799 |
| 2001 | modern | 20 | #35,754 |
| 2002 | modern | 15 | #36,381 |
| 2003 | modern | 12 | #36,715 |
| 2004 | modern | 12 | #36,835 |
| 2005 | modern | 12 | #36,936 |
| 2006 | modern | 18 | #36,412 |
| 2007 | modern | 13 | #36,990 |
| 2008 | modern | 14 | #36,950 |
| 2009 | modern | 14 | #37,041 |
| 2010 | modern | 16 | #36,937 |
| 2011 | modern | 16 | #36,932 |
| 2012 | modern | 17 | #36,811 |
| 2013 | modern | 19 | #36,691 |
| 2014 | modern | 20 | #36,654 |
| 2015 | modern | 19 | #36,736 |
| 2016 | modern | 18 | #36,832 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Farringdon, Great, Lambeth and Cholsey. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | London parishes | London 1 |
| 2 | Farringdon, Great | Berkshire |
| 3 | London parishes | London 3 |
| 4 | Lambeth | London (South Districts) |
| 5 | Cholsey | Berkshire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Beechy surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Beechy, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Beechy surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Beechy household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Beechy is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Beechy is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Beechy, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname "BEECHY" is of English origin, derived from a topographic name for someone who lived near a beech tree or in an area where beech trees were plentiful. It is believed to have emerged in the late 12th or early 13th century.
The name is thought to have originated in the counties of Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, and Oxfordshire, where beech trees were abundant. The earliest recorded spelling of the name appears to be "de la Beche" in the Pipe Rolls of Buckinghamshire in 1198.
In the 13th century, the name evolved to "de la Beche" and "atte Beche," indicating a person who lived near or at the beech trees. By the 14th century, the name had taken on the more modern spelling of "Beechy."
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname was Walter de la Beche, who was mentioned in the Feet of Fines for Oxfordshire in 1235. Another early record is that of Robert atte Beche, who was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Buckinghamshire in 1327.
The Beechy surname has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One of the earliest was Sir John de la Beche (c. 1290-1360), a prominent English landowner and military commander who served under Edward III during the Hundred Years' War.
Another notable bearer of the name was Sir Thomas Beechy (c. 1555-1625), an English politician and landowner who served as a member of Parliament for Southwark in the early 17th century.
In the 18th century, Sir William Beechy (1737-1805) was a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the American Revolutionary War and the French Revolutionary Wars.
More recently, Edward Beechy (1805-1877) was a British naval officer and Arctic explorer who led several expeditions to the Canadian Arctic in search of the Northwest Passage in the mid-19th century.
Finally, Sir Hubert Beechy (1867-1942) was a British architect and designer who was known for his work on several prominent buildings in London, including the Royal College of Surgeons and the Imperial War Museum.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Beechy surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Berkshire leads with 23 Beechys recorded in 1881 and an index of 29.64x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Berkshire | 23 | 29.64x |
| Oxfordshire | 23 | 36.02x |
| Worcestershire | 18 | 13.33x |
| Middlesex | 7 | 0.68x |
| Buckinghamshire | 6 | 9.60x |
| Leicestershire | 5 | 4.36x |
| Somerset | 5 | 3.00x |
| Yorkshire | 5 | 0.49x |
| Gloucestershire | 4 | 1.97x |
| Hampshire | 2 | 0.94x |
| Kent | 2 | 0.57x |
| Lancashire | 2 | 0.16x |
| Nottinghamshire | 2 | 1.44x |
| Monmouthshire | 1 | 1.34x |
| Surrey | 1 | 0.20x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Blockley in Worcestershire leads with 18 Beechys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2368.42x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Blockley | 18 | 2368.42x |
| Great Faringdon | 13 | 1160.71x |
| Witney | 11 | 1028.04x |
| Wokingham | 8 | 451.98x |
| Stone | 6 | 1224.49x |
| Bedminster | 5 | 31.97x |
| Bladon | 5 | 2272.73x |
| Leicester St Margaret | 5 | 17.89x |
| Combe | 3 | 1578.95x |
| Hanwell | 3 | 163.93x |
| Westbury On Severn East | 3 | 65.50x |
| Abingdon St Helen | 2 | 88.11x |
| Charlton Next Woolwich | 2 | 54.35x |
| Colne | 2 | 54.79x |
| Dewsbury | 2 | 19.03x |
| Hodsock | 2 | 2500.00x |
| Holdenhurst | 2 | 35.97x |
| Liversedge | 2 | 43.86x |
| Rotherfield Greys | 2 | 294.12x |
| Bromley London | 1 | 4.40x |
| Chelsea London | 1 | 3.21x |
| Gloucester Barton St Mary | 1 | 26.95x |
| Hailey | 1 | 222.22x |
| Kensington London | 1 | 1.74x |
| Lambeth | 1 | 1.11x |
| Oulton Cum Woodlesford | 1 | 120.48x |
| Oxford St Peter Le Bailey | 1 | 312.50x |
| St Pancras London | 1 | 1.20x |
| Upper Llanvrechva | 1 | 86.21x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Beechy surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Beechy surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Beechy households.
FAQ
In 1881, 106 people were recorded with the Beechy surname. That placed it at #19,083 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 18 in 2016. That gives Beechy a modern rank of #36,832.
An English surname derived from the Old French word for beech tree.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Beechy bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.