UK surname
A Vietnamese surname derived from the word "bích" meaning jade or emerald.
In the 1881 census there were 2 people recorded with the Bich surname, ranking it #33,721 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 12, ranked #37,385, down from #33,721 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Wellingborough, Manchester and Pendock. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bich is 108 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 500.0%.
1881 census count
2
Ranked #33,721
Modern count
12
2016, ranked #37,385
Peak year
1861
108 bearers
Map years
1
1861 to 1861
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Bich surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Bich surname density by area, 1861 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 4 | #32,658 |
| 1861 | historical | 108 | #19,856 |
| 1881 | historical | 2 | #33,721 |
| 1891 | historical | 42 | #31,018 |
| 1901 | historical | 13 | #32,633 |
| 1911 | historical | 9 | #32,754 |
| 1997 | modern | 7 | #37,533 |
| 1998 | modern | 9 | #37,189 |
| 1999 | modern | 4 | #38,100 |
| 2000 | modern | 4 | #38,004 |
| 2001 | modern | 4 | #37,862 |
| 2002 | modern | 3 | #38,152 |
| 2003 | modern | 4 | #37,951 |
| 2004 | modern | 5 | #37,830 |
| 2005 | modern | 5 | #37,885 |
| 2006 | modern | 6 | #37,788 |
| 2007 | modern | 6 | #37,837 |
| 2008 | modern | 6 | #37,883 |
| 2009 | modern | 7 | #37,816 |
| 2010 | modern | 7 | #37,904 |
| 2011 | modern | 5 | #38,168 |
| 2012 | modern | 10 | #37,509 |
| 2013 | modern | 12 | #37,342 |
| 2014 | modern | 12 | #37,355 |
| 2015 | modern | 12 | #37,371 |
| 2016 | modern | 12 | #37,385 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Wellingborough, Manchester, Pendock, Cheltenham and St Luke. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wellingborough | Northamptonshire |
| 2 | Manchester | Lancashire |
| 3 | Pendock | Gloucestershire |
| 4 | Cheltenham | Gloucestershire |
| 5 | St Luke | London (Central Districts) |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Bich surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Bich, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Bich surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Bich household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Bich is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Bich is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Bich, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname "BICH" is believed to have originated in Germany, with records dating back to the early 16th century. It is thought to be derived from the Old German word "bich," which referred to a small stream or brook. This suggests that the name may have initially been a descriptive name for someone who lived near a small body of water.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Kirchenbücher (church records) of the town of Dierdorf, located in the Rheinland-Pfalz region of western Germany. In these records, a man named Hans Bich is mentioned in an entry from the year 1527.
The name also appears in other historical documents from the region, such as land records and legal documents. For example, a man named Peter Bich is recorded as owning a parcel of land in the village of Altenkirchen in 1583.
As the name spread throughout Germany and beyond, variations in spelling began to emerge. Some of these included Bych, Bich, and Biche. Additionally, the name was sometimes combined with other words or place names to form more descriptive surnames, such as Bichler or Bichlbauer.
One notable individual who bore the surname Bich was Johann Bich, a German painter and engraver who lived from 1615 to 1681. He was known for his religious paintings and worked primarily in the city of Augsburg.
Another person of note was Christoph Bich, a German theologian and writer who lived from 1572 to 1632. He was a prominent figure in the Protestant Reformation and authored several works on religious subjects.
In the 18th century, a man named Johann Wilhelm Bich (1732-1807) was a respected philosopher and educator who taught at the University of Göttingen in Germany.
Moving into the 19th century, there was a German composer named Karl Bich (1801-1873) who was known for his instrumental works and church music.
Finally, one of the more recent historical figures with the surname Bich was Friedrich Bich (1865-1949), a German architect who designed several notable buildings in the city of Berlin.
While the surname Bich is not as common today as it once was, it remains a part of the rich tapestry of German naming traditions and serves as a reminder of the country's linguistic and cultural heritage.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bich surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Nottinghamshire leads with 1 Bichs recorded in 1881 and an index of 38.46x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Nottinghamshire | 1 | 38.46x |
| Somerset | 1 | 32.26x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bedminster in Somerset leads with 1 Bichs recorded in 1881 and an index of 344.83x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Bedminster | 1 | 344.83x |
| Nottingham St Peter | 1 | 3333.33x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Bich surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Bich households.
FAQ
In 1881, 2 people were recorded with the Bich surname. That placed it at #33,721 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 12 in 2016. That gives Bich a modern rank of #37,385.
A Vietnamese surname derived from the word "bích" meaning jade or emerald.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Bich bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.