NameCensus.

UK surname

Belch

A surname derived from the Old English word "belcan," meaning to belch or expel wind from the stomach.

In the 1881 census there were 149 people recorded with the Belch surname, ranking it #15,551 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 125, ranked #26,827, down from #15,551 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hillingdon (Hillingdon), Ickenham, Cowley, London parishes and Rickmansworth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wakefield, Shropshire and Carmunnock South.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Belch is 200 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 16.1%.

1881 census count

149

Ranked #15,551

Modern count

125

2016, ranked #26,827

Peak year

1891

200 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Belch had 149 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,551 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 125 in 2016, ranked #26,827.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 200 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Belch surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Belch surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Belch 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 45 #25,168
1861 historical 111 #19,429
1881 historical 149 #15,551
1891 historical 200 #14,913
1901 historical 197 #15,272
1911 historical 190 #15,438
1997 modern 150 #21,119
1998 modern 143 #22,317
1999 modern 147 #22,110
2000 modern 149 #21,874
2001 modern 141 #22,344
2002 modern 141 #22,794
2003 modern 143 #22,367
2004 modern 140 #22,793
2005 modern 135 #23,297
2006 modern 135 #23,486
2007 modern 134 #23,931
2008 modern 130 #24,695
2009 modern 133 #24,817
2010 modern 136 #25,009
2011 modern 133 #25,177
2012 modern 125 #26,298
2013 modern 128 #26,336
2014 modern 126 #26,781
2015 modern 124 #26,944
2016 modern 125 #26,827

Geography

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Where Belchs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hillingdon (Hillingdon), Ickenham, Cowley, London parishes, Rickmansworth and Battersea. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wakefield, Shropshire, Carmunnock South, Wigan and Erewash. 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 Hillingdon (Hillingdon), Ickenham, Cowley Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Rickmansworth Hertfordshire
5 Battersea London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wakefield 010 Wakefield
2 Shropshire 016 Shropshire
3 Carmunnock South Glasgow City
4 Wigan 031 Wigan
5 Erewash 004 Erewash

Forenames

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First names often paired with Belch

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Belch

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Belch surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Belch household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Belch is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Belch 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

Belch falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Belch

The surname Belch originated in England, with the earliest known records dating back to the late 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "belcan," which means "to belch" or "to burp." This name was likely first used as a descriptive nickname for someone who had a tendency to belch frequently or loudly.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Belch can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, which mention a certain John Belch. Another early reference is from the Pipe Rolls of Somerset in 1330, where a William Belch is listed.

During the Middle Ages, the Belch surname was primarily concentrated in the counties of Worcestershire, Somerset, and Gloucestershire in the West Midlands region of England. This suggests that the name may have originated in this area, although it eventually spread to other parts of the country as well.

In the 16th century, a variant spelling of the name, "Belshe," appeared in some records, such as the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1548, which mentions a John Belshe. This spelling variation likely arose due to regional pronunciation differences or scribal errors.

One notable bearer of the Belch surname was Sir Robert Belch, a wealthy landowner and member of the gentry who lived in Gloucestershire in the late 16th century. He was recorded as participating in the musters (military assemblies) of 1588, during the time of the Spanish Armada.

Another individual of historical significance was Thomas Belch, a merchant and ship owner from Bristol in the early 17th century. He was involved in the transatlantic trade and is known to have made several voyages to the West Indies and Virginia Colony between 1620 and 1640.

In the 18th century, a prominent figure with the Belch surname was Reverend John Belch, a clergyman and author who served as the vicar of St. Mary's Church in Warwickshire from 1732 until his death in 1778. He published several religious texts and sermons during his lifetime.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Belch surname in North America can be found in the colonial records of Virginia, where a Richard Belch is listed as an indentured servant who arrived in the colony in 1635.

Throughout its history, the Belch surname has been borne by many individuals from various walks of life, including landed gentry, clergy, merchants, and colonial settlers, among others. While not a particularly common name, it has left a lasting mark on the historical records of England and its former colonies.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Belch families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Belch 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. Middlesex leads with 49 Belchs recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.35x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 49 3.35x
Shropshire 18 14.24x
Lanarkshire 15 3.17x
Surrey 15 2.10x
Yorkshire 12 0.83x
Hertfordshire 10 9.92x
Warwickshire 10 2.71x
Lancashire 6 0.35x
Cambridgeshire 4 4.32x
Hampshire 4 1.33x
Buckinghamshire 2 2.26x
Channel Islands 1 2.31x
Cheshire 1 0.31x
Essex 1 0.35x
Gloucestershire 1 0.35x
Kent 1 0.20x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Hillingdon in Middlesex leads with 16 Belchs recorded in 1881 and an index of 343.35x.

Place Total Index
Hillingdon 16 343.35x
Pontesbury 15 974.03x
Battersea 13 24.15x
Birmingham 10 8.13x
Castleford 10 189.39x
Maryhill 10 107.99x
Harmondsworth 9 989.01x
Rickmansworth 9 323.74x
St Marylebone London 9 11.52x
West Drayton 5 980.39x
Chesterton 4 139.86x
Harlington 4 519.48x
Barony 3 2.51x
Liverpool 3 2.85x
Southampton St Mary 3 15.91x
St Giles In Fields London 3 41.78x
Accrington 2 12.67x
Amersham 2 160.00x
Govan 2 1.71x
Westbury 2 307.69x
Birkenhead 1 3.89x
Cirencester 1 25.77x
Colchester St Giles 1 35.09x
Cudham 1 196.08x
Epsom 1 28.82x
Hemel Hempstead 1 22.03x
Holdenhurst 1 12.71x
Kensington London 1 1.23x
Mile End Old Town London 1 3.21x
Pudsey 1 12.90x
Richmond 1 10.01x
Rothwell 1 34.13x
Shrawardine 1 1000.00x
St Martin In Fields 1 11.42x
St Owen 1 87.72x
Toxteth Park 1 1.70x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 12
Ann 5
Emily 5
Sarah 4
Alice 3
Annie 3
Elizabeth 3
Jane 3
Margaret 3
Clara 2
Eliza 2
Emma 2
Ethel 2
Florence 2
Hannah 2
Martha 2
Ada 1
Catherine 1
Edith 1
Ellen 1
Esther 1
Eva 1
Gertrude 1
Harriet 1
Isabella 1
Kate 1
Louisa 1
Louiseann 1
Lydia 1
Maria 1
Mera 1
Pheobe 1
Rachael 1
Rebecca 1
Rose 1
Sophia 1
Volitea 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 9
John 8
Henry 7
Thomas 5
George 4
Walter 4
Alfred 2
Edward 2
Edwin 2
Harry 2
James 2
Joseph 2
Peter 2
Richard 2
Arthur 1
Emanual 1
Frederick 1
Herbert 1
Stephen 1

FAQ

Belch surname: questions and answers

How common was the Belch surname in 1881?

In 1881, 149 people were recorded with the Belch surname. That placed it at #15,551 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Belch surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 125 in 2016. That gives Belch a modern rank of #26,827.

What does the Belch surname mean?

A surname derived from the Old English word "belcan," meaning to belch or expel wind from the stomach.

What does the Belch map show?

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