NameCensus.

UK surname

Bisgrove

From a place name derived from Old English words meaning "dwelling by the grove of bushes".

In the 1881 census there were 155 people recorded with the Bisgrove surname, ranking it #15,174 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 204, ranked #19,320, down from #15,174 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wookey, Glastonbury St Benedict and St John, Street and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Mendip, South Somerset and New Forest.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bisgrove is 218 in 2013. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 31.6%.

1881 census count

155

Ranked #15,174

Modern count

204

2016, ranked #19,320

Peak year

2013

218 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bisgrove had 155 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,174 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 204 in 2016, ranked #19,320.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 172 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Bisgrove surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bisgrove surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bisgrove 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 103 #16,835
1861 historical 113 #19,151
1881 historical 155 #15,174
1891 historical 164 #17,205
1901 historical 169 #16,824
1911 historical 172 #16,408
1997 modern 196 #17,859
1998 modern 194 #18,451
1999 modern 184 #19,178
2000 modern 200 #18,209
2001 modern 191 #18,453
2002 modern 194 #18,651
2003 modern 182 #19,215
2004 modern 192 #18,678
2005 modern 187 #18,924
2006 modern 187 #19,079
2007 modern 193 #18,923
2008 modern 196 #18,895
2009 modern 207 #18,600
2010 modern 205 #19,140
2011 modern 204 #19,040
2012 modern 204 #18,973
2013 modern 218 #18,441
2014 modern 217 #18,645
2015 modern 208 #19,085
2016 modern 204 #19,320

Geography

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Where Bisgroves are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wookey, Glastonbury St Benedict and St John, Street, St Pancras, Wedmore and Bedwelty. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Mendip, South Somerset and New Forest. 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 Wookey Somerset
2 Glastonbury St Benedict and St John, Street Somerset
3 St Pancras London (North Districts)
4 Wedmore Somerset
5 Bedwelty Monmouthshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Mendip 012 Mendip
2 South Somerset 010 South Somerset
3 Mendip 013 Mendip
4 Mendip 011 Mendip
5 New Forest 009 New Forest

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bisgrove

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bisgrove

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Bisgrove is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Bisgrove is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Bisgrove 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 Bisgrove is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Bisgrove

The surname Bisgrove originated in England, with its earliest roots dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "bysc" meaning a bush or shrub, and "graf" referring to a small wood or grove. This suggests that the name was initially given to someone who lived near or worked in a bushy or wooded area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, where it appears as "Bysgrave." This spelling variation highlights the evolution of the name over time, with the vowel sounds shifting and the final "e" being added later on.

During the 14th century, the name appears in various manorial records and tax rolls across different counties in England, such as Warwickshire, Gloucestershire, and Worcestershire. This indicates that the Bisgrove family had established itself in various regions of the country by that time.

In the 16th century, a notable figure bearing the Bisgrove name was John Bisgrove, who was born in Gloucestershire around 1525. He was a prominent landowner and served as a magistrate in the county. His descendants continued to hold influential positions in the local gentry for several generations.

Another historical figure was William Bisgrove, born in Worcestershire in 1637. He was a renowned scholar and theologian who served as a fellow at Merton College, Oxford, and later became the rector of a parish in his native county.

Moving into the 18th century, the Bisgrove family had spread to other parts of England, as evidenced by the birth of Thomas Bisgrove in Yorkshire in 1712. He was a successful merchant and philanthropist who contributed significantly to the development of his local community.

In the 19th century, a notable Bisgrove was Elizabeth Bisgrove, born in Gloucestershire in 1819. She was a pioneering educator and advocate for women's rights, founding one of the first schools for girls in the region.

Finally, in the early 20th century, John Bisgrove (1893-1976) from Warwickshire gained recognition as a talented artist and illustrator, whose works were exhibited at prestigious galleries in London.

While the origins of the Bisgrove surname can be traced back to England's medieval period, its bearers have made significant contributions across various fields throughout the centuries, leaving an indelible mark on the country's history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bisgrove families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bisgrove 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. Somerset leads with 98 Bisgroves recorded in 1881 and an index of 39.76x.

County Total Index
Somerset 98 39.76x
Middlesex 18 1.18x
Devon 11 3.45x
Gloucestershire 6 2.00x
Lancashire 5 0.28x
Cumberland 4 3.03x
Denbighshire 4 6.91x
Glamorgan 4 1.50x
Surrey 3 0.40x
Royal Navy 2 10.96x
Dorset 1 0.99x
Hampshire 1 0.32x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Kingsbury Episcopi in Somerset leads with 11 Bisgroves recorded in 1881 and an index of 1375.00x.

Place Total Index
Kingsbury Episcopi 11 1375.00x
St Pancras London 11 8.92x
Wincanton 10 787.40x
East Stonehouse 9 143.31x
Muchelney 9 6923.08x
Street 9 676.69x
Radstock 8 493.83x
Bridgewater 7 104.63x
Islington London 6 4.04x
Aller 5 2000.00x
Great Bolton 5 20.77x
Martock 5 312.50x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 4 14.14x
Isle Brewers 4 2352.94x
Roath 4 33.03x
St Cuthbert W O 4 62.21x
Wedmore 4 250.00x
Wookey 4 740.74x
Wrexham Abbot 4 275.86x
Cheddar 3 241.94x
Moorlinch 3 2307.69x
Yeovil 3 59.88x
Banwell 2 222.22x
Camerton 2 277.78x
Plymouth St Andrew 2 8.14x
Royal Navy 2 12.82x
Stoke Under Hambdon 2 246.91x
Winscombe 2 298.51x
Bermondsey 1 2.19x
Camberwell 1 1.02x
Clifton 1 6.59x
Croydon 1 2.41x
Hardington Mandeville 1 303.03x
Henbury 1 68.03x
Montacute 1 222.22x
Southampton St Mary 1 5.07x
Spitalfields London 1 8.68x
Sutton Mallett 1 1666.67x
Wells St Cuthbert Out 1 50.25x
Weston Zoyland 1 285.71x
Weymouth 1 52.63x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 12
Elizabeth 7
Ellen 6
Sarah 6
Eliza 5
Emma 5
Fanny 3
Jane 3
Agnes 2
Anna 2
Betsy 2
Maria 2
Ada 1
Alice 1
Amelia 1
Ann 1
Annie 1
Bessie 1
Bosino 1
Catherine 1
Dinah 1
Elizth. 1
Elizth.Ann 1
Evelyn 1
Florence 1
Hariot 1
Honora 1
Isabella 1
John 1
Martha 1
Maud 1
Millie 1
No 1
Rosena 1
Rosina 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 10
George 8
James 7
John 6
Frederick 5
Henry 5
Walter 5
Alfred 3
Fred 3
Albert 2
Charles 2
Job 2
Thomas 2
Willm. 2
Earnest 1
Edward 1
Edwin 1
Elijah 1
Ernest 1
Frank 1
Fred. 1
Geo. 1
Infant 1
Jervis 1
Joel 1
Richard 1
Saml. 1
Samuel 1
Silas 1

FAQ

Bisgrove surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bisgrove surname in 1881?

In 1881, 155 people were recorded with the Bisgrove surname. That placed it at #15,174 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bisgrove surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 204 in 2016. That gives Bisgrove a modern rank of #19,320.

What does the Bisgrove surname mean?

From a place name derived from Old English words meaning "dwelling by the grove of bushes".

What does the Bisgrove map show?

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