The Beckwith surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 11,876 people carried this name — #3,020 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 24,800 people counted. That is up 1% from 11,703 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Beckwith surname

A surname from Old English of Old English origin.

From Old English bēċe ("beech") + Old Norse viðr (“wood”) 'Beechwood'

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Beckwith» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

As an English and Welsh surname

An early record he cites: Willelmus Bekwyt, 1379 — Poll Tax, West Riding of Yorkshire.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 90 · public domain.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

117 families named Beckwith, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 655 people lived in those households, 5.6 to a family on average. The table counts it together with 2 other spellings. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

Connecticut 72
New Hampshire 11
New York 11
Maryland 10
Virginia 4
North Carolina 4
Massachusetts 2
Vermont 1
Rhode Island 1
Pennsylvania 1

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 229 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Beckwith in American newspapers,
1887–1917.

Newspaper page from The Mitchell Capital carrying the name Beckwith
The Mitchell Capital 1887-10-07
Newspaper page from Evening Journal carrying the name Beckwith
Evening Journal 1915-05-19
Newspaper page from The Mellette County Pioneer carrying the name Beckwith
The Mellette County Pioneer 1917-03-16

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain.

In print

Beckwith in Australian newspapers,
1830s–1990s.

9,835 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Beckwith. The most, 2,283, date from the 1930s. Victoria has the most articles, but weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, the name stands out most in the Northern Territory, at 2.5 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

Victoria 4,194
South Australia 2,191
New South Wales 1,156
Western Australia 895
Queensland 856
Tasmania 408
ACT (Canberra) 82
Northern Territory 40

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Beckwith.

Who carried it

People named Beckwith,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Helen Frances Beckwith d. 1965
  • Ann Rose Eyton d. 1891
  • Adelaide Pelly d. 1958
  • Sophia Maria Johanna Ewing d. 1867
  • Elizabeth Beckwith 1555–
  • Elizabeth Clapham 1650–1673

Wikidata (CC0) · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Beckwith,
in the records of 6 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States1,236 records

1,236 records of the Beckwith name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 424
  • U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 210
  • Other U.S. records 602
  1. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Harry Medfor Beckwith

    Born 1948; from Flint, Michigan. U.S. Army, armor reconnaissance specialist; killed in action 1971 in Quang Tri, South Vietnam. Buried at Beverly National Cemetery, New Jersey.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Leon N. Beckwith

    Born 1903 in New York. Enlisted 1942 at Rochester; driver from Genesee County. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1978, buried at Bath National Cemetery, New York.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Fred Beckwith

    Arrived at New York in 1885 aboard the England from Liverpool and Queenstown, aged 19; laborer. From Cumberland, England; bound for New York.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 1,236 records for Beckwith in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia363 records

363 records of the Beckwith name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 171
  • Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 103
  • Other Australian records 89
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Richard Beckwith

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Coromandel, sailing from Sheerness in 1838. Native of Ripon, Yorkshire. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1852.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Bridget Beckwith

    Died 1935 in Tasmania, aged 76. Will registered in Tasmania in 1935.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Emily Beckwith

    Arrived in Victoria in 1889 aboard the Oroya, aged 26; English.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 363 records for Beckwith in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · City of Ballarat, Avenue of Honour Plaques (CC BY 3.0 AU) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Canada345 records

345 records of the Beckwith name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 327
  • City of Winnipeg cemetery records 6
  • Other Canadian records 12
  1. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Emma Marie Beckwith

    Buried in 1974 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 51.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record William Howard Heartz Beckwith

    Died 1950 in Bridgetown, Annapolis, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  3. A Canadian First World War grave register card for a soldier who died of wounds in 1917
    Example: Canadian war grave register, 1917
    War record Alfred Edward Beckwith

    Died in service in 1918.

    Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada.

Showing 3 of 345 records for Beckwith in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Canadian First World War circumstances-of-death register (scan by Scottgraham87 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0).

United Kingdom15 records

15 records of the Beckwith name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 13
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 2
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record John Beckwith

    Buried in 1813 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 54.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record E. Beckwith

    Driver, Royal Field Artillery. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1917.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Joseph Beckwith

    Buried in 1845 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 81.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Showing 3 of 15 records for Beckwith in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

New Zealand6 records

6 records of the Beckwith name in New Zealand Christchurch City cemetery records
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Hannah Beckwith

    Died 1926, aged 80; buried at Bromley Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Rose Christine Beckwith

    Died 1989, aged 73; buried at Memorial Park Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Rosetta Mary Beckwith

    Died 1956, aged 75; buried at Memorial Park Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 6 records for Beckwith in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

Netherlands1 record

1 record of the Beckwith name in the Netherlands Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths)
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record William George Beckwith

    Died 1950 in Rotterdam, aged 21.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Rotterdam (CC BY 4.0)

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Beckwith.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Beckwith is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

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