NameCensus.

UK surname

Brandom

A habitational surname derived from a minor place name, possibly originating from England.

In the 1881 census there were 192 people recorded with the Brandom surname, ranking it #13,185 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 132, ranked #25,882, down from #13,185 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Studham, Watford and Toddington. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Central Bedfordshire, Dacorum and Cherwell.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Brandom is 218 in 1851. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 31.3%.

1881 census count

192

Ranked #13,185

Modern count

132

2016, ranked #25,882

Peak year

1851

218 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Brandom had 192 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #13,185 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 132 in 2016, ranked #25,882.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 218 in 1851.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Brandom surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Brandom surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Brandom 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 218 #9,754
1861 historical 143 #15,906
1881 historical 192 #13,185
1891 historical 183 #15,918
1901 historical 168 #16,886
1911 historical 159 #17,219
1997 modern 157 #20,513
1998 modern 159 #20,916
1999 modern 163 #20,698
2000 modern 163 #20,657
2001 modern 161 #20,543
2002 modern 175 #19,902
2003 modern 164 #20,483
2004 modern 154 #21,432
2005 modern 144 #22,367
2006 modern 150 #21,915
2007 modern 150 #22,212
2008 modern 152 #22,225
2009 modern 157 #22,271
2010 modern 158 #22,692
2011 modern 148 #23,520
2012 modern 144 #23,902
2013 modern 143 #24,434
2014 modern 140 #24,977
2015 modern 136 #25,352
2016 modern 132 #25,882

Geography

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Where Brandoms are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Studham, Watford, Toddington, Tring and Chesham (incl. Chartridge, Billington & Latimers with Waterside. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Central Bedfordshire, Dacorum, Cherwell and Milton Keynes. 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 Studham Bedfordshire
2 Watford Hertfordshire
3 Toddington Bedfordshire
4 Tring Hertfordshire
5 Chesham (incl. Chartridge, Billington & Latimers with Waterside Buckinghamshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Central Bedfordshire 021 Central Bedfordshire
2 Central Bedfordshire 007 Central Bedfordshire
3 Dacorum 008 Dacorum
4 Cherwell 017 Cherwell
5 Milton Keynes 010 Milton Keynes

Forenames

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First names often paired with Brandom

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Brandom

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Brandom surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Brandom household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

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Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Brandom is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

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

Brandom 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

Brandom falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Brandom

The surname Brandom is of English origin and can be traced back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old English word "brand," which means "firebrand" or "burning stick." This suggests that the name may have been initially given as a nickname to someone who worked with fire, such as a blacksmith or a woodburner.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Brandom can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Staffordshire from the year 1199, where a person named William Brandom is mentioned. This indicates that the surname was already in use by the late 12th century.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the name Brandom was primarily concentrated in the counties of Staffordshire, Derbyshire, and Leicestershire in the English Midlands. It is likely that the name originated in one of these areas, as many place names in these counties contain variations of the word "brand," such as Brandon, Branston, and Brantingham.

In the Hundred Rolls of 1273, there is a reference to a place called "Brandonford" in Warwickshire, which may have been derived from the surname Brandom or a similar variation.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname Brandom was John Brandom, who was born around 1450 in Nottinghamshire. He was a prominent landowner and served as a magistrate in the county during the reign of Henry VII.

Another notable figure was William Brandom (1538-1612), who was a successful merchant in London and served as a member of the Worshipful Company of Mercers. He was also a benefactor to several charitable organizations in the city.

In the 17th century, the Brandom family had a strong presence in the county of Derbyshire. One member, Thomas Brandom (1620-1688), was a prominent landowner and served as a justice of the peace in the county.

During the English Civil War, a man named Robert Brandom (1625-1690) fought on the Parliamentarian side and was awarded land in Leicestershire after the conflict. He went on to become a respected member of the local gentry and served as a member of Parliament for the borough of Loughborough.

In the 18th century, a notable figure was Samuel Brandom (1745-1821), who was a successful businessman and landowner in Staffordshire. He was also a renowned philanthropist and donated generously to various charitable causes in the region.

These are just a few examples of individuals with the surname Brandom who have left their mark on history over the centuries. The name continues to be found throughout England, particularly in the Midlands region where it originated.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Brandom families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Brandom 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. Bedfordshire leads with 82 Brandoms recorded in 1881 and an index of 86.36x.

County Total Index
Bedfordshire 82 86.36x
Buckinghamshire 64 57.73x
Hertfordshire 31 24.53x
Middlesex 9 0.49x
Derbyshire 1 0.35x
Northamptonshire 1 0.58x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Leighton Buzzard in Bedfordshire leads with 25 Brandoms recorded in 1881 and an index of 612.75x.

Place Total Index
Leighton Buzzard 25 612.75x
Weston Turville 22 4230.77x
Tring 18 534.12x
Toddington 15 1102.94x
Chesham 14 342.30x
Studham 12 2307.69x
Eaton Bray 11 1145.83x
Dinton 10 2272.73x
Luton 9 54.74x
Edlesborough 7 693.07x
Harpenden 6 310.88x
Linslade 6 550.46x
St Pancras London 6 4.07x
Hemel Hempstead 5 87.72x
Houghton Regis 5 331.13x
Kempston 5 231.48x
Olney 3 196.08x
Islington London 2 1.13x
Wendover 2 166.67x
Beighton 1 76.92x
Berkhampstead 1 35.21x
Edmonton 1 6.77x
Kings Cliffe 1 125.00x
Little Gaddesden 1 434.78x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 11
Sarah 11
Ann 8
Elizabeth 7
Jane 7
Eliza 5
Emily 5
Emma 5
Hannah 3
Alice 2
Annie 2
Clara 2
Florence 2
Margaret 2
Martha 2
Agnes 1
Allice 1
Amelia 1
Amy 1
Caroline 1
Catharine 1
Catherine 1
Charlotte 1
Elizabith 1
Ellen 1
Fanny 1
Harriett 1
Henry 1
Hester 1
Joanna 1
Kate 1
Louisa 1
Lydia 1
Maria 1
Matilda 1
Minnie 1
Rebecca 1
Rose 1
Sophia 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Brandom surname: questions and answers

How common was the Brandom surname in 1881?

In 1881, 192 people were recorded with the Brandom surname. That placed it at #13,185 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Brandom surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 132 in 2016. That gives Brandom a modern rank of #25,882.

What does the Brandom surname mean?

A habitational surname derived from a minor place name, possibly originating from England.

What does the Brandom map show?

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