NameCensus.

UK surname

Beeken

A surname likely derived from a place name or a variant spelling of "beacon".

In the 1881 census there were 134 people recorded with the Beeken surname, ranking it #16,602 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 309, ranked #14,442, up from #16,602 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Moulton, London parishes and Fleet. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Holland, Fenland and Tunbridge Wells.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Beeken is 319 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 130.6%.

1881 census count

134

Ranked #16,602

Modern count

309

2016, ranked #14,442

Peak year

2000

319 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Beeken had 134 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,602 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 309 in 2016, ranked #14,442.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 268 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Beeken surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Beeken surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Beeken 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 43 #25,518
1861 historical 34 #29,685
1881 historical 134 #16,602
1891 historical 145 #18,752
1901 historical 236 #13,616
1911 historical 268 #12,332
1997 modern 317 #13,053
1998 modern 318 #13,362
1999 modern 318 #13,444
2000 modern 319 #13,391
2001 modern 311 #13,423
2002 modern 315 #13,561
2003 modern 304 #13,685
2004 modern 300 #13,871
2005 modern 291 #14,105
2006 modern 290 #14,202
2007 modern 285 #14,527
2008 modern 291 #14,430
2009 modern 289 #14,809
2010 modern 307 #14,485
2011 modern 308 #14,356
2012 modern 307 #14,288
2013 modern 310 #14,403
2014 modern 316 #14,301
2015 modern 313 #14,313
2016 modern 309 #14,442

Geography

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Where Beekens are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Moulton, London parishes, Fleet, Crowland and Tenterden. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Holland, Fenland and Tunbridge Wells. 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 Moulton Lincolnshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Fleet Lincolnshire
4 Crowland Northamptonshire
5 Tenterden Kent

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Holland 011 South Holland
2 Fenland 010 Fenland
3 Tunbridge Wells 013 Tunbridge Wells
4 South Holland 003 South Holland
5 South Holland 006 South Holland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Beeken

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Beeken

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Beeken, 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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Beeken surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Beeken household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Beeken 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

Beeken 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

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

Meaning and origin of Beeken

The surname Beeken is of English origin, with its roots traced back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "bece," meaning a stream or brook, and the suffix "-en," indicating a location. The earliest known spelling variations of the name include Beken, Beken, Bekin, and Bekyn.

Historically, the name Beeken was often associated with individuals residing near a stream or brook, indicating a connection to a specific geographic location. One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which documented landholders and their properties after the Norman Conquest.

In the 13th century, records show a Robert de Beken residing in Oxfordshire. Another notable figure was John Beken, a prominent merchant from London, who lived during the reign of King Edward III (1312-1377). His success in trade and commerce contributed to the recognition of the Beeken name within the city's mercantile circles.

During the 16th century, the surname gained further prominence with the birth of William Beeken (1520-1598), a renowned English theologian and scholar. He is best known for his contributions to the translation of the Geneva Bible, a significant work that influenced the later King James Version of the Bible.

In the 17th century, a prominent figure bearing the Beeken surname was Sir John Beeken (1630-1701), a member of the English gentry and a influential landowner in Hertfordshire. His estates and properties played a significant role in shaping the local community and economy.

Another noteworthy individual was Samuel Beeken (1745-1819), a respected architect and surveyor who designed several notable buildings in London during the Georgian era. His work left a lasting impact on the city's architectural landscape.

Throughout its history, the surname Beeken has been associated with various locations and place names, including Bekenham (now Beckenham) in Kent, Bekenhill in Worcestershire, and Bekenfield in Hampshire. These place names further reinforce the connection between the surname and its geographic origins.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Beeken families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Beeken 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 72 Beekens recorded in 1881 and an index of 34.45x.

County Total Index
Lincolnshire 72 34.45x
Kent 31 6.95x
Lancashire 11 0.71x
Yorkshire 6 0.46x
Herefordshire 4 7.46x
Surrey 4 0.63x
Middlesex 3 0.23x
Norfolk 3 1.49x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Crowland in Lincolnshire leads with 42 Beekens recorded in 1881 and an index of 3206.11x.

Place Total Index
Crowland 42 3206.11x
Tenterden 29 1847.13x
Spalding 14 337.35x
Great Crosby 7 165.48x
Cowbit 4 1428.57x
Cradley 4 512.82x
Great Grimsby 4 30.17x
West Derby 4 8.82x
Great Hale 3 937.50x
Hammersmith London 3 9.32x
Holy Trinity 3 9.63x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 3 49.75x
Lambeth 3 2.63x
Sheffield 3 7.28x
St Swithin Lincoln 2 60.79x
Whaplode 2 281.69x
Chartham 1 90.09x
Egham 1 25.58x
Fillingham 1 714.29x
Northfleet 1 25.45x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 8
Mary 8
Ann 5
Sarah 5
Eliza 3
Ellen 3
Jane 3
Caroline 2
Emma 2
Grace 2
Lydia 2
Martha 2
Alice 1
Anastasia 1
Annie 1
Clara 1
Edith 1
Esther 1
Harriett 1
Hephy 1
Hephzibah 1
Hepsibah 1
Kate 1
Margaret 1
Matilda 1
Mercy 1
Patience 1
Rachael 1
Rose 1
Sarh 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 14
John 13
George 9
Thomas 7
Frederick 4
Joseph 4
James 3
Samuel 3
Alfred 2
Henry 2
Authar 1
Ernest 1
Fred.K. 1
Jesse 1
Richard 1
Septimus 1
Shardrack 1
Tom 1
Wiggo 1

FAQ

Beeken surname: questions and answers

How common was the Beeken surname in 1881?

In 1881, 134 people were recorded with the Beeken surname. That placed it at #16,602 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Beeken surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 309 in 2016. That gives Beeken a modern rank of #14,442.

What does the Beeken surname mean?

A surname likely derived from a place name or a variant spelling of "beacon".

What does the Beeken map show?

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