NameCensus.

UK surname

Birtwistle

A locational surname originating from a place name likely referring to a bright or sunny clearing.

In the 1881 census there were 1,651 people recorded with the Birtwistle surname, ranking it #2,598 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,371, ranked #4,400, down from #2,598 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, Bury (Walmersley and Tottington, Heap),Middleton (Birtle with Bamford, Pilsworth) and Whalley. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hyndburn and Pendle.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Birtwistle is 2,142 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 17.0%.

1881 census count

1,651

Ranked #2,598

Modern count

1,371

2016, ranked #4,400

Peak year

1911

2,142 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Birtwistle had 1,651 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,598 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,371 in 2016, ranked #4,400.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,142 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Birtwistle surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Birtwistle surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Birtwistle 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 759 #3,510
1861 historical 780 #3,524
1881 historical 1,651 #2,598
1891 historical 1,604 #2,777
1901 historical 1,906 #2,771
1911 historical 2,142 #2,347
1997 modern 1,442 #4,047
1998 modern 1,498 #4,053
1999 modern 1,505 #4,070
2000 modern 1,480 #4,106
2001 modern 1,458 #4,082
2002 modern 1,471 #4,132
2003 modern 1,420 #4,172
2004 modern 1,370 #4,305
2005 modern 1,365 #4,276
2006 modern 1,371 #4,268
2007 modern 1,380 #4,276
2008 modern 1,360 #4,348
2009 modern 1,412 #4,307
2010 modern 1,441 #4,309
2011 modern 1,428 #4,300
2012 modern 1,386 #4,335
2013 modern 1,411 #4,341
2014 modern 1,428 #4,328
2015 modern 1,393 #4,367
2016 modern 1,371 #4,400

Geography

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Where Birtwistles are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, Bury (Walmersley and Tottington, Heap),Middleton (Birtle with Bamford, Pilsworth), Whalley and Blackburn. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Hyndburn and Pendle. 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 Rochdale Lancashire
2 Bury (Walmersley and Tottington, Heap),Middleton (Birtle with Bamford, Pilsworth) Lancashire
3 Whalley Lancashire
4 Blackburn Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Hyndburn 001 Hyndburn
2 Hyndburn 004 Hyndburn
3 Hyndburn 002 Hyndburn
4 Pendle 002 Pendle
5 Pendle 005 Pendle

Forenames

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First names often paired with Birtwistle

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Birtwistle

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Birtwistle, 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 Birtwistle surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Birtwistle 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, Birtwistle 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

Birtwistle is most concentrated in decile 2 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Birtwistle 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 Birtwistle 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 Birtwistle, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Birtwistle

The surname Birtwistle is of English origin, deriving from the village of Britehuislache in Lancashire. The name is believed to have evolved from the Old English words 'bryht' meaning bright or shining, and 'wisc' meaning meadow or marsh. It first appeared in records during the 13th century as Brytehuislache.

Over time, the spelling of the name changed to reflect regional dialects and scribal variations. Variants such as Britwissill, Brittewysill, and Britwysill can be found in medieval records from the 14th and 15th centuries. The modern spelling of Birtwistle became more standardized by the 16th century.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name is in the Pipe Rolls of Lancashire from 1246, where a Robert de Britwysill is listed as a taxpayer. The Birtwistle family is also referenced in the Lancashire Inquisitions of 1311, which detail land holdings in the area.

The Domesday Book of 1086 does not contain any direct mentions of the name Birtwistle, as the surname had not yet evolved from the original place name at that time. However, it does record the village of Britehuislache itself, which would later lend its name to the Birtwistle family.

Notable individuals with the surname Birtwistle include:

1. Thomas Birtwistle (1833-1903), an English industrialist and philanthropist who founded the Birtwistle Spinning Company in Lancashire.

2. Alice Birtwistle (1863-1949), a British trade unionist and suffragette who advocated for better working conditions for women in the textile industry.

3. Sir John Birtwistle (1890-1971), a British civil servant and diplomat who served as Ambassador to Argentina from 1944 to 1949.

4. Ralph Birtwistle (1901-1986), an English cricketer who played for Lancashire County Cricket Club in the 1920s and 1930s.

5. Arthur Birtwistle (1917-1994), a British mathematician and logician known for his work on the foundations of mathematical logic and set theory.

The name Birtwistle has endured for centuries, with its origins firmly rooted in the landscapes and communities of Lancashire. While the spelling and pronunciation may have evolved, the surname continues to carry the legacy of its medieval English heritage.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Birtwistle families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Birtwistle 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. Lancashire leads with 1,495 Birtwistles recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.85x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 1,495 7.85x
Cheshire 69 1.95x
Yorkshire 61 0.38x
Stirlingshire 5 0.84x
Worcestershire 5 0.24x
Middlesex 4 0.02x
Lincolnshire 2 0.08x
Hampshire 1 0.03x
Royal Navy 1 0.52x
Warwickshire 1 0.02x
Westmorland 1 0.28x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Great Harwood in Lancashire leads with 140 Birtwistles recorded in 1881 and an index of 406.74x.

Place Total Index
Great Harwood 140 406.74x
Accrington 113 65.28x
Haslingden 104 131.90x
Blackburn 95 18.75x
Higher Booths 85 247.60x
Bury 64 29.42x
Church 62 230.57x
Tottington Lower End 60 66.31x
Newchurch 58 37.23x
Elton 36 54.72x
Tottington Higher End 36 166.13x
Little Bolton 33 13.48x
Spotland 32 15.12x
Salford 30 5.36x
Oldham 27 4.39x
Clayton Le Moors 25 67.66x
Padiham 24 52.17x
Lower Booths 23 67.41x
Trawden 22 184.72x
Preston 21 4.12x
Keighley 20 11.80x
Cowpe Lench Newhall Hey 19 93.37x
Great Bolton 19 7.53x
Burnley 16 9.98x
Disley Stanley 16 87.72x
Hulme 16 4.02x
Livesey 15 44.88x
Walmersley Cum 15 49.29x
Habergham Eaves 14 8.04x
Heap 14 13.86x
Wigan 14 5.26x
Castleton 13 6.84x
Colne 13 22.92x
Huncoat 13 254.40x
Weaverham Cum Milton 13 138.74x
Gorton 12 6.70x
Oswaldtwistle 12 17.84x
Broughton In Salford 10 5.74x
Chorlton On Medlock 10 3.31x
Great Little Marsden 10 11.46x
Manchester 10 1.17x
Musbury 8 143.63x
Over Darwen 8 5.26x
Stayley 8 19.76x
Ashton Under Lyne 7 1.68x
Barningham 7 489.51x
Hartford 7 87.39x
Huddersfield 7 3.02x
Leeds 7 0.78x
Mottram 7 43.64x
North Meols 7 3.76x
Bradford 6 6.73x
Bradshaw 6 144.58x
Clitheroe 6 10.71x
Layton With Warbreck 6 8.59x
Over 6 16.67x
Billington 5 64.35x
Hutton 5 233.64x
Rishton 5 22.39x
Rochdale 5 36.00x
Strathblane 5 67.66x
Wakefield 5 4.10x
Wardleworth 5 4.60x
West Derby 5 0.90x
Whittingham 5 59.59x
Blackley 4 11.98x
Cheadle 4 5.91x
Crompton 4 7.38x
Halifax 4 1.71x
Islington London 4 0.26x
Kidderminster Foreign 4 13.50x
Poulton Barre 4 18.47x
Turton 4 12.83x
Butterworth 3 6.47x
Godley 3 39.22x
Lytham 3 10.32x
Prestwich 3 6.32x
Todmorden Walsden 3 5.88x
Tonge With Haulgh 3 8.09x
Worsley 3 2.56x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 151
Elizabeth 80
Alice 67
Sarah 51
Margaret 43
Ellen 36
Ann 32
Martha 30
Jane 28
Annie 18
Nancy 16
Hannah 15
Betsy 13
Ada 12
Eliza 11
Betty 10
Susannah 10
Emma 9
Harriet 9
Esther 8
Maria 8
Rachel 7
Elizth. 6
Isabella 6
M. 6
Catherine 5
Charlotte 5
Clara 5
Emily 5
Agnes 4
Eleanor 4
Eunice 4
Fanny 4
Florence 4
Grace 4
Louisa 4
Lydia 4
Susan 4
Edith 3
Frances 3
Lily 3
Matilda 3
Peggy 3
Rebecca 3
Rose 3
Amy 2
Barbara 2
Dinah 2
Margret 2
Winifred 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 118
James 101
William 73
Thomas 56
Robert 34
George 32
Joseph 31
Richard 29
Henry 18
Samuel 17
Edward 13
Albert 10
Arthur 9
Herbert 9
Charles 8
Daniel 8
David 8
Walter 8
Jonathan 7
Alfred 6
Frank 6
Harry 6
Ernest 5
Fred 5
J. 4
Thos. 4
Benjamin 3
Edwin 3
Hilton 3
Isaac 3
Jonathon 3
Leonard 3
Mark 3
Peter 3
Robt. 3
Wm. 3
Aaron 2
Abraham 2
Amos 2
Cornelious 2
Duckworth 2
Enoch 2
G. 2
Haworth 2
Jesse 2
Kenyon 2
Lee 2
Moses 2
Owen 2
Squire 2

FAQ

Birtwistle surname: questions and answers

How common was the Birtwistle surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,651 people were recorded with the Birtwistle surname. That placed it at #2,598 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Birtwistle surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,371 in 2016. That gives Birtwistle a modern rank of #4,400.

What does the Birtwistle surname mean?

A locational surname originating from a place name likely referring to a bright or sunny clearing.

What does the Birtwistle map show?

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