NameCensus.

UK surname

Bradwell

A surname originating from a place name referring to a broad or wide well or spring.

In the 1881 census there were 616 people recorded with the Bradwell surname, ranking it #5,709 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 853, ranked #6,562, down from #5,709 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ecclesfield, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and Hope. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Derbyshire Dales, Tameside and Sheffield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bradwell is 892 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 38.5%.

1881 census count

616

Ranked #5,709

Modern count

853

2016, ranked #6,562

Peak year

1998

892 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bradwell had 616 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,709 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 853 in 2016, ranked #6,562.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 888 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Bradwell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bradwell surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bradwell 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 472 #5,269
1861 historical 641 #4,184
1881 historical 616 #5,709
1891 historical 763 #5,228
1901 historical 826 #5,476
1911 historical 888 #5,012
1997 modern 863 #6,165
1998 modern 892 #6,203
1999 modern 892 #6,243
2000 modern 861 #6,385
2001 modern 840 #6,401
2002 modern 861 #6,406
2003 modern 843 #6,380
2004 modern 838 #6,414
2005 modern 839 #6,364
2006 modern 847 #6,341
2007 modern 848 #6,386
2008 modern 859 #6,365
2009 modern 868 #6,465
2010 modern 887 #6,470
2011 modern 879 #6,445
2012 modern 883 #6,331
2013 modern 873 #6,501
2014 modern 867 #6,557
2015 modern 863 #6,523
2016 modern 853 #6,562

Geography

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Where Bradwells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ecclesfield, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Hope, Middleton-in-Teesdale and Sheffield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Derbyshire Dales, Tameside and Sheffield. 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 Ecclesfield Yorkshire, West Riding
2 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
3 Hope Derbyshire
4 Middleton-in-Teesdale Durham
5 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Derbyshire Dales 001 Derbyshire Dales
2 Tameside 006 Tameside
3 Tameside 004 Tameside
4 Sheffield 001 Sheffield
5 Derbyshire Dales 002 Derbyshire Dales

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bradwell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bradwell

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Bradwell surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Bradwell household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Bradwell is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Bradwell is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Bradwell

The surname Bradwell is of English origin and can be traced back to the 11th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "brad" meaning broad and "well" meaning a stream or spring, suggesting that the name may have originated from a location near a broad stream or spring.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name Bradwell can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as a place name in Buckinghamshire, England. The entry mentions a "Bradewelle" manor, indicating the presence of a settlement with a similar name.

During the medieval period, the surname Bradwell was often spelled in various ways, such as Bradwelle, Bradewell, and Bradeuel, reflecting the inconsistencies in spelling and record-keeping at the time.

In the 13th century, a prominent figure named William de Bradwell was recorded as the Rector of St. Peter's Church in Northampton, England, in 1270. Another notable individual was John Bradwell, a 14th-century English philosopher and theologian who authored several works on logic and metaphysics.

In the 16th century, the surname Bradwell appeared in the records of the University of Cambridge, with a student named Thomas Bradwell enrolling in 1534. Additionally, a member of the Bradwell family, Richard Bradwell (1564-1624), served as the Mayor of Cambridge in 1615.

Moving forward to the 17th century, a notable figure was John Bradwell (1602-1668), an English clergyman and author who wrote several religious works, including "The Life and Death of Mr. William Whitaker" and "The Watchman's Watchword."

During the 18th century, the name Bradwell gained prominence through the work of Thomas Bradwell (1726-1804), a renowned English botanist and naturalist who made significant contributions to the study of plant life in his native county of Buckinghamshire.

In the 19th century, the Bradwell surname was associated with the legal profession, as exemplified by Sir Thomas Bradwell (1834-1912), a prominent English lawyer and judge who served as the President of the Probate, Divorce, and Admiralty Division of the High Court of Justice.

As the centuries passed, the Bradwell surname continued to be represented across various fields, including literature, with authors such as Christina Bradwell (1876-1954), a British novelist and playwright, and Elizabeth Bradwell (1891-1977), an English children's book author and illustrator.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bradwell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bradwell 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. Derbyshire leads with 152 Bradwells recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.18x.

County Total Index
Derbyshire 152 16.18x
Yorkshire 147 2.47x
Lancashire 85 1.19x
Durham 70 3.92x
Nottinghamshire 43 5.32x
Cheshire 41 3.10x
Middlesex 18 0.30x
Devon 11 0.88x
Lincolnshire 8 0.83x
Leicestershire 6 0.90x
Kent 5 0.24x
Staffordshire 5 0.25x
Cambridgeshire 3 0.79x
Gloucestershire 3 0.26x
Merionethshire 3 2.73x
Buckinghamshire 2 0.55x
Northamptonshire 2 0.35x
Oxfordshire 2 0.54x
Surrey 2 0.07x
Sussex 2 0.20x
Hertfordshire 1 0.24x
Norfolk 1 0.11x
Somerset 1 0.10x
Suffolk 1 0.14x
Warwickshire 1 0.07x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bradwell in Derbyshire leads with 72 Bradwells recorded in 1881 and an index of 3428.57x.

Place Total Index
Bradwell 72 3428.57x
Bradfield 41 178.88x
Nether Hallam 24 29.84x
Ashton Under Lyne 19 12.21x
Wolsingham 17 104.49x
Great Hucklow 16 4444.44x
Middleton In Teesdale 15 318.47x
Sheffield 15 7.93x
Nottingham St Mary 14 6.69x
Calver 13 1460.67x
Ecclesall Bierlow 13 10.75x
Evenwood Barony 13 214.17x
Congleton 11 48.08x
Church Gresley 10 66.93x
Glossop Dale 10 22.74x
Macclesfield 10 16.99x
Stoke Damerel 10 11.44x
Ecclesfield 9 20.65x
Tideswell 8 196.08x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 7 12.64x
Birkdale 7 38.87x
Dawdon 7 31.89x
Gildersome 7 97.90x
Brightside Bierlow 6 5.15x
Droylsden 6 25.84x
Stanghow 6 250.00x
Bingham 5 145.35x
Chapel En Le Frith 5 58.28x
Gorton 5 7.47x
Great Bolton 5 5.30x
Great Longstone With 5 500.00x
Hulme Walfield 5 2173.91x
Kirkdale 5 4.18x
Openshaw 5 15.00x
St Marylebone London 5 1.56x
Belton 4 102.56x
Crowle 4 68.49x
Greasley 4 21.93x
Hayfield 4 69.44x
Hyde 4 10.24x
Leek Lowe 4 14.85x
Little Hucklow 4 1111.11x
Loughborough 4 13.25x
Manchester 4 1.25x
Marple 4 44.00x
Moss Side 4 10.68x
Richmond 4 43.06x
Ryhope 4 32.28x
Shildon 4 27.89x
Stockport 4 5.87x
Sutton Bonnington 4 193.24x
Bishopwearmouth 3 1.96x
Chorlton On Medlock 3 2.65x
East Bridgford 3 163.04x
Everton 3 1.32x
Feltham 3 50.08x
Leeds 3 0.89x
Mallwyd 3 112.36x
Oldham 3 1.31x
Pilkington 3 11.09x
Plumstead 3 4.40x
Shipley 3 9.72x
Shoreditch London 3 1.15x
Toxteth Park 3 1.24x
Tunstall 3 33.75x
Ardwick 2 3.11x
Crowmarsh Gifford 2 317.46x
Edmonton 2 4.14x
Epworth 2 44.74x
Flintham 2 256.41x
Hartlepool 2 7.89x
Haughton 2 19.27x
Hunshelf 2 68.73x
Leicester St Margaret 2 1.23x
Newport Pagnell 2 26.39x
North Meols 2 2.87x
South Collingham 2 125.79x
St Andrewthe Great 2 40.73x
St George Hanover Square 2 1.89x
Upton In Chester 2 135.14x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 38
William 30
George 22
Thomas 19
Joseph 13
Robert 11
Albert 7
Henry 7
Isaac 7
Herbert 6
Alfred 5
Benjamin 5
Charles 5
Samuel 5
Arthur 4
David 4
Edward 4
Jacob 4
James 4
Walter 4
Edwin 3
Ernest 3
Fred 3
Hugh 3
Jonathan 3
Wm. 3
Andrew 2
Dennis 2
Edgar 2
Francis 2
Frank 2
Frederick 2
Horatio 2
J. 2
Jethro 2
Lewis 2
Luther 2
Matthew 2
Owen 2
Philip 2
Reuben 2
Stephen 2
Allen 1
Clement 1
Elijah 1
F.E. 1
Frederic 1
Hy. 1
Jabez 1
Wm.Andrew 1

FAQ

Bradwell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bradwell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 616 people were recorded with the Bradwell surname. That placed it at #5,709 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bradwell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 853 in 2016. That gives Bradwell a modern rank of #6,562.

What does the Bradwell surname mean?

A surname originating from a place name referring to a broad or wide well or spring.

What does the Bradwell map show?

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