NameCensus.

UK surname

Billingham

A locational surname referring to someone from the town of Billingham in County Durham, England.

In the 1881 census there were 1,812 people recorded with the Billingham surname, ranking it #2,403 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,118, ranked #2,167, up from #2,403 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rowley Regis, Dudley and Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Sandwell and Dudley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Billingham is 3,348 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 72.1%.

1881 census count

1,812

Ranked #2,403

Modern count

3,118

2016, ranked #2,167

Peak year

1999

3,348 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Billingham had 1,812 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,403 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,118 in 2016, ranked #2,167.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,865 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Billingham surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Billingham surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Billingham 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 1,029 #2,718
1861 historical 1,227 #2,324
1881 historical 1,812 #2,403
1891 historical 2,142 #2,174
1901 historical 2,409 #2,255
1911 historical 2,865 #1,815
1997 modern 3,236 #1,989
1998 modern 3,305 #2,025
1999 modern 3,348 #2,023
2000 modern 3,254 #2,064
2001 modern 3,207 #2,055
2002 modern 3,272 #2,057
2003 modern 3,186 #2,064
2004 modern 3,164 #2,072
2005 modern 3,123 #2,071
2006 modern 3,138 #2,070
2007 modern 3,132 #2,088
2008 modern 3,141 #2,100
2009 modern 3,218 #2,106
2010 modern 3,281 #2,113
2011 modern 3,288 #2,083
2012 modern 3,218 #2,092
2013 modern 3,231 #2,122
2014 modern 3,230 #2,139
2015 modern 3,162 #2,152
2016 modern 3,118 #2,167

Geography

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Where Billinghams are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rowley Regis, Dudley, Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory, Oldswinford and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Sandwell and Dudley. 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 Rowley Regis Staffordshire
2 Dudley Staffordshire
3 Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory Northamptonshire
4 Oldswinford Worcestershire
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Sandwell 035 Sandwell
2 Sandwell 038 Sandwell
3 Dudley 033 Dudley
4 Dudley 020 Dudley
5 Dudley 025 Dudley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Billingham

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Billingham

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Billingham surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Billingham household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Billingham 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

Billingham 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

Billingham falls in decile 2 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Billingham is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Billingham, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Billingham

The surname Billingham has its origins in England, specifically in the county of Northumberland. It is a locational name derived from the town of Billingham, which is situated near the River Tees. The name itself is believed to come from the Old English words "bille," meaning a hill or ridge, and "inga," meaning a dweller or follower, combined with "ham," meaning a homestead or village.

Billingham is first recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landholdings and property rights commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears as "Billinghame," referring to the village in Northumberland.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Billingham was Robert de Billingham, who lived in the 13th century and was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Northumberland in 1230. Another early reference is found in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1327, which mentions a John de Billingham.

In the 15th century, the surname appeared as "Byllingeham" in the Paston Letters, a collection of correspondence between members of the Paston family in Norfolk. This spelling variation highlights the evolving nature of surnames during that period.

A notable figure with the surname Billingham was Sir Robert Billingham, who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1484. He was a prominent merchant and influential figure in the city's affairs during the reign of Richard III.

Another prominent individual was Thomas Billingham, a Puritan minister who lived from 1604 to 1682. He was known for his fiery sermons and was a vocal critic of religious persecution during the English Civil War.

In the 18th century, John Billingham (1721-1806) was a renowned architect and surveyor who worked on several notable buildings in London, including the Foundling Hospital and the Royal Exchange.

The name Billingham has also been linked to various place names in England, such as Billingham in County Durham and Billingham near Stockton-on-Tees, both of which likely contributed to the spread and adoption of the surname in those areas.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Billingham families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Billingham 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. Staffordshire leads with 508 Billinghams recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.50x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 508 8.50x
Northamptonshire 342 20.54x
Warwickshire 189 4.23x
Worcestershire 180 7.79x
Lancashire 98 0.47x
Gloucestershire 83 2.39x
Middlesex 81 0.46x
Yorkshire 55 0.31x
Bedfordshire 41 4.47x
Cheshire 38 0.97x
Surrey 38 0.44x
Leicestershire 21 1.07x
Derbyshire 16 0.58x
Monmouthshire 16 1.25x
Herefordshire 14 1.93x
Glamorgan 11 0.36x
Kent 9 0.15x
Lincolnshire 9 0.32x
Oxfordshire 8 0.73x
Durham 7 0.13x
Sussex 7 0.23x
Hertfordshire 6 0.49x
Shropshire 6 0.39x
Buckinghamshire 5 0.47x
Flintshire 5 1.05x
Cumberland 4 0.26x
Renfrewshire 4 0.29x
Wiltshire 4 0.26x
Devon 3 0.08x
Essex 2 0.06x
Berkshire 1 0.08x
Dorset 1 0.09x
Northumberland 1 0.04x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.18x
Somerset 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Rowley Regis in Staffordshire leads with 222 Billinghams recorded in 1881 and an index of 133.29x.

Place Total Index
Rowley Regis 222 133.29x
Birmingham 114 7.66x
Kingswinford 84 38.71x
Dudley 72 25.62x
Kislingbury 40 950.12x
Aston 36 2.93x
Daventry 34 144.31x
Walsall Foreign 34 11.01x
Harborne 28 14.62x
Harpole 28 555.56x
Bugbrooke 25 458.72x
Wollescote 25 134.26x
West Bromwich 24 7.01x
Handsworth 23 15.61x
Sedgley 20 9.01x
Tipton 20 10.93x
Cradley 18 86.08x
Litchborough 18 853.08x
Lye 18 46.78x
Barrow In Furness 17 5.95x
Northampton St Giles 17 26.80x
Brafield On Green 16 490.80x
Gloucester Barton St Mary 16 25.18x
Maidford 16 975.61x
Lambeth 14 0.91x
Northampton Priory St 14 14.01x
Welton 14 472.97x
Northampton All Sts 13 23.00x
Chester St Mary On Hill 12 35.79x
Wednesbury 12 8.03x
Stockport 11 5.47x
Wellingborough 11 13.14x
Ashton In Makerfield 10 16.72x
Hellidon 10 518.13x
Maulden 10 125.79x
Oldbury 10 8.79x
Fulham London 9 3.51x
Great Bolton 9 3.23x
Usk 9 84.83x
Wednesfield 9 10.23x
Weedon Beck 9 75.44x
Biggleswade 8 26.65x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 8 2.45x
Churchdown 8 115.77x
Nether Heyford 8 162.60x
Pickering 8 36.22x
Salford 8 1.29x
St Marylebone London 8 0.85x
Standish With Langtree 8 30.92x
Towcester 8 46.57x
Wolverhampton 8 1.74x
Ansley 7 138.61x
Bethnal Green London 7 0.91x
Brinklow 7 147.37x
Castleton 7 3.34x
Clerkenwell London 7 1.68x
Frowlesworth 7 538.46x
Horncastle 7 23.96x
Kingsthorpe 7 37.82x
Neithrop 7 19.05x
Old Malton 7 63.46x
Sandbach 7 21.00x
Shilton 7 278.88x
Wollaston 7 47.72x
Beighton 6 47.77x
Bristol St Paul In 6 6.49x
Burniston 6 280.37x
Churcham 6 194.17x
Cople 6 215.83x
Farnworth 6 4.77x
Finedon 6 41.12x
Hagley 6 80.21x
Hitchin 6 10.89x
Hornsey 6 2.68x
Manchester 6 0.64x
Northampton St Sepulchre 6 7.08x
Rushden 6 26.93x
Sutton 6 9.61x
The Hill 6 40.40x
Wolstanton 6 3.31x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 113
Elizabeth 77
Sarah 76
Ann 39
Annie 34
Alice 32
Emma 32
Ellen 26
Jane 24
Hannah 22
Eliza 18
Harriet 17
Emily 16
Martha 16
Caroline 13
Florence 12
Maria 11
Fanny 10
Lucy 10
Ruth 10
Clara 9
Charlotte 8
Agnes 7
Anne 7
Edith 6
Harriett 6
Louisa 6
Margaret 6
Matilda 6
Ada 5
Elizth. 5
Esther 5
Frances 5
Isabella 5
Kate 5
Minnie 5
Rebecca 5
Selina 5
Sophia 5
Flora 4
Laura 4
Nellie 4
Rachel 4
Rose 4
Susan 4
Susannah 4
Beatrice 3
Bertha 3
Betsy 3
Florance 3

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 86
John 84
George 59
Thomas 59
James 58
Joseph 53
Henry 34
Alfred 29
Charles 26
Samuel 24
Benjamin 22
Walter 21
Albert 20
Harry 19
Arthur 16
Edward 16
Frederick 15
Frank 13
Isaac 11
Eli 9
David 8
Francis 8
Jeremiah 8
Robert 8
Jesse 7
Benj. 6
Mark 6
Wm. 6
Daniel 5
Edwin 5
Fred 5
Herbert 5
Thos. 5
Enoch 4
Fredk. 4
Fredrick 4
Gideon 4
Richard 4
Saml. 4
Allen 3
Edgar 3
Foley 3
Horace 3
Jos. 3
Lot 3
Stephen 3
Tom 3
Ernest 2
Josiah 2
Owen 2

FAQ

Billingham surname: questions and answers

How common was the Billingham surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,812 people were recorded with the Billingham surname. That placed it at #2,403 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Billingham surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,118 in 2016. That gives Billingham a modern rank of #2,167.

What does the Billingham surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone from the town of Billingham in County Durham, England.

What does the Billingham map show?

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