NameCensus.

UK surname

Bratcher

An English occupational surname for someone who braided or wove goods, likely derived from the Old English "brædan," meaning "to braid."

In the 1881 census there were 18 people recorded with the Bratcher surname, ranking it #31,019 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 196, ranked #19,848, up from #31,019 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cardiff.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bratcher is 207 in 2013. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 988.9%.

1881 census count

18

Ranked #31,019

Modern count

196

2016, ranked #19,848

Peak year

2013

207 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bratcher had 18 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #31,019 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 196 in 2016, ranked #19,848.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 64 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Bratcher surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bratcher surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bratcher 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 21 #29,550
1861 historical 28 #30,405
1881 historical 18 #31,019
1891 historical 32 #31,754
1901 historical 52 #28,377
1911 historical 64 #26,435
1997 modern 203 #17,457
1998 modern 194 #18,451
1999 modern 202 #18,127
2000 modern 192 #18,683
2001 modern 195 #18,215
2002 modern 199 #18,350
2003 modern 188 #18,810
2004 modern 185 #19,114
2005 modern 187 #18,924
2006 modern 190 #18,898
2007 modern 204 #18,251
2008 modern 200 #18,640
2009 modern 198 #19,145
2010 modern 194 #19,819
2011 modern 198 #19,410
2012 modern 205 #18,909
2013 modern 207 #19,093
2014 modern 207 #19,259
2015 modern 199 #19,640
2016 modern 196 #19,848

Geography

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Where Bratchers 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 Cardiff. 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 Cardiff 039 Cardiff
2 Cardiff 027 Cardiff
3 Cardiff 016 Cardiff
4 Cardiff 043 Cardiff
5 Cardiff 045 Cardiff

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bratcher

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bratcher

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Bratcher, 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 Bratcher surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Bratcher household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Bratcher 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

Bratcher is most concentrated in decile 3 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Bratcher 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 Bratcher is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Bratcher

The surname Bratcher originates from England and is believed to have derived from the Old English word 'bræc', meaning 'newly cultivated land'. The name likely emerged in the 11th or 12th century, referring to individuals who worked as farmers or landowners on newly cleared or cultivated lands.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1275, where it appears as 'Brachur'. The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 also mention a 'Roger le Brachur' from Oxfordshire, indicating the name's presence in various regions of England during that period.

In the 14th century, the surname appeared in various spellings, such as 'Bracher', 'Brachar', and 'Brachour', reflecting the variations in pronunciation and spelling common at the time. The Hearth Tax Returns of 1665 list several households with the surname Bratcher in Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire.

The name Bratcher has also been associated with certain place names, such as Bratcher's Farm in Kent and Bratcher's Hill in Wiltshire. These place names likely derived from individuals bearing the surname who owned or resided in those areas.

Notable individuals with the surname Bratcher include:

1. Robert Bratcher (1920-2010), an American biblical scholar and translator who worked on the Good News Bible. 2. John Bratcher (1570-1640), an English clergyman and Puritan preacher who served as the Rector of Wigan from 1616 until his death. 3. William Bratcher (1783-1858), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars and later became a Member of Parliament. 4. Elizabeth Bratcher (1670-1745), a prominent Quaker minister and author from Pennsylvania, known for her religious writings and journals. 5. Thomas Bratcher (1815-1897), an American politician who served as a member of the Missouri State Senate in the late 19th century.

While the surname Bratcher has undergone various spelling variations over the centuries, its origins can be traced back to the early days of English history, reflecting the agricultural roots and landholding traditions of its bearers.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bratcher families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bratcher 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. Hampshire leads with 8 Bratchers recorded in 1881 and an index of 22.23x.

County Total Index
Hampshire 8 22.23x
Yorkshire 4 2.30x
Devon 1 2.74x
Dorset 1 8.68x
Kent 1 1.67x
Lancashire 1 0.48x
Middlesex 1 0.57x
Northamptonshire 1 6.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Eling in Hampshire leads with 7 Bratchers recorded in 1881 and an index of 1944.44x.

Place Total Index
Eling 7 1944.44x
Ecclesall Bierlow 4 112.99x
Barton Upon Irwell 1 63.69x
Brampton Ash 1 10000.00x
Clerkenwell London 1 24.15x
Minster In Sheppey 1 101.01x
Poole St James 1 232.56x
Ryde 1 129.87x
Tormoham 1 64.52x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Alice 1
Ann 1
Eliza 1
Elizabeth 1
Jane 1
Polly 1
Sarah 1
Silvia 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Robert 3
Charles 2
Enos 1
Francis 1
Fred 1
George 1
Wilfred 1

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 Bratcher households.

FAQ

Bratcher surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bratcher surname in 1881?

In 1881, 18 people were recorded with the Bratcher surname. That placed it at #31,019 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bratcher surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 196 in 2016. That gives Bratcher a modern rank of #19,848.

What does the Bratcher surname mean?

An English occupational surname for someone who braided or wove goods, likely derived from the Old English "brædan," meaning "to braid."

What does the Bratcher map show?

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