NameCensus.

UK surname

Bellwood

A locational surname derived from a place called Bellwood, meaning "beautiful wood".

In the 1881 census there were 632 people recorded with the Bellwood surname, ranking it #5,612 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 846, ranked #6,610, down from #5,612 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hatfield, Fishlake, Thorne, Crowle (Eastoft), Batley and Bradford. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wakefield, County Durham and Bradford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bellwood is 938 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 33.9%.

1881 census count

632

Ranked #5,612

Modern count

846

2016, ranked #6,610

Peak year

1911

938 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bellwood had 632 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,612 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 846 in 2016, ranked #6,610.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 938 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Bellwood surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bellwood surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bellwood 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 311 #7,413
1861 historical 405 #6,337
1881 historical 632 #5,612
1891 historical 698 #5,614
1901 historical 824 #5,486
1911 historical 938 #4,786
1997 modern 886 #6,035
1998 modern 910 #6,106
1999 modern 910 #6,150
2000 modern 885 #6,249
2001 modern 874 #6,202
2002 modern 893 #6,223
2003 modern 854 #6,323
2004 modern 832 #6,456
2005 modern 809 #6,555
2006 modern 827 #6,448
2007 modern 842 #6,419
2008 modern 852 #6,410
2009 modern 867 #6,473
2010 modern 882 #6,500
2011 modern 868 #6,508
2012 modern 849 #6,531
2013 modern 870 #6,516
2014 modern 888 #6,448
2015 modern 864 #6,517
2016 modern 846 #6,610

Geography

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Where Bellwoods are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hatfield, Fishlake, Thorne, Crowle (Eastoft), Batley, Bradford, St Michael-le-Belfry, St Giles and Kippax. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wakefield, County Durham, Bradford, Richmondshire and Kingston upon Hull. 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 Hatfield, Fishlake, Thorne, Crowle (Eastoft) Yorkshire, West Riding
2 Batley Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding
4 St Michael-le-Belfry, St Giles Yorkshire, East Riding
5 Kippax Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wakefield 004 Wakefield
2 County Durham 060 County Durham
3 Bradford 003 Bradford
4 Richmondshire 001 Richmondshire
5 Kingston upon Hull 031 Kingston upon Hull, City of

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bellwood

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bellwood

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

Bellwood 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

Bellwood falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Bellwood

The surname BELLWOOD is of English origin, emerging in the late 12th century in the counties of Yorkshire and Lancashire. It is derived from the Old English words "bell," meaning a bell or bell-shaped structure, and "wudu," meaning a wood or forest. This likely referred to someone who lived near a wooded area where bells were rung, such as a church or monastery.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is found in the Assize Rolls of Lancashire in 1246, where it is spelled "de Bellewude." This spelling variation highlights the name's connection to a specific place or location.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various Yorkshire records, including the Yorkshire Poll Tax Returns of 1379, which mention a John de Belwode. This suggests the name was well-established in the region by that time.

The Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landowners and properties in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, does not contain any direct references to the name BELLWOOD. However, it does mention several places with similar names, such as Bellewode and Bellewodehouse, which may have influenced the surname's origin.

Notable individuals with the surname BELLWOOD include:

1. Thomas Bellwood (c. 1530-1592), an English Member of Parliament for Grimsby in 1563. 2. Edward Bellwood (1676-1752), an English landowner and banker from Yorkshire. 3. Mary Bellwood (1744-1813), an English philanthropist and pioneer of women's education in London. 4. John Bellwood (1798-1876), a British military officer who served in the Napoleonic Wars and the Crimean War. 5. William Bellwood (1887-1962), an English cricketer who played for Gloucestershire County Cricket Club in the early 20th century.

Throughout history, the surname BELLWOOD has maintained its connection to its English roots, with various spellings reflecting regional dialects and linguistic evolutions over time.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bellwood families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bellwood 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. Yorkshire leads with 471 Bellwoods recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.76x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 471 7.76x
Durham 42 2.30x
Northumberland 31 3.40x
Lancashire 20 0.28x
Lincolnshire 15 1.53x
Staffordshire 14 0.68x
Middlesex 8 0.13x
Worcestershire 7 0.88x
Anglesey 5 4.61x
Kent 5 0.24x
Norfolk 3 0.32x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.24x
Angus 1 0.18x
Devon 1 0.08x
Hampshire 1 0.08x
Somerset 1 0.10x
Surrey 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. Leeds in Yorkshire leads with 54 Bellwoods recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.75x.

Place Total Index
Leeds 54 15.75x
Preston 19 567.16x
Castleford 18 81.41x
Morley 18 57.03x
Pudsey 16 49.31x
Sykehouse 15 1744.19x
Borrowby In 14 2058.82x
Bishop Norton 13 1733.33x
Rothwell 13 106.04x
Pollington 12 1481.48x
Clifford Cum Boston 11 201.47x
Fairburn 11 1028.04x
Gristhorpe Newbiggin 11 2558.14x
Hunslet 11 11.62x
Jesmond 11 85.80x
Stockton On Tees 11 12.52x
Calverley Cum Farsley 10 58.00x
Holbeck 10 24.86x
Northallerton 10 129.03x
Westgate 10 17.72x
York St Denis In 10 375.94x
Ecclesfield 9 20.22x
Headingley Cum Burley 9 23.03x
Heighington 9 671.64x
Linthorpe 9 24.84x
Holy Trinity 8 5.48x
South Milford 8 361.99x
Thorne 8 106.24x
Claines 7 31.89x
Doncaster 7 15.78x
Elswick 7 9.62x
Normanton 7 38.38x
St Pancras London 7 1.42x
West Derby 7 3.29x
Bentley Cum Arksey 6 189.27x
Castle Church 6 48.27x
Dewsbury 6 9.64x
Redworth 6 517.24x
Stranton 6 9.78x
York Holy Trinity 6 114.50x
Eggbrough 5 781.25x
Heckmondwike 5 25.61x
Huddersfield 5 5.65x
Middlesbrough 5 6.33x
Potter Newton 5 46.69x
Sheffield 5 2.59x
Speldhurst 5 46.99x
Wavertree 5 21.49x
Worsbrough 5 28.11x
York St Giles In 5 87.41x
Gildersome 4 54.79x
Howden 4 97.09x
Keighley 4 6.18x
Kellington 4 615.38x
Llanfaes 4 816.33x
Nether Silton 4 1081.08x
Stafford St Mary 4 13.67x
Weston 4 655.74x
Aylsham 3 53.48x
Chapel Allerton 3 33.04x
East Thickley 3 81.30x
Micklefield 3 205.48x
Seacroft 3 104.53x
Sutton Under Whitstone 3 476.19x
Tynemouth 3 6.15x
Wakefield 3 6.44x
Barnsley 2 3.19x
Bishopwearmouth 2 1.28x
Carnaby 2 526.32x
Falsgrave 2 22.35x
Farndon 2 136.05x
Gowdall 2 454.55x
Hensall 2 266.67x
Knayton With Brawith 2 277.78x
Liverpool 2 0.45x
Newcastle Under Lyme 2 5.47x
Shildon 2 13.66x
Soothill 2 9.12x
Thornton Le Moor 2 285.71x
Tonge 2 13.11x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 40
William 36
Thomas 20
George 19
Robert 15
Charles 11
James 10
Richard 10
Arthur 8
Walter 8
Joseph 7
Alfred 6
Albert 5
Henry 5
Fred 4
Frederick 4
Harry 4
Mark 4
Tom 4
Wm. 4
Christopher 3
David 3
Edward 3
Edwin 3
Francis 3
Frank 3
Geo. 3
Herbert 3
Ewin 2
Rowland 2
Thos. 2
Alma 1
Anthony 1
Benjamin 1
Cecil 1
Chas. 1
Decimus 1
Donald 1
Earnest 1
Edgar 1
Ellis 1
Ernest 1
Fenton 1
Fredrick 1
Harold 1
Hugh 1
Jame 1
Jas. 1
Jas.D. 1
Wm.H. 1

FAQ

Bellwood surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bellwood surname in 1881?

In 1881, 632 people were recorded with the Bellwood surname. That placed it at #5,612 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bellwood surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 846 in 2016. That gives Bellwood a modern rank of #6,610.

What does the Bellwood surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place called Bellwood, meaning "beautiful wood".

What does the Bellwood map show?

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