NameCensus.

UK surname

Bickle

A derivative of "beak" referring to one with an unusually shaped nose.

In the 1881 census there were 633 people recorded with the Bickle surname, ranking it #5,604 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 436, ranked #11,062, down from #5,604 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Mary Stow and Beer Ferris. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cornwall, West Devon and Staffordshire Moorlands.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bickle is 791 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 31.1%.

1881 census count

633

Ranked #5,604

Modern count

436

2016, ranked #11,062

Peak year

1901

791 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bickle had 633 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,604 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 436 in 2016, ranked #11,062.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 791 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Bickle surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bickle surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bickle 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 469 #5,291
1861 historical 463 #5,613
1881 historical 633 #5,604
1891 historical 665 #5,851
1901 historical 791 #5,692
1911 historical 768 #5,645
1997 modern 533 #8,871
1998 modern 529 #9,195
1999 modern 533 #9,197
2000 modern 532 #9,181
2001 modern 529 #9,071
2002 modern 527 #9,285
2003 modern 488 #9,657
2004 modern 475 #9,871
2005 modern 463 #9,989
2006 modern 442 #10,388
2007 modern 455 #10,239
2008 modern 456 #10,306
2009 modern 457 #10,532
2010 modern 464 #10,633
2011 modern 450 #10,790
2012 modern 442 #10,812
2013 modern 447 #10,885
2014 modern 455 #10,804
2015 modern 441 #10,994
2016 modern 436 #11,062

Geography

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Where Bickles are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Mary Stow, Beer Ferris, Lifton, Bratton Clovelly, Broadwood Widger and Tavistock. Whitechurch, St Peter Tavy. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cornwall, West Devon and Staffordshire Moorlands. 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 3
2 Mary Stow Devon
3 Beer Ferris Devon
4 Lifton, Bratton Clovelly, Broadwood Widger Devon
5 Tavistock. Whitechurch, St Peter Tavy Devon

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cornwall 001 Cornwall
2 West Devon 004 West Devon
3 Cornwall 005 Cornwall
4 Cornwall 006 Cornwall
5 Staffordshire Moorlands 010 Staffordshire Moorlands

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bickle

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bickle

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Bickle is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

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

Bickle is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Bickle falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Bickle

The surname Bickle has its origins in Germany and dates back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to have derived from the German word "bickel," which means "little pickaxe" or "hatchet." This suggests that the name was likely associated with a person who worked as a miner or woodcutter.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Bickle can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus, a collection of medieval documents from the region of Saxony, dating back to the 13th century. The name appeared in various spellings, such as "Bickel" and "Bickele," reflecting the regional variations and phonetic adaptations common in medieval times.

In the 16th century, the name Bickle gained prominence in the region of Hesse, where it was associated with several notable individuals. One such person was Johann Bickle (1532-1604), a Lutheran clergyman and theologian who served as a professor at the University of Marburg.

During the 17th century, the Bickle family established a presence in the town of Kirchhain, located in the modern-day state of Hesse. Records from this period mention Hans Bickle (1620-1678), a prominent landowner and local magistrate who played a significant role in the town's governance.

As the centuries passed, the Bickle name spread across various regions of Germany and beyond. In the 19th century, one of the most notable figures bearing this surname was Friedrich August Bickle (1837-1918), a German-born Canadian architect who left a lasting legacy through his contributions to the architectural landscape of Toronto.

Another individual of note was Wilhelm Bickle (1866-1929), a German-American businessman and philanthropist who founded the Bickle Knitting Machine Company in Philadelphia. His company played a pioneering role in the development of knitting technology and contributed to the growth of the textile industry in the United States.

Throughout its history, the Bickle surname has been associated with individuals from various walks of life, including tradesmen, professionals, and prominent figures in their respective fields. While its origins can be traced back to medieval Germany, the name has since spread across the globe, reflecting the migration patterns and cultural exchanges that have shaped the modern world.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bickle families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bickle 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. Devon leads with 369 Bickles recorded in 1881 and an index of 28.57x.

County Total Index
Devon 369 28.57x
Cornwall 86 12.24x
Middlesex 36 0.58x
Lancashire 20 0.27x
Surrey 20 0.66x
Northumberland 16 1.73x
Somerset 14 1.40x
Yorkshire 13 0.21x
Durham 11 0.60x
Kent 10 0.47x
Gloucestershire 8 0.66x
Sussex 8 0.76x
Wiltshire 5 0.91x
Midlothian 4 0.48x
Glamorgan 3 0.28x
Lanarkshire 3 0.15x
Northamptonshire 3 0.51x
Essex 2 0.16x
Royal Navy 2 2.71x
Dorset 1 0.25x
Hampshire 1 0.08x
Worcestershire 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. Lidford in Devon leads with 39 Bickles recorded in 1881 and an index of 672.41x.

Place Total Index
Lidford 39 672.41x
Marystow 29 3493.98x
Stoke Damerel 24 26.55x
Calstock 22 159.77x
Milton Abbott 20 1069.52x
Bere Ferrers 19 892.02x
Lifton 17 546.62x
Marytavy 17 894.74x
Plymouth Charles The 17 29.88x
Cramlington 16 131.15x
St Marylebone London 15 4.53x
Bratton Clovelly 14 1093.75x
Plymouth St Andrew 13 13.07x
Broadwoodwidger 11 748.30x
South Petherwin 11 625.00x
St Mary Magdalene 11 213.18x
Habergham Eaves 10 14.86x
Werrington 10 714.29x
Phillack 9 99.23x
Chelsea London 8 4.28x
Hastings St Mary 8 30.73x
Kyo 8 92.06x
Meavy 8 1333.33x
Ossett Cum Gawthorpe 8 36.43x
Tavistock 8 54.38x
Battersea 7 3.07x
Exeter St Sidwell 7 23.66x
Lamerton 7 285.71x
Northlew 7 432.10x
Broughton In Salford 6 8.91x
Egg Buckland 6 272.73x
Holsworthy 6 164.84x
Newington 6 2.62x
Stowford 6 722.89x
Stratton 6 157.48x
Whitchurch 6 264.32x
Bradstone 5 1851.85x
Brentor 5 1785.71x
Bridgerule West 5 1020.41x
Bristol St Mary Redcliff 5 45.13x
Curry Rivell 5 149.70x
Lambeth 5 0.92x
St Budeaux 5 124.38x
Ashburton 4 64.83x
Beerferris 4 158.73x
Buckfastleigh 4 67.11x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 4 1.20x
Sampford Spiney 4 459.77x
St Erth 4 93.90x
Stoke 4 76.48x
Swindon 4 9.40x
Barony 3 0.59x
Bingley 3 7.66x
Cardiff St John 3 8.50x
Clerkenwell London 3 2.05x
Deptford St Paul 3 1.84x
Gillingham 3 6.87x
Highweek 3 65.22x
Paddington London 3 1.32x
Pilkington 3 10.73x
Potterspury 3 128.21x
Seaham 3 44.58x
St George Hanover Square 3 2.74x
St Stephens By Saltash 3 99.01x
Week St Mary 3 272.73x
Woolwich 3 3.84x
Bedminster 2 2.13x
Bridestow 2 145.99x
Clawton 2 210.53x
Ermington 2 42.55x
Hampstead London 2 2.07x
Royal Navy 2 3.16x
Shobrooke 2 145.99x
St Dominick 2 113.64x
St Stephen 2 80.32x
St Teath 2 47.28x
St Thomas Apostle 2 92.59x
Walkhampton 2 161.29x
Waltham Holy Cross 2 17.47x
Yeovil 2 9.86x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 51
Elizabeth 27
Emma 13
Sarah 12
Ann 9
Jane 9
Emily 8
Ellen 7
Annie 6
Clara 6
Susan 6
Eliza 5
Hannah 5
Louisa 5
Selina 5
Susanna 5
Alice 4
Bessie 4
Catherine 4
Edith 4
Fanny 4
Harriet 4
Anna 3
Florence 3
Frances 3
Lucy 3
Maria 3
Susannah 3
Beatrice 2
Charlotte 2
Elizth. 2
Ethel 2
Gertrude 2
Grace 2
Harriett 2
Jessie 2
Julia 2
Martha 2
Maud 2
Phillippa 2
Sally 2
Anne 1
Caroline 1
Carradassah 1
Carry 1
Elizth.R. 1
Emeline 1
Helen 1
Henrietta 1
Wilmot 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 66
John 51
Thomas 33
George 21
Richard 17
Henry 15
Charles 11
James 11
Edward 8
Samuel 8
Francis 5
Harry 5
Alfred 4
Frederick 4
Albert 3
Daniel 3
Earnest 3
Jebus 3
Ambrose 2
Benjamin 2
Charley 2
Edwin 2
Herbert 2
Josiah 2
Robert 2
Thos. 2
Arthur 1
Chares 1
Charlie 1
Charls 1
Chas. 1
Eddey 1
Edgar 1
Eli 1
F.J. 1
Fred 1
Frederic 1
Fredk.Wm. 1
Fredrick 1
Heber 1
Hubert 1
Hugh 1
Jno.H.B. 1
Joseph 1
Josias 1
Lawrence 1
Leonard 1
Levi 1
Manfred 1
Wyndham 1

FAQ

Bickle surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bickle surname in 1881?

In 1881, 633 people were recorded with the Bickle surname. That placed it at #5,604 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bickle surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 436 in 2016. That gives Bickle a modern rank of #11,062.

What does the Bickle surname mean?

A derivative of "beak" referring to one with an unusually shaped nose.

What does the Bickle map show?

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