NameCensus.

UK surname

Branagh

An Anglicized variant of the Irish surname 'Ó Branagáin', referring to one descended from Branagán.

In the 1881 census there were 9 people recorded with the Branagh surname, ranking it #32,416 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 138, ranked #25,127, up from #32,416 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wigan, Corby and Raploch.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Branagh is 149 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 1433.3%.

1881 census count

9

Ranked #32,416

Modern count

138

2016, ranked #25,127

Peak year

1999

149 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Branagh had 9 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #32,416 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 138 in 2016, ranked #25,127.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 24 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Branagh surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Branagh surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Branagh 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 1 #33,412
1861 historical 9 #32,724
1881 historical 9 #32,416
1891 historical 24 #32,320
1901 historical 14 #32,506
1911 historical 12 #32,302
1997 modern 121 #24,019
1998 modern 136 #23,013
1999 modern 149 #21,924
2000 modern 147 #22,081
2001 modern 142 #22,234
2002 modern 147 #22,197
2003 modern 139 #22,734
2004 modern 142 #22,573
2005 modern 146 #22,146
2006 modern 135 #23,486
2007 modern 135 #23,824
2008 modern 140 #23,511
2009 modern 141 #23,907
2010 modern 143 #24,247
2011 modern 144 #23,962
2012 modern 136 #24,830
2013 modern 147 #23,977
2014 modern 142 #24,734
2015 modern 135 #25,481
2016 modern 138 #25,127

Geography

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Where Branaghs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wigan, Corby, Raploch, Gloucester and Rugby. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wigan 025 Wigan
2 Corby 001 Corby
3 Raploch Stirling
4 Gloucester 007 Gloucester
5 Rugby 004 Rugby

Forenames

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First names often paired with Branagh

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Branagh

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Branagh 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

Branagh is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Branagh falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Branagh 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 - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Branagh

The surname Branagh has its origins in Ireland, specifically in the Gaelic-speaking areas of the country. The name is derived from the Irish Gaelic words "bran" meaning raven and "ach" meaning abounding in or belonging to, suggesting a connection to an area abundant in ravens or a place where ravens were commonly found.

The earliest known records of the surname Branagh date back to the 16th century in County Down, Northern Ireland. It is believed that the name was initially associated with the baronies of Iveagh and Kinelarty in the northeastern part of the country.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Fiants of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth, which were records of royal grants and pardons issued during the reign of Elizabeth I. In these records, dated 1588, a "Patrick Branagh" is mentioned as receiving a pardon.

The Branagh surname has also been linked to various place names in Ireland, such as Branagh Townland in County Down and Branagh Lough in County Tyrone. These locations may have played a role in the origin and dissemination of the name.

Notable individuals bearing the surname Branagh include:

1. Kenneth Branagh (born 1960), an acclaimed Northern Irish actor, director, and screenwriter, best known for his adaptations of Shakespearean plays and roles in films like "Henry V," "Hamlet," and the "Harry Potter" series.

2. Sir William Branagh (1859-1929), a Scottish-born politician who served as a member of the British House of Commons representing Glasgow Camlachie from 1906 to 1918.

3. Donal Branagh (1940-2021), an Irish hurler who played for the Kilkenny senior hurling team in the 1960s and won three All-Ireland medals.

4. Eileen Branagh (1900-1962), an Australian author and playwright known for her novels set in rural Australia, such as "The Valley Between" and "The Painted Trail."

5. Patrick Branagh (fl. 1588), an Irishman from County Down who received a royal pardon, as mentioned in the Fiants of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth.

While the surname Branagh has its roots in Ireland, it has since spread to other parts of the world through emigration and migration. However, its historical origins and connections to specific regions and place names in Ireland remain an integral part of its genealogical significance.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Branagh families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Branagh 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 6 Branaghs recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.91x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 6 6.91x
Surrey 3 7.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Holy Trinity in Yorkshire leads with 6 Branaghs recorded in 1881 and an index of 287.08x.

Place Total Index
Holy Trinity 6 287.08x
Clapham 3 272.73x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Anna 1
Edith 1
Eliza 1
Henrietta 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 2
William 2

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 Branagh households.

FAQ

Branagh surname: questions and answers

How common was the Branagh surname in 1881?

In 1881, 9 people were recorded with the Branagh surname. That placed it at #32,416 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Branagh surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 138 in 2016. That gives Branagh a modern rank of #25,127.

What does the Branagh surname mean?

An Anglicized variant of the Irish surname 'Ó Branagáin', referring to one descended from Branagán.

What does the Branagh map show?

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