NameCensus.

UK surname

Bradshaw

Derived from a place name meaning "broad wood" or "wide strip of woodland" in Old English.

In the 1881 census there were 12,284 people recorded with the Bradshaw surname, ranking it #346 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 16,434, ranked #378, down from #346 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Manchester and Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Burnley, Hyndburn and St. Helens.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bradshaw is 17,015 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 33.8%.

1881 census count

12,284

Ranked #346

Modern count

16,434

2016, ranked #378

Peak year

1999

17,015 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bradshaw had 12,284 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #346 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 16,434 in 2016, ranked #378.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 16,471 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Bradshaw surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bradshaw surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bradshaw 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 8,000 #350
1861 historical 7,802 #351
1881 historical 12,284 #346
1891 historical 12,841 #342
1901 historical 15,312 #339
1911 historical 16,471 #293
1997 modern 16,171 #370
1998 modern 16,895 #369
1999 modern 17,015 #369
2000 modern 16,724 #377
2001 modern 16,386 #373
2002 modern 16,683 #376
2003 modern 16,267 #376
2004 modern 16,279 #372
2005 modern 16,097 #370
2006 modern 16,055 #369
2007 modern 16,170 #371
2008 modern 16,251 #371
2009 modern 16,589 #374
2010 modern 16,961 #375
2011 modern 16,697 #375
2012 modern 16,293 #375
2013 modern 16,569 #380
2014 modern 16,676 #378
2015 modern 16,547 #377
2016 modern 16,434 #378

Geography

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Where Bradshaws are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Manchester, Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars and Preston. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Burnley, Hyndburn, St. Helens, Wigan and East Staffordshire. 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 Manchester Lancashire
4 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire
5 Preston Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Burnley 010 Burnley
2 Hyndburn 004 Hyndburn
3 St. Helens 019 St. Helens
4 Wigan 018 Wigan
5 East Staffordshire 001 East Staffordshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bradshaw

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bradshaw

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Bradshaw, 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 Bradshaw surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Bradshaw 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, Bradshaw 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

Bradshaw is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Bradshaw

The surname Bradshaw has its origins in England and is derived from the Old English words "brad" and "sceaga", which together mean "broad wood" or "broad clearing in a wood". It is believed to have originated as a locational name, referring to someone who lived near a broad wooded area or clearing.

The name can be traced back to the 13th century, with early records showing variations in spelling such as Bradshawe, Bradshaghe, and Bradshaw. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Sir John Bradshaw, who was born in Cheshire, England, around 1300.

The Bradshaw name appears in the 1086 Domesday Book, which was a comprehensive survey of landowners in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. This suggests that the name was well-established by the 11th century.

One notable historical figure with the surname Bradshaw was John Bradshaw (1602-1659), an English lawyer and judge who became famous for presiding over the trial of King Charles I in 1649, which ultimately led to the monarch's execution.

In the 16th century, a branch of the Bradshaw family settled in Marple, Cheshire, where they became prominent landowners. One member of this family was Henry Bradshaw (1517-1568), who served as a Justice of the Peace and was known for his involvement in local affairs.

Another noteworthy individual was John Bradshaw (1602-1659), an English lawyer and judge who gained notoriety for presiding over the trial of King Charles I in 1649, which resulted in the monarch's execution.

In the 18th century, a famous bearer of the Bradshaw name was Henry Bradshaw (1734-1813), a British naturalist and collector of antiquities, who made significant contributions to the study of natural history and archaeology.

During the 19th century, a prominent figure was John Bradshaw (1786-1878), a British railway engineer who played a crucial role in the development of the early railway system in England, including the construction of the London and Birmingham Railway.

It is worth mentioning that the Bradshaw name has also been associated with several place names in England, such as Bradshaw Chapel in Lancashire and Bradshaw Brook in Cheshire, further solidifying its ties to the region.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bradshaw families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bradshaw 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 4,666 Bradshaws recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.28x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 4,666 3.28x
Yorkshire 1,100 0.93x
Middlesex 799 0.67x
Staffordshire 579 1.43x
Cheshire 568 2.14x
Warwickshire 509 1.68x
Derbyshire 452 2.41x
Northamptonshire 449 3.98x
Leicestershire 410 3.08x
Surrey 378 0.65x
Nottinghamshire 289 1.79x
Lincolnshire 241 1.26x
Kent 149 0.36x
Shropshire 146 1.41x
Bedfordshire 132 2.12x
Durham 110 0.31x
Gloucestershire 97 0.41x
Lanarkshire 96 0.25x
Worcestershire 87 0.56x
Huntingdonshire 86 3.61x
Hertfordshire 77 0.93x
Cambridgeshire 72 0.95x
Hampshire 72 0.29x
Essex 68 0.29x
Devon 63 0.25x
Oxfordshire 47 0.63x
Denbighshire 44 0.97x
Cumberland 42 0.41x
Sussex 41 0.20x
Flintshire 38 1.18x
Northumberland 38 0.21x
Rutland 35 3.97x
Renfrewshire 34 0.37x
Buckinghamshire 33 0.45x
Somerset 28 0.15x
Norfolk 27 0.15x
Glamorgan 22 0.11x
Westmorland 17 0.64x
Suffolk 16 0.11x
Cornwall 13 0.10x
Isle of Man 13 0.58x
Wiltshire 13 0.12x
Ayrshire 12 0.13x
Wigtownshire 11 0.69x
Brecknockshire 10 0.42x
Monmouthshire 10 0.12x
Midlothian 8 0.05x
Berkshire 7 0.08x
Herefordshire 7 0.14x
Clackmannanshire 5 0.50x
Cardiganshire 4 0.14x
Royal Navy 4 0.28x
Anglesey 3 0.14x
Caernarfonshire 3 0.06x
Channel Islands 3 0.08x
Dumfriesshire 3 0.11x
Merionethshire 3 0.14x
Angus 2 0.02x
Argyllshire 2 0.06x
Carmarthenshire 2 0.04x
Dorset 2 0.03x
Inverness-shire 1 0.03x
Montgomeryshire 1 0.04x
Radnorshire 1 0.10x

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 218 Bradshaws recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.72x.

Place Total Index
Preston 218 5.72x
Sheffield 158 4.17x
Liverpool 153 1.77x
Manchester 145 2.26x
Stoke Upon Trent 136 3.17x
Nottingham St Mary 121 2.89x
Everton 120 2.64x
Oldham 119 2.59x
Salford 115 2.75x
Aston 113 1.36x
Birmingham 110 1.09x
Little Bolton 109 5.95x
Nether Hallam 103 6.40x
Brightside Bierlow 100 4.29x
Pemberton 94 16.56x
Burnley 93 7.76x
Hulme 91 3.06x
West Derby 91 2.18x
Pilkington 89 16.46x
Pendleton In Salford 86 5.07x
Broughton In Salford 85 6.53x
Habergham Eaves 84 6.45x
Ashton Under Lyne 82 2.64x
Warrington 82 4.86x
Barton Upon Irwell 81 7.56x
Accrington 76 5.87x
St Pancras London 76 0.79x
Great Little Marsden 74 11.35x
Leicester St Margaret 72 2.22x
Great Bolton 70 3.71x
Ecclesall Bierlow 68 2.81x
Openshaw 67 10.05x
Blackburn 66 1.74x
Camberwell 60 0.78x
Wigan 60 3.02x
Mile End Old Town London 59 2.31x
Lambeth 57 0.54x
Worsley 55 6.27x
Leamington Priors 53 7.12x
Padiham 53 15.41x
Chorlton On Medlock 52 2.30x
Fulham London 52 2.99x
Stretford 50 6.38x
Pilling 48 71.83x
Islington London 46 0.40x
Radcliffe 46 6.70x
Over Darwen 44 3.87x
Shoreditch London 44 0.85x
Toxteth Park 44 0.91x
Glossop Dale 43 4.89x
Dukinfield 42 3.43x
Walton Le Dale 42 10.98x
Aylestone 41 39.08x
Glasgow 41 0.60x
Ince In Makerfield 41 6.19x
Thornton In Fylde 41 13.16x
Walton On Hill 41 5.32x
Ardwick 40 3.11x
Bermondsey 40 1.12x
Tottenham 40 2.09x
Barrow In Furness 39 2.01x
Bury 39 2.40x
Gorton 39 2.91x
Horton In Bradford 38 2.05x
Oswaldtwistle 38 7.55x
Loughborough 37 6.13x
Brampton 36 13.71x
Hunslet 36 1.94x
Kensington London 36 0.54x
Widnes 36 3.51x
Withington 36 7.85x
Birkenhead 35 1.66x
Chelsea London 35 0.97x
Monks Coppenhall 35 3.50x
Cheetham 34 3.20x
Windle 34 4.24x
Lancaster 33 3.90x
Corby 31 99.45x
Hackney London 31 0.46x
Moss Side 31 4.14x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 909
Elizabeth 511
Sarah 480
Ann 255
Jane 232
Alice 223
Ellen 207
Annie 197
Emma 195
Eliza 182
Margaret 157
Hannah 141
Martha 122
Emily 121
Harriet 84
Ada 71
Florence 64
Maria 61
Catherine 60
Fanny 60
Louisa 57
Clara 56
Lucy 54
Edith 51
Charlotte 50
Agnes 47
Kate 41
Caroline 40
Amelia 37
Esther 37
Frances 36
Susan 36
Anne 35
Elizth. 34
Nancy 32
Betsy 29
Amy 27
Harriett 27
Rose 27
Gertrude 26
Isabella 26
Matilda 25
Rebecca 23
Bertha 22
Susannah 21
Selina 19
Sophia 19
Ruth 18
Eleanor 17
Minnie 17

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 830
William 759
Thomas 481
James 445
George 320
Joseph 266
Henry 251
Charles 180
Richard 143
Robert 140
Samuel 122
Arthur 121
Edward 114
Alfred 107
Walter 76
Albert 74
Harry 73
Frederick 67
Wm. 62
Herbert 44
Frank 41
Thos. 40
Peter 39
Edwin 37
Fred 37
Benjamin 33
David 30
Ernest 30
Francis 29
Isaac 25
Matthew 22
Geo. 18
Ralph 18
Tom 16
Richd. 13
Edmund 12
Fredrick 12
Daniel 11
Fredk. 11
Hugh 11
Jas. 11
Christopher 10
Andrew 9
Chas. 9
Joshua 9
Percy 9
Edgar 8
Eli 8
J. 8
Jno. 8

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 Bradshaw households.

FAQ

Bradshaw surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bradshaw surname in 1881?

In 1881, 12,284 people were recorded with the Bradshaw surname. That placed it at #346 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bradshaw surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 16,434 in 2016. That gives Bradshaw a modern rank of #378.

What does the Bradshaw surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "broad wood" or "wide strip of woodland" in Old English.

What does the Bradshaw map show?

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