NameCensus.

UK surname

Bellman

An occupational surname referring to a town crier or a bell ringer in a church.

In the 1881 census there were 296 people recorded with the Bellman surname, ranking it #9,823 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 307, ranked #14,508, down from #9,823 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, London parishes and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Tunbridge Wells, Camden and Shepway.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bellman is 362 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 3.7%.

1881 census count

296

Ranked #9,823

Modern count

307

2016, ranked #14,508

Peak year

1911

362 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bellman had 296 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,823 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 307 in 2016, ranked #14,508.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 362 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Bellman surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bellman surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bellman 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 223 #9,562
1861 historical 172 #13,619
1881 historical 296 #9,823
1891 historical 268 #12,087
1901 historical 330 #10,899
1911 historical 362 #10,020
1997 modern 293 #13,736
1998 modern 299 #13,908
1999 modern 306 #13,782
2000 modern 311 #13,588
2001 modern 304 #13,619
2002 modern 313 #13,615
2003 modern 310 #13,522
2004 modern 301 #13,850
2005 modern 282 #14,368
2006 modern 293 #14,116
2007 modern 283 #14,579
2008 modern 296 #14,275
2009 modern 300 #14,420
2010 modern 312 #14,314
2011 modern 319 #14,000
2012 modern 319 #13,898
2013 modern 317 #14,186
2014 modern 306 #14,647
2015 modern 295 #14,935
2016 modern 307 #14,508

Geography

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Where Bellmans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, London parishes, St Pancras, Colton and St Leonard Bromley. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Tunbridge Wells, Camden, Shepway, Hinckley and Bosworth and Waverley. 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 Rochdale Lancashire
2 London parishes London 3
3 St Pancras London (North Districts)
4 Colton Lancashire
5 St Leonard Bromley London (East Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Tunbridge Wells 001 Tunbridge Wells
2 Camden 005 Camden
3 Shepway 011 Shepway
4 Hinckley and Bosworth 010 Hinckley and Bosworth
5 Waverley 005 Waverley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bellman

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bellman

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

Professional Periphery

Within London, Bellman is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

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

Bellman is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Bellman

The surname Bellman has its origins in England, emerging during the medieval period. It derives from the Old English words "belle" meaning bell and "mann" or man, referring to the occupation of a bell ringer or bellman in a church or town.

In medieval England, bellmen played a crucial role in communities, ringing the bells to signal important events, such as the start of a workday, curfews, or emergencies. The first recorded use of the surname Bellman dates back to the 13th century in the English county of Staffordshire.

Historical records from the Hundred Rolls of 1273 mention a Roger le Belleman from Huntingdonshire, demonstrating the prevalence of the name during that time. The Pipe Rolls of 1230 also reference a William Beleman in Gloucestershire.

One of the earliest known bearers of the surname was John Bellman, who lived in the village of Higham Ferrers, Northamptonshire, in the late 14th century. The name also appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, which recorded landowners and tenants across England after the Norman Conquest.

In the 16th century, the surname was found in various areas of England, including London and the counties of Norfolk, Suffolk, and Somerset. Notable individuals with the surname Bellman include Richard Bellman (c. 1564 - 1624), a wealthy merchant from Somerset, and Thomas Bellman (1607 - 1677), a member of the Massachusetts Bay Colony who emigrated from England in the 17th century.

Other historical figures bearing the surname Bellman include Sir Samuel Bellman (1688 - 1756), a prominent lawyer and judge in London, and Charles Bellman (1801 - 1872), a British artist known for his landscape paintings.

The surname Bellman also has variants and spellings influenced by regional dialects, such as Belman, Belleman, and Bellaman. These variations can be found in various historical records and documents across different regions of England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bellman families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bellman 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. Lancashire leads with 61 Bellmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.77x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 61 1.77x
Middlesex 52 1.79x
Cornwall 49 14.94x
Hampshire 20 3.37x
Cumberland 13 5.21x
Devon 12 1.99x
Surrey 12 0.85x
Warwickshire 11 1.51x
Norfolk 10 2.24x
Kent 9 0.91x
Leicestershire 8 2.49x
Monmouthshire 6 2.86x
Sussex 6 1.23x
Essex 4 0.70x
Gloucestershire 3 0.53x
Lincolnshire 3 0.65x
Westmorland 3 4.71x
Northumberland 2 0.46x
Staffordshire 2 0.20x
Suffolk 2 0.57x
Carmarthenshire 1 0.82x
Derbyshire 1 0.22x
Durham 1 0.12x
Hertfordshire 1 0.50x
Oxfordshire 1 0.56x
Royal Navy 1 2.90x
Wiltshire 1 0.39x
Worcestershire 1 0.26x
Yorkshire 1 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Just In Roseland in Cornwall leads with 18 Bellmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 1250.00x.

Place Total Index
St Just In Roseland 18 1250.00x
Camborne 14 103.63x
West Derby 13 12.93x
St Pancras London 11 4.72x
Falmouth 10 86.13x
Kirkdale 10 17.29x
Birmingham 9 3.70x
Bow London 9 24.40x
Colton 8 446.93x
Preston Quarter 8 114.45x
Southampton St Mary 8 21.42x
Godshill 7 510.95x
Hackney London 6 3.69x
Lewisham 6 11.38x
Llanfoist 6 413.79x
Plymouth Charles The 6 22.58x
Ulverston 6 59.94x
Upper Allithwaite E 6 1071.43x
Hastings St Mary In The 5 47.98x
Leicester St Mary 5 19.27x
Newington 5 4.67x
Stoke Damerel 5 11.85x
Bromley London 4 6.28x
Islington London 4 1.42x
Liverpool 4 1.92x
Mile End Old Town London 4 6.49x
Norwich St Mary In Marsh 4 800.00x
Bermondsey 3 3.48x
Clerkenwell London 3 4.39x
Gooderstone 3 625.00x
Kendal 3 25.73x
Keswick 3 94.04x
Leicester Augustin 3 3333.33x
Paddington London 3 2.82x
Spotland 3 7.85x
St George Hanover Square 3 5.88x
St Maryle Wigford 3 83.33x
Bungay St Mary 2 114.29x
Chelsea London 2 2.29x
Hulme 2 2.79x
Madron Penzance 2 16.76x
Manchester 2 1.29x
Moulton St Mary 2 833.33x
Sancreed 2 215.05x
St Buryan 2 148.15x
Westbury On Trym 2 10.39x
Whitehaven 2 15.05x
Wolverhampton 2 2.66x
Aston 1 0.50x
Barrow In Furness 1 2.14x
Bonchurch 1 149.25x
Brabourne 1 135.14x
Brighton 1 1.01x
Compton Gifford 1 52.91x
Cowpen 1 10.07x
Farnborough 1 16.03x
Fugglestone St Peter 1 99.01x
Garston 1 9.85x
Helston 1 29.33x
Henham 1 123.46x
Hertford St John 1 33.56x
Kingston On Thames 1 2.95x
Lambeth 1 0.40x
Lancaster 1 4.89x
Llandingat 1 36.10x
Niton 1 126.58x
North Meols 1 2.97x
Oldham 1 0.90x
Over Darwen 1 3.64x
Portsea 1 0.86x
Rochester St Margaret 1 9.60x
Royal Navy 1 3.39x
South Shields 1 13.02x
St Marylebone London 1 0.65x
Sutton 1 9.79x
Trowse Cum Newton 1 90.91x
West Ham 1 0.79x
Westgate 1 3.75x
Westminster St Margaret 1 7.15x
Worcester St Peter 1 13.97x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 19
Mary 19
Jane 9
Margaret 8
Annie 7
Louisa 7
Sarah 6
Ann 5
Alice 4
Hannah 4
Harriet 4
Agnes 3
Caroline 3
Emma 3
Isabella 3
Charlotte 2
Ellen 2
Emily 2
Florence 2
Helen 2
Minnie 2
Phillippa 2
Susan 2
Susanna 2
Becky 1
Betsy 1
Clara 1
Diney 1
Edith 1
Eleanor 1
Eliza 1
Elizh. 1
Eveline 1
Fanny 1
Frances 1
Francis 1
Grace 1
Jemimma 1
Joanna 1
Julia 1
Laura 1
Lizzie 1
Lydia 1
Marion 1
Martha 1
Maude 1
Meta 1
Nellie 1
Rose 1
Rosina 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 25
James 12
William 12
Henry 9
George 8
Charles 5
Robert 5
Edward 4
Thomas 4
Albert 3
Joseph 3
Lewis 3
Richard 3
Thos. 3
Alfred 2
Arthur 2
Daniel 2
Edwin 2
Frederick 2
Harry 2
Wm. 2
A.H. 1
Archibald 1
Augustus 1
Bertie 1
Chas. 1
Chas.M. 1
Christopher 1
Ebenzer 1
Ederick 1
Edmund 1
Eric 1
Ernest 1
Frank 1
Franklin 1
Gordon 1
Hamlet 1
Harold 1
Henery 1
Herbert 1
Hortis 1
Hubert 1
Moses 1
Peter 1
Philip 1
R. 1
Soloman 1
Vincent 1
W.D.Walter 1
Woolf 1

FAQ

Bellman surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bellman surname in 1881?

In 1881, 296 people were recorded with the Bellman surname. That placed it at #9,823 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bellman surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 307 in 2016. That gives Bellman a modern rank of #14,508.

What does the Bellman surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to a town crier or a bell ringer in a church.

What does the Bellman map show?

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