NameCensus.

UK surname

Berwick

An English place name referring to a village located near a river crossing or brook.

In the 1881 census there were 1,208 people recorded with the Berwick surname, ranking it #3,342 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,436, ranked #4,270, down from #3,342 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Kettle, London parishes and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Allerdale, Tonbridge and Malling and Horsham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Berwick is 1,557 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 18.9%.

1881 census count

1,208

Ranked #3,342

Modern count

1,436

2016, ranked #4,270

Peak year

1999

1,557 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Berwick had 1,208 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,342 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,436 in 2016, ranked #4,270.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,511 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Berwick surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Berwick surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Berwick 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 983 #2,839
1861 historical 1,358 #2,112
1881 historical 1,208 #3,342
1891 historical 1,450 #3,022
1901 historical 1,511 #3,397
1911 historical 1,293 #3,685
1997 modern 1,516 #3,872
1998 modern 1,542 #3,953
1999 modern 1,557 #3,958
2000 modern 1,532 #3,994
2001 modern 1,502 #3,979
2002 modern 1,536 #3,996
2003 modern 1,499 #4,004
2004 modern 1,482 #4,047
2005 modern 1,458 #4,053
2006 modern 1,419 #4,149
2007 modern 1,433 #4,155
2008 modern 1,420 #4,214
2009 modern 1,453 #4,221
2010 modern 1,459 #4,274
2011 modern 1,445 #4,259
2012 modern 1,402 #4,299
2013 modern 1,446 #4,262
2014 modern 1,463 #4,253
2015 modern 1,444 #4,254
2016 modern 1,436 #4,270

Geography

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Where Berwicks are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Kettle, London parishes, St Pancras, Edinburgh and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Allerdale, Tonbridge and Malling, Horsham and Central and South Inch. 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 Kettle Fife
2 London parishes London 3
3 St Pancras London (North Districts)
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Allerdale 003 Allerdale
2 Tonbridge and Malling 003 Tonbridge and Malling
3 Horsham 006 Horsham
4 Horsham 007 Horsham
5 Central and South Inch Perth and Kinross

Forenames

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First names often paired with Berwick

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Berwick

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Berwick, 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 Berwick surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Berwick 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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Berwick is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Berwick is most concentrated in decile 1 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Berwick falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Berwick

The surname Berwick is of English origin and can be traced back to the medieval period. It is a locational name derived from the town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, which lies on the border between England and Scotland. The name is derived from the Old English words "bere" meaning "barley" and "wic" meaning "village" or "dwelling place".

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Berwick can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a survey of landowners commissioned by William the Conqueror. The entry refers to a landowner named Robertus de Berewic, who held land in the county of Northumberland.

In the 13th century, a prominent member of the Berwick family was Sir William de Berwick, who served as a knight and was appointed Sheriff of Northumberland in 1264. He played a role in the Wars of Scottish Independence and was present at the Battle of Falkirk in 1298.

Another notable figure with the surname Berwick was John Berwick, a 15th-century English clergyman and scholar. He was born in 1425 and served as the Archdeacon of Worcester from 1472 until his death in 1489.

During the reign of King Henry VIII in the 16th century, Sir Thomas Berwick was a prominent courtier and diplomat. He was born in 1490 and served as the English ambassador to the Holy Roman Empire and Spain.

In the 17th century, Edward Berwick was a notable English writer and playwright. He was born in 1638 and is best known for his satirical plays and comedies, such as "The Merry Lads of Berwick" and "The Berwick Bargeman".

The Berwick name has also been associated with various places in England, including Berwick-upon-Tweed, Berwick St. James in Wiltshire, and Berwick St. John in Norfolk. The name has also been found with variations in spelling, such as Barwick, Berwyck, and Berwyk.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Berwick families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Berwick 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. Fife leads with 158 Berwicks recorded in 1881 and an index of 22.71x.

County Total Index
Fife 158 22.71x
Middlesex 144 1.23x
Yorkshire 102 0.88x
Lancashire 100 0.72x
Northamptonshire 92 8.32x
Norfolk 62 3.43x
Surrey 60 1.05x
Kent 50 1.25x
Sussex 48 2.42x
Warwickshire 46 1.55x
Lanarkshire 41 1.08x
Durham 35 1.00x
Cumberland 33 3.26x
Staffordshire 33 0.83x
Worcestershire 32 2.08x
Bedfordshire 18 2.96x
Glamorgan 18 0.88x
Midlothian 15 0.95x
Gloucestershire 12 0.52x
Ayrshire 11 1.25x
Buckinghamshire 10 1.41x
Essex 9 0.39x
Devon 7 0.29x
Huntingdonshire 7 3.00x
Montgomeryshire 7 2.60x
Leicestershire 6 0.46x
Roxburghshire 6 2.82x
Hampshire 5 0.21x
Hertfordshire 5 0.62x
Perthshire 5 0.95x
Somerset 5 0.26x
Morayshire 4 2.19x
Northumberland 3 0.17x
Derbyshire 2 0.11x
Dumfriesshire 2 0.77x
Wiltshire 2 0.19x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.09x
Angus 1 0.09x
Argyllshire 1 0.31x
Berkshire 1 0.11x
Carmarthenshire 1 0.20x
Cheshire 1 0.04x
Dorset 1 0.13x
Dunbartonshire 1 0.32x
Kirkcudbrightshire 1 0.59x
Renfrewshire 1 0.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Aspatria in Cumberland leads with 31 Berwicks recorded in 1881 and an index of 318.60x.

Place Total Index
Aspatria 31 318.60x
Kettle 28 335.33x
Holcot 26 1721.85x
Aston 25 3.06x
Irthlingborough 25 230.63x
St Andrews 22 69.49x
Kilconquhar 19 229.47x
Bermondsey 18 5.14x
East Dereham 18 78.84x
Ceres 17 203.11x
Islington London 17 1.49x
St Pancras London 17 1.80x
Dewsbury 15 12.56x
Largo 15 165.93x
Poplar London 15 6.76x
Glasgow 14 2.07x
Hackney London 14 2.12x
Markinch 14 59.27x
Birmingham 13 1.32x
Frant 13 92.59x
Camberwell 12 1.60x
Liverpool 12 1.42x
Habergham Eaves 11 8.63x
Kings Norton 11 7.99x
St George Hanover Square 11 5.31x
Auckinleck 10 36.72x
Barony 10 1.04x
Lambeth 10 0.98x
Old Monkland 10 6.63x
Shipley 10 16.54x
St Peters 10 53.91x
Westoe 10 5.04x
Burton Upon Trent 9 9.70x
Cwmdu 9 36.10x
Dunbog 9 1022.73x
Eckington 9 330.88x
Olney 9 91.56x
Shoreditch London 9 1.77x
Eccleshill 8 28.22x
Fxhls Bythrp Btrwch 8 470.59x
Twining 8 231.21x
Bishopwearmouth 7 2.33x
Bradford 7 2.48x
Brighton 7 1.75x
Bromley London 7 2.71x
Burnham Westgate 7 179.49x
Gorton 7 5.34x
Govan 7 0.74x
Hawnes 7 186.17x
Hetton Le Hole 7 15.79x
Kimbolton 7 142.28x
Manchester 7 1.12x
Mile End Old Town London 7 2.80x
North Leith 7 9.61x
Roath 7 7.53x
Rotherfield 7 40.11x
Willenhall 7 9.42x
Bow London 6 4.01x
Foulsham 6 157.07x
Goudhurst 6 54.05x
Horsham 6 15.58x
Leuchars 6 68.18x
Montgomery 6 125.00x
Northampton Priory St 6 9.04x
Northampton St Giles 6 14.25x
Northampton St Sepulchre 6 10.67x
Oldham 6 1.33x
Plumstead 6 4.49x
Preston 6 1.61x
Rawmarsh 6 14.58x
Sidmouth 6 42.83x
Spofforth 6 375.00x
St Giles In Fields London 6 10.40x
Streatham 6 6.88x
Tottenham 6 3.21x
Cranfield 5 85.47x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 5 0.79x
Falkland 5 45.70x
Tonge 5 17.09x
Wilton 5 21.40x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 67
Elizabeth 34
Sarah 30
Ann 22
Jane 20
Alice 16
Eliza 14
Emma 13
Annie 12
Ellen 12
Louisa 10
Martha 10
Harriet 9
Anne 8
Florence 8
Margaret 8
Caroline 7
Charlotte 7
Emily 7
Ada 6
Edith 6
Hannah 6
Maria 6
Isabella 5
Susan 5
Agnes 4
Elizth. 4
Phoebe 4
Rebecca 4
Sophia 4
Catherine 3
Clara 3
Fanny 3
Frances 3
Grace 3
Kate 3
Minnie 3
Rosa 3
Amelia 2
Bertha 2
Dinah 2
Gertrude 2
Laura 2
Lydia 2
Mabel 2
Margt. 2
Marion 2
Mercy 2
Phebe 2
Rachel 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 63
George 38
John 38
Charles 35
James 32
Thomas 32
Henry 22
Robert 19
Joseph 16
Edward 15
Alfred 10
Harry 10
Albert 9
Walter 9
Arthur 7
Samuel 7
Frederick 6
Richard 6
Fredk. 4
Herbert 4
Jabez 4
David 3
Edwin 3
Ernest 3
Frank 3
Fred 3
Stephen 3
Thos. 3
Willm. 3
Charlie 2
Fredrick 2
Jas. 2
Leonard 2
Peter 2
Wm. 2
Benj. 1
Cyril 1
Duncan 1
Ethel 1
Francis 1
Fred. 1
Fredk.C. 1
Fredk.James 1
Hezekiah 1
Hodgson 1
Howard 1
Humphey 1
Jacob 1
Jesse 1
Jno.Saml. 1

FAQ

Berwick surname: questions and answers

How common was the Berwick surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,208 people were recorded with the Berwick surname. That placed it at #3,342 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Berwick surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,436 in 2016. That gives Berwick a modern rank of #4,270.

What does the Berwick surname mean?

An English place name referring to a village located near a river crossing or brook.

What does the Berwick map show?

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