NameCensus.

UK surname

Balmbra

In the 1881 census there were 28 people recorded with the Balmbra surname, ranking it #29,646 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 130, ranked #26,152, up from #29,646 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Northumberland, Burnley and North Devon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Balmbra is 146 in 2011. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 364.3%.

1881 census count

28

Ranked #29,646

Modern count

130

2016, ranked #26,152

Peak year

2011

146 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Balmbra had 28 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #29,646 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 130 in 2016, ranked #26,152.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 46 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Balmbra surname distribution map

The map shows where the Balmbra surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Balmbra surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Balmbra over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 43 #25,518
1861 historical 39 #29,099
1881 historical 28 #29,646
1891 historical 32 #31,754
1901 historical 46 #29,047
1911 historical 45 #28,332
1997 modern 114 #24,967
1998 modern 115 #25,466
1999 modern 128 #24,017
2000 modern 126 #24,220
2001 modern 125 #24,011
2002 modern 129 #24,021
2003 modern 124 #24,378
2004 modern 127 #24,224
2005 modern 124 #24,529
2006 modern 128 #24,267
2007 modern 128 #24,632
2008 modern 136 #24,004
2009 modern 136 #24,485
2010 modern 144 #24,147
2011 modern 146 #23,736
2012 modern 135 #24,952
2013 modern 133 #25,655
2014 modern 130 #26,216
2015 modern 126 #26,654
2016 modern 130 #26,152

Geography

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Where Balmbras are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Northumberland, Burnley, North Devon, Ribble Valley and East Lindsey. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Northumberland 005 Northumberland
2 Burnley 004 Burnley
3 North Devon 013 North Devon
4 Ribble Valley 005 Ribble Valley
5 East Lindsey 012 East Lindsey

Forenames

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First names often paired with Balmbra

These lists show first names that appear often with the Balmbra surname in historical and recent records.

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Balmbra

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Balmbra, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Balmbra surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Balmbra household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Balmbra is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Balmbra is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Balmbra falls in decile 3 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Balmbra is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Balmbra, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

1881 census detail

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Balmbra families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Balmbra surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Northumberland leads with 18 Balmbras recorded in 1881 and an index of 44.34x.

County Total Index
Northumberland 18 44.34x
Durham 10 12.32x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Acklington in Northumberland leads with 6 Balmbras recorded in 1881 and an index of 30000.00x.

Place Total Index
Acklington 6 30000.00x
Heworth 6 375.00x
Gateshead 4 65.79x
Alnwick 3 428.57x
Newburn 3 2500.00x
Glanton 2 4000.00x
Alnmouth 1 2000.00x
Little Houghton 1 10000.00x
Snitter 1 10000.00x
Westgate 1 39.84x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Balmbra surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 6
Ann 1
Dorothy 1
Eliza 1
Elizabeth 1
Elizth. 1
Harriet 1
Margaret 1
Rachael 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Balmbra surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
James 3
John 3
Robert 2
William 2
Charles 1
Edward 1
Henry 1
Thomas 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Balmbra households.

FAQ

Balmbra surname: questions and answers

How common was the Balmbra surname in 1881?

In 1881, 28 people were recorded with the Balmbra surname. That placed it at #29,646 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Balmbra surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 130 in 2016. That gives Balmbra a modern rank of #26,152.

What does the Balmbra map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Balmbra bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.