NameCensus.

UK surname

Brandt

A surname of German origin referring to someone who cleared land by burning vegetation.

In the 1881 census there were 125 people recorded with the Brandt surname, ranking it #17,335 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 467, ranked #10,522, up from #17,335 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Carlton, Little and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kensington and Chelsea and Leicester.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Brandt is 467 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 273.6%.

1881 census count

125

Ranked #17,335

Modern count

467

2016, ranked #10,522

Peak year

2016

467 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Brandt had 125 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #17,335 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 467 in 2016, ranked #10,522.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 236 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Brandt surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Brandt surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Brandt 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 51 #24,096
1861 historical 51 #27,498
1881 historical 125 #17,335
1891 historical 139 #19,311
1901 historical 215 #14,478
1911 historical 236 #13,452
1997 modern 336 #12,549
1998 modern 359 #12,321
1999 modern 362 #12,316
2000 modern 380 #11,837
2001 modern 361 #12,102
2002 modern 392 #11,607
2003 modern 393 #11,401
2004 modern 403 #11,224
2005 modern 400 #11,189
2006 modern 406 #11,108
2007 modern 425 #10,837
2008 modern 424 #10,952
2009 modern 439 #10,911
2010 modern 450 #10,915
2011 modern 443 #10,924
2012 modern 442 #10,812
2013 modern 455 #10,743
2014 modern 461 #10,694
2015 modern 465 #10,572
2016 modern 467 #10,522

Geography

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Where Brandts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Carlton, Little, St Pancras and Manchester. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Kensington and Chelsea and Leicester. 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 London parishes London 1
2 Carlton, Little Lincolnshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Pancras London (North Districts)
5 Manchester Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Kensington and Chelsea 008 Kensington and Chelsea
2 Kensington and Chelsea 016 Kensington and Chelsea
3 Kensington and Chelsea 010 Kensington and Chelsea
4 Leicester 008 Leicester
5 Kensington and Chelsea 017 Kensington and Chelsea

Forenames

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First names often paired with Brandt

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Brandt

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Brandt surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Brandt 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 includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Brandt is most associated with areas classed as Senior Professionals, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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 very central neighbourhoods house residents whose ages are more skewed towards older age cohorts than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Few households have young children. Rates of illness are low. Indian ethnicity is rare compared to the Supergroup mean. Property under occupation is more common, despite the centrality of neighbourhoods, and more residents live in communal establishments than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Brandt 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

Brandt 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 Brandt 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 - Other

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

Meaning and origin of Brandt

The surname Brandt is of German origin, derived from the Old German word "brant," meaning "fire" or "burning." It initially referred to someone who lived near a burned-out area or someone who worked with fire, such as a charcoal burner or a blacksmith.

The name first appeared in medieval records in various regions of Germany, including Saxony, Hesse, and Bavaria, as early as the 12th century. One of the earliest recorded instances is in the Codex Diplomaticus Brandenburgensis, a collection of historical documents from Brandenburg, where a person named "Heinricus Brant" is mentioned in 1204.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the name was often spelled variations like "Brant," "Brante," or "Branden." It was also sometimes combined with place names, such as "Brandenberg" or "Brandenburgh," referring to places where people with this surname lived or worked.

Notable individuals with the surname Brandt throughout history include Sebastian Brandt (1457-1521), a German satirist and scholar best known for his work "Das Narrenschiff" (The Ship of Fools). Another famous bearer of the name was the German philosopher and writer Thomas Brandt (1655-1728), known for his works on ethics and natural law.

In the 19th century, Willy Brandt (1913-1992) was a prominent German statesman who served as Chancellor of West Germany from 1969 to 1974 and received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1971 for his efforts in achieving reconciliation between West Germany and the countries of Eastern Europe.

Other notable individuals with the surname Brandt include the American actress Marlon Brando (1924-2004), whose original surname was "Brandt," and the American photographer Bill Brandt (1904-1983), known for his striking black-and-white photographs of the British society.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Brandt families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Brandt 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 25 Brandts recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.05x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 25 2.05x
Surrey 19 3.20x
Lancashire 18 1.24x
Yorkshire 16 1.32x
Durham 12 3.31x
Devon 11 4.33x
Shropshire 5 4.75x
Kent 3 0.72x
Cheshire 2 0.74x
Sussex 2 0.97x
Worcestershire 2 1.26x
Caernarfonshire 1 2.03x
Cornwall 1 0.72x
Essex 1 0.42x
Fife 1 1.39x
Gloucestershire 1 0.42x
Hampshire 1 0.40x
Lincolnshire 1 0.51x
Northamptonshire 1 0.87x
Oxfordshire 1 1.33x
Warwickshire 1 0.33x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Liverpool in Lancashire leads with 14 Brandts recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.93x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 14 15.93x
Camberwell 7 8.99x
Normanby In 7 216.72x
Streatham 7 77.43x
Exeter St Sidwell 6 103.27x
St George Hanover Square 6 27.93x
Poplar London 5 21.73x
Shrewsbury Holy Cross 5 431.03x
St Botolph Aldgate London 5 199.20x
Sunderland 5 78.00x
Westoe 5 24.32x
Barnsley 4 32.10x
Tormoham 4 37.24x
Lambeth 3 2.82x
Moss Side 3 39.42x
Bishopwearmouth 2 6.42x
Sandbach 2 86.96x
Southwark St George Martyr 2 8.15x
Westminster St Margaret 2 34.01x
Woolwich 2 13.01x
Brighton 1 2.41x
Cheltenham 1 5.42x
Clifton In York 1 39.53x
Devonport 1 34.25x
Dunfermline 1 9.01x
Dwygyfylchi 1 109.89x
East Ham 1 22.37x
Ecclesall Bierlow 1 4.07x
Falmouth 1 20.45x
Great Grimsby 1 8.08x
Great Malvern 1 30.12x
Hackney London 1 1.46x
Holy Trinity 1 3.44x
Horton In Bradford 1 5.30x
Kensington London 1 1.48x
Leamington 1 49.02x
Leigh 1 51.81x
Littlehampton 1 60.98x
Pilkington 1 18.18x
Ramsgate 1 14.73x
Shanklin 1 135.14x
Shoreditch London 1 1.89x
Shotover 1 1250.00x
Southcoates 1 14.90x
Spitalfields London 1 10.91x
St George In East London 1 8.72x
St Marylebone London 1 1.54x
St Pancras London 1 1.02x
Warkton 1 909.09x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Margaret 6
Mary 4
Elizabeth 3
Adela 2
Charlotte 2
Eleanor 2
Ellen 2
Jane 2
Julia 2
Rebecca 2
Sarah 2
A. 1
Ada 1
Alice 1
Anna 1
Annie 1
Augusta 1
Bertha 1
Caroline 1
Catherine 1
Celina 1
Constance 1
Dora 1
Eadaline 1
Eliza 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Esther 1
Ethel 1
Florie 1
Frances 1
Fridze 1
H. 1
Henrietta 1
Katherine 1
Laura 1
Magdalina 1
Margareta 1
Marie 1
Marion 1
Matilda 1
Minnie 1
Nathalia 1
Nuta 1
Rosaline 1
Wilhelmina 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 6
Charles 4
William 4
Albert 2
Edward 2
Ernest 2
Frederick 2
Henry 2
Herbert 2
W. 2
Adolphe 1
Agustus 1
Alexander 1
Alfred 1
Armiger 1
Arthur 1
Axel 1
Christian 1
F.E.H. 1
Francis 1
H. 1
Hugh 1
J. 1
James 1
Jonas 1
Julies 1
Karl 1
Laurent 1
Louis 1
Marcus 1
Moris 1
Not 1
Per 1
Richard 1
Robert 1
Robson 1
Theodore 1
Thomas 1
Tom 1
Waldeman 1
Wilhelm 1

FAQ

Brandt surname: questions and answers

How common was the Brandt surname in 1881?

In 1881, 125 people were recorded with the Brandt surname. That placed it at #17,335 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Brandt surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 467 in 2016. That gives Brandt a modern rank of #10,522.

What does the Brandt surname mean?

A surname of German origin referring to someone who cleared land by burning vegetation.

What does the Brandt map show?

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