NameCensus.

UK surname

Brabin

In the 1881 census there were 87 people recorded with the Brabin surname, ranking it #21,334 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 228, ranked #17,936, up from #21,334 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Eccles, Dean and Liverpool. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bolton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Brabin is 252 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 162.1%.

1881 census count

87

Ranked #21,334

Modern count

228

2016, ranked #17,936

Peak year

2010

252 bearers

Map years

6

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Brabin had 87 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #21,334 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 228 in 2016, ranked #17,936.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 186 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy Industrial and Coastal Communities.

Brabin surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Brabin surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Brabin 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 48 #24,615
1861 historical 87 #22,681
1881 historical 87 #21,334
1891 historical 135 #19,692
1901 historical 147 #18,270
1911 historical 186 #15,643
1997 modern 231 #16,049
1998 modern 226 #16,800
1999 modern 229 #16,744
2000 modern 220 #17,138
2001 modern 234 #16,205
2002 modern 245 #16,041
2003 modern 246 #15,769
2004 modern 241 #16,086
2005 modern 234 #16,388
2006 modern 234 #16,493
2007 modern 234 #16,706
2008 modern 227 #17,196
2009 modern 247 #16,549
2010 modern 252 #16,701
2011 modern 247 #16,783
2012 modern 238 #17,092
2013 modern 239 #17,307
2014 modern 239 #17,429
2015 modern 230 #17,795
2016 modern 228 #17,936

Geography

Back to top

Where Brabins are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Eccles, Dean, Liverpool, Leigh and Newcastle-under Lyne. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bolton. 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 Eccles Lancashire
2 Dean Lancashire
3 Liverpool Lancashire
4 Leigh Lancashire
5 Newcastle-under Lyne Staffordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bolton 029 Bolton
2 Bolton 034 Bolton
3 Bolton 027 Bolton
4 Bolton 017 Bolton
5 Bolton 024 Bolton

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Brabin

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Brabin

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

Baseline UK

Group

Legacy Industrial and Coastal Communities

Nationally, the Brabin surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy Industrial and Coastal Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Brabin household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Single-person households are common in these neighbourhoods, and these residents are typically divorced rather than never married. A high proportion of residents were born outside the UK in the EU. There are many young adults, some with young children, but relatively few residents are of normal retirement age or over. Although levels of identification with ethnic minorities are in line with the Supergroup average, individuals identifying with Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is more common than average. High long-term disability rates are observed, and unpaid care is more common than in the rest of the Group. The predominant housing types are terraced houses and flats, which are typically part of the social rented sector. This Group is commonly found in coastal areas and (present-day or former) industrial towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Brabin is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Brabin is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Brabin 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 Brabin is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

1881 census detail

Back to top

Brabin families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Brabin 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 69 Brabins recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.93x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 69 6.93x
Staffordshire 8 2.83x
Westmorland 5 27.13x
Cornwall 1 1.05x
Glamorgan 1 0.68x
Kent 1 0.35x
Warwickshire 1 0.47x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Barton Upon Irwell in Lancashire leads with 10 Brabins recorded in 1881 and an index of 133.51x.

Place Total Index
Barton Upon Irwell 10 133.51x
Great Bolton 8 60.70x
Little Bolton 8 62.50x
Bedford 6 288.46x
Hutton Roof 5 6250.00x
Kirkdale 5 29.87x
Toxteth Park 5 14.84x
Hulme 4 19.25x
Tonge With Haulgh 4 206.19x
Walton On Hill 4 74.21x
Everton 3 9.46x
Kearsley 3 143.54x
Liverpool 3 4.96x
Newcastle Under Lyme 3 59.88x
Stoke Upon Trent 3 9.99x
Whalley 3 206.90x
Layton With Warbreck 2 54.79x
Birmingham 1 1.42x
Hougham 1 58.82x
Landulph 1 714.29x
Llandaff 1 20.58x
Pendleton In Salford 1 8.43x
Stone 1 27.62x
West Bromwich 1 6.17x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 8
James 7
Joseph 4
Richard 3
Robert 3
William 3
George 2
Thos. 2
Albert 1
Alexander 1
Ann 1
Henry 1
Jno. 1
Luke 1
Peter 1
Samuel 1
Thomas 1
Thos.H. 1

FAQ

Brabin surname: questions and answers

How common was the Brabin surname in 1881?

In 1881, 87 people were recorded with the Brabin surname. That placed it at #21,334 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Brabin surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 228 in 2016. That gives Brabin a modern rank of #17,936.

What does the Brabin map show?

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