NameCensus.

UK surname

Brading

A habitational surname derived from a place name in the Isle of Wight, England.

In the 1881 census there were 347 people recorded with the Brading surname, ranking it #8,811 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 484, ranked #10,218, down from #8,811 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Helen, Newchurch and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Isle of Wight, Huntingdonshire and Torridge.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Brading is 519 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 39.5%.

1881 census count

347

Ranked #8,811

Modern count

484

2016, ranked #10,218

Peak year

1999

519 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Brading had 347 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,811 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 484 in 2016, ranked #10,218.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 507 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Brading surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Brading surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Brading 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 236 #9,174
1861 historical 266 #9,318
1881 historical 347 #8,811
1891 historical 390 #9,058
1901 historical 462 #8,539
1911 historical 507 #7,760
1997 modern 478 #9,627
1998 modern 498 #9,622
1999 modern 519 #9,401
2000 modern 489 #9,788
2001 modern 483 #9,709
2002 modern 501 #9,611
2003 modern 482 #9,755
2004 modern 492 #9,616
2005 modern 473 #9,841
2006 modern 484 #9,709
2007 modern 481 #9,844
2008 modern 472 #10,074
2009 modern 492 #9,979
2010 modern 514 #9,838
2011 modern 502 #9,923
2012 modern 484 #10,106
2013 modern 494 #10,104
2014 modern 505 #10,012
2015 modern 496 #10,057
2016 modern 484 #10,218

Geography

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Where Bradings are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Helen, Newchurch, London parishes and Portsmouth, Portsea. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Isle of Wight, Huntingdonshire and Torridge. 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 St Helen Hampshire
2 Newchurch Hampshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Isle of Wight 006 Isle of Wight
2 Isle of Wight 007 Isle of Wight
3 Huntingdonshire 014 Huntingdonshire
4 Isle of Wight 011 Isle of Wight
5 Torridge 002 Torridge

Forenames

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First names often paired with Brading

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Brading

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

Ageing Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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, Brading 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

Brading is most concentrated in decile 2 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Brading 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 Brading 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 Brading, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Brading

The surname Brading originated in England, with its earliest recorded instances dating back to the late 12th century. The name is derived from the Old English words "brad" and "ing", which together mean "the broad meadow" or "the broad water meadow". This suggests that the name may have originated as a place name referring to a location characterized by a wide, grassy area near a body of water.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Brading can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Sussex, a collection of financial records from the late 12th century, where a person named Roger de Brading is mentioned. This suggests that the name was already well-established in the region by that time.

The Brading surname is closely associated with the Isle of Wight, an island off the southern coast of England. The town of Brading on the island likely derived its name from the same Old English roots as the surname, and it is believed that many individuals bearing the Brading surname may have originated from this area or had ancestral ties to it.

In the 13th century, a record from the Assize Rolls of Staffordshire mentions a William de Bradinge, indicating the presence of the surname in that region as well. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 also contain references to individuals with the surname Brading, further solidifying its presence in England during the medieval period.

One notable individual with the Brading surname was John Brading (c. 1552-1618), an English landowner and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for the constituency of Shaftesbury in the early 17th century.

Another prominent figure was Sir Benjamin Brading (1621-1691), an English courtier and politician who held several important positions during the reigns of Charles II and James II, including that of Clerk of the Privy Council.

In the 18th century, Samuel Brading (1679-1738) was a renowned English organist and composer who served as the organist at Winchester Cathedral for over 40 years.

The 19th century saw the birth of John Brading (1800-1868), a British civil engineer and railway architect who was responsible for designing several notable railway stations and bridges in England.

More recently, Geoffrey Brading (1927-2014) was a British actor and playwright who appeared in numerous television shows and stage productions throughout his career.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Brading families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Brading 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. Hampshire leads with 222 Bradings recorded in 1881 and an index of 32.28x.

County Total Index
Hampshire 222 32.28x
Middlesex 52 1.55x
Kent 25 2.18x
Surrey 8 0.49x
Staffordshire 7 0.62x
Sussex 6 1.06x
Derbyshire 5 0.95x
Lancashire 5 0.13x
Westmorland 4 5.42x
Suffolk 3 0.73x
Berkshire 2 0.79x
Devon 2 0.29x
Essex 1 0.15x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.22x
Warwickshire 1 0.12x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Ryde in Hampshire leads with 60 Bradings recorded in 1881 and an index of 406.23x.

Place Total Index
Ryde 60 406.23x
Portsea 42 31.16x
Whippingham 32 614.20x
St Helens 22 440.00x
Carisbrooke 20 209.42x
Hackney London 12 6.38x
Northwood 10 102.15x
Newport 9 241.29x
Buckland In Dover 8 211.08x
Brading 7 76.59x
Lewisham 7 11.47x
Bethnal Green London 6 4.12x
Bromley London 6 8.13x
Tipton 6 17.30x
Alfreton 5 31.33x
Hulme 5 6.01x
Kensington London 5 2.68x
Plumstead 5 13.10x
Shorwell 5 704.23x
Stoke Newington London 5 19.13x
Camberwell 4 1.87x
Nether Graveship 4 563.38x
Tottenham 4 7.49x
Alverstoke 3 12.05x
Arreton 3 135.75x
Bermondsey 3 3.00x
Binsted 3 114.50x
Brighton 3 2.63x
Deptford St Paul 3 3.40x
Islington London 3 0.92x
Limehouse London 3 8.14x
Poplar London 3 4.74x
Southampton St Mary 3 6.94x
Sudbury All Sts 3 240.00x
Preston 2 20.24x
Barking 1 5.16x
Birmingham 1 0.35x
Bow London 1 2.34x
Chale 1 128.21x
Chelsea London 1 0.99x
Clerkenwell London 1 1.26x
Clewer 1 9.69x
Croydon 1 1.10x
Gillingham 1 4.24x
Hallam 1 303.03x
Hastings St Mary In The 1 8.29x
Minster In Sheppey 1 5.27x
Plymouth Charles The 1 3.25x
Plymouth St Andrew 1 1.86x
Shoreditch London 1 0.69x
Southampton 1 185.19x
Southampton All Sts 1 8.47x
St Martin In Fields 1 4.98x
Warfield 1 43.67x
Wolverhampton 1 1.15x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 21
Ann 9
Emma 9
Elizabeth 8
Jane 8
Eliza 7
Sarah 7
Emily 6
Harriet 6
Alice 5
Ellen 5
Charlotte 4
Sophia 4
Ada 3
Fanny 3
Louisa 3
Rose 3
Rosina 3
Clara 2
Eleanor 2
Eva 2
Hannah 2
Henrietta 2
Kate 2
Maria 2
Martha 2
Minnie 2
Amy 1
Annie 1
Betsey 1
Caroline 1
Charles 1
Daisy 1
Dinah 1
Eliz. 1
Ella 1
Fannie 1
Florce.M. 1
Florence 1
Frances 1
Jemima 1
Lillie 1
Lydia 1
Mabel 1
Margaret 1
Matilda 1
May 1
Mercy 1
Minie 1
Susanna 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 17
William 16
Charles 12
James 12
Henry 9
Thomas 8
Frank 7
John 7
Arthur 6
Alfred 4
Ernest 4
Robert 4
Wm. 4
Alexander 3
Edwin 3
Richard 3
Samuel 3
Walter 3
Barnabas 2
Chas. 2
Edmund 2
Fredrick 2
Harry 2
Herbert 2
Percy 2
Richd. 2
Stephen 2
Tom 2
Alfd.Wm. 1
Bertie 1
Daniel 1
Edwen 1
Elijah 1
Fred 1
Frederic 1
Fredk. 1
Hedley 1
Infant 1
Isaac 1
Jas. 1
Leonard 1
Mark 1
Maurice 1
Oscar 1
S. 1
Sebert 1
Simeon 1
Stanley 1
Sydney 1
Wm.J. 1

FAQ

Brading surname: questions and answers

How common was the Brading surname in 1881?

In 1881, 347 people were recorded with the Brading surname. That placed it at #8,811 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Brading surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 484 in 2016. That gives Brading a modern rank of #10,218.

What does the Brading surname mean?

A habitational surname derived from a place name in the Isle of Wight, England.

What does the Brading map show?

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