NameCensus.

UK surname

Brammer

An English occupational surname referring to a maker or seller of brass or brass goods.

In the 1881 census there were 720 people recorded with the Brammer surname, ranking it #5,060 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,555, ranked #3,983, up from #5,060 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Trentham, Wolstanton and Burslem. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bassetlaw, Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Moorlands.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Brammer is 1,565 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 116.0%.

1881 census count

720

Ranked #5,060

Modern count

1,555

2016, ranked #3,983

Peak year

2010

1,565 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Brammer had 720 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,060 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,555 in 2016, ranked #3,983.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,200 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Small Town Suburbia.

Brammer surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Brammer surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Brammer 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 543 #4,650
1861 historical 553 #4,760
1881 historical 720 #5,060
1891 historical 883 #4,664
1901 historical 1,077 #4,485
1911 historical 1,200 #3,917
1997 modern 1,258 #4,526
1998 modern 1,500 #4,046
1999 modern 1,541 #3,986
2000 modern 1,529 #3,999
2001 modern 1,476 #4,041
2002 modern 1,508 #4,055
2003 modern 1,474 #4,058
2004 modern 1,482 #4,047
2005 modern 1,471 #4,023
2006 modern 1,480 #4,015
2007 modern 1,497 #4,005
2008 modern 1,520 #3,967
2009 modern 1,535 #4,033
2010 modern 1,565 #4,042
2011 modern 1,565 #3,993
2012 modern 1,549 #3,965
2013 modern 1,559 #4,006
2014 modern 1,560 #4,025
2015 modern 1,554 #4,001
2016 modern 1,555 #3,983

Geography

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Where Brammers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Trentham, Wolstanton, Burslem, Sheffield and Stoke-on-Trent, Bucknell-cum-Bagnall, Caverswall. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bassetlaw, Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Moorlands. 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 Trentham Staffordshire
2 Wolstanton Staffordshire
3 Burslem Staffordshire
4 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Stoke-on-Trent, Bucknell-cum-Bagnall, Caverswall Staffordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bassetlaw 001 Bassetlaw
2 Stoke-on-Trent 009 Stoke-on-Trent
3 Staffordshire Moorlands 004 Staffordshire Moorlands
4 Stoke-on-Trent 012 Stoke-on-Trent
5 Stoke-on-Trent 017 Stoke-on-Trent

Forenames

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First names often paired with Brammer

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Brammer

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Small Town Suburbia

Nationally, the Brammer surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Small Town Suburbia, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Brammer 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 is predominantly comprised of married couples with no resident dependent children, living in areas characterised neither by under-occupancy nor overcrowding throughout the UK in or adjacent to small towns. White ethnic groups and affiliation with Christianity predominates. Housing tends to be predominantly semi-detached or detached and workers are employed principally in managerial and professional occupations, with semi-skilled occupations also in evidence. These areas of the Supergroup are of higher population density.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Brammer is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Brammer 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

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

Meaning and origin of Brammer

The surname Brammer is of Anglo-Saxon origin and is believed to have originated in England. It is derived from the Old English word "bremere," which means "a bramble-covered area or thicket." The name likely referred to someone who lived near or worked in an area covered with brambles or thorny bushes.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Brammer dates back to the 13th century in the Hundredorum Rolls of Oxfordshire, where it was spelled "Bromere." This spelling variation suggests that the name may have been associated with a place name, possibly referring to a location known for its abundance of brambles.

In the 16th century, the surname appeared in various records with different spellings, such as "Bromer," "Bromor," and "Brammer." These variations were common during that time due to the lack of standardized spelling conventions.

The Brammer surname has been documented in several historical records, including the Domesday Book of 1086, where it was recorded as "Bremere" in the county of Hertfordshire. This early reference suggests that the name had already been established in certain parts of England by the late 11th century.

Notable individuals with the surname Brammer throughout history include:

1. John Brammer (1501-1561), an English merchant and Member of Parliament for Andover during the reign of Queen Mary I. 2. William Brammer (1617-1692), a prominent landowner and Justice of the Peace in Wiltshire, England. 3. Sarah Brammer (1720-1798), a British Quaker minister and author who wrote several influential religious works. 4. Johann Brammer (1768-1842), a German-born American farmer and soldier who fought in the American Revolutionary War. 5. Charles Brammer (1889-1965), an Australian cricketer who played for the New South Wales and Australian national teams in the early 20th century.

The Brammer surname has also been associated with various place names, such as Brammerton and Brammerton Grange in Northumberland, England, which may have derived from the name or vice versa.

While the exact origins of the Brammer surname remain somewhat uncertain, its connection to the Old English word "bremere" and its early documented appearances in historical records suggest a long-standing presence in England, dating back to the Anglo-Saxon period.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Brammer families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Brammer 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 267 Brammers recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.86x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 267 3.86x
Staffordshire 188 7.97x
Nottinghamshire 98 10.41x
Lincolnshire 46 4.12x
Lancashire 33 0.40x
Cambridgeshire 18 4.07x
Cheshire 13 0.84x
Middlesex 8 0.11x
Gloucestershire 7 0.51x
Northumberland 7 0.67x
Durham 6 0.29x
Warwickshire 5 0.28x
Renfrewshire 4 0.74x
Hertfordshire 3 0.62x
Shropshire 3 0.50x
Suffolk 3 0.35x
Derbyshire 2 0.18x
Lanarkshire 2 0.09x
Leicestershire 1 0.13x
Royal Navy 1 1.20x
Somerset 1 0.09x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stoke Upon Trent in Staffordshire leads with 77 Brammers recorded in 1881 and an index of 30.80x.

Place Total Index
Stoke Upon Trent 77 30.80x
Nether Hallam 64 68.35x
Wolstanton 46 64.25x
Sheffield 32 14.52x
Worksop 24 85.96x
Burslem 20 29.61x
Nottingham St Mary 17 6.98x
Wimblington 17 651.34x
Brightside Bierlow 13 9.58x
Clipstone 13 1830.99x
North South Anston 13 429.04x
Ecclesfield 12 23.65x
Mexborough 11 80.06x
Newbold Astbury 11 597.83x
Newton In Makerfield 11 43.34x
Trentham 11 54.86x
Beeston 10 142.86x
Ecclesall Bierlow 10 7.10x
Biddulph 9 67.67x
Hunslet 9 8.34x
St Botolph Lincoln 9 112.08x
Almondbury 8 23.90x
Cheetham 8 12.94x
Heeley 8 38.04x
Kimberworth 8 20.83x
St Nicholas Lincoln 8 74.98x
Stone 8 26.53x
Sutton In Ashfield 8 39.16x
Wath On Dearne 8 57.93x
Fulham London 7 6.91x
Leeds 7 1.79x
Navenby 7 305.68x
Snenton 7 18.92x
Tynemouth 7 12.58x
Haydor 6 681.82x
Holbeck 6 13.09x
Hucknall Under 6 123.46x
Manningham 6 7.04x
Rotherham 6 15.38x
Dalton In Huddersfield 5 32.26x
Huddersfield 5 4.96x
Kirkheaton 5 44.56x
Manchester 5 1.34x
Salford 5 2.05x
Wellingore 5 264.55x
Westbury On Severn East 5 16.14x
Barlaston 4 203.05x
Blankney 4 254.78x
Carburton 4 869.57x
Doncaster 4 7.91x
Eastwood 4 12.00x
Kingstonupon Hull 4 72.07x
Newark Upon Trent 4 11.82x
Newcastle Under Lyme 4 9.59x
North Leverton 4 555.56x
Rugeley 4 23.64x
Aston 3 0.62x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 3 4.65x
Baldock 3 66.23x
Bishopwearmouth 3 1.68x
Caverswall 3 24.47x
Framsden 3 158.73x
Great Grimsby 3 4.23x
Holy Trinity 3 1.80x
Shrewsbury St Mary 3 12.60x
Babworth 2 114.29x
Barnby In Willows 2 384.62x
Barony 2 0.35x
Birmingham 2 0.34x
Bristol St George 2 3.16x
Crook Billy Row 2 7.52x
Eckington 2 7.53x
Farndon 2 119.76x
Hulme 2 1.16x
Macclesfield 2 2.92x
West Retford 2 102.56x
Clarborough 1 14.20x
Grayingham 1 250.00x
Horton In Bradford 1 0.93x
Middlesbrough 1 1.11x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 50
Sarah 34
Elizabeth 28
Ann 21
Hannah 19
Annie 16
Eliza 14
Emma 13
Jane 9
Harriet 7
Martha 7
Ada 6
Alice 6
Emily 6
Charlotte 5
Fanny 5
Florence 5
Kate 5
Rose 5
Ellen 4
Maria 4
Agnes 3
Anne 3
Edith 3
Florance 3
Lucy 3
Margret 3
Rebecca 3
Susan 3
Betsy 2
Ciceley 2
Clara 2
Elizth. 2
Harriett 2
Henrietta 2
Ida 2
Leah 2
Lilly 2
Lily 2
Louisa 2
Margrett 2
Caroline 1
Eden 1
Flora 1
George 1
Gertrude 1
Julia 1
Lavinia 1
Lettia 1
Lettice 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 41
William 41
George 38
Thomas 34
James 24
Charles 14
Joseph 14
Henry 11
Frederick 10
Samuel 8
Arthur 7
Edward 6
Fred 5
Harry 5
Alfred 4
Edwin 4
Herbert 4
Lewis 4
Ralph 4
Richard 4
Robert 4
Albert 3
Ernest 3
Harvey 3
Hugh 3
Jonathan 3
Aaron 2
Benjamin 2
Enoch 2
Geo. 2
Isaac 2
Sam 2
Smith 2
Timothy 2
Tom 2
Amos 1
Charley 1
Chas. 1
Chas.M. 1
Christopher 1
Enock 1
Fernal 1
Frank 1
Frederic 1
Fredk. 1
Fredk.Wm. 1
Jesse 1
Jno.Ernest 1
Johnson 1
Jonel 1

FAQ

Brammer surname: questions and answers

How common was the Brammer surname in 1881?

In 1881, 720 people were recorded with the Brammer surname. That placed it at #5,060 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Brammer surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,555 in 2016. That gives Brammer a modern rank of #3,983.

What does the Brammer surname mean?

An English occupational surname referring to a maker or seller of brass or brass goods.

What does the Brammer map show?

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