NameCensus.

UK surname

Bevis

French topographic surname for someone who lived near a stream, from Old French bief, "canal, irrigation channel."

In the 1881 census there were 1,036 people recorded with the Bevis surname, ranking it #3,791 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,297, ranked #4,617, down from #3,791 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Hastings St Mary-in-the-Castle, Hastings St Andrew and Newchurch. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Fareham and Eastleigh.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bevis is 1,440 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 25.2%.

1881 census count

1,036

Ranked #3,791

Modern count

1,297

2016, ranked #4,617

Peak year

1911

1,440 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bevis had 1,036 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,791 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,297 in 2016, ranked #4,617.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,440 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Bevis surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bevis surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bevis 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 617 #4,187
1861 historical 534 #4,920
1881 historical 1,036 #3,791
1891 historical 1,002 #4,139
1901 historical 1,337 #3,743
1911 historical 1,440 #3,358
1997 modern 1,354 #4,247
1998 modern 1,413 #4,242
1999 modern 1,397 #4,306
2000 modern 1,393 #4,300
2001 modern 1,369 #4,280
2002 modern 1,350 #4,433
2003 modern 1,330 #4,399
2004 modern 1,343 #4,374
2005 modern 1,299 #4,427
2006 modern 1,302 #4,436
2007 modern 1,284 #4,537
2008 modern 1,276 #4,583
2009 modern 1,300 #4,609
2010 modern 1,320 #4,638
2011 modern 1,300 #4,642
2012 modern 1,280 #4,638
2013 modern 1,328 #4,561
2014 modern 1,338 #4,555
2015 modern 1,314 #4,584
2016 modern 1,297 #4,617

Geography

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Where Bevis' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Hastings St Mary-in-the-Castle, Hastings St Andrew, Newchurch and Alverstoke, Gosport, Rowner. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Fareham and Eastleigh. 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 Hastings St Mary-in-the-Castle, Hastings St Andrew Sussex
3 Newchurch Hampshire
4 London parishes London 3
5 Alverstoke, Gosport, Rowner Hampshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Fareham 006 Fareham
2 Eastleigh 013 Eastleigh
3 Fareham 002 Fareham
4 Fareham 001 Fareham
5 Fareham 007 Fareham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bevis

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bevis

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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Bevis surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Bevis household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Bevis is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, 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

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

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

Bevis is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Bevis falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Bevis is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Bevis

The surname Bevis is of Anglo-Norman origin, deriving from the French personal name Beuves or Bevys. This name is believed to have derived from an Old Frankish name composed of the elements "bi" meaning "near" and "vits" meaning "wood". The name was introduced to England after the Norman Conquest of 1066.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Bevis date back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears in various spellings such as Beuvis, Bevys, and Bevis. The surname was particularly prevalent in the counties of Norfolk, Suffolk, and Essex, suggesting that it may have originated in the eastern regions of England.

One notable historical figure bearing the surname Bevis was Sir Bevis of Hampton, a legendary English knight who was the subject of a popular medieval romance. The tale of Sir Bevis of Hampton, which dates back to the 13th century, recounts the adventures and exploits of this knight, who is depicted as a valiant and chivalrous hero.

Another individual of note was William Bevis, who lived in the late 14th century and was a prominent merchant and landowner in the city of Bristol. Records from this time period indicate that he owned several properties and played an influential role in the city's commercial affairs.

In the 15th century, John Bevis, a clergyman and scholar, served as the Bishop of Carlisle from 1448 to 1463. He was known for his contributions to the church and his involvement in various ecclesiastical matters during his tenure as bishop.

Moving into the 16th century, there was Thomas Bevis, a renowned English cartographer and surveyor who lived from around 1510 to 1580. He is best known for his detailed maps and surveys of various regions in England, including the counties of Norfolk and Suffolk.

Finally, in the 17th century, John Bevis (1695-1771) was a notable English physician and astronomer. He made significant contributions to the field of astronomy, particularly in the areas of comet observation and the study of eclipses. He was also a Fellow of the Royal Society and published several works on astronomical subjects.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bevis families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bevis 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. Hampshire leads with 340 Bevis' recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.43x.

County Total Index
Hampshire 340 16.43x
Middlesex 202 2.00x
Surrey 96 1.95x
Kent 69 2.00x
Sussex 59 3.47x
Wiltshire 30 3.36x
Dorset 26 3.92x
Somerset 26 1.60x
Essex 21 1.05x
Norfolk 21 1.35x
Cheshire 17 0.76x
Lancashire 17 0.14x
Cambridgeshire 14 2.19x
Northamptonshire 13 1.37x
Gloucestershire 11 0.56x
Suffolk 10 0.81x
Warwickshire 10 0.39x
Yorkshire 10 0.10x
Lincolnshire 9 0.56x
Devon 8 0.38x
Berkshire 6 0.79x
Angus 2 0.21x
Cornwall 2 0.18x
Durham 2 0.07x
Glamorgan 2 0.11x
Lanarkshire 2 0.06x
Monmouthshire 2 0.27x
Royal Navy 2 1.66x
Hertfordshire 1 0.14x
Huntingdonshire 1 0.50x
Leicestershire 1 0.09x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.07x
Staffordshire 1 0.03x
Worcestershire 1 0.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Titchfield in Hampshire leads with 78 Bevis' recorded in 1881 and an index of 500.00x.

Place Total Index
Titchfield 78 500.00x
Portsea 44 10.85x
Alverstoke 37 49.39x
Bursledon 23 1022.22x
Islington London 23 2.35x
Andover 21 107.42x
Chard 21 106.65x
Bethnal Green London 20 4.56x
St Pancras London 20 2.46x
St Marylebone London 19 3.52x
Hindon 14 732.98x
Paddington London 13 3.50x
Portsmouth 13 27.28x
Bermondsey 12 3.99x
Camberwell 11 1.71x
Carisbrooke 11 38.29x
Hastings All Sts 11 68.58x
Hastings St Mary 11 25.97x
Ryde 11 24.75x
Wandsworth 11 11.32x
Westminster St John 11 8.95x
Croydon 10 3.66x
Heston 10 29.82x
Burghclere 9 342.21x
Chelsea London 9 2.96x
Claughton With Grange 9 88.67x
Edmonton 9 11.06x
Lee 9 17.99x
St Mary Bourne 9 240.00x
Battersea 8 2.15x
Brighton 8 2.33x
Deptford St Paul 8 3.01x
Hastings St Leonards 8 31.97x
Hornsey 8 6.27x
Murston 8 263.16x
St Andrewthe Great 8 96.74x
Swanton Morley 8 336.13x
Burnley 7 6.94x
Fareham 7 28.15x
Greenwich 7 4.36x
Kingston On Thames 7 5.92x
Minster In Sheppey 7 12.27x
Newington 7 1.88x
Shimpling 7 1166.67x
Shoreditch London 7 1.60x
South Stoneham 7 15.59x
Axminster 6 7500.00x
Chester St Peter St 6 250.00x
Clapham 6 4.75x
Goodworth Clatford 6 346.82x
Helion Bumpstead 6 223.05x
Holdenhurst 6 11.05x
Lambeth 6 0.68x
Maidstone 6 5.85x
Northampton St Sepulchre 6 12.42x
Penton Grafton 6 375.00x
Penton Mewsey 6 606.06x
Poplar London 6 3.15x
Rotherhithe 6 4.81x
South Bersted 6 41.44x
Stanford Rivers 6 178.04x
West Ham 6 1.36x
West Tytherley 6 408.16x
Willesden 6 6.30x
Woking 6 20.24x
Bray 5 22.45x
Gosberton 5 69.74x
Hove 5 6.69x
Peterborough 5 7.27x
South Hayling 5 135.87x
St George Hanover Square 5 2.81x
Thornbury 5 36.93x
Whitechapel London 5 5.02x
Wyke Regis 5 52.58x
Deptford St Nicholas 4 14.63x
Edgbaston 4 5.07x
Lewisham 4 2.18x
Moss Side 4 6.35x
St Peterat Gowts Lincoln 4 17.61x
Weeke 4 63.80x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 55
Charles 39
George 35
Henry 32
John 32
James 26
Thomas 20
Arthur 18
Albert 14
Walter 14
Alfred 13
Frederick 12
Frank 10
Joseph 10
Robert 10
Edwin 8
Ernest 8
Samuel 8
Benjamin 7
Edward 7
Harry 6
Herbert 6
Fred 5
Martin 4
Owen 4
Chas. 3
David 3
Geo. 3
Nathan 3
Percy 3
Richard 3
Wm. 3
Edgar 2
Francis 2
Fredk. 2
Reuben 2
Sidney 2
Stephen 2
Sydney 2
Absolom 1
Alexander 1
Archibald 1
Asher 1
Benj. 1
Claude 1
Clement 1
Cornelius 1
Cuthbert 1
Dan 1
Harold 1

FAQ

Bevis surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bevis surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,036 people were recorded with the Bevis surname. That placed it at #3,791 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bevis surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,297 in 2016. That gives Bevis a modern rank of #4,617.

What does the Bevis surname mean?

French topographic surname for someone who lived near a stream, from Old French bief, "canal, irrigation channel."

What does the Bevis map show?

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