UK surname
A surname derived from the Old English personal name "Bida", meaning "one who requests" or "one who commands".
In the 1881 census there were 143 people recorded with the Biden surname, ranking it #15,955 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 85, ranked #32,637, down from #15,955 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Kingston-on-Thames and Petersfield. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Biden is 179 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 40.6%.
1881 census count
143
Ranked #15,955
Modern count
85
2016, ranked #32,637
Peak year
1901
179 bearers
Map years
6
1851 to 1911
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Biden surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Biden surname density by area, 1881 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 | 106 | #16,512 |
| 1861 | historical | 118 | #18,512 |
| 1881 | historical | 143 | #15,955 |
| 1891 | historical | 163 | #17,300 |
| 1901 | historical | 179 | #16,227 |
| 1911 | historical | 174 | #16,311 |
| 1997 | modern | 89 | #28,490 |
| 1998 | modern | 91 | #28,806 |
| 1999 | modern | 90 | #29,056 |
| 2000 | modern | 88 | #29,284 |
| 2001 | modern | 82 | #29,714 |
| 2002 | modern | 94 | #28,797 |
| 2003 | modern | 91 | #29,121 |
| 2004 | modern | 92 | #29,197 |
| 2005 | modern | 87 | #29,966 |
| 2006 | modern | 86 | #30,425 |
| 2007 | modern | 83 | #31,183 |
| 2008 | modern | 83 | #31,483 |
| 2009 | modern | 87 | #31,489 |
| 2010 | modern | 88 | #31,875 |
| 2011 | modern | 86 | #32,006 |
| 2012 | modern | 80 | #32,877 |
| 2013 | modern | 86 | #32,557 |
| 2014 | modern | 86 | #32,663 |
| 2015 | modern | 82 | #32,911 |
| 2016 | modern | 85 | #32,637 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Kingston-on-Thames, Petersfield 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 No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | London parishes | London 1 |
| 2 | Kingston-on-Thames | Surrey |
| 3 | London parishes | London 3 |
| 4 | Petersfield | Hampshire |
| 5 | St Giles Camberwell | London (South Districts) |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Biden 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 Biden, 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 Biden surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Biden 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, Biden 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 Biden is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Biden, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Biden is believed to have originated in the English county of Sussex during the early medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old English words "byd" and "denu," which together mean "a valley where byde or birch trees grow." This suggests that the name may have originally referred to someone who lived near such a valley or settlement.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is spelled "Bidene." This entry refers to a landowner in the village of Bidene, which is now known as Biden in West Sussex. The name is also found in other medieval records from the region, sometimes spelled as "Bydden" or "Byddene."
In the 13th century, there are records of individuals with the surname Biden living in the nearby village of Cuckfield. A document from 1296 mentions a John de Bydden, who was likely a member of a local gentry family.
During the 16th and 17th centuries, the name appears to have spread beyond Sussex, with records showing Bidens living in various parts of southern England. One notable figure from this period was William Biden (c. 1550-1622), a wealthy merchant and landowner from Hampshire.
In the 18th century, several members of the Biden family were involved in the British colonial efforts in North America. Thomas Biden (1712-1789) was a ship's captain who transported settlers to the Virginia colony, while his nephew, James Biden (1745-1821), served as a soldier during the American Revolutionary War.
Another prominent individual with the surname was Sir John Biden (1785-1859), a British naval officer who played a significant role in the Napoleonic Wars. He was born in Devon and rose through the ranks to become an admiral in the Royal Navy.
As the centuries progressed, the Biden surname continued to appear in various parts of England, with some families also establishing roots in other parts of the British Isles and across the Atlantic in North America. While the name may have evolved from its Old English origins, it has maintained a strong presence throughout its long history.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Biden 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. Hampshire leads with 57 Bidens recorded in 1881 and an index of 19.94x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Hampshire | 57 | 19.94x |
| Surrey | 35 | 5.15x |
| Middlesex | 20 | 1.43x |
| Warwickshire | 8 | 2.27x |
| Cheshire | 7 | 2.27x |
| Kent | 7 | 1.47x |
| Cambridgeshire | 2 | 2.26x |
| Devon | 2 | 0.69x |
| Gloucestershire | 2 | 0.73x |
| Lancashire | 2 | 0.12x |
| Bedfordshire | 1 | 1.38x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Portsea in Hampshire leads with 45 Bidens recorded in 1881 and an index of 80.31x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Portsea | 45 | 80.31x |
| Camberwell | 12 | 13.47x |
| Kingston On Thames | 9 | 55.15x |
| Thurlaston | 8 | 5000.00x |
| Alverstoke | 7 | 67.63x |
| Lambeth | 7 | 5.76x |
| Kensington London | 6 | 7.74x |
| Macclesfield | 4 | 29.24x |
| Shoreditch London | 4 | 6.62x |
| Holdenhurst | 3 | 40.00x |
| Southwark St George Martyr | 3 | 10.69x |
| Charlton Next Woolwich | 2 | 40.32x |
| Chorley In Macclesfield | 2 | 212.77x |
| Clifton | 2 | 14.46x |
| Cottenham | 2 | 170.94x |
| Dover St James | 2 | 95.69x |
| Isleworth | 2 | 32.26x |
| Paddington London | 2 | 3.90x |
| Richmond | 2 | 21.01x |
| St Maurice Winchester | 2 | 168.07x |
| St Pancras London | 2 | 1.78x |
| Tonbridge | 2 | 11.66x |
| Chorlton On Medlock | 1 | 3.80x |
| Clerkenwell London | 1 | 3.04x |
| Croydon | 1 | 2.65x |
| Dartford | 1 | 20.53x |
| Hackney London | 1 | 1.28x |
| Hammersmith London | 1 | 2.91x |
| Milton Abbott | 1 | 238.10x |
| Penge | 1 | 11.22x |
| Sale | 1 | 26.46x |
| Stoke Damerel | 1 | 4.92x |
| Stretford | 1 | 10.99x |
| Turvey | 1 | 217.39x |
| Willesden | 1 | 7.60x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Biden surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
| Name | Count |
|---|---|
| Mary | 9 |
| Sarah | 6 |
| Ann | 4 |
| Annie | 4 |
| Elizabeth | 4 |
| Charlotte | 3 |
| Jane | 3 |
| Caroline | 2 |
| Ellen | 2 |
| Emily | 2 |
| Fanny | 2 |
| Florence | 2 |
| Martha | 2 |
| A.M.S. | 1 |
| Adelaid | 1 |
| Amie | 1 |
| Amy | 1 |
| Beatrice | 1 |
| Edith | 1 |
| Eleanor | 1 |
| Ella | 1 |
| Elsie | 1 |
| Emma | 1 |
| Francis | 1 |
| Fugeberg | 1 |
| Georgina | 1 |
| Gurtrude | 1 |
| Hannah | 1 |
| Har | 1 |
| Hariett | 1 |
| Ida | 1 |
| Kate | 1 |
| Lorna | 1 |
| Louisa | 1 |
| Lucy | 1 |
| Matha | 1 |
| Nora | 1 |
| Penelope | 1 |
| Phoebe | 1 |
| Priscilla | 1 |
| Rosa | 1 |
| Rowena | 1 |
| Sophia | 1 |
| Susan | 1 |
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Biden 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 Biden households.
FAQ
In 1881, 143 people were recorded with the Biden surname. That placed it at #15,955 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 85 in 2016. That gives Biden a modern rank of #32,637.
A surname derived from the Old English personal name "Bida", meaning "one who requests" or "one who commands".
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Biden 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.