NameCensus.

UK surname

Braim

A surname possibly derived from the German "Brahm" meaning a person from the town of Brahm.

In the 1881 census there were 95 people recorded with the Braim surname, ranking it #20,349 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 173, ranked #21,561, down from #20,349 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Felkirk, Whitby and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Riding of Yorkshire, Croydon and Doncaster.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Braim is 181 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 82.1%.

1881 census count

95

Ranked #20,349

Modern count

173

2016, ranked #21,561

Peak year

2014

181 bearers

Map years

5

1901 to 2016

Key insights

  • Braim had 95 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #20,349 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 173 in 2016, ranked #21,561.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 139 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Braim surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Braim surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Braim 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 67 #21,440
1861 historical 53 #27,253
1881 historical 95 #20,349
1891 historical 90 #25,399
1901 historical 139 #18,876
1911 historical 111 #21,392
1997 modern 172 #19,371
1998 modern 175 #19,658
1999 modern 171 #20,072
2000 modern 166 #20,426
2001 modern 164 #20,279
2002 modern 163 #20,767
2003 modern 159 #20,881
2004 modern 154 #21,432
2005 modern 148 #21,961
2006 modern 151 #21,818
2007 modern 147 #22,510
2008 modern 148 #22,627
2009 modern 158 #22,168
2010 modern 164 #22,109
2011 modern 168 #21,563
2012 modern 166 #21,683
2013 modern 173 #21,486
2014 modern 181 #21,033
2015 modern 173 #21,542
2016 modern 173 #21,561

Geography

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Where Braims are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Felkirk, Whitby, Manchester, Pontefract and Croydon, Battersea (Penge), Sanderstead. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Riding of Yorkshire, Croydon, Doncaster and Stockton-on-Tees. 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 Felkirk Yorkshire, West Riding
2 Whitby Yorkshire, North Riding
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Pontefract Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Croydon, Battersea (Penge), Sanderstead Surrey

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Riding of Yorkshire 027 East Riding of Yorkshire
2 East Riding of Yorkshire 044 East Riding of Yorkshire
3 Croydon 032 Croydon
4 Doncaster 012 Doncaster
5 Stockton-on-Tees 001 Stockton-on-Tees

Forenames

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First names often paired with Braim

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Braim

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Braim is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, 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

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

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

Braim is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Braim falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Braim 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 Braim, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Braim

The surname BRAIM is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period, likely derived from the Old English words "bræm" and "ham," which together refer to a "homestead or settlement beside a bramble bush." This suggests that the name may have been initially adopted by someone residing near a thorny thicket or bramble patch.

Records indicate that the earliest documented instances of the BRAIM surname can be traced back to the 13th century in various parts of southern England, particularly in the counties of Sussex and Hampshire. The name appeared in various spellings, such as Brayme, Brahame, and Brayham, reflecting the regional dialects and inconsistent spelling conventions of the time.

One of the earliest known mentions of the BRAIM name is found in the "Feet of Fines" legal records from Warwickshire in 1284, which refers to a individual named Ricardus de Brayham. This suggests that the BRAIM surname had already become established in parts of England by the late 13th century.

In the 14th century, the name BRAIM appears in the "Court Rolls" of Wiltshire, where a Thomas Braym is mentioned in 1327. Additionally, the "Subsidy Rolls" of Sussex from 1332 list a John Braym, indicating the presence of the surname in that region during that period.

Throughout the centuries, several notable individuals have born the BRAIM surname, including:

1. Sir John Braim (c. 1450-1525), a prominent English landowner and Member of Parliament for Sussex during the reigns of Henry VII and Henry VIII. 2. William Braim (1560-1622), an English clergyman and author who wrote several works on religious topics and served as the Rector of Cranleigh in Surrey. 3. Elizabeth Braim (1635-1712), a well-known diarist and chronicler of everyday life in 17th-century England, whose detailed accounts provided valuable insights into the social and cultural norms of the era. 4. Robert Braim (1748-1823), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the American Revolutionary War and the Napoleonic Wars, rising to the rank of Admiral. 5. Margaret Braim (1820-1903), a pioneering educator and advocate for women's rights in England, who established several schools and fought for equal educational opportunities for girls during the Victorian era.

While the BRAIM surname has experienced some variations in spelling over the centuries, its origins can be traced back to medieval England, where it likely emerged as a descriptive name for individuals residing near a bramble bush or thorny thicket.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Braim families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Braim 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. Yorkshire leads with 74 Braims recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.06x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 74 8.06x
Middlesex 13 1.40x
Northumberland 6 4.35x
Lincolnshire 1 0.67x
Surrey 1 0.22x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Knottingley in Yorkshire leads with 14 Braims recorded in 1881 and an index of 869.57x.

Place Total Index
Knottingley 14 869.57x
Aislaby In Whitby 13 11818.18x
Holbeck 12 197.37x
Whitby 9 291.26x
Castleford 7 209.58x
Leeds 7 13.50x
Bromley London 6 29.43x
Westgate 6 70.26x
Hackney London 4 7.70x
Clerkenwell London 3 13.72x
Kippax 3 370.37x
Tadcaster West 3 410.96x
Church Fenton 1 625.00x
Great Grimsby 1 10.64x
Lofthouse 1 72.99x
Methley 1 77.52x
Newington 1 2.92x
Soothill 1 30.12x
Wakefield 1 14.18x
Wortley In Bramley 1 13.76x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 9
Benjamin 5
Charles 4
George 4
Thomas 4
William 4
Joseph 3
Albert 2
Frederick 2
James 2
Arthur 1
Harry 1
Laurance 1
N. 1
Thos.P. 1

FAQ

Braim surname: questions and answers

How common was the Braim surname in 1881?

In 1881, 95 people were recorded with the Braim surname. That placed it at #20,349 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Braim surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 173 in 2016. That gives Braim a modern rank of #21,561.

What does the Braim surname mean?

A surname possibly derived from the German "Brahm" meaning a person from the town of Brahm.

What does the Braim map show?

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