NameCensus.

UK surname

Brade

A topographic name for someone who lived near a broad clearing or meadow.

In the 1881 census there were 234 people recorded with the Brade surname, ranking it #11,607 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 384, ranked #12,251, down from #11,607 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to North Meols, Poulton and Toxteth Park. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Birmingham, Sefton and West Lancashire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Brade is 396 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 64.1%.

1881 census count

234

Ranked #11,607

Modern count

384

2016, ranked #12,251

Peak year

2014

396 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Brade had 234 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,607 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 384 in 2016, ranked #12,251.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 341 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Brade surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Brade surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Brade 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 161 #12,288
1861 historical 211 #11,508
1881 historical 234 #11,607
1891 historical 296 #11,215
1901 historical 335 #10,782
1911 historical 341 #10,468
1997 modern 314 #13,136
1998 modern 337 #12,859
1999 modern 347 #12,696
2000 modern 332 #13,023
2001 modern 325 #13,030
2002 modern 339 #12,911
2003 modern 331 #12,944
2004 modern 350 #12,449
2005 modern 333 #12,847
2006 modern 336 #12,842
2007 modern 349 #12,622
2008 modern 355 #12,565
2009 modern 381 #12,174
2010 modern 380 #12,462
2011 modern 385 #12,195
2012 modern 378 #12,216
2013 modern 385 #12,270
2014 modern 396 #12,100
2015 modern 389 #12,165
2016 modern 384 #12,251

Geography

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Where Brades are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around North Meols, Poulton, Toxteth Park, Manchester and Preston. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Birmingham, Sefton, West Lancashire and Lancaster. 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 North Meols Lancashire
2 Poulton Lancashire
3 Toxteth Park Lancashire
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Preston Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Birmingham 043 Birmingham
2 Sefton 001 Sefton
3 West Lancashire 002 West Lancashire
4 Birmingham 041 Birmingham
5 Lancaster 018 Lancaster

Forenames

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First names often paired with Brade

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Brade

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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations

Nationally, the Brade surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Brade 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 is often found in less central parts of London and other major towns and cities. Adults are more likely than the Supergroup average to have never been married and are typically aged less than 45 years. Many have young dependent children and individuals may have been born in Africa. There are many members identifying with a Black ethnic group, with the other ethnic groups (as listed in the glossary) also represented, though Chinese less so. Accommodation in flats, frequently socially rented, is common in these neighbourhoods. Part time employment is also common, and work is often in elementary occupations, while unemployment is also the highest within this Supergroup.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Brade is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Brade 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

Brade 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 Brade 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
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Brade

The surname Brade originates from England, with roots dating back to the early medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "brad," meaning "broad" or "wide," suggesting that the name may have initially been a descriptive nickname or occupational name for someone with a broad or sturdy physical stature.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Brade can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire from 1279, where a certain John Brade is mentioned. This historic document, compiled during the reign of King Edward I, serves as a valuable source for tracing the origins and early usage of many English surnames.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the surname Brade appeared in various records across different counties in England, such as the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1327, where a Robert Brade is listed, and the Lay Subsidy Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1380, which mention a John Brade.

The Brade surname has also been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One such figure was Sir Humphrey Brade (c. 1670-1744), an English lawyer and member of parliament who served as a judge in the Court of King's Bench during the early 18th century.

Another prominent individual with the Brade surname was William Brade (1560-1630), an English composer and viol player who served as a musician in the court of King Christian IV of Denmark. His compositions for viol consort and solo viol were highly regarded during the Renaissance period.

In the realm of literature, William Brade (1682-1756) was an English poet and translator who is best known for his translations of works by ancient Greek authors such as Homer and Hesiod.

Interestingly, the surname Brade has also been associated with place names, particularly in the county of Sussex, where the village of Broad is located. It is possible that some individuals with the Brade surname may have derived their name from this place name or a variation of it.

Throughout its history, the Brade surname has undergone slight variations in spelling, such as Braid, Brayde, and Braide, but the core meaning and pronunciation have remained largely consistent across different regions of England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Brade families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Brade 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 196 Brades recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.24x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 196 7.24x
Middlesex 9 0.39x
Yorkshire 9 0.40x
Staffordshire 6 0.78x
Surrey 5 0.45x
Cheshire 4 0.79x
Westmorland 3 5.98x
Dorset 1 0.67x
Flintshire 1 1.63x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Preston in Lancashire leads with 39 Brades recorded in 1881 and an index of 53.82x.

Place Total Index
Preston 39 53.82x
North Meols 20 75.44x
Thornton In Fylde 18 303.54x
Toxteth Park 12 13.08x
Salford 10 12.55x
Overton 8 3200.00x
Beswick 7 101.01x
Halsall 7 654.21x
Blackburn 6 8.33x
Manningham 6 21.54x
Newcastle Under Lyme 6 44.02x
Poulton Le Fylde 6 625.00x
Liverpool 5 3.04x
Pendleton In Salford 5 15.49x
Royton 5 60.39x
Witton 5 146.63x
Aughton 4 149.25x
Barton Upon Irwell 4 19.62x
Chelsea London 4 5.82x
Croydon 4 6.48x
Everton 4 4.63x
Hulme 4 7.07x
Out Rawcliffe 4 615.38x
Chester St John Baptist 3 33.11x
Farnworth 3 18.48x
Kendal 3 32.68x
Woodplumpton 3 309.28x
Accrington 2 8.12x
Chiswick 2 16.04x
Inskip With Sowerby 2 465.12x
Stretford 2 13.42x
Burscough 1 243.90x
Ellel 1 71.43x
Heaton 1 41.15x
Hesketh Cum Becconsall 1 147.06x
Holywell 1 12.99x
Kingstonupon Hull 1 55.25x
Kirkby 1 90.91x
Lathom 1 30.58x
Livesey 1 21.05x
Lytham 1 24.21x
Manchester 1 0.82x
Newington 1 1.19x
Oldham 1 1.14x
Paddington London 1 1.19x
Portland 1 12.41x
Sheffield 1 1.39x
Singleton 1 357.14x
St Pancras London 1 0.54x
Stockport Etchells 1 93.46x
Tottenham 1 2.75x
Upper Rawcliffe With 1 208.33x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 17
James 16
John 16
Richard 12
Robert 8
Thomas 8
Henry 5
George 4
Peter 3
Albert 2
Benjn. 2
Hugh 2
Roger 2
Alexander 1
Alfred 1
Amos 1
Arthur 1
Benjamin 1
Charles 1
Daniel 1
Francis 1
Frederick 1
Fredk.S. 1
Jas. 1
Joseph 1
Martin 1
Michael 1
Rowland 1
Spencer 1
Walter 1
Wm. 1
Wm.H. 1

FAQ

Brade surname: questions and answers

How common was the Brade surname in 1881?

In 1881, 234 people were recorded with the Brade surname. That placed it at #11,607 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Brade surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 384 in 2016. That gives Brade a modern rank of #12,251.

What does the Brade surname mean?

A topographic name for someone who lived near a broad clearing or meadow.

What does the Brade map show?

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