NameCensus.

UK surname

Belding

A habitational surname referring to someone from one of several places called Belding.

In the 1881 census there were 114 people recorded with the Belding surname, ranking it #18,324 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 157, ranked #23,006, down from #18,324 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St George Tombland, St Peter Mountergate, St John Timberhill, All Saints, St Michael at Thorn, St Ju, London parishes and Creake, South. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include King's Lynn and West Norfolk, North East Lincolnshire and South Somerset.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Belding is 186 in 1997. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 37.7%.

1881 census count

114

Ranked #18,324

Modern count

157

2016, ranked #23,006

Peak year

1997

186 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Belding had 114 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #18,324 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 157 in 2016, ranked #23,006.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 172 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Belding surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Belding surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Belding 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 98 #17,383
1861 historical 140 #16,169
1881 historical 114 #18,324
1891 historical 172 #16,663
1901 historical 167 #16,943
1911 historical 161 #17,072
1997 modern 186 #18,448
1998 modern 180 #19,298
1999 modern 180 #19,454
2000 modern 171 #20,044
2001 modern 161 #20,543
2002 modern 174 #19,971
2003 modern 165 #20,401
2004 modern 156 #21,261
2005 modern 144 #22,367
2006 modern 156 #21,399
2007 modern 152 #22,022
2008 modern 151 #22,323
2009 modern 157 #22,271
2010 modern 147 #23,809
2011 modern 158 #22,473
2012 modern 157 #22,551
2013 modern 157 #22,904
2014 modern 158 #23,022
2015 modern 158 #22,913
2016 modern 157 #23,006

Geography

Back to top

Where Beldings are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St George Tombland, St Peter Mountergate, St John Timberhill, All Saints, St Michael at Thorn, St Ju, London parishes, Creake, South and St Paul, St Saviour, St Edmund, St Simon and Jude, St Peter Hungate, St Michael at Plea, St Martin a. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to King's Lynn and West Norfolk, North East Lincolnshire and South Somerset. 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 St George Tombland, St Peter Mountergate, St John Timberhill, All Saints, St Michael at Thorn, St Ju Norfolk
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Creake, South Norfolk
5 St Paul, St Saviour, St Edmund, St Simon and Jude, St Peter Hungate, St Michael at Plea, St Martin a Norfolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 013 King's Lynn and West Norfolk
2 North East Lincolnshire 023 North East Lincolnshire
3 South Somerset 010 South Somerset
4 North East Lincolnshire 003 North East Lincolnshire
5 North East Lincolnshire 016 North East Lincolnshire

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Belding

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Belding

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

Belding 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

Belding falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Belding

The surname Belding originated in England, dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "bel" meaning bell and "dene" meaning valley or dell, suggesting a connection to a place where bell sounds echoed through a valley.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Beldene" in reference to a settlement in Hertfordshire. Over time, the spelling evolved to Belding, reflecting the local dialect and pronunciation.

In the 13th century, records show a Richard de Belding as a landowner in Oxfordshire, indicating the family's presence and status during that period. The name also appears in various medieval charters and documents from different regions of England, suggesting its widespread use.

Notable individuals with the surname Belding include Sir John Belding (1516-1585), a prominent English landowner and Member of Parliament during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. Another notable figure was Richard Belding (1630-1719), a Puritan settler who immigrated to Massachusetts in the 17th century and became a respected leader in the colony.

In the 18th century, William Belding (1728-1802) was a successful merchant and landowner in Connecticut, contributing to the growth and development of the region. Meanwhile, in England, James Belding (1770-1848) was a renowned architect who designed several notable buildings, including the Shire Hall in Chelmsford.

During the 19th century, Samuel Belding (1815-1892) was a prominent industrialist and entrepreneur in Massachusetts, known for establishing the Belding Brothers & Co. silk manufacturing company, which played a significant role in the region's textile industry.

Throughout its history, the surname Belding has been associated with various place names, such as Belding in Hertfordshire, Belding Hill in Suffolk, and Belding's Green in Essex, further reinforcing its English origins and geographical connections.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Belding families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Belding 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. Norfolk leads with 54 Beldings recorded in 1881 and an index of 31.86x.

County Total Index
Norfolk 54 31.86x
Middlesex 27 2.45x
Kent 10 2.66x
Surrey 8 1.49x
Essex 4 1.84x
Lincolnshire 3 1.70x
Renfrewshire 3 3.51x
Yorkshire 2 0.18x
Lancashire 1 0.08x
Northamptonshire 1 0.96x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wiggenhall St Mary in Norfolk leads with 13 Beldings recorded in 1881 and an index of 5000.00x.

Place Total Index
Wiggenhall St Mary 13 5000.00x
Burnham Westgate 12 3243.24x
Chelsea London 10 30.11x
Kensington London 7 11.42x
Cliffe 6 705.88x
Lambeth 6 6.24x
Norwich St John Sepulchre 6 545.45x
Westacre 6 3750.00x
Little Stanmore 5 1515.15x
South Creake 4 1052.63x
West Ham 4 8.33x
Middle Greenock 3 128.76x
Norwich St Saviour 3 508.47x
Deptford St Paul 2 6.89x
Flitcham Cum Appleton 2 1111.11x
Great Grimsby 2 17.87x
Norwich St Edmund 2 740.74x
Snettisham 2 425.53x
Southcoates 2 33.00x
Battersea 1 2.47x
Burnham Overy 1 434.78x
Chatham 1 9.66x
Fakenham 1 120.48x
Godalming 1 29.59x
Hackney London 1 1.62x
Kingsbury 1 344.83x
Lewisham 1 4.99x
Norwich St Clement 1 51.02x
Norwich St Martin At Oak 1 97.09x
Peterborough 1 13.32x
Salford 1 2.60x
St Marylebone London 1 1.70x
Sutton St Mary 1 59.88x
Tottenham 1 5.69x
Westminster St James 1 8.83x

Top female names

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

Name Count
George 8
William 8
John 5
Henry 3
Davy 2
Gregory 2
Herbert 2
Percy 2
Richard 2
Charles 1
Clare 1
Earnest 1
Edward 1
Ernest 1
Fred 1
Frederick 1
Geo. 1
Jonathan 1
Mark 1
Pitcher 1
Prior 1
Rawston 1
Rupert 1

FAQ

Belding surname: questions and answers

How common was the Belding surname in 1881?

In 1881, 114 people were recorded with the Belding surname. That placed it at #18,324 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Belding surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 157 in 2016. That gives Belding a modern rank of #23,006.

What does the Belding surname mean?

A habitational surname referring to someone from one of several places called Belding.

What does the Belding map show?

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