NameCensus.

UK surname

Bostwick

A habitational surname derived from places in England meaning "dwelling place by a forest clearing."

In the 1881 census there were 149 people recorded with the Bostwick surname, ranking it #15,551 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 185, ranked #20,652, down from #15,551 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Silkstone, London parishes and Batley. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Barnsley, Epping Forest and Isle of Wight.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bostwick is 209 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 24.2%.

1881 census count

149

Ranked #15,551

Modern count

185

2016, ranked #20,652

Peak year

1998

209 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bostwick had 149 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,551 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 185 in 2016, ranked #20,652.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 206 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Bostwick surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bostwick surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Bostwick 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 61 #22,412
1861 historical 79 #23,702
1881 historical 149 #15,551
1891 historical 140 #19,193
1901 historical 159 #17,442
1911 historical 206 #14,677
1997 modern 203 #17,457
1998 modern 209 #17,650
1999 modern 198 #18,343
2000 modern 201 #18,152
2001 modern 192 #18,388
2002 modern 189 #18,950
2003 modern 178 #19,489
2004 modern 189 #18,855
2005 modern 183 #19,194
2006 modern 183 #19,326
2007 modern 185 #19,402
2008 modern 179 #20,015
2009 modern 175 #20,707
2010 modern 182 #20,662
2011 modern 176 #20,957
2012 modern 178 #20,758
2013 modern 185 #20,575
2014 modern 186 #20,664
2015 modern 189 #20,345
2016 modern 185 #20,652

Geography

Back to top

Where Bostwicks are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Silkstone, London parishes, Batley, Sheffield 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 Barnsley, Epping Forest and Isle of Wight. 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 Silkstone Yorkshire, West Riding
2 London parishes London 3
3 Batley Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding
5 St Giles Camberwell London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Barnsley 012 Barnsley
2 Epping Forest 004 Epping Forest
3 Barnsley 016 Barnsley
4 Barnsley 029 Barnsley
5 Isle of Wight 018 Isle of Wight

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Bostwick

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Bostwick

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

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Bostwick 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

Bostwick is most concentrated in decile 1 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Bostwick

The surname Bostwick has its origins in England, with the earliest records dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "bosc" meaning bush or thicket, and "wic" meaning a dwelling or farm. This suggests that the name may have originally referred to someone who lived near a bushy or wooded area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Northamptonshire from 1197, where a William de Bosco is mentioned. This is likely an early spelling variation of the name Bostwick.

In the 13th century, the name appears in the Feet of Fines for Essex, a collection of legal records. A certain Ranulph de Bostewyk is mentioned in these records from 1272. This spelling variation highlights the potential connection between the name and a specific place name.

The Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, does not contain any direct references to the name Bostwick. However, it does list several place names that may have influenced the development of the surname, such as Bosco in Wiltshire and Bosewrthe in Oxfordshire.

One of the earliest known individuals to bear the name Bostwick was Sir John Bostwick, who lived in the 14th century. He served as a Member of Parliament for Bedfordshire in 1348 and 1352.

Another notable figure was Sir Roger Bostwick (1460-1530), who was a prominent landowner and served as Sheriff of Buckinghamshire in 1516.

In the 16th century, the Bostwick family established themselves in Cheshire, where they owned the manor of Bostwick. Arthur Bostwick (1560-1647) was a member of this branch of the family and served as Sheriff of Cheshire in 1620.

During the English Civil War, Sir John Bostwick (1592-1668) was a staunch Royalist and fought for King Charles I. He was knighted for his service in 1642.

In the 18th century, Reverend John Bostwick (1725-1805) was a notable figure. He was a Church of England clergyman who served as the rector of Sittingbourne in Kent.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Bostwick families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bostwick 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. Yorkshire leads with 120 Bostwicks recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.33x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 120 8.33x
Surrey 14 1.98x
Somerset 6 2.56x
Middlesex 5 0.34x
Lancashire 3 0.17x
Cheshire 1 0.31x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Barnsley in Yorkshire leads with 25 Bostwicks recorded in 1881 and an index of 168.24x.

Place Total Index
Barnsley 25 168.24x
Silkstone 22 3098.59x
Barugh 12 983.61x
Hoyland Swaine 12 3243.24x
Dewsbury 11 74.48x
Newington 8 14.90x
Dodworth 7 466.67x
Hoyland Nether 7 198.30x
Camberwell 6 6.46x
Ecclesfield 6 56.82x
Huddersfield 6 28.60x
Horbury 5 198.41x
Lyncombe Widcombe 5 81.57x
Worsbrough 5 118.48x
St Marylebone London 3 3.87x
Ardwick 2 12.85x
Birkenhead 1 3.91x
Bow London 1 5.41x
Gorton 1 6.17x
Morley 1 13.35x
Selby 1 33.22x
St George Hanover Square 1 3.90x
Walcot 1 8.03x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 12
Annie 4
Elizabeth 4
Harriet 4
Sarah 4
Ada 3
Ann 3
Eliza 3
Martha 3
Agnes 2
Alice 2
Emily 2
Emma 2
Florence 2
Jane 2
Minnie 2
Adela 1
Anna 1
Betsy 1
Edna 1
Elizh.Senior 1
Eva 1
Fanny 1
Frances 1
Hannah 1
Hepsebeth 1
Leina 1
Louisa 1
Margt. 1
Maria 1
Minerva 1
Naomi 1
Polly 1
Ruth 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Charles 10
George 5
Joseph 5
Thomas 5
Alfred 4
Arthur 4
Benjamin 4
John 4
Albert 3
Walter 3
William 3
Fred 2
Henry 2
Herbert 2
Abraham 1
Abram 1
Amos 1
Arthyur 1
Daniel 1
David 1
Digby 1
Edmund 1
Ellis 1
Elliss 1
Esau 1
Frank 1
Frederick 1
Harry 1
Herbt. 1
James 1
Jessie 1
Joe. 1
Joshua 1
Samuel 1
Tom 1

FAQ

Bostwick surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bostwick surname in 1881?

In 1881, 149 people were recorded with the Bostwick surname. That placed it at #15,551 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bostwick surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 185 in 2016. That gives Bostwick a modern rank of #20,652.

What does the Bostwick surname mean?

A habitational surname derived from places in England meaning "dwelling place by a forest clearing."

What does the Bostwick map show?

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