NameCensus.

UK surname

Brackenbury

A locational surname referring to someone from a place overgrown with bracken.

In the 1881 census there were 654 people recorded with the Brackenbury surname, ranking it #5,473 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 838, ranked #6,658, down from #5,473 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Boston (incl. Boston allotments) and Horncastle (incl. Horncastle allotments). In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Kesteven, Boston and Fenland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Brackenbury is 934 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 28.1%.

1881 census count

654

Ranked #5,473

Modern count

838

2016, ranked #6,658

Peak year

2000

934 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Brackenbury had 654 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,473 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 838 in 2016, ranked #6,658.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 899 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Brackenbury surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Brackenbury surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Brackenbury 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 413 #5,872
1861 historical 410 #6,264
1881 historical 654 #5,473
1891 historical 705 #5,565
1901 historical 806 #5,600
1911 historical 899 #4,956
1997 modern 872 #6,113
1998 modern 909 #6,111
1999 modern 913 #6,136
2000 modern 934 #6,015
2001 modern 893 #6,117
2002 modern 901 #6,195
2003 modern 867 #6,246
2004 modern 855 #6,321
2005 modern 845 #6,334
2006 modern 845 #6,352
2007 modern 840 #6,436
2008 modern 846 #6,451
2009 modern 869 #6,456
2010 modern 888 #6,463
2011 modern 885 #6,403
2012 modern 838 #6,600
2013 modern 858 #6,580
2014 modern 854 #6,633
2015 modern 836 #6,689
2016 modern 838 #6,658

Geography

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Where Brackenburys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Boston (incl. Boston allotments), Horncastle (incl. Horncastle allotments) and Spilsby, West Keal, Stickford, Lusby (incl. Lusby allotments). These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Kesteven, Boston and Fenland. 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 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 Boston (incl. Boston allotments) Lincolnshire
4 Horncastle (incl. Horncastle allotments) Lincolnshire
5 Spilsby, West Keal, Stickford, Lusby (incl. Lusby allotments) Lincolnshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Kesteven 010 North Kesteven
2 Boston 002 Boston
3 Fenland 006 Fenland
4 North Kesteven 005 North Kesteven
5 Boston 009 Boston

Forenames

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First names often paired with Brackenbury

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Brackenbury

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

Rural Amenity

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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, Brackenbury 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

Brackenbury is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Brackenbury falls in decile 7 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Brackenbury

The surname Brackenbury originated in England, likely in the 11th or 12th century. It is a locational name, derived from the place name Brackenborough or Brackenbury. This place name is composed of the Old English words "bracken" meaning fern and "burgh" meaning a fortified town or dwelling.

The earliest known record of the surname Brackenbury is found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is spelled Brachinghamberie. This entry refers to a place in Lincolnshire, which was likely the original homeland of the Brackenbury family.

In the 13th century, the surname appears in various records as Brakenbergh, Brakenburg, and Brakynbery. These spellings reflect the evolution of the name over time and the influence of different dialects in different regions.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Brackenbury was William de Brackenbury, who lived in the late 13th century and held lands in Lincolnshire. Another notable bearer of the name was Sir Robert Brackenbury (c. 1420-1485), who served as the Constable of the Tower of London under King Richard III.

In the 16th century, the surname Brackenbury is associated with the village of Brackenbury in Norfolk. A prominent member of the family during this period was Richard Brackenbury (c. 1515-1587), who served as a Member of Parliament for Grantham.

Over the centuries, the surname Brackenbury has been found in various parts of England, particularly in the counties of Lincolnshire, Norfolk, and Yorkshire. Other notable individuals with this surname include Sir Robert Brackenbury (1752-1818), a British naval officer who served in the American Revolutionary War, and Sir Edward Brackenbury (1828-1890), a British army officer who served in the Crimean War and the Indian Rebellion of 1857.

The Brackenbury surname has also been found in other parts of the world, likely due to migration and the spread of English culture and language. However, its origins can be traced back to the fern-covered towns and fortifications of medieval England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Brackenbury families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Brackenbury 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. Lincolnshire leads with 301 Brackenburys recorded in 1881 and an index of 29.42x.

County Total Index
Lincolnshire 301 29.42x
Yorkshire 82 1.29x
Middlesex 71 1.11x
Norfolk 58 5.90x
Durham 20 1.05x
Nottinghamshire 17 1.97x
Surrey 15 0.48x
Kent 14 0.64x
Essex 12 0.95x
Cambridgeshire 11 2.71x
Lancashire 11 0.14x
Hampshire 7 0.53x
Northamptonshire 6 1.00x
Suffolk 6 0.77x
Berkshire 5 1.04x
Devon 5 0.38x
Cumberland 4 0.73x
Northumberland 3 0.32x
Staffordshire 2 0.09x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.26x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.39x
Cheshire 1 0.07x
Gloucestershire 1 0.08x
Somerset 1 0.10x
Sussex 1 0.09x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Boston in Lincolnshire leads with 19 Brackenburys recorded in 1881 and an index of 61.21x.

Place Total Index
Boston 19 61.21x
Great Yarmouth 16 19.63x
Louth 16 68.23x
Wyberton 16 1134.75x
Knapton 15 2173.91x
Leverton 13 1000.00x
East Drayton 12 2553.19x
Horton In Bradford 11 11.11x
Londonthorpe 11 2750.00x
Brightside Bierlow 10 8.04x
Horncastle 10 94.70x
Thornaby 10 42.21x
Bardney 9 295.08x
St Marylebone London 9 2.63x
Swineshead 9 267.86x
Wigtoft 9 608.11x
Algarkirk 8 701.75x
Cromer 8 228.57x
Horbling 8 727.27x
Minting 8 1038.96x
Plumstead 8 10.99x
St Pancras London 8 1.55x
Tattershall Thorpe 8 1176.47x
Acton 7 18.66x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 7 11.85x
Clerkenwell London 7 4.63x
Doncaster 7 15.11x
Ludford Magna 7 804.60x
Netherthong 7 341.46x
Scarborough 7 12.15x
Sheffield 7 3.47x
St Botolph Lincoln 7 95.11x
Stranton 7 10.92x
Waltham Holy Cross 7 59.27x
Westminster St James 7 10.64x
Baumber 6 789.47x
Blackburn 6 2.97x
Carlby 6 1666.67x
Chertsey 6 29.78x
Christchurch 6 21.10x
Crook Billy Row 6 24.61x
Hackney London 6 1.67x
Leake 6 127.93x
Skirbeck Quarter 6 320.86x
Spittlegate 6 42.40x
Tydd St Giles 6 310.88x
Burgh Castle 5 434.78x
Carrington 5 769.23x
Goulsbey 5 909.09x
Hemingby 5 568.18x
Isleworth 5 17.57x
Market Stainton 5 2380.95x
New Sleaford 5 76.22x
Peterborough 5 11.47x
Spilsby 5 153.85x
Wilksby 5 6250.00x
Wisbech St Peter 5 24.61x
Cockermouth 4 34.48x
Frieston 4 165.29x
Frithville Boston Sibsey 4 597.01x
Grantham 4 29.99x
Great Grimsby 4 6.16x
Great Sturton 4 1250.00x
Kirby Le Soken 4 219.78x
Lee 4 12.62x
Sonning 4 75.47x
St George Hanover Square 4 3.55x
St Swithin Lincoln 4 24.86x
Wimbledon 4 11.43x
Croydon 3 1.73x
Darlington 3 4.08x
Friskney 3 92.31x
Hammersmith London 3 1.90x
Liversedge 3 10.63x
Newington 3 17.18x
North Walsham 3 42.31x
Salmonby 3 1304.35x
St Anne Soho London 3 8.21x
St Maryle Wigford 3 37.74x
Wainfleet All Sts 3 100.67x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 49
John 32
George 23
Henry 19
Joseph 18
James 15
Thomas 15
Charles 14
Edward 14
Robert 13
Arthur 6
Richard 6
Walter 5
Alfred 4
Harry 4
Albert 3
Edwin 3
Elijah 3
Frank 3
Hubert 3
Wm. 3
Frederick 2
Harold 2
Herbert 2
Percy 2
Reuben 2
W. 2
Austin 1
Benjamin 1
Cecil 1
Charley 1
Chas. 1
Christopher 1
Cyril 1
Eland 1
Emanuel 1
Ernest 1
Fredrick 1
G. 1
Geo. 1
Geo.T. 1
Jessie 1
Jhn. 1
Jns. 1
Job 1
Lionel 1
M. 1
Mathew 1
Matthew 1
Nut 1

FAQ

Brackenbury surname: questions and answers

How common was the Brackenbury surname in 1881?

In 1881, 654 people were recorded with the Brackenbury surname. That placed it at #5,473 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Brackenbury surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 838 in 2016. That gives Brackenbury a modern rank of #6,658.

What does the Brackenbury surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone from a place overgrown with bracken.

What does the Brackenbury map show?

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