Find out how popular the last name Bews is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Bews.

Bews, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Bews surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bews in America

Bews is the 117480th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bews surname appeared 148 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Bews.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bews to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Bews

The surname Bews is believed to have originated in Scotland, with its earliest known records dating back to the 16th century. The name is thought to be derived from the Old English word "bewis," which means "brushwood" or "thicket." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near or worked with brushwood or in a wooded area.

One of the earliest known references to the name Bews can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a historical record of Scottish nobles and landowners who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England during the Wars of Scottish Independence. The name appears as "de Bewis," which is likely an early spelling variation.

The Bews surname is particularly associated with the Scottish Borders region, where it has deep roots. Some historical records indicate that the name may have originated in the area around Jedburgh, a town in the Scottish Borders known for its medieval abbey and strong wool trade.

In the 17th century, the Bews family had a presence in the parish of Crailing, located in the Scottish Borders. John Bews, born around 1620, was a notable figure in the region and served as the parish minister of Crailing from 1656 until his death in 1686.

Another prominent individual with the Bews surname was Sir John Bews, who lived in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. He was a Scottish landowner and served as a member of the Parliament of Scotland, representing the county of Roxburghshire in the early 1600s.

In the 18th century, the Bews family had a strong presence in the town of Kelso, also located in the Scottish Borders. William Bews, born in 1732, was a prominent merchant and landowner in Kelso, and his descendants continued to play a significant role in the town's affairs for several generations.

As the Bews surname spread beyond Scotland, it also gained a foothold in other parts of the United Kingdom and beyond. One notable figure was John Bews, an English architect born in 1805, who was responsible for designing several churches and public buildings in the North of England during the 19th century.

While the Bews surname may have originated in Scotland, it has since become more widely dispersed, with individuals bearing this name found in various parts of the world, including North America, Australia, and other English-speaking countries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bews

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Bews.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Bews was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Bews has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Bews was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Bews, please contact us.

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