NameCensus.

UK surname

Beedles

An English surname possibly derived from an Old English word meaning beadle or bailiff.

In the 1881 census there were 97 people recorded with the Beedles surname, ranking it #20,127 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 205, ranked #19,250, up from #20,127 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bettws, Welshpool and Holywell. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Sutherland South, Powys and Sandwell.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Beedles is 211 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 111.3%.

1881 census count

97

Ranked #20,127

Modern count

205

2016, ranked #19,250

Peak year

2014

211 bearers

Map years

6

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Beedles had 97 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #20,127 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 205 in 2016, ranked #19,250.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 134 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Beedles surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Beedles surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Beedles 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 40 #26,118
1861 historical 49 #27,768
1881 historical 97 #20,127
1891 historical 108 #22,828
1901 historical 121 #20,444
1911 historical 134 #19,131
1997 modern 190 #18,199
1998 modern 181 #19,229
1999 modern 179 #19,539
2000 modern 191 #18,752
2001 modern 188 #18,652
2002 modern 198 #18,410
2003 modern 186 #18,928
2004 modern 188 #18,919
2005 modern 174 #19,783
2006 modern 179 #19,592
2007 modern 186 #19,337
2008 modern 190 #19,246
2009 modern 197 #19,218
2010 modern 194 #19,819
2011 modern 192 #19,797
2012 modern 194 #19,606
2013 modern 202 #19,389
2014 modern 211 #19,002
2015 modern 210 #18,958
2016 modern 205 #19,250

Geography

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Where Beedles' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bettws, Welshpool, Holywell, Montgomery and Berriew, Tregynon. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Sutherland South, Powys, Sandwell, Dudley and Shropshire. 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 Bettws Montgomeryshire
2 Welshpool Montgomeryshire
3 Holywell Flintshire
4 Montgomery Montgomeryshire
5 Berriew, Tregynon Montgomeryshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Sutherland South Highland
2 Powys 003 Powys
3 Sandwell 030 Sandwell
4 Dudley 008 Dudley
5 Shropshire 026 Shropshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Beedles

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Beedles

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

Beedles is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Beedles falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Beedles

The surname Beedles is of English origin, originating in the county of Somerset in the southwest of England during the late medieval period. It is believed to be a locational surname, derived from a now-lost place name that likely referred to a small wooded area or clearing. The name may have its roots in the Old English words "bydel" or "bedel," meaning a messenger or herald, and the word "burh," meaning a fortified town or manor.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Beedles can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Somerset from the year 1327, where it is listed as "John de Bedeles." This suggests that the name was already well-established in the region by the early 14th century. In the 15th century, the surname appears in the Inquisitiones Post Mortem of Somerset as "William Bedeles," indicating the continued presence of the family in the area.

During the Tudor period, there are records of a John Beedles (c. 1480-1545) who served as a bailiff and alderman in the town of Taunton, Somerset. His descendant, Sir Thomas Beedles (1567-1628), was a prominent lawyer and Member of Parliament for Somerset during the reign of King James I.

In the 17th century, the Beedles surname can be found in the parish records of the village of Cheddar, Somerset, where a family of yeomen farmers bearing the name lived for several generations. One notable member of this branch was John Beedles (1645-1712), a successful merchant and landowner in the nearby town of Glastonbury.

As the centuries progressed, some members of the Beedles family migrated to other parts of England, as well as to the British colonies in North America and the Caribbean. For instance, Captain William Beedles (1720-1789) was a Royal Navy officer who served with distinction in the Seven Years' War and the American Revolutionary War.

Other notable individuals with the surname Beedles include:

- Robert Beedles (1801-1872), a British sculptor and wood carver known for his work on several churches and cathedrals. - Eliza Beedles (1829-1908), an English author and educator who wrote several popular children's books in the late 19th century. - Sir Alfred Beedles (1856-1941), a British businessman and philanthropist who funded the construction of several schools and hospitals in London. - William Beedles (1880-1958), an Australian politician who served as a member of the House of Representatives for over 20 years.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Beedles families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Beedles 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. Montgomeryshire leads with 54 Beedles' recorded in 1881 and an index of 249.08x.

County Total Index
Montgomeryshire 54 249.08x
Lancashire 18 1.60x
Shropshire 11 13.46x
Herefordshire 8 20.62x
Flintshire 4 15.73x
Surrey 1 0.22x
Yorkshire 1 0.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Berriew in Montgomeryshire leads with 19 Beedles' recorded in 1881 and an index of 3166.67x.

Place Total Index
Berriew 19 3166.67x
Bettws 8 4210.53x
Little Marcle 7 14000.00x
Toxteth Park 6 15.79x
Bishops Castle In 5 1041.67x
Little Bolton 5 34.65x
Great Bolton 4 26.90x
Holywell 4 125.39x
Llanbrynmair 4 784.31x
Llanllwchaiarn 4 425.53x
Montgomery 4 1025.64x
Pool 4 245.40x
Tregynon 4 1739.13x
Worthen 4 459.77x
Kerry 2 307.69x
Trewern 2 1666.67x
Chorlton On Medlock 1 5.61x
Condover 1 172.41x
Fylingdales 1 212.77x
Hereford St Peter 1 96.15x
Lambeth 1 1.21x
Llanidloes 1 62.11x
Llanwnog Surnant 1 909.09x
Llanymynech 1 625.00x
Moss Side 1 16.92x
Newtown 1 71.94x
West Derby 1 3.05x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 11
Sarah 7
Jane 6
Ann 3
Elizabeth 3
Margaret 3
Edith 2
Eliza 2
Harriet 2
Martha 2
Agnes 1
Alice 1
Anna 1
Elizth. 1
Ellen 1
Hannah 1
Harriette 1
Janette 1
Jualelan 1
Margret 1
Susanah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Edward 9
Richard 7
John 6
George 4
Thomas 4
Alfred 3
Charles 2
Walter 2
William 2
Arthur 1
Edwd.J. 1
Evan 1
Joseph 1
Morris 1
W.Herbert 1

FAQ

Beedles surname: questions and answers

How common was the Beedles surname in 1881?

In 1881, 97 people were recorded with the Beedles surname. That placed it at #20,127 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Beedles surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 205 in 2016. That gives Beedles a modern rank of #19,250.

What does the Beedles surname mean?

An English surname possibly derived from an Old English word meaning beadle or bailiff.

What does the Beedles map show?

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