NameCensus.

UK surname

Besford

In the 1881 census there were 194 people recorded with the Besford surname, ranking it #13,097 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 244, ranked #17,096, down from #13,097 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Warkworth, London parishes and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include County Durham, Waveney and Northumberland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Besford is 278 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 25.8%.

1881 census count

194

Ranked #13,097

Modern count

244

2016, ranked #17,096

Peak year

2002

278 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Besford had 194 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #13,097 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 244 in 2016, ranked #17,096.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 230 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Besford surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Besford surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Besford 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 129 #14,406
1861 historical 129 #17,271
1881 historical 194 #13,097
1891 historical 183 #15,918
1901 historical 197 #15,272
1911 historical 230 #13,686
1997 modern 257 #14,989
1998 modern 259 #15,320
1999 modern 262 #15,308
2000 modern 265 #15,143
2001 modern 266 #14,878
2002 modern 278 #14,726
2003 modern 266 #14,987
2004 modern 265 #15,110
2005 modern 267 #14,954
2006 modern 260 #15,329
2007 modern 256 #15,647
2008 modern 250 #16,065
2009 modern 253 #16,283
2010 modern 248 #16,886
2011 modern 250 #16,637
2012 modern 256 #16,253
2013 modern 249 #16,825
2014 modern 245 #17,140
2015 modern 240 #17,279
2016 modern 244 #17,096

Geography

Back to top

Where Besfords are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Warkworth, London parishes, Gateshead, Ormsby St Margaret, Scratby and Bedlington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to County Durham, Waveney, Northumberland and North Tyneside. 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 Warkworth Northumberland
2 London parishes London 3
3 Gateshead Durham
4 Ormsby St Margaret, Scratby Norfolk
5 Bedlington Northumberland

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 County Durham 005 County Durham
2 Waveney 009 Waveney
3 Northumberland 030 Northumberland
4 North Tyneside 002 North Tyneside
5 County Durham 015 County Durham

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Besford

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Besford

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

Young Families in Industrial Towns

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Besford 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

Besford is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Besford falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Besford is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

1881 census detail

Back to top

Besford families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Besford 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. Northumberland leads with 56 Besfords recorded in 1881 and an index of 19.89x.

County Total Index
Northumberland 56 19.89x
Durham 42 7.46x
Norfolk 42 14.44x
Lancashire 21 0.94x
Essex 8 2.14x
Northamptonshire 6 3.37x
Middlesex 5 0.26x
Yorkshire 5 0.27x
Suffolk 3 1.30x
Surrey 3 0.33x
Cheshire 2 0.48x
Kent 1 0.15x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Cowpen in Northumberland leads with 20 Besfords recorded in 1881 and an index of 308.64x.

Place Total Index
Cowpen 20 308.64x
Great Yarmouth 20 82.99x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 15 61.53x
Usworth 9 301.00x
Whitley 9 989.01x
Liverpool 8 5.87x
Ormesby St Margaret W 8 1095.89x
Bedlington 7 74.47x
Gateshead 7 16.61x
Daventry 6 238.10x
Reepham With Kerdiston 6 1764.71x
West Rainton 6 344.83x
Corsenside 5 1136.36x
East Chevington 5 531.91x
Colchester St Peter 4 268.46x
Crompton 4 62.60x
Happisburgh 4 1111.11x
Humshaugh 4 1290.32x
Urmston 4 273.97x
Hetton Le Hole 3 42.08x
Hinderwell 3 187.50x
Lowestoft 3 27.55x
St Giles Cripplegate 3 119.52x
Fulham London 2 7.29x
Layton With Warbreck 2 24.27x
Lessingham 2 1818.18x
Newington 2 2.86x
Simonburn 2 740.74x
Skinningrove 2 173.91x
Stanford Rivers 2 317.46x
Alnwick 1 20.66x
Altrincham 1 13.70x
Bermondsey 1 1.78x
Dawdon 1 14.45x
Haswell 1 24.81x
Kelvedon 1 100.00x
Mistley 1 100.00x
Monkridge 1 2000.00x
Moss Side 1 8.47x
Nantwich 1 20.62x
Northfleet 1 17.57x
Rusholme 1 16.69x
Trunch 1 344.83x
Walcott 1 1250.00x
Wall 1 384.62x
Wellhaugh 1 500.00x
Whittingham 1 101.01x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 17
William 13
Thomas 10
Robert 7
James 6
George 5
Joseph 4
Henry 3
Arthur 2
Herbert 2
Alexander 1
Anthony 1
Armstrong 1
Clarence 1
David 1
Edward 1
Geo. 1
Harold 1
Isaac 1
Jabez 1
Leonard 1
Matthew 1
Percy 1
Richard 1
Samuel 1
Tom 1
Walter 1
Walton 1

FAQ

Besford surname: questions and answers

How common was the Besford surname in 1881?

In 1881, 194 people were recorded with the Besford surname. That placed it at #13,097 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Besford surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 244 in 2016. That gives Besford a modern rank of #17,096.

What does the Besford map show?

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