Beeching

English

Etymology

Topographic surname from either Old English bæc (“stream, brook”) or bēċe (“beech”).

Proper noun

Beeching (plural Beechings)

1. A surname from Old English.
2. (UK, rail transport) The Beeching Axe; the closure of many branch lines in the UK in the mid-20th century.
   • 2014 March 31, Geoff Cryer, Shropshire Railways, Crowood, →ISBN:

     Nationally, there were relatively few closures after Beeching and more recently some lines have reopened to passenger traffic, such as the Cannock Chase line, which for a number of years had been freight only.

Statistics

• According to the 2010 United States Census, Beeching is the 67519^th most common surname in the United States, belonging to 292 individuals. Beeching is most common among White (93.84%) individuals.

Further reading

• Hanks, Patrick, editor (2003), “Beeching”, in Dictionary of American Family Names, volume 1, New York: Oxford University Press, →ISBN, page 125.

Anagrams

• Chengbei