NameCensus.

UK surname

Braley

Derived from a place name meaning "clearing or wood of broom," a shrub once used for making brooms.

In the 1881 census there were 105 people recorded with the Braley surname, ranking it #19,183 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 165, ranked #22,234, down from #19,183 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ealing, Chiswick, Nottingham St Mary and Childwall. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Tendring, Sunderland and Cheshire West and Chester.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Braley is 192 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 57.1%.

1881 census count

105

Ranked #19,183

Modern count

165

2016, ranked #22,234

Peak year

1998

192 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Braley had 105 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #19,183 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 165 in 2016, ranked #22,234.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 185 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Braley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Braley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Braley 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 97 #17,484
1861 historical 150 #15,296
1881 historical 105 #19,183
1891 historical 185 #15,803
1901 historical 157 #17,577
1911 historical 181 #15,911
1997 modern 177 #19,018
1998 modern 192 #18,561
1999 modern 188 #18,931
2000 modern 189 #18,860
2001 modern 176 #19,415
2002 modern 178 #19,671
2003 modern 171 #19,953
2004 modern 173 #19,937
2005 modern 175 #19,727
2006 modern 171 #20,131
2007 modern 167 #20,719
2008 modern 153 #22,132
2009 modern 163 #21,715
2010 modern 156 #22,886
2011 modern 161 #22,187
2012 modern 175 #20,984
2013 modern 174 #21,401
2014 modern 172 #21,731
2015 modern 170 #21,800
2016 modern 165 #22,234

Geography

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Where Braleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ealing, Chiswick, Nottingham St Mary, Childwall, Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars and West Derby. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Tendring, Sunderland, Cheshire West and Chester, Amber Valley and South Somerset. 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 Ealing, Chiswick Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
2 Nottingham St Mary Nottinghamshire
3 Childwall Lancashire
4 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire
5 West Derby Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Tendring 001 Tendring
2 Sunderland 003 Sunderland
3 Cheshire West and Chester 022 Cheshire West and Chester
4 Amber Valley 009 Amber Valley
5 South Somerset 022 South Somerset

Forenames

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First names often paired with Braley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Braley

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Braley is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Braley is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Braley falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Braley is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Braley

The surname Braley is of English origin, derived from a place name in the county of Buckinghamshire. It is believed to have originated in the late 12th or early 13th century, with the earliest known spelling recorded as "de Bradelai" in the Pipe Rolls of Buckinghamshire in 1195.

The name is thought to be derived from the Old English words "brad" and "leah," which together mean "broad meadow" or "broad clearing." This suggests that the name may have referred to someone who lived near a broad meadow or clearing in a wooded area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is found in the Hundred Rolls of Buckinghamshire from 1275, which mentions a "Robertus de Bradelay." This document provides valuable insight into the early use and spelling variations of the surname.

During the Middle Ages, the Braley surname appeared in various records and documents across England. For example, in the Pipe Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1279, a "Willelmus de Bradelay" is mentioned, indicating the spread of the name beyond Buckinghamshire.

Notable individuals with the surname Braley include Sir John Braley (c. 1480-1548), a prominent English landowner and Member of Parliament during the reign of Henry VIII. Another notable figure was William Braley (1590-1662), a Puritan minister and one of the founders of the town of Taunton, Massachusetts, in the early American colonies.

In the 17th century, the surname appears in the records of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, with individuals such as Thomas Braley (c. 1620-1686), who settled in Barnstable, Massachusetts, and became a prominent figure in the local community.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, the Braley surname continued to be found across various parts of England and the United States. Notable individuals from this period include John Braley (1745-1818), an American Revolutionary War soldier, and James Braley (1794-1880), a Methodist minister and author from England.

Throughout its history, the Braley surname has maintained its connection to its English roots, with various spelling variations emerging over time, including Bradelay, Bradeley, and Bradly, among others.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Braley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Braley 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. Middlesex leads with 28 Braleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.73x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 28 2.73x
Yorkshire 15 1.48x
Leicestershire 11 9.69x
Nottinghamshire 9 6.52x
Somerset 9 5.46x
Midlothian 7 5.10x
Glamorgan 6 3.36x
Staffordshire 6 1.74x
Lancashire 5 0.41x
Derbyshire 3 1.87x
Cornwall 2 1.72x
Kent 2 0.57x
Northamptonshire 1 1.04x
Warwickshire 1 0.39x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Glass Houghton in Yorkshire leads with 10 Braleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2702.70x.

Place Total Index
Glass Houghton 10 2702.70x
Islington London 9 9.07x
Chiswick 7 125.00x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 7 12.68x
Nottingham St Mary 7 19.60x
Bedminster 6 38.73x
Stoke Upon Trent 6 16.37x
Swansea Town 6 41.04x
Bethnal Green London 5 11.24x
Leicester St Margaret 5 18.06x
Chelsea London 4 12.96x
Everton 4 10.33x
Leicester St Mary 4 43.62x
Aston Cum Aughton 3 361.45x
Pilsley In Chesterfield 3 1578.95x
Bromley London 2 8.88x
Crowcombe 2 1333.33x
Humberstone 2 215.05x
Snenton 2 36.90x
Brixworth 1 243.90x
Dover St Mary Virgin 1 29.59x
Fowey 1 188.68x
Great Harwood 1 45.45x
Greenwich 1 6.13x
Kippax 1 112.36x
Nynehead 1 909.09x
Shoreditch London 1 2.25x
Truro St Mary 1 103.09x
Warwick St Mary 1 44.64x
Wortley In Bramley 1 12.44x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 6
Elizabeth 5
Martha 4
Sarah 3
Alice 2
Annie 2
Caroline 2
Ellin 2
Emma 2
Isabella 2
Louisa 2
Ada 1
Ann 1
Anna 1
Catherine 1
Clara 1
Eliza 1
Florence 1
Harriet 1
Harriett 1
Jemima 1
Kate 1
Lidia 1
Lizzy 1
Lucy 1
Lydia 1
Maria 1
Minnie 1
Sophia 1
Sussanah 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Braley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Braley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 105 people were recorded with the Braley surname. That placed it at #19,183 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Braley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 165 in 2016. That gives Braley a modern rank of #22,234.

What does the Braley surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "clearing or wood of broom," a shrub once used for making brooms.

What does the Braley map show?

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