NameCensus.

UK surname

Brad

An English surname with possible origins as a place name or occupational reference.

In the 1881 census there were 61 people recorded with the Brad surname, ranking it #24,992 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 125, ranked #26,827, down from #24,992 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Manchester and Lambeth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Whitecraigs and Broom, Dunoon and Wigan.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Brad is 246 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 104.9%.

1881 census count

61

Ranked #24,992

Modern count

125

2016, ranked #26,827

Peak year

1861

246 bearers

Map years

2

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Brad had 61 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #24,992 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 125 in 2016, ranked #26,827.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 246 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Multicultural Inner Suburbs.

Brad surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Brad surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Brad 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 68 #21,302
1861 historical 246 #10,010
1881 historical 61 #24,992
1891 historical 80 #26,785
1901 historical 34 #30,281
1911 historical 41 #28,802
1997 modern 32 #34,472
1998 modern 28 #35,053
1999 modern 32 #34,717
2000 modern 28 #35,080
2001 modern 32 #34,537
2002 modern 33 #34,717
2003 modern 32 #34,862
2004 modern 28 #35,354
2005 modern 36 #34,894
2006 modern 42 #34,714
2007 modern 43 #34,845
2008 modern 47 #34,699
2009 modern 62 #33,832
2010 modern 65 #33,863
2011 modern 67 #33,704
2012 modern 89 #31,934
2013 modern 94 #31,656
2014 modern 113 #28,779
2015 modern 112 #28,809
2016 modern 125 #26,827

Geography

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Where Brads are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Manchester, Lambeth, St Giles-in-the-Fields and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Whitecraigs and Broom, Dunoon, Wigan, Christchurch and Greenend and Carnbroe. 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 3
2 Manchester Lancashire
3 Lambeth London (South Districts)
4 St Giles-in-the-Fields London (Central Districts)
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Whitecraigs and Broom East Renfrewshire
2 Dunoon Argyll and Bute
3 Wigan 015 Wigan
4 Christchurch 007 Christchurch
5 Greenend and Carnbroe North Lanarkshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Brad

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Brad

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

Multicultural Inner Suburbs

Nationally, the Brad surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Multicultural Inner Suburbs, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Brad household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house many younger and middle-aged adults with children. All ethnic minorities, apart from those identifying as Pakistani or Bangladeshi, appear to be present in above average proportions. Affiliation to Christian religions is uncommon. Long-term disability rates are low, mirrored in limited provision of unpaid care. Privately rented terrace houses and flats are the norm. Managerial, professional and technical occupations are prevalent, and work is rarely part time. Many individuals have degree level qualifications. These areas form the inner suburbs of many of the UK’s 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

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Brad is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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 residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Brad 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

Brad falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Brad is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
Asian - Indian

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

Meaning and origin of Brad

The surname Brad is believed to have originated in England during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old English word "brad," which means "broad" or "wide." This referred to either a broad or wide area of land or a person with a broad or sturdy build.

The earliest known record of the surname Brad dates back to the 13th century. In the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1273, there is a mention of a John le Brad. This suggests that the name was initially used as a descriptive nickname before becoming a hereditary surname.

During the 14th century, the surname appeared in various spellings, such as Brod, Brode, and Broade, reflecting the regional dialects and variations in pronunciation. One notable early bearer of the name was Thomas Brod, who was mentioned in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in 1317.

The surname Brad was also associated with several place names in England, such as Broadwey in Dorset, Bradfield in Berkshire, and Bradninch in Devon. These place names likely influenced the surname's spelling and contributed to its regional distribution.

In the 16th century, the spelling of the surname became more standardized as "Brad." One notable figure from this period was John Brad, a Protestant martyr who was burned at the stake in 1555 during the reign of Queen Mary I for his religious beliefs.

Another historically significant bearer of the surname was William Brad, a prominent English poet and playwright who lived from 1563 to 1637. He is best known for his play "The Penitent Whore" and his poetic works.

In the 17th century, the Brad surname was well-established in various parts of England. One notable individual was Thomas Brad, a Member of Parliament who represented Devonshire in the House of Commons from 1628 to 1629.

Moving into the 18th century, the surname Brad continued to be found throughout England. One notable figure was Edward Brad, a renowned English architect who designed several churches and public buildings in London between 1720 and 1780.

In the 19th century, the surname Brad spread further afield as members of the family emigrated to other parts of the world, including North America and Australia. One notable bearer of the name was Robert Brad, an English explorer and naturalist who traveled extensively in Africa and Asia between 1840 and 1870, making significant contributions to the study of flora and fauna.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Brad families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Brad 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. Surrey leads with 13 Brads recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.89x.

County Total Index
Surrey 13 4.89x
Staffordshire 9 4.88x
Middlesex 7 1.28x
Gloucestershire 5 4.67x
Hampshire 5 4.47x
Essex 3 2.78x
Kent 3 1.61x
Leicestershire 3 4.96x
Isle of Man 2 19.72x
Devon 1 0.88x
Lanarkshire 1 0.57x
Lancashire 1 0.15x
Norfolk 1 1.19x
Pembrokeshire 1 5.76x
Yorkshire 1 0.18x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Willenhall in Staffordshire leads with 9 Brads recorded in 1881 and an index of 260.87x.

Place Total Index
Willenhall 9 260.87x
Croydon 6 40.62x
Camberwell 5 14.33x
Gloucester Barton St 5 793.65x
Southampton St Mary 5 71.02x
Blackfordby 3 1578.95x
Westminster St James 3 53.48x
Deptford St Paul 2 13.92x
Onchan 2 68.49x
Penge 2 57.31x
Rickling 2 2500.00x
Devonport 1 76.34x
Govan 1 2.29x
Hammersmith London 1 7.43x
Mile End Old Town London 1 8.61x
Norwich St Stephen 1 129.87x
Paddington London 1 4.98x
Pembroke St Mary 1 44.84x
Read 1 588.24x
Rochester St Margaret 1 51.02x
Sheffield 1 5.80x
St Martin In Fields 1 30.58x
West Ham 1 4.20x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 3
Amelia 2
Angelena 2
Annie 2
Elizabeth 2
Hannah 2
Louisa 2
Alety 1
Betsy 1
Caroline 1
Eleanor 1
Eliza 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
James 1
Laura 1
Martha 1
Maud 1
Sarah 1
Susan 1
Violet 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 3
Joseph 3
William 3
George 2
Henry 2
Richard 2
Art. 1
Arthur 1
Charles 1
Chs. 1
Francis 1
Frederick 1
Reginald 1
Samuel 1
Tom 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Brad households.

FAQ

Brad surname: questions and answers

How common was the Brad surname in 1881?

In 1881, 61 people were recorded with the Brad surname. That placed it at #24,992 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Brad surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 125 in 2016. That gives Brad a modern rank of #26,827.

What does the Brad surname mean?

An English surname with possible origins as a place name or occupational reference.

What does the Brad map show?

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