NameCensus.

UK surname

Bigham

An English topographic surname denoting someone who lived by a bend or corner of a road or river.

In the 1881 census there were 153 people recorded with the Bigham surname, ranking it #15,320 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 275, ranked #15,720, down from #15,320 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Chapel Hill, St Arvans, Panteague and Bedwelty. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Torfaen, Doon Valley South and Meadows and Southside.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bigham is 325 in 1997. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 79.7%.

1881 census count

153

Ranked #15,320

Modern count

275

2016, ranked #15,720

Peak year

1997

325 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bigham had 153 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,320 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 275 in 2016, ranked #15,720.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 242 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Bigham surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bigham surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bigham 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 164 #12,116
1861 historical 168 #13,895
1881 historical 153 #15,320
1891 historical 242 #13,048
1901 historical 225 #14,047
1911 historical 155 #17,485
1997 modern 325 #12,832
1998 modern 323 #13,211
1999 modern 317 #13,473
2000 modern 320 #13,360
2001 modern 310 #13,452
2002 modern 315 #13,561
2003 modern 300 #13,823
2004 modern 292 #14,109
2005 modern 292 #14,072
2006 modern 289 #14,234
2007 modern 284 #14,548
2008 modern 280 #14,823
2009 modern 279 #15,184
2010 modern 285 #15,276
2011 modern 281 #15,276
2012 modern 275 #15,459
2013 modern 282 #15,441
2014 modern 283 #15,495
2015 modern 278 #15,586
2016 modern 275 #15,720

Geography

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Where Bighams are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Chapel Hill, St Arvans, Panteague, Bedwelty, Glasgow and Irvine. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Torfaen, Doon Valley South, Meadows and Southside, Irvine East and Annan East. 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 Chapel Hill, St Arvans Monmouthshire
2 Panteague Monmouthshire
3 Bedwelty Monmouthshire
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Irvine Ayr

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Torfaen 004 Torfaen
2 Doon Valley South East Ayrshire
3 Meadows and Southside City of Edinburgh
4 Irvine East North Ayrshire
5 Annan East Dumfries and Galloway

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bigham

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bigham

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Bigham surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Bigham household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Bigham is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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 located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Bigham is most concentrated in decile 3 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Bigham

The surname Bigham has its origins in England and Scotland, dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "biga" and "ham," meaning "a homestead or village."

In England, the name is thought to have originated from various place names such as Bingham in Nottinghamshire and Bingham's Melcombe in Dorset. The Domesday Book of 1086 contains records of landowners named Bingham in Nottinghamshire.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Bigham can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which lists Scottish landowners who swore fealty to King Edward I of England. Among them was Walter de Bingham, a landowner from Berwickshire.

In Scotland, the name Bigham is closely associated with the town of Biggar in South Lanarkshire. It is believed that the name originated from this town, which was formerly known as "Bighame" or "Bigham." The earliest recorded mention of the place name Biggar dates back to the 12th century.

Notable individuals with the surname Bigham include Sir Ralph Bigham (1514-1592), an English soldier and Member of Parliament during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. Another notable figure was Sir Thomas Bigham (1572-1635), an English courtier and diplomat who served as the Ambassador to the Habsburg Empire.

In the 17th century, the Bigham family established themselves as influential landowners in County Cavan, Ireland. One of the most prominent members of this branch was Sir John Bigham (1629-1684), who served as the Chief Justice of the Irish Common Pleas.

In the literary world, William Bigham (1773-1844) was a renowned Irish poet and playwright. He is best known for his satirical play "The Barons of the Frontier," which criticized the Anglo-Irish aristocracy.

Another notable figure was Robert Bigham (1838-1916), an Irish-born Australian politician who served as the Premier of Tasmania from 1900 to 1903.

The surname Bigham has also been associated with various places and landmarks, such as Bigham Hill in Cumbria, England, and Bigham Reservoir in South Lanarkshire, Scotland.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bigham families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bigham 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. Lanarkshire leads with 33 Bighams recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.75x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 33 6.75x
Ayrshire 31 27.40x
Monmouthshire 30 27.45x
Lancashire 10 0.56x
Surrey 9 1.22x
Kirkcudbrightshire 7 31.98x
Middlesex 7 0.46x
Wigtownshire 6 29.90x
Glamorgan 5 1.90x
Roxburghshire 4 14.61x
Northumberland 3 1.33x
Cumberland 2 1.54x
Isle of Man 2 7.13x
Durham 1 0.22x
East Lothian 1 5.00x
Morayshire 1 4.26x
Staffordshire 1 0.20x
Yorkshire 1 0.07x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Glasgow in Lanarkshire leads with 12 Bighams recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.82x.

Place Total Index
Glasgow 12 13.82x
Chepstow 11 591.40x
Dundonald 9 215.83x
New Monkland 9 62.28x
Camberwell 8 8.28x
Stevenston 8 271.19x
Kirkmabreck 7 729.17x
Barony 6 4.85x
Girvan 6 211.27x
Chapel Hill 5 2380.95x
Kilwinning 5 136.99x
Penninghame 5 243.90x
Trevethin 5 48.45x
Bedwas 4 506.33x
Govan 4 3.31x
Jedburgh 4 149.25x
Kensington London 4 4.76x
Barton Upon Irwell 3 22.22x
Bedwellty 3 15.54x
Elswick 3 16.71x
Gelligaer 3 49.92x
Maybole 3 87.21x
Toxteth Park 3 4.94x
Cardiff St John 2 23.26x
Old Monkland 2 10.31x
Wigan 2 7.98x
Andreas 1 131.58x
Dirleton 1 126.58x
Dyke 1 156.25x
Holy Trinity 1 2.78x
Liverpool 1 0.92x
Monmouth 1 34.48x
Onchan 1 12.36x
Paddington London 1 1.80x
Panteg 1 58.14x
Sorbie 1 113.64x
Southwark Christchurch 1 14.12x
St Martin In Fields 1 11.05x
Walsall Borough 1 25.25x
Walton On Hill 1 10.29x
Washington 1 52.91x
Westminster St Margaret 1 13.72x
Whitehaven 1 14.41x
Workington 1 13.42x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 4
Emma 3
Margaret 3
Elizabeth 2
Alice 1
Almeade 1
Anna 1
Annie 1
Caroline 1
Catherine 1
Ceclia 1
Christiania 1
Elizth. 1
Ellen 1
Fanny 1
Georgiana 1
Grace 1
Harriet 1
Helen 1
Jane 1
Lydia 1
Rachel 1
Sarah 1
Susan 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 8
Robert 5
John 4
David 2
George 2
Henry 2
Joseph 2
Samuel 2
Thomas 2
Thos. 2
Andrew 1
Benjm. 1
Benm. 1
Chas.C. 1
Edward 1
Frank 1
James 1
Richard 1

FAQ

Bigham surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bigham surname in 1881?

In 1881, 153 people were recorded with the Bigham surname. That placed it at #15,320 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bigham surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 275 in 2016. That gives Bigham a modern rank of #15,720.

What does the Bigham surname mean?

An English topographic surname denoting someone who lived by a bend or corner of a road or river.

What does the Bigham map show?

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