NameCensus.

UK surname

Bellenger

An occupational surname derived from the Old French "bellenger" meaning crossbowman or soldier.

In the 1881 census there were 89 people recorded with the Bellenger surname, ranking it #21,091 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 155, ranked #23,197, down from #21,091 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Southampton St Mary and St George the Martyr. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cornwall, West Oxfordshire and Epsom and Ewell.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bellenger is 188 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 74.2%.

1881 census count

89

Ranked #21,091

Modern count

155

2016, ranked #23,197

Peak year

1911

188 bearers

Map years

6

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bellenger had 89 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #21,091 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 155 in 2016, ranked #23,197.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 188 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Bellenger surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bellenger surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bellenger 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 85 #18,940
1861 historical 46 #28,170
1881 historical 89 #21,091
1891 historical 116 #21,766
1901 historical 136 #19,110
1911 historical 188 #15,550
1997 modern 151 #21,034
1998 modern 165 #20,423
1999 modern 176 #19,722
2000 modern 160 #20,903
2001 modern 158 #20,788
2002 modern 172 #20,108
2003 modern 163 #20,554
2004 modern 164 #20,609
2005 modern 161 #20,799
2006 modern 164 #20,715
2007 modern 163 #21,050
2008 modern 164 #21,137
2009 modern 167 #21,383
2010 modern 162 #22,292
2011 modern 158 #22,473
2012 modern 158 #22,460
2013 modern 160 #22,621
2014 modern 158 #23,022
2015 modern 154 #23,306
2016 modern 155 #23,197

Geography

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Where Bellengers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Southampton St Mary, St George the Martyr and St Matthew Bethnal Green. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cornwall, West Oxfordshire, Epsom and Ewell, Solihull and Mid Sussex. 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 London parishes London 3
2 Southampton St Mary Hampshire
3 St George the Martyr London (South Districts)
4 St Matthew Bethnal Green London (East Districts)
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cornwall 027 Cornwall
2 West Oxfordshire 012 West Oxfordshire
3 Epsom and Ewell 008 Epsom and Ewell
4 Solihull 009 Solihull
5 Mid Sussex 001 Mid Sussex

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bellenger

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bellenger

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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Bellenger is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Bellenger 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

Bellenger falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Bellenger is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Bellenger, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Bellenger

The surname Bellenger is of French origin, derived from the Old French words "bel" meaning "handsome" or "fair" and "enger" meaning "farmhand" or "farm worker." It emerged in the 11th century and was initially found in the northern regions of France, particularly in Normandy.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Bellenger surname appears in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name is listed as "Belenger" and is associated with landholdings in Hertfordshire and Essex.

During the Middle Ages, the name was sometimes spelled as "Belengier" or "Belengere," reflecting regional variations in pronunciation and spelling conventions. Several Bellengers are documented in medieval records, including Robert Bellenger, a prominent merchant in Rouen, Normandy, who lived in the 13th century.

Bellenger Place, a historic manor house located in Ditchingham, Norfolk, England, takes its name from the Bellenger family who owned the property in the 15th and 16th centuries. One notable member was Sir Edmund Bellenger (c. 1475-1547), a Member of Parliament and Sheriff of Norfolk and Suffolk during the reign of Henry VIII.

In the 17th century, Jean Bellenger (1595-1672) was a French Protestant minister and author who fled religious persecution in France and found refuge in Amsterdam, where he published several theological works. Another notable figure was François Bellenger (1636-1713), a French sculptor and architect known for his work on the Palace of Versailles.

During the 19th century, Sir Alfred Bellenger (1819-1909) was a British diplomat and author who served as the British Minister to Sweden and Norway, and later as the Governor of Queensland, Australia. Additionally, Constance Bellenger (1837-1928) was a British writer and feminist actively involved in the women's suffrage movement.

Throughout history, the Bellenger surname has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including artisans, clergy, politicians, and authors. While its origins can be traced back to medieval France, the name has since spread to other parts of Europe and beyond, reflecting the historical movements and migrations of people.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bellenger families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bellenger 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 28 Bellengers recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.12x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 28 3.12x
Oxfordshire 25 45.11x
Surrey 12 2.74x
Hampshire 7 3.81x
Warwickshire 7 3.09x
Channel Islands 3 11.28x
Worcestershire 3 2.56x
Gloucestershire 2 1.14x
Somerset 2 1.38x
Berkshire 1 1.48x
Dorset 1 1.70x
Wiltshire 1 1.26x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Brize Norton in Oxfordshire leads with 24 Bellengers recorded in 1881 and an index of 10000.00x.

Place Total Index
Brize Norton 24 10000.00x
Bethnal Green London 21 53.86x
Birmingham 7 9.28x
Southampton St Mary 6 51.86x
Kensington London 5 10.02x
Lambeth 5 6.39x
Southwark Christchurch 5 118.76x
St Brelade 3 441.18x
Bridgewater 2 51.02x
Bromsgrove 2 50.76x
Penge 2 34.90x
Westbury On Severn 2 285.71x
Canford Magna 1 294.12x
Cowley 1 57.80x
East Woodhay 1 212.77x
Great Malvern 1 40.82x
Shalbourn 1 400.00x
Shoreditch London 1 2.57x
St George Hanover Square 1 6.33x
Trowbridge 1 28.49x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 4
Emma 4
Jane 4
Mary 4
Annie 2
Eliza 2
Emily 2
Georgina 2
Julia 2
Louisa 2
Sarah 2
Angelique 1
Ann 1
Anne 1
Charlotte 1
Edith 1
Elizth. 1
Ellen 1
Florrie 1
Lidia 1
Lucy 1
Margaret 1
Minnie 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 10
John 6
Charles 4
George 4
Joseph 4
Albert 2
David 2
Edward 2
Eugene 2
Henry 2
Robert 2
Thomas 2
Cornelius 1
Frank 1
Frederick 1
Harrey 1
Peter 1
Stephen 1
Tom 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Bellenger surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bellenger surname in 1881?

In 1881, 89 people were recorded with the Bellenger surname. That placed it at #21,091 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bellenger surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 155 in 2016. That gives Bellenger a modern rank of #23,197.

What does the Bellenger surname mean?

An occupational surname derived from the Old French "bellenger" meaning crossbowman or soldier.

What does the Bellenger map show?

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