NameCensus.

UK surname

Birchenough

An English surname derived from a place name referring to a birch tree grove.

In the 1881 census there were 509 people recorded with the Birchenough surname, ranking it #6,690 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 426, ranked #11,279, down from #6,690 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Prestbury, Stockport and Leek. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Dover, High Peak and Bristol.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Birchenough is 669 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 16.3%.

1881 census count

509

Ranked #6,690

Modern count

426

2016, ranked #11,279

Peak year

1911

669 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Birchenough had 509 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,690 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 426 in 2016, ranked #11,279.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 669 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Birchenough surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Birchenough surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Birchenough 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 330 #7,062
1861 historical 359 #7,113
1881 historical 509 #6,690
1891 historical 645 #6,016
1901 historical 668 #6,512
1911 historical 669 #6,294
1997 modern 500 #9,304
1998 modern 526 #9,238
1999 modern 516 #9,439
2000 modern 528 #9,251
2001 modern 512 #9,288
2002 modern 520 #9,377
2003 modern 495 #9,557
2004 modern 485 #9,716
2005 modern 482 #9,685
2006 modern 474 #9,855
2007 modern 483 #9,816
2008 modern 474 #10,040
2009 modern 468 #10,354
2010 modern 485 #10,277
2011 modern 475 #10,346
2012 modern 459 #10,513
2013 modern 452 #10,795
2014 modern 445 #11,002
2015 modern 428 #11,276
2016 modern 426 #11,279

Geography

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Where Birchenoughs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Prestbury, Stockport, Leek, Sandbach and Chapel-en-le-Frith. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Dover, High Peak, Bristol and Cheshire East. 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 Prestbury Cheshire
2 Stockport Cheshire
3 Leek Staffordshire
4 Sandbach Cheshire
5 Chapel-en-le-Frith Derbyshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Dover 013 Dover
2 High Peak 013 High Peak
3 High Peak 003 High Peak
4 Bristol 042 Bristol, City of
5 Cheshire East 028 Cheshire East

Forenames

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First names often paired with Birchenough

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Birchenough

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Birchenough, 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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Birchenough surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Birchenough household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Birchenough 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

Birchenough is most concentrated in decile 6 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Birchenough falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Birchenough 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 Birchenough, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Birchenough

The surname Birchenough is of English origin, originating in the county of Shropshire in the West Midlands region during the medieval period. It is believed to be a locational name derived from the Old English words "byrcen" meaning "birch" and "hough" meaning "ridge" or "hill." This suggests that the name originated from a place where birch trees grew on a ridge or hill.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Birchenough can be found in the Shropshire Assize Rolls of 1292, where a Richard de Byrchenovere is mentioned. This early spelling variation reflects the name's locational origin and its transition from a place name to a surname.

In the 16th century, the Birchenough family held lands and estates in the parish of Ellesmere in Shropshire. Thomas Birchenough, born around 1540, was a notable member of the family and served as a Justice of the Peace for the county.

The surname Birchenough is also associated with the nearby village of Birchenough, located in the parish of Ellesmere. This place name likely derived from the surname, suggesting that the family may have been landowners or prominent residents in the area.

During the English Civil War in the 17th century, John Birchenough (1619-1688) was a Puritan minister and member of the Westminster Assembly, which was responsible for producing the Westminster Confession of Faith.

Another notable figure with the surname Birchenough was Charles Birchenough (1821-1890), an English businessman and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Marylebone from 1868 to 1874.

In the late 19th century, Henry Birchenough (1853-1937) was a British colonial administrator who served as the Treasurer of Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) and played a significant role in the development of the region.

While the surname Birchenough is relatively uncommon, it has been found in various parts of England, particularly in the counties of Shropshire, Cheshire, and Lancashire, where it likely originated and spread over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Birchenough families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Birchenough 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. Cheshire leads with 278 Birchenoughs recorded in 1881 and an index of 25.36x.

County Total Index
Cheshire 278 25.36x
Lancashire 70 1.19x
Staffordshire 55 3.28x
Derbyshire 40 5.15x
Yorkshire 31 0.63x
Nottinghamshire 9 1.34x
Denbighshire 6 3.20x
Leicestershire 6 1.09x
Surrey 4 0.17x
Lincolnshire 3 0.38x
Middlesex 2 0.04x
Ayrshire 1 0.27x
Dorset 1 0.31x
Glamorgan 1 0.12x
Northamptonshire 1 0.21x
Warwickshire 1 0.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Macclesfield in Cheshire leads with 93 Birchenoughs recorded in 1881 and an index of 190.89x.

Place Total Index
Macclesfield 93 190.89x
Stockport 35 62.06x
Leek Lowe 32 143.50x
Chapel En Le Frith 29 408.45x
Sutton In Macclesfield 29 255.06x
Hyde 26 80.40x
Sandbach 21 224.60x
Romiley 13 420.71x
Ashton Under Lyne 12 9.32x
Congleton 9 47.52x
Castleton 8 13.60x
Monks Coppenhall 8 19.34x
Nottingham St Mary 8 4.62x
Ovenden 8 36.53x
Wolstanton 8 15.72x
Cheadle 7 33.44x
Hurdsfield 7 103.86x
Titteworth 7 272.37x
Belgrave 6 48.31x
Ecclesall Bierlow 6 6.00x
Godley 6 253.16x
Ruabon 6 23.26x
Blackley 5 48.40x
Broughton In Salford 5 9.28x
Fairfield 5 96.15x
Haslington 5 162.34x
Kettleshulme 5 892.86x
Pendleton In Salford 5 7.12x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 4 8.73x
Crompton 4 23.84x
Heaton Norris 4 11.93x
Newington 4 2.18x
Royton 4 22.20x
Stoke Upon Trent 4 2.25x
Blackburn 3 1.91x
Bosden 3 89.29x
Burslem 3 6.25x
Dukinfield 3 5.92x
Glossop Dale 3 8.24x
Nether Hallam 3 4.51x
Northowram 3 8.70x
Winterton 3 109.89x
Barnsley 2 3.94x
Bredbury 2 31.55x
Buglawton 2 75.76x
Chadderton 2 6.94x
Harwood 2 64.94x
Haughton 2 23.28x
Hayfield 2 41.93x
Huddersfield 2 2.79x
Leeds 2 0.72x
Levenshulme 2 33.00x
Manchester 2 0.75x
Newton In Ashton Under 2 18.50x
Offerton 2 333.33x
Salford 2 1.15x
Toxteth Park 2 1.00x
Aston 1 0.29x
Ayr 1 5.70x
Barrow In Furness 1 1.25x
Bow London 1 1.58x
Chinley Bugsworth 1 49.02x
Higher Booths 1 9.42x
Kimberworth 1 3.66x
Kirkdale 1 1.01x
Little Bolton 1 1.32x
Liverpool 1 0.28x
Llantwit Vairdre 1 10.29x
Mansfield 1 4.32x
Portland 1 5.71x
Stamford Baron St Martin 1 40.00x
Westminster St Margaret 1 4.18x
Withington 1 5.27x
Wolstanton Oldcott 1 16.47x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 35
John 28
William 26
Joseph 14
George 13
Samuel 11
Thomas 9
Henry 8
David 6
Ralph 6
Charles 5
Albert 4
Arthur 4
Herbert 4
Edward 3
Frank 3
Fred 3
Mark 3
Peter 3
Robert 3
Thos. 3
Walter 3
Wm. 3
Aaron 2
Alfred 2
Edwin 2
Ernest 2
Frederick 2
Harry 2
Isaac 2
Jonathan 2
Nathan 2
Richard 2
Charley 1
Enoch 1
Francis 1
Harold 1
Hy. 1
Irving 1
Jas. 1
Jeremiah 1
Jno. 1
Joel 1
Johnathen 1
Leonard 1
Matthew 1
Orvel 1
Paul 1
Robt.T. 1
Saul 1

FAQ

Birchenough surname: questions and answers

How common was the Birchenough surname in 1881?

In 1881, 509 people were recorded with the Birchenough surname. That placed it at #6,690 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Birchenough surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 426 in 2016. That gives Birchenough a modern rank of #11,279.

What does the Birchenough surname mean?

An English surname derived from a place name referring to a birch tree grove.

What does the Birchenough map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Birchenough 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.