Billingham is a town in Teesside in the unitary authority of Stockton on Tees, in North East England, with a population of 35,765 (2006),decreasing slightly to 35,165 at the 2011 Census. It was founded circa 650 by a group of Saxons known as Billa's people, which is where the name Billingham is thought to have originated. In modern history, the chemical industry, and in particular the company ICI, has played an important role in the growth of Billingham.