NameCensus.

UK surname

Bew

A English surname derived from a place name.

In the 1881 census there were 415 people recorded with the Bew surname, ranking it #7,763 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 369, ranked #12,617, down from #7,763 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lambourn, Newbury and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hartlepool, Stoke-on-Trent and West Lindsey.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bew is 571 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 11.1%.

1881 census count

415

Ranked #7,763

Modern count

369

2016, ranked #12,617

Peak year

1901

571 bearers

Map years

6

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bew had 415 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,763 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 369 in 2016, ranked #12,617.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 571 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Bew surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bew surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bew 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 376 #6,343
1881 historical 415 #7,763
1901 historical 571 #7,341
1997 modern 371 #11,645
1998 modern 391 #11,539
1999 modern 386 #11,740
2000 modern 382 #11,792
2001 modern 375 #11,774
2002 modern 379 #11,913
2003 modern 359 #12,189
2004 modern 348 #12,495
2005 modern 341 #12,605
2006 modern 349 #12,473
2007 modern 348 #12,637
2008 modern 357 #12,509
2009 modern 369 #12,447
2010 modern 384 #12,374
2011 modern 379 #12,343
2012 modern 373 #12,344
2013 modern 400 #11,915
2014 modern 401 #11,979
2015 modern 381 #12,345
2016 modern 369 #12,617

Geography

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Where Bews are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lambourn, Newbury, London parishes and St Giles Camberwell. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Hartlepool, Stoke-on-Trent, West Lindsey and Mid Sussex. 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 Lambourn Berkshire
2 Newbury Berkshire
3 London parishes London 1
4 London parishes London 3
5 St Giles Camberwell London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Hartlepool 007 Hartlepool
2 Stoke-on-Trent 007 Stoke-on-Trent
3 Hartlepool 014 Hartlepool
4 West Lindsey 004 West Lindsey
5 Mid Sussex 002 Mid Sussex

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bew

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bew

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Bew is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Bew 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

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

Meaning and origin of Bew

The surname BEW is an English surname that originated in the county of Wiltshire, England, in the early medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "beaw," which means "ring" or "bracelet," suggesting that the name may have been originally bestowed upon someone who crafted or traded in such jewelry.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the BEW surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Beu" and "Bew." This historic document, commissioned by William the Conqueror, provides a valuable insight into the distribution of surnames and their early spellings across England.

During the 13th century, the name was frequently recorded in various forms, such as "Bew," "Bewe," and "Beaw," in the county of Wiltshire, particularly in the areas around Salisbury and Amesbury. This suggests that the name may have originated in or around these regions.

Notable individuals bearing the BEW surname include John Bew (c. 1350-1420), a wealthy merchant and landowner from Salisbury, Wiltshire, who served as a city alderman and was instrumental in the construction of the historic Poultry Cross in the city center. William Bew (1515-1588) was a prominent clergyman and author from Amesbury, Wiltshire, who published several religious texts and served as the rector of St. Mary's Church in his hometown.

In the 16th century, the surname Bew was also found in the neighboring county of Somerset, where it appears in records associated with the village of Bew, which may have derived its name from the surname or vice versa. Thomas Bew (1567-1624), a notable landowner and farmer from Bew, Somerset, is recorded as having bequeathed a significant portion of his estate to the local parish church.

Another prominent figure was Edward Bew (1670-1745), a successful merchant and shipowner from Bristol, England, who played a significant role in the city's thriving maritime trade during the early 18th century. His son, John Bew (1702-1778), continued the family's mercantile legacy and served as a respected member of the Bristol Society of Merchant Venturers.

Throughout its history, the Bew surname has maintained a strong presence in the counties of Wiltshire and Somerset, although it has also been found in other parts of England, particularly in the neighboring counties and urban centers where members of the family may have migrated or established themselves.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bew families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bew 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. Surrey leads with 65 Bews recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.30x.

County Total Index
Surrey 65 3.30x
Yorkshire 58 1.45x
Berkshire 57 18.76x
Middlesex 56 1.38x
Oxfordshire 32 12.80x
Essex 25 3.13x
Lancashire 21 0.44x
Nottinghamshire 13 2.38x
Sussex 12 1.76x
Kent 11 0.80x
Durham 10 0.83x
Hampshire 10 1.21x
Glamorgan 8 1.13x
Monmouthshire 8 2.73x
Bedfordshire 7 3.34x
Lincolnshire 6 0.93x
Staffordshire 5 0.37x
Hertfordshire 3 1.08x
Northamptonshire 3 0.79x
Northumberland 3 0.50x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.41x
Devon 1 0.12x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Kensington London in Middlesex leads with 26 Bews recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.55x.

Place Total Index
Kensington London 26 11.55x
West Ham 22 12.47x
Camberwell 20 7.73x
Lambourn 17 564.78x
Holbeck 14 52.67x
Sutton 14 98.11x
Worth 10 201.61x
Lambeth 9 2.55x
Wokingham 9 129.68x
Caversham 8 160.00x
Croydon 8 7.31x
Hailey 8 454.55x
Witney 8 191.39x
Llantwit Vairdre 7 88.38x
Newark Upon Trent 7 35.70x
Newbury 7 71.94x
Stotfold 7 174.56x
Walton On Hill 7 26.90x
Battersea 6 4.03x
Fitling 6 3157.89x
Goole 6 89.29x
Greenham 6 394.74x
Bermondsey 5 4.15x
Billingham 5 241.55x
Burslem 5 12.77x
Islington London 5 1.27x
Lewisham 5 6.79x
Liverpool 5 1.71x
Mile End Old Town London 5 5.80x
Nottingham St Mary 5 3.54x
Rotherfield Greys 5 188.68x
St Woollos 5 15.31x
Sunninghill 5 118.48x
Accrington 4 9.16x
East Kirkby 4 869.57x
Gate Helmsley 4 1428.57x
Hammersmith London 4 4.01x
Hartley Wintney 4 160.64x
Knottingley 4 56.74x
Armley 3 16.96x
Bishopwearmouth 3 2.90x
Chorlton On Medlock 3 3.93x
Deptford St Paul 3 2.82x
Earswick 3 1500.00x
East Hendred 3 265.49x
Speen 3 60.36x
Trevethin 3 10.85x
Wallingford St Leonard 3 212.77x
Westgate 3 8.04x
Westminster St Margaret 3 15.36x
Bethnal Green London 2 1.14x
Clifton In York 2 23.84x
Curbridge 2 238.10x
Farlington 2 118.34x
Fulham London 2 3.41x
Mitcham 2 16.04x
Portsea 2 1.23x
Selby 2 23.87x
St Marylebone London 2 0.93x
Stockton On Tees 2 3.45x
Thatcham 2 42.74x
West Derby 2 1.42x
Burstow 1 59.88x
Byfield 1 90.91x
Coningsby 1 53.76x
East Barnet 1 18.08x
Harwick St Nicholas 1 79.37x
Holy Trinity 1 1.04x
Leeds 1 0.44x
Market Weighton Arras 1 38.31x
Masham 1 67.57x
Northampton St Giles 1 6.90x
Peterborough 1 3.63x
Rotherwick 1 156.25x
Ruswarp 1 22.42x
St Pancras London 1 0.31x
Swansea Town 1 1.73x
Wraysbury 1 109.89x
York St Lawrence 1 23.92x
York St Mary 1 6.02x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 28
Elizabeth 24
Emily 11
Ann 10
Sarah 10
Eliza 8
Annie 7
Hannah 6
Jane 6
Edith 5
Emma 5
Charlotte 4
Ada 3
Harriet 3
Margaret 3
Maria 3
Martha 3
Alice 2
Bertha 2
Caroline 2
Clara 2
Ellen 2
Esther 2
Ethel 2
Fanny 2
Helen 2
Kate 2
Lilian 2
Minnie 2
Susan 2
Augusta 1
Catherine 1
Dinah 1
Elizth. 1
Ellice 1
Ester 1
Flore. 1
Florence 1
Florrie 1
Hester 1
Jemima 1
Jenny 1
Jessie 1
Julia 1
Laura 1
Lilley 1
Lillie 1
Lizzie 1
Lizzy 1
Zilpah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 25
John 20
George 15
James 14
Charles 12
Robert 12
Thomas 10
Henry 8
Joseph 7
Edward 6
Alfred 5
Frederick 5
Ernest 4
Walter 4
Albert 3
Arthur 3
Frank 3
Herbert 3
Lancelot 3
Benjamin 2
Chas. 2
David 2
Edwin 2
Elijah 2
Harry 2
Sidney 2
Thos. 2
Augustus 1
Bob 1
C. 1
Charley 1
Chas.Wm. 1
Christopher 1
Edd. 1
Edgar 1
Ern. 1
Francis 1
Fredrick 1
G. 1
Isaac 1
Jas. 1
Jesse 1
Lambert 1
Richard 1
Rob. 1
Robt. 1
Rushforth 1
Timothy 1
Tom 1
Wm.Walter 1

FAQ

Bew surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bew surname in 1881?

In 1881, 415 people were recorded with the Bew surname. That placed it at #7,763 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bew surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 369 in 2016. That gives Bew a modern rank of #12,617.

What does the Bew surname mean?

A English surname derived from a place name.

What does the Bew map show?

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