NameCensus.

UK surname

Brasher

An English occupational surname referring to a worker who made brass or brass armor.

In the 1881 census there were 160 people recorded with the Brasher surname, ranking it #14,860 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 163, ranked #22,407, down from #14,860 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Abingdon St Helen, Abingdon St Nicholas, Swavesey and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Cambridgeshire, Rotherham and Forest of Dean.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Brasher is 201 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 1.9%.

1881 census count

160

Ranked #14,860

Modern count

163

2016, ranked #22,407

Peak year

1998

201 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Brasher had 160 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,860 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 163 in 2016, ranked #22,407.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 191 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Brasher surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Brasher surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Brasher 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 91 #18,187
1861 historical 114 #19,011
1881 historical 160 #14,860
1891 historical 183 #15,918
1901 historical 191 #15,579
1911 historical 169 #16,564
1997 modern 197 #17,792
1998 modern 201 #18,047
1999 modern 196 #18,464
2000 modern 187 #18,990
2001 modern 178 #19,288
2002 modern 181 #19,463
2003 modern 184 #19,075
2004 modern 172 #20,008
2005 modern 165 #20,468
2006 modern 169 #20,294
2007 modern 178 #19,887
2008 modern 179 #20,015
2009 modern 174 #20,782
2010 modern 178 #20,965
2011 modern 171 #21,337
2012 modern 156 #22,645
2013 modern 155 #23,108
2014 modern 162 #22,624
2015 modern 161 #22,599
2016 modern 163 #22,407

Geography

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Where Brashers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Abingdon St Helen, Abingdon St Nicholas, Swavesey, London parishes, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and Wilbraham, Great. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Cambridgeshire, Rotherham and Forest of Dean. 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 Abingdon St Helen, Abingdon St Nicholas Berkshire
2 Swavesey Huntingdonshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
5 Wilbraham, Great Cambridgeshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Cambridgeshire 011 South Cambridgeshire
2 Rotherham 006 Rotherham
3 Rotherham 005 Rotherham
4 South Cambridgeshire 006 South Cambridgeshire
5 Forest of Dean 010 Forest of Dean

Forenames

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First names often paired with Brasher

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Brasher

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

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Brasher surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Brasher 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 comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Established Homeowners with Children

Within London, Brasher is most associated with areas classed as Established Homeowners with Children, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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 predominantly British-born residents are typically married/in civil partnerships and own the properties in which they are raising their children. Parents are typically over 45, and many other residents are beyond normal retirement age. Detached and semi-detached houses predominate and multiple car ownership is common.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Brasher is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Brasher

The surname BRASHER is of English origin, and it is believed to have first emerged in the 14th century. The name is thought to be derived from the Old French word "brasseur," which means "brewer," or the Old English word "braes," meaning "brass."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname BRASHER can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Suffolk, England, from the year 1327, where a John Brasher is mentioned. Another early reference is in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of Wiltshire from 1332, which lists a Richard Brasher.

The name BRASHER is also associated with various place names in England, such as Brasher Manor in Suffolk and Brasher Farm in Wiltshire. These place names may have influenced the development of the surname or been named after individuals bearing the BRASHER name.

One notable individual with the BRASHER surname was Ephraim Brasher (1744-1810), a wealthy merchant and goldsmith from New York City during the American Revolutionary War era. He is best known for creating the Brasher Doubloon, which is considered one of the rarest and most valuable coins in American numismatics.

Another prominent figure was Abraham Brasher (1804-1848), an English journalist and author who co-founded the influential magazine The Athenaeum in 1828. He was widely respected for his literary criticism and played a significant role in shaping the cultural landscape of 19th-century Britain.

In the world of sports, Joseph Brasher (1890-1956) was a notable English professional footballer who played as a forward for several clubs, including Birmingham City and Wolverhampton Wanderers, in the early 20th century.

Sir Leonard Brasher (1908-1989) was a distinguished British civil servant who served as the Governor of Bermuda from 1964 to 1968 and played a pivotal role in the island's constitutional developments during that period.

Finally, John Brasher (1949-2018) was an American actor and playwright known for his work in the theatre and television. He co-founded the Ensemble Studio Theatre in New York City and wrote several acclaimed plays, including "The Foreigner" and "Psychopathia Sexualis."

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Brasher families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Brasher 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. Cambridgeshire leads with 44 Brashers recorded in 1881 and an index of 44.51x.

County Total Index
Cambridgeshire 44 44.51x
Berkshire 29 24.76x
Nottinghamshire 18 8.56x
Surrey 16 2.10x
Middlesex 11 0.70x
Essex 9 2.92x
Gloucestershire 8 2.61x
Durham 4 0.86x
Devon 3 0.92x
Kent 3 0.56x
Hampshire 2 0.63x
Hertfordshire 2 1.86x
Sussex 2 0.76x
Warwickshire 2 0.51x
Wiltshire 2 1.45x
Yorkshire 2 0.13x
Lancashire 1 0.05x
Northamptonshire 1 0.68x
Somerset 1 0.40x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Great Wilbraham in Cambridgeshire leads with 25 Brashers recorded in 1881 and an index of 8620.69x.

Place Total Index
Great Wilbraham 25 8620.69x
Wallingford St Leonard 18 3272.73x
Nottingham St Mary 12 22.05x
Camberwell 8 8.02x
Swavesey 8 1269.84x
Abingdon St Helen 6 175.44x
Barnes 6 186.34x
Bristol St James St Paul 6 58.77x
Nottingham St Nicholas 6 209.79x
Teversham 5 3846.15x
Heybridge 4 444.44x
Newbottle 4 157.48x
St Marylebone London 4 4.80x
Tolleshunt Major 4 1818.18x
Barnstaple 3 58.82x
Fulbourn 3 315.79x
Bowling 2 13.05x
Broxbourne 2 93.90x
Cholsey 2 215.05x
Margate St John Baptist 2 20.51x
Mere 2 127.39x
Reading St Giles 2 17.41x
St Anne Soho London 2 22.45x
Birmingham 1 0.76x
Brighton 1 1.88x
Bristol St John Baptist 1 357.14x
Cheetham 1 7.24x
Cherry Hinton 1 217.39x
Christchurch 1 14.41x
Clerkenwell London 1 2.71x
Duxford 1 243.90x
Great Faringdon 1 59.52x
Hackney London 1 1.14x
Hammersmith London 1 2.60x
Islington London 1 0.66x
Kensington London 1 1.15x
Lambeth 1 0.73x
Lee 1 12.94x
Lewes All Sts 1 95.24x
Northampton St Giles 1 17.89x
Owslebury 1 222.22x
Portishead 1 53.48x
St Andrewthe Less 1 8.86x
Warwick St Mary 1 29.24x
West Ham 1 1.47x
Westbury On Trym 1 9.64x
Woking 1 21.83x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 10
Sarah 7
Elizabeth 5
Alice 4
Lucy 4
Ellen 3
Jane 3
Louisa 3
Maria 3
Annie 2
Edith 2
Ellin 2
Emily 2
Ethel 2
Florence 2
Martha 2
Abigail 1
Ada 1
Alfreda 1
Amelia 1
Anne 1
Asenath 1
Bertha 1
Caroline 1
Charlotte 1
Clara 1
Dorothy 1
Eliza 1
Elleanor 1
Emila 1
Emma 1
Frances 1
Georgiana 1
Jessie 1
Julia 1
Leah 1
Louiza 1
Malinda 1
Matilda 1
Mercy 1
Miner 1
Minnie 1
Rachel 1
Selina 1
Sophia 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 5
Edward 4
Henry 4
Thomas 4
Arthur 3
Charles 3
Edwin 3
James 3
John 3
Alfread 2
Benjamin 2
Frank 2
George 2
Hy. 2
Joseph 2
Martin 2
Robert 2
Wm. 2
Alfred 1
Amos 1
Benj. 1
Chas.E. 1
Daniel 1
David 1
Edfgar 1
Edwd.B. 1
Enoch 1
Francis 1
Frederick 1
Fredk.C. 1
Geo. 1
Jacob 1
Jeremiah 1
Jethro 1
Nathan 1
Ronald 1
Samuel 1
Sidney 1
Stephen 1
Uriah 1
Walter 1
Wm.Henry 1

FAQ

Brasher surname: questions and answers

How common was the Brasher surname in 1881?

In 1881, 160 people were recorded with the Brasher surname. That placed it at #14,860 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Brasher surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 163 in 2016. That gives Brasher a modern rank of #22,407.

What does the Brasher surname mean?

An English occupational surname referring to a worker who made brass or brass armor.

What does the Brasher map show?

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