2000
#144,908
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Bebbington
A locational surname derived from a place in Cheshire, England.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 128 Americans carry the last name Bebbington. That puts it at #147,954 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,677,768 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Bebbington surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Bebbington with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
128
1 in 2,677,768
Census rank
#147,954
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
112
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 112 bearers of the surname Bebbington in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 147954th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Bebbington, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.6%) and Two or More Races (3.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Bebbington
The surname Bebbington is of English origin, with roots that can be traced back to the medieval period. It is a locational name, derived from the place name Bebbington, which is situated in the historic county of Cheshire. The name Bebbington is believed to have originated from the Old English words "bebbe" meaning "brook" or "stream" and "tun" meaning "farm" or "enclosure."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Bebbington can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive land survey commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The Domesday Book mentions a landowner named Ricardus de Bebintone, which is an early spelling variation of the surname.
In the 13th century, records show a certain William de Bebynton, who held lands in Cheshire. This is one of the earliest documented examples of the surname Bebbington being used as a hereditary family name. During this period, the name was often spelled in various ways, such as Bebynton, Bebyngton, and Bebyngtoun, reflecting the variations in pronunciation and spelling practices of the time.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname Bebbington. One such figure was Sir Francis Bebbington (1551-1619), an English lawyer and Member of Parliament who served as the Recorder of London from 1595 to 1619. Another prominent Bebbington was William Bebbington (1794-1881), a British engineer and inventor known for his contributions to the development of the steam engine.
In the realm of literature, John Bebbington (1790-1859) was an English poet and writer who published several works, including "The Minstrel's Song" and "The Poetical Remains of John Bebbington." Additionally, Thomas Littleton Bebbington (1843-1908) was a notable English clergyman and author who wrote several religious texts, such as "The Epistle to the Romans" and "The Epistle to the Hebrews."
The surname Bebbington has also been associated with the world of sports. One notable figure was George Bebbington (1889-1962), an English professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper for several clubs, including Manchester United and Blackpool.
While these examples illustrate the diverse backgrounds and achievements of individuals bearing the surname Bebbington, it is important to note that this is not an exhaustive list, and many other notable figures with this surname have undoubtedly contributed to various fields throughout history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Bebbington
Among Census respondents with the surname Bebbington, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.6%) and Two or More Races (3.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Bebbington bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Bebbington surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.0% · 103
- Hispanic or Latino3.6% · 4
- Two or more races3.6% · 4
- Black or African American0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Bebbington
Bebbington appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#139,228
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 120
+15 bearers (+14.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 5,680 places
2020
#147,954
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 112
-8 bearers (-6.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 8,726 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #144,908 | 105 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #139,228 | 120 | 0.04 | +15 bearers (+14.3%) | Up 5,680 places |
| 2020 | #147,954 | 112 | 0.04 | -8 bearers (-6.7%) | Down 8,726 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Bebbington surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #139,228 | #147,954 | -6.3% |
| Count | 120 | 112 | -6.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -6.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Bebbington bearers went from 120 to 112 (-6.7% change). The surname moved down 8,726 positions in the national ranking, going from #139,228 to #147,954.
FAQ
Bebbington surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Bebbington?
Name Census estimates that about 128 living Americans carry the surname Bebbington. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,677,768 residents.
How common is Bebbington?
Bebbington ranks #147,954 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 112 people with the surname Bebbington. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (128), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Bebbington.
Has Bebbington become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Bebbington went from 120 recorded bearers to 112. That is a decrease of 8 (-6.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #139,228 to #147,954.
What does the Census say about the background of Bebbington?
Among Census respondents with the surname Bebbington, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.6%) and Two or More Races (3.6%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Bebbington in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.0% (103 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Bebbington appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.0%), Hispanic (3.6%), Two or More Races (3.6%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Bebbington (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Bebbington mean?
A locational surname derived from a place in Cheshire, England. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Bebbington (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people share the surname Bebbington?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.