NameCensus.

UK surname

Brack

An English topographic surname referring to someone who lived near a steep hillside or precipice.

In the 1881 census there were 284 people recorded with the Brack surname, ranking it #10,100 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 609, ranked #8,609, up from #10,100 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Coldingham, Eyemouth and Darlington. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Duns, Northumberland and Darlington.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Brack is 653 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 114.4%.

1881 census count

284

Ranked #10,100

Modern count

609

2016, ranked #8,609

Peak year

2010

653 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Brack had 284 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,100 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 609 in 2016, ranked #8,609.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 396 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Brack surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Brack surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Brack 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 229 #9,390
1861 historical 306 #8,296
1881 historical 284 #10,100
1891 historical 383 #9,178
1901 historical 396 #9,539
1911 historical 390 #9,455
1997 modern 598 #8,162
1998 modern 602 #8,376
1999 modern 609 #8,362
2000 modern 593 #8,486
2001 modern 586 #8,433
2002 modern 626 #8,196
2003 modern 604 #8,283
2004 modern 610 #8,246
2005 modern 611 #8,162
2006 modern 605 #8,236
2007 modern 602 #8,331
2008 modern 617 #8,228
2009 modern 636 #8,208
2010 modern 653 #8,212
2011 modern 640 #8,257
2012 modern 608 #8,522
2013 modern 618 #8,538
2014 modern 624 #8,545
2015 modern 619 #8,517
2016 modern 609 #8,609

Geography

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Where Bracks are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Coldingham, Eyemouth, Darlington, Gateshead and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Duns, Northumberland and Darlington. 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 Coldingham Berwick
2 Eyemouth Berwick
3 Darlington Durham
4 Gateshead Durham
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Duns Scottish Borders
2 Northumberland 013 Northumberland
3 Northumberland 017 Northumberland
4 Northumberland 010 Northumberland
5 Darlington 004 Darlington

Forenames

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First names often paired with Brack

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Brack

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Brack, 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 Brack surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Brack 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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Brack is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Brack is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Brack 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 Brack 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 - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Brack

The surname "BRACK" is believed to have originated in Germany and the Netherlands. It is thought to be derived from the old German word "brache", meaning a fallow or uncultivated field. The name may have referred to someone who lived near or worked on such a field.

In earlier records, the surname appears with various spellings such as "Brack", "Brak", and "Brakke". One of the earliest known mentions of the name is found in the Dutch Republiek records of the late 16th century, where a "Jan Brakke" is listed as a resident of Amsterdam.

The name "BRACK" can also be traced back to the Domesday Book of 1086, which records a "Brac" as a landholder in Lincolnshire, England. This suggests that the name may have been present in England even before the Norman Conquest.

Notable individuals with the surname "BRACK" throughout history include Johann Brack (1653-1718), a German Protestant theologian and author of several religious treatises. Another prominent figure was Sir Thomas Brack (1776-1845), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars.

In the United States, one of the earliest recorded individuals with the name was Peter Brack (1740-1821), a German immigrant who fought in the American Revolutionary War. A more recent example is John Brack (1920-1999), an Australian artist and writer known for his paintings depicting everyday life in suburban Australia.

The surname "BRACK" has also been associated with several place names, such as Brack in County Cavan, Ireland, and Brack's Plantation, a former settlement in South Carolina.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Brack families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Brack 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. Durham leads with 86 Bracks recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.55x.

County Total Index
Durham 86 10.55x
Berwickshire 45 135.58x
Yorkshire 36 1.33x
Lancashire 33 1.01x
Middlesex 29 1.06x
Northumberland 19 4.66x
Roxburghshire 9 18.13x
Somerset 7 1.59x
Stirlingshire 5 4.95x
Midlothian 3 0.82x
Angus 1 0.39x
Cheshire 1 0.17x
Derbyshire 1 0.23x
Devon 1 0.18x
Lanarkshire 1 0.11x
Northamptonshire 1 0.39x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.27x
Surrey 1 0.07x
Sussex 1 0.22x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Eyemouth in Berwickshire leads with 23 Bracks recorded in 1881 and an index of 830.32x.

Place Total Index
Eyemouth 23 830.32x
Coldingham 22 738.26x
Liverpool 19 9.62x
Bishopwearmouth 13 18.57x
Darlington 12 38.11x
Gateshead 12 19.65x
Guisbrough 11 185.19x
Mile End Old Town London 11 18.86x
Limehouse London 10 33.23x
Stranton 10 36.43x
Westoe 9 19.47x
Dunkerton 7 729.17x
Southwick 6 77.72x
Byker 5 24.80x
Carlton In Stokesley 5 2083.33x
Fulham London 5 12.58x
Muiravonside 5 194.55x
Salford 5 5.23x
Skelton In Guisbrough 5 68.03x
Aspull 4 52.29x
Gilling 4 487.80x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 4 11.33x
Minto 4 975.61x
Skerton 4 149.81x
Wallsend 4 30.94x
Heworth 3 18.67x
Hoyland Swaine 3 428.57x
Kelso 3 60.61x
Monkwearmouth 3 38.41x
Preston On Tees 3 2000.00x
Skinningrove 3 179.64x
Stockton On Tees 3 7.63x
Benwell 2 44.84x
Bowden 2 277.78x
Duddo 2 1176.47x
Edinburgh St Marys 2 28.01x
Mason 2 215.05x
Normanby In 2 27.55x
Norton 2 66.67x
Shadwell London 2 26.08x
Barony 1 0.45x
Boldon 1 34.36x
Boulmer Seaton House 1 476.19x
Brighton 1 1.07x
Corbridge 1 67.11x
Devonport 1 15.24x
Eastham 1 123.46x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 1 0.68x
Ford 1 40.98x
Glossop Dale 1 4.98x
Huddersfield 1 2.53x
Hurworth 1 69.93x
Longbenton 1 5.79x
Marske In Guisbrough 1 20.75x
Monifieth 1 11.15x
Newcastle On Tyne St 1 4.73x
Rushton 1 217.39x
St Marylebone London 1 0.68x
Sutton Bonnington 1 106.38x
Warrington 1 2.59x
Washington 1 29.24x
Whickham 1 13.33x
Witton Le Wear 1 43.29x
Woking 1 12.42x
York St Mary Castlegate 1 125.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 20
Elizabeth 10
Jane 9
Sarah 8
Margaret 6
Annie 5
Emily 5
Isabella 4
Catherine 3
Eliza 3
Hannah 3
Ada 2
Alice 2
Ann 2
Dorothy 2
Edith 2
Agnes 1
Alexer.S. 1
Barbara 1
Christine 1
Deborah 1
Dore 1
Doroth 1
Elenor 1
Elizth. 1
Elizth.Ann 1
Elsie 1
Elveeh 1
Frances 1
Harriet 1
Hilda 1
Lucy 1
Mabel 1
Matilda 1
Maud 1
Teresa 1
Violet 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 24
William 16
George 8
Thomas 8
Andrew 7
Joseph 7
Robert 5
James 4
Henry 2
Alfred 1
Ambrose 1
Anthony 1
Athelstain 1
Benj. 1
Benjn. 1
Cecil 1
Charles 1
Christopher 1
David 1
Edwin 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
H. 1
Harrman 1
Harry 1
Jesse 1
Jno. 1
Joe 1
Jonathan 1
Leonard 1
Martin 1
Richard 1
Robson 1
Theodor 1
Thos. 1
Walter 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Brack surname: questions and answers

How common was the Brack surname in 1881?

In 1881, 284 people were recorded with the Brack surname. That placed it at #10,100 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Brack surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 609 in 2016. That gives Brack a modern rank of #8,609.

What does the Brack surname mean?

An English topographic surname referring to someone who lived near a steep hillside or precipice.

What does the Brack map show?

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