NameCensus.

UK surname

Boatswain

A nautical surname referring to a non-commissioned officer in charge of a ship's equipment.

In the 1881 census there were 36 people recorded with the Boatswain surname, ranking it #28,559 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 150, ranked #23,724, up from #28,559 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Weymouth and Portland, Purbeck and Bath and North East Somerset.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Boatswain is 153 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 316.7%.

1881 census count

36

Ranked #28,559

Modern count

150

2016, ranked #23,724

Peak year

2014

153 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Boatswain had 36 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #28,559 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 150 in 2016, ranked #23,724.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 57 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Boatswain surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Boatswain surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Boatswain 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 #33,412
1861 historical 10 #32,589
1881 historical 36 #28,559
1891 historical 43 #30,933
1901 historical 57 #27,846
1911 historical 55 #27,313
1997 modern 121 #24,019
1998 modern 122 #24,556
1999 modern 125 #24,366
2000 modern 131 #23,672
2001 modern 127 #23,781
2002 modern 136 #23,296
2003 modern 130 #23,672
2004 modern 135 #23,326
2005 modern 125 #24,398
2006 modern 121 #25,133
2007 modern 130 #24,389
2008 modern 137 #23,883
2009 modern 142 #23,791
2010 modern 142 #24,352
2011 modern 143 #24,056
2012 modern 147 #23,567
2013 modern 152 #23,438
2014 modern 153 #23,537
2015 modern 147 #24,036
2016 modern 150 #23,724

Geography

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Where Boatswains are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Weymouth and Portland, Purbeck, Bath and North East Somerset, North Dorset and Lewisham. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Weymouth and Portland 009 Weymouth and Portland
2 Purbeck 001 Purbeck
3 Bath and North East Somerset 023 Bath and North East Somerset
4 North Dorset 008 North Dorset
5 Lewisham 003 Lewisham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Boatswain

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Boatswain

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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations

Nationally, the Boatswain surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Boatswain 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 is often found in less central parts of London and other major towns and cities. Adults are more likely than the Supergroup average to have never been married and are typically aged less than 45 years. Many have young dependent children and individuals may have been born in Africa. There are many members identifying with a Black ethnic group, with the other ethnic groups (as listed in the glossary) also represented, though Chinese less so. Accommodation in flats, frequently socially rented, is common in these neighbourhoods. Part time employment is also common, and work is often in elementary occupations, while unemployment is also the highest within this Supergroup.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Boatswain is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Boatswain is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Boatswain

The surname "BOATSWAIN" originated in England during the medieval period. It derives from the Old English word "batswegen," which referred to a person who was responsible for managing and commanding a ship's crew. This occupational name was given to individuals who held the position of boatswain or "swain" on boats and ships.

The earliest recorded usage of the surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1166, where a person named Walter le Batesweyn is mentioned. Other early spellings include Bateswein, Bateswayn, and Bateswan. The name is also found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which were census records compiled in England during the reign of King Edward I.

One of the earliest known individuals with this surname was Sir John Boatswain, a 14th-century English naval commander who served under King Edward III during the Hundred Years' War. He played a significant role in several naval battles, including the Battle of Sluys in 1340.

In the 15th century, the surname appears in various records, such as the Paston Letters, a collection of correspondence from the Paston family in Norfolk. One notable figure from this period was William Boatswain, a merchant and ship owner from Bristol, who lived from around 1420 to 1490.

During the 16th century, the surname continued to be associated with maritime professions. Thomas Boatswain, born in 1520, was a renowned navigator and explorer who accompanied Sir Francis Drake on his voyages to the West Indies and South America.

Another prominent figure was Captain John Boatswain, who lived from 1585 to 1653. He was an English naval officer and later became a member of the Virginia Company, playing a significant role in the early colonization of Virginia in North America.

In the 17th century, the surname Boatswain was also found in various parish records and court documents across England. One individual of note was Richard Boatswain, a merchant and shipowner from London, who was born in 1632 and was involved in the lucrative trade with the East Indies.

As the centuries progressed, the surname Boatswain remained closely tied to maritime occupations and communities, though it also spread to other professions and regions as people migrated and families branched out.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Boatswain families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Boatswain 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. Dorset leads with 22 Boatswains recorded in 1881 and an index of 95.44x.

County Total Index
Dorset 22 95.44x
Somerset 7 12.39x
Hampshire 6 8.34x
Gloucestershire 1 1.45x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Abbotsbury in Dorset leads with 10 Boatswains recorded in 1881 and an index of 8333.33x.

Place Total Index
Abbotsbury 10 8333.33x
South Perrott 8 20000.00x
North Perrott 7 17500.00x
Southampton St Mary 6 132.45x
Portland 4 322.58x
Bristol St James In 1 99.01x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 2
Sarah 2
Alice 1
Amy 1
Anne 1
Annie 1
Bessey 1
Edith 1
Elizabeth 1
Evelyn 1
Gertrude 1
Jane 1
Julia 1
Martha 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 3
Alan 2
Frederick 2
John 2
Thomas 2
William 2
Charles 1
David 1
Frank 1
Harry 1
Henry 1
Horace 1
Tom 1

Top occupations

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 Boatswain households.

FAQ

Boatswain surname: questions and answers

How common was the Boatswain surname in 1881?

In 1881, 36 people were recorded with the Boatswain surname. That placed it at #28,559 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Boatswain surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 150 in 2016. That gives Boatswain a modern rank of #23,724.

What does the Boatswain surname mean?

A nautical surname referring to a non-commissioned officer in charge of a ship's equipment.

What does the Boatswain map show?

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