NameCensus.

UK surname

Brakewell

In the 1881 census there were 59 people recorded with the Brakewell surname, ranking it #25,281 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 127, ranked #26,566, down from #25,281 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lancaster Borough, Tipton otherwise Tibington and Eastham. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Copeland, Lancaster and South Lakeland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Brakewell is 139 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 115.3%.

1881 census count

59

Ranked #25,281

Modern count

127

2016, ranked #26,566

Peak year

2010

139 bearers

Map years

5

1901 to 2016

Key insights

  • Brakewell had 59 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #25,281 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 127 in 2016, ranked #26,566.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 106 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Brakewell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Brakewell surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Brakewell 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 29 #28,082
1861 historical 64 #25,747
1881 historical 59 #25,281
1891 historical 67 #28,424
1901 historical 106 #22,076
1911 historical 101 #22,589
1997 modern 128 #23,238
1998 modern 123 #24,449
1999 modern 129 #23,907
2000 modern 125 #24,351
2001 modern 126 #23,883
2002 modern 126 #24,393
2003 modern 127 #24,019
2004 modern 131 #23,756
2005 modern 122 #24,817
2006 modern 126 #24,493
2007 modern 131 #24,282
2008 modern 133 #24,350
2009 modern 134 #24,711
2010 modern 139 #24,688
2011 modern 133 #25,177
2012 modern 127 #25,992
2013 modern 126 #26,585
2014 modern 128 #26,490
2015 modern 123 #27,088
2016 modern 127 #26,566

Geography

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Where Brakewells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lancaster Borough, Tipton otherwise Tibington, Eastham, Penrith and Brancepeth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Copeland, Lancaster, South Lakeland, Eastleigh and Chorley. 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 Lancaster Borough Lancashire
2 Tipton otherwise Tibington Staffordshire
3 Eastham Worcestershire
4 Penrith Cumberland
5 Brancepeth Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Copeland 008 Copeland
2 Lancaster 003 Lancaster
3 South Lakeland 008 South Lakeland
4 Eastleigh 007 Eastleigh
5 Chorley 006 Chorley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Brakewell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Brakewell

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

Brakewell is most concentrated in decile 1 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Brakewell falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Brakewell is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

1881 census detail

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Brakewell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Brakewell 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 18 Brakewells recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.59x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 18 2.59x
Staffordshire 14 7.09x
Westmorland 12 93.31x
Cumberland 5 9.92x
Middlesex 3 0.51x
Shropshire 3 5.93x
Worcestershire 3 3.93x
Durham 1 0.57x
Hampshire 1 0.83x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Barrow In Furness in Lancashire leads with 13 Brakewells recorded in 1881 and an index of 137.71x.

Place Total Index
Barrow In Furness 13 137.71x
Askham 6 6000.00x
Darlaston 5 183.15x
Newton Regny Catterlen 5 8333.33x
Tipton 5 82.64x
Undermilbeck 5 1190.48x
Dudley 3 32.29x
Everton 3 13.56x
Islington London 3 5.29x
Onibury 3 3333.33x
Wednesbury 3 60.73x
Chorlton On Medlock 1 9.07x
Kendal 1 42.55x
St Faith Winchester 1 178.57x
Staveley 1 1250.00x
West Bromwich 1 8.84x
Willington 1 99.01x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 6
Jane 4
Elizabeth 3
Ann 2
Caroline 2
Leah 2
Alice 1
Eliza 1
Ellen 1
Esther 1
Maria 1
Martha 1
Mercy 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 4
George 3
James 3
John 3
Joseph 3
Henry 2
Thomas 2
A. 1
Albert 1
Andrew 1
Arthur 1
Benj. 1
Benjamin 1
Edwin 1
Ernest 1
Isaac 1
Mathew 1
Moses 1
Richard 1
Samuel 1

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 Brakewell households.

FAQ

Brakewell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Brakewell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 59 people were recorded with the Brakewell surname. That placed it at #25,281 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Brakewell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 127 in 2016. That gives Brakewell a modern rank of #26,566.

What does the Brakewell map show?

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