NameCensus.

UK surname

Bellew

Derived from the Old French "bel eau," meaning "beautiful water," likely referring to someone who lived near a body of water.

In the 1881 census there were 168 people recorded with the Bellew surname, ranking it #14,380 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 520, ranked #9,720, up from #14,380 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), London parishes and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Torridge, Swansea and Newport.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bellew is 540 in 2007. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 209.5%.

1881 census count

168

Ranked #14,380

Modern count

520

2016, ranked #9,720

Peak year

2007

540 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bellew had 168 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,380 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 520 in 2016, ranked #9,720.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 327 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Bellew surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bellew surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bellew 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 112 #15,913
1861 historical 81 #23,431
1881 historical 168 #14,380
1891 historical 200 #14,913
1901 historical 327 #10,966
1911 historical 321 #10,902
1997 modern 497 #9,340
1998 modern 507 #9,486
1999 modern 503 #9,618
2000 modern 505 #9,561
2001 modern 506 #9,382
2002 modern 501 #9,611
2003 modern 501 #9,471
2004 modern 518 #9,274
2005 modern 509 #9,328
2006 modern 514 #9,291
2007 modern 540 #9,015
2008 modern 536 #9,139
2009 modern 530 #9,432
2010 modern 533 #9,595
2011 modern 532 #9,512
2012 modern 517 #9,644
2013 modern 528 #9,633
2014 modern 529 #9,683
2015 modern 526 #9,654
2016 modern 520 #9,720

Geography

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Where Bellews are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), London parishes, Manchester, Wiveliscombe and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Torridge, Swansea, Newport, Halton and North Devon. 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 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Wiveliscombe Somerset
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Torridge 004 Torridge
2 Swansea 014 Swansea
3 Newport 001 Newport
4 Halton 006 Halton
5 North Devon 011 North Devon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bellew

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bellew

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Bellew surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Bellew household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Bellew 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

Bellew is most concentrated in decile 3 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Bellew falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Bellew is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Bellew

The surname Bellew is of Anglo-Norman origin, tracing its roots back to the regions of Normandy and Brittany in France. It is believed to have derived from the Old French words "bel" meaning "beautiful" or "fair," and "lieu" meaning "place" or "spot." This suggests that the name may have originally referred to a scenic or picturesque location.

The earliest known record of the Bellew surname appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of land ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. In this document, the name is recorded as "Bellow" and is associated with landholdings in various counties, including Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire.

During the medieval period, the Bellew family established themselves as a prominent Anglo-Norman family in Ireland. One notable member was Sir John Bellew, who was born in 1292 and served as the Lord Justice of Ireland in the 14th century.

Another significant figure was Sir Patrick Bellew, born around 1350, who fought alongside Edward the Black Prince during the Hundred Years' War. He was knighted for his valor on the battlefield and later granted lands in County Louth, Ireland.

In the 16th century, the Bellew family became influential landowners in County Galway, Ireland. Sir Christopher Bellew, born in 1519, played a crucial role in the Plantations of Ireland, a government-sponsored initiative to establish English and Scottish settlers on Irish lands.

The surname Bellew can also be found in various spellings, such as Bellieu, Bellewe, and Bellieux, reflecting regional variations and linguistic influences over time.

One of the most renowned individuals with the Bellew surname was Richard Bellew, born in 1527 in County Louth, Ireland. He served as the Lord High Treasurer of Ireland and was instrumental in the establishment of Trinity College, Dublin.

Another notable figure was Patrick Bellew, born in 1576 in County Louth, who became a prominent Catholic landowner and was involved in the Irish Confederate Wars of the 17th century.

In the realm of literature, Reverend John Bellew, born in 1760 in County Galway, Ireland, gained recognition as a poet and playwright. His works included the tragedy "Deserter of Naples" and the poem "The Betrayal of Christ."

The Bellew surname has also been associated with various place names throughout history, such as Bellew's Town in County Louth, Ireland, and Bellew's Grove in County Galway, Ireland, reflecting the family's influence and landholdings in these regions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bellew families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bellew 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. Devon leads with 31 Bellews recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.20x.

County Total Index
Devon 31 9.20x
Lancashire 29 1.51x
Somerset 27 10.36x
Middlesex 22 1.36x
Gloucestershire 11 3.46x
Glamorgan 8 2.84x
Cheshire 7 1.96x
Surrey 6 0.76x
Yorkshire 6 0.37x
Kent 4 0.72x
Aberdeenshire 3 2.00x
Buckinghamshire 3 3.06x
Cornwall 2 1.09x
Durham 2 0.42x
Lincolnshire 2 0.77x
Berkshire 1 0.82x
Cumberland 1 0.72x
Hampshire 1 0.30x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wiveliscombe in Somerset leads with 20 Bellews recorded in 1881 and an index of 1379.31x.

Place Total Index
Wiveliscombe 20 1379.31x
Liverpool 11 9.43x
Manchester 9 10.42x
St Anne Soho London 8 86.49x
Yarnscombe 8 5333.33x
Tranmere 7 53.27x
Clevedon 6 221.40x
Clifton 6 37.36x
Brampford Speke 5 1851.85x
Northowram 5 44.44x
Swansea Higher 5 170.07x
Cheltenham 4 16.33x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 3 10.69x
Bootle Cum Linacre 3 19.66x
Instow 3 833.33x
Northam 3 121.95x
Paddington London 3 5.04x
Plymouth St Andrew 3 11.55x
St George In East London 3 19.70x
St Pancras London 3 2.30x
Winslow 3 326.09x
Bexley 2 40.98x
Bideford 2 55.40x
Bishopwearmouth 2 4.84x
Horncastle 2 74.91x
Lambeth 2 1.42x
Langtree 2 487.80x
Mile End Old Town London 2 5.80x
Sharples 2 96.15x
St George Hanover Square 2 7.01x
St Ive 2 169.49x
Swansea St Thomas 2 70.67x
Wandsworth 2 12.83x
Wavertree 2 32.52x
Barnstaple 1 18.90x
Camberwell 1 0.97x
Charlton Kings 1 45.45x
Chatham 1 6.58x
Croydon 1 2.28x
Exeter Holy Trinity 1 75.76x
Fremington 1 147.06x
Great Torrington 1 52.36x
Lee 1 12.47x
Ovenden 1 14.01x
Southampton All Sts 1 17.57x
Speen 1 50.25x
St Giles In Fields London 1 12.59x
Stoke Damerel 1 4.24x
Taunton St Mary 1 20.92x
Toxteth Park 1 1.54x
Widnes 1 7.22x
Workington 1 12.53x
Ystradyfodwg 1 4.04x

Top female names

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

FAQ

Bellew surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bellew surname in 1881?

In 1881, 168 people were recorded with the Bellew surname. That placed it at #14,380 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bellew surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 520 in 2016. That gives Bellew a modern rank of #9,720.

What does the Bellew surname mean?

Derived from the Old French "bel eau," meaning "beautiful water," likely referring to someone who lived near a body of water.

What does the Bellew map show?

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