NameCensus.

UK surname

Bellinger

An English occupational surname referring to a bell-founder or bell-ringer.

In the 1881 census there were 447 people recorded with the Bellinger surname, ranking it #7,350 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 679, ranked #7,896, down from #7,350 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Barking and Portsmouth, Portsea. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Lancaster, West Berkshire and Sheffield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bellinger is 795 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 51.9%.

1881 census count

447

Ranked #7,350

Modern count

679

2016, ranked #7,896

Peak year

1998

795 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bellinger had 447 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,350 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 679 in 2016, ranked #7,896.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 692 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Bellinger surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bellinger surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bellinger 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 233 #9,272
1861 historical 310 #8,175
1881 historical 447 #7,350
1891 historical 568 #6,687
1901 historical 692 #6,345
1911 historical 657 #6,393
1997 modern 732 #6,993
1998 modern 795 #6,779
1999 modern 782 #6,925
2000 modern 757 #7,060
2001 modern 732 #7,102
2002 modern 742 #7,167
2003 modern 740 #7,088
2004 modern 705 #7,350
2005 modern 679 #7,526
2006 modern 672 #7,607
2007 modern 684 #7,568
2008 modern 676 #7,683
2009 modern 696 #7,673
2010 modern 671 #8,050
2011 modern 673 #7,937
2012 modern 663 #7,943
2013 modern 686 #7,869
2014 modern 693 #7,837
2015 modern 676 #7,943
2016 modern 679 #7,896

Geography

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Where Bellingers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Barking, Portsmouth, Portsea and St George the Martyr. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Lancaster, West Berkshire, Sheffield, Oxford and Colchester. 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 1
2 Barking Essex
3 London parishes London 3
4 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire
5 St George the Martyr London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Lancaster 001 Lancaster
2 West Berkshire 010 West Berkshire
3 Sheffield 018 Sheffield
4 Oxford 013 Oxford
5 Colchester 019 Colchester

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bellinger

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bellinger

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Bellinger 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

Bellinger is most concentrated in decile 9 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Bellinger

The surname Bellinger is of German origin, derived from the Middle High German word "bellinge," which means "bell" or "bell-maker." The name is believed to have originated in the 13th or 14th century as an occupational surname for those who were involved in the making or ringing of bells, particularly in churches or monasteries.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be traced back to the southern regions of Germany, particularly in the areas around Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. In medieval times, surnames were often derived from occupations, and the Bellinger name likely originated among families or individuals who were involved in bell-making or bell-ringing professions.

One of the earliest known references to the Bellinger name can be found in the records of the city of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, where a Hans Bellinger was mentioned in a document dated 1478. Another early record comes from the town of Ulm, where a Konrad Bellinger was recorded in the 16th century.

As the name spread across Germany and Europe, it underwent various spelling variations, such as Bellinger, Bellenger, and Bellingher. These variations were often influenced by regional dialects and local pronunciation differences.

Notable individuals with the Bellinger surname include:

1. Johann Bellinger (1560-1632), a German composer and organist who served at the court of the Elector of Saxony. 2. Johann Philipp Bellinger (1638-1704), a German baroque painter known for his religious and mythological works. 3. Johann Gottfried Bellinger (1715-1787), a German jurist and legal scholar who served as a professor at the University of Leipzig. 4. Carl Bellinger (1804-1889), a German-American architect and engineer who designed several notable buildings in New York City, including the Cooper Union Foundation Building. 5. Gustav Bellinger (1856-1930), a German classical philologist and epigraphist who made significant contributions to the study of ancient Greek inscriptions.

While the Bellinger name has its roots in Germany, it has since spread to various parts of the world, particularly through immigration and migration patterns. However, the core meaning and origin of the name remain closely tied to its German heritage and the historical occupation of bell-making or bell-ringing.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bellinger families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bellinger 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 97 Bellingers recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.20x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 97 2.20x
Surrey 54 2.51x
Hampshire 53 5.86x
Essex 36 4.14x
Berkshire 30 9.06x
Dorset 24 8.29x
Gloucestershire 22 2.54x
Lancashire 22 0.42x
Kent 16 1.06x
Oxfordshire 13 4.77x
Somerset 12 1.69x
Wiltshire 11 2.82x
Buckinghamshire 10 3.75x
Warwickshire 9 0.81x
Shropshire 8 2.10x
Sussex 7 0.94x
Staffordshire 6 0.40x
Herefordshire 4 2.21x
Devon 3 0.33x
Midlothian 3 0.51x
Royal Navy 3 5.71x
Channel Islands 2 1.53x
Cumberland 2 0.53x
Glamorgan 2 0.26x
Worcestershire 2 0.35x
Suffolk 1 0.19x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bethnal Green London in Middlesex leads with 23 Bellingers recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.01x.

Place Total Index
Bethnal Green London 23 12.01x
Portsea 22 12.42x
Southwark St George Martyr 20 22.54x
West Ham 17 8.85x
Bermondsey 13 9.90x
Manchester 13 5.53x
East Woodhay 10 432.90x
Newbury 10 94.34x
Overton 10 462.96x
Wycombe 10 50.33x
Acton 9 34.82x
Barking 9 35.34x
Islington London 9 2.11x
Mile End Old Town London 9 9.59x
Cardington 8 919.54x
Charlton Kings 8 133.78x
Birmingham 7 1.89x
Frome 7 41.23x
Gloucester Barton St Mary 7 44.25x
Hammersmith London 7 6.44x
Lambeth 7 1.82x
Woodsford 7 2500.00x
Eaton Hastings 6 3000.00x
Mile End New Town London 6 68.89x
Plumstead 6 11.96x
St Thomas Winchester 6 94.04x
Swindon 6 19.83x
Accrington 5 10.51x
Dartford 5 32.51x
Ealing 5 12.69x
Hornchurch 5 117.10x
Kensington London 5 2.04x
Nether Compton 5 862.07x
Rodbourne Cheney 5 166.11x
Wolverhampton 5 4.37x
Brize Norton 4 344.83x
Dorchester St Peter 4 190.48x
Greenham 4 242.42x
Hackney London 4 1.62x
Lambourn 4 121.95x
Oxford St Aldate 4 139.37x
Rotherhithe 4 7.34x
Southwark Christchurch 4 19.36x
St Botolph Aldgate London 4 44.05x
Bexley 3 22.56x
Broadwater 3 17.60x
Dowdeswell 3 400.00x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 3 1.26x
Edmonton 3 8.44x
Great Faringdon 3 63.03x
Royal Navy 3 6.68x
Weston Super Mare 3 16.74x
Withington 3 254.24x
Alton Pancras 2 512.82x
Bromley London 2 2.06x
Dagenham 2 38.61x
Iwerne Courtnay 2 102.56x
Kingston On Thames 2 3.88x
Melcombe Regis 2 16.68x
Oxford St Ebbe 2 24.97x
South Bersted 2 31.65x
St Brelade 2 59.52x
St George Hanover Square 2 2.57x
St Marylebone London 2 0.85x
St Pancras London 2 0.56x
Walthamstow 2 6.38x
Workington 2 9.20x
Bedminster 1 1.50x
Bovey Tracey 1 31.15x
Caterham 1 10.53x
Chaddleworth 1 161.29x
Dover Castle 1 91.74x
Garsington 1 108.70x
Hampstead London 1 1.46x
Kington 1 22.32x
Kirkley 1 22.27x
Portsmouth 1 4.81x
Shipton 1 196.08x
Shoreditch London 1 0.52x
Tottenham 1 1.42x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 23
John 19
George 18
Charles 17
James 16
Henry 14
Thomas 14
Alfred 7
Richard 7
Edward 6
Albert 5
David 4
Frederick 4
Arthur 3
Ashley 3
Benjamin 3
Daniel 3
Francis 3
Michael 3
Walter 3
Wm. 3
Edwin 2
Ernest 2
Frank 2
Harry 2
Hy. 2
Joseph 2
Andrew 1
Aubry 1
Dan 1
Edgar 1
Fredrick 1
G.F.S. 1
Geo. 1
Geore 1
Gurnan 1
Gustav 1
H. 1
H.A.S. 1
Herbert 1
Isaac 1
Jessie 1
Jno. 1
Leonard 1
Patrick 1
Robert 1
Silas 1
Sylvester 1
Willis 1
Willm. 1

FAQ

Bellinger surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bellinger surname in 1881?

In 1881, 447 people were recorded with the Bellinger surname. That placed it at #7,350 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bellinger surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 679 in 2016. That gives Bellinger a modern rank of #7,896.

What does the Bellinger surname mean?

An English occupational surname referring to a bell-founder or bell-ringer.

What does the Bellinger map show?

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