NameCensus.

UK surname

Brayshaw

A place name referring to a location near a small wood or brushwood area.

In the 1881 census there were 1,091 people recorded with the Brayshaw surname, ranking it #3,645 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,186, ranked #5,013, down from #3,645 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Guiseley, Bradford and Calverley. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Leeds, Kingston upon Hull and Bradford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Brayshaw is 1,551 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 8.7%.

1881 census count

1,091

Ranked #3,645

Modern count

1,186

2016, ranked #5,013

Peak year

1911

1,551 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Brayshaw had 1,091 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,645 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,186 in 2016, ranked #5,013.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,551 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Brayshaw surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Brayshaw surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Brayshaw 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 602 #4,265
1861 historical 677 #3,966
1881 historical 1,091 #3,645
1891 historical 1,286 #3,364
1901 historical 1,414 #3,576
1911 historical 1,551 #3,125
1997 modern 1,227 #4,625
1998 modern 1,238 #4,755
1999 modern 1,238 #4,783
2000 modern 1,246 #4,751
2001 modern 1,216 #4,748
2002 modern 1,234 #4,779
2003 modern 1,199 #4,808
2004 modern 1,197 #4,817
2005 modern 1,155 #4,928
2006 modern 1,159 #4,909
2007 modern 1,161 #4,944
2008 modern 1,173 #4,926
2009 modern 1,223 #4,862
2010 modern 1,207 #5,018
2011 modern 1,198 #4,986
2012 modern 1,169 #5,019
2013 modern 1,207 #4,958
2014 modern 1,213 #4,967
2015 modern 1,198 #4,980
2016 modern 1,186 #5,013

Geography

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Where Brayshaws are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Guiseley, Bradford, Calverley and Leeds. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Leeds, Kingston upon Hull, Bradford, Craven and Scarborough. 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 Guiseley Yorkshire, West Riding
2 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Calverley Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Leeds Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Leeds 068 Leeds
2 Kingston upon Hull 004 Kingston upon Hull, City of
3 Bradford 002 Bradford
4 Craven 001 Craven
5 Scarborough 014 Scarborough

Forenames

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First names often paired with Brayshaw

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Brayshaw

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Brayshaw surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Brayshaw household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Brayshaw is most associated with areas classed as Inner London Working Professionals, 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 primarily Inner London neighbourhoods are more densely populated than the Supergroup average. Residents have a younger over-all age profile than the Supergroup as a whole, and are less likely to be owner occupiers. Full time employment is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup and multiple car ownership is uncommon. Chinese and non-EU-born European migrants are less in evidence than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Brayshaw is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Brayshaw 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 Brayshaw 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 - British

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

Meaning and origin of Brayshaw

The surname Brayshaw has its origins in England, with the earliest records dating back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English words "bræi" meaning hill or ridge, and "sceaga" meaning small wood or copse. This suggests that the name was initially given to someone who lived near a wooded hill or ridge.

The name is believed to have originated in the counties of Lancashire and Yorkshire, where it was most prevalent in its early days. One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name is found in the Subsidy Rolls of Lancashire in 1332, which lists a Richard de Brayshaw.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in various spellings such as Braishagh, Brayschawe, and Brayshay, reflecting the regional variations in pronunciation and spelling at the time. The Brayshaw family is also referenced in the Whalley Coucher Book, a collection of medieval charters and records from the Cistercian monastery in Whalley, Lancashire.

The Domesday Book, compiled in 1086 under the order of King William the Conqueror, does not contain any direct references to the name Brayshaw. However, it does mention several places with similar names, such as Braidschaw and Braidshaigh, which may have been early forms or variations of the surname.

One notable figure in history bearing the surname Brayshaw was John Brayshaw (1583-1658), an English Puritan clergyman who served as a chaplain during the English Civil War. Another individual of note was Ralph Brayshaw (1668-1748), a mathematician and astronomer who contributed to the development of early telescopes.

In the literary world, the name appears with Samuel Brayshaw (1768-1835), an English poet and writer who published several works, including "The Rambling Pedestrian" and "The Village Maid." Additionally, Thomas Brayshaw (1788-1870) was a respected English artist known for his landscape paintings.

A more recent figure is Sir Alfred Brayshaw Ricketts (1882-1951), a British Army officer who served in World War I and later became a prominent civil servant and member of the Royal Household.

These are just a few examples of individuals throughout history who have borne the surname Brayshaw, showcasing its rich heritage and presence across various fields and eras.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Brayshaw families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Brayshaw 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 862 Brayshaws recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.19x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 862 8.19x
Lancashire 119 0.94x
Derbyshire 27 1.62x
Durham 19 0.60x
Essex 18 0.86x
Middlesex 17 0.16x
Cheshire 10 0.43x
Staffordshire 4 0.11x
Westmorland 3 1.29x
Buckinghamshire 2 0.31x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.14x
Suffolk 2 0.15x
Hampshire 1 0.05x
Hertfordshire 1 0.14x
Somerset 1 0.06x
Sussex 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Leeds in Yorkshire leads with 113 Brayshaws recorded in 1881 and an index of 19.01x.

Place Total Index
Leeds 113 19.01x
Yeadon 65 273.45x
Idle 64 131.12x
North Bierley 42 73.89x
Bradford 40 15.70x
Bowling 34 32.61x
Manningham 31 23.90x
Hunslet 30 18.28x
Calverley Cum Farsley 27 90.33x
Pudsey 26 46.21x
Burton In Lonsdale 24 1052.63x
Keighley 24 21.39x
Headingley Cum Burley 22 32.47x
Horton In Bradford 21 12.77x
West Ham 18 3.89x
Rawdon 17 137.10x
Shipley 17 31.12x
Addingham 16 203.30x
Wray With Botton 15 657.89x
York St Mary 15 34.40x
Cheetham 14 14.89x
Cleckheaton 14 36.10x
Chesterfield 13 20.85x
Manchester 13 2.29x
Holbeck 12 17.21x
Wortley In Bramley 11 13.19x
Brightside Bierlow 10 4.84x
Newbold Dunston 10 63.25x
Newton 10 10.29x
Northallerton 10 74.40x
Stranton 10 9.40x
Bramley In Bramley 9 22.33x
Stayley 9 33.58x
Warrington 9 6.02x
Baildon 8 40.36x
Elland Cum Greetland 8 16.87x
Monkton Moor 8 879.12x
Thorner 8 234.60x
Armley 7 15.08x
Chorlton On Medlock 7 3.50x
Giggleswick 7 197.18x
Kildwick 7 72.99x
Knaresborough 7 42.35x
Drighlington 6 39.14x
Droylsden 6 14.59x
Harewood 6 230.77x
High Low Bishopside 6 64.24x
Oldham 6 1.47x
Skipton 6 18.11x
Templenewsam 6 78.74x
Batley 5 5.00x
Failsworth 5 17.34x
Shoreditch London 5 1.09x
Spotland 5 3.57x
Stockton On Tees 5 3.28x
Darlington 4 3.28x
Guiseley 4 29.67x
Hackney London 4 0.67x
Liversedge 4 8.54x
Normanton 4 12.65x
Otley 4 15.65x
St Pancras London 4 0.47x
Wigan 4 2.27x
Wombwell 4 13.03x
Butterworth 3 9.77x
Chapel Allerton 3 19.05x
Easington In Guisbrough 3 128.21x
Great Bolton 3 1.80x
Halifax 3 1.94x
Heysham 3 130.43x
Kimberworth 3 5.14x
Lancaster 3 4.00x
Matlock 3 13.43x
Pendleton In Salford 3 2.00x
Thornton In Bradford 3 8.56x
Wolverhampton 3 1.09x
Clapham Cum Newby 2 81.30x
Clayton 2 7.76x
Kirkby Overblow 2 206.19x
Pickering 2 15.09x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 74
Sarah 54
Elizabeth 34
Hannah 30
Ann 28
Martha 22
Jane 19
Ellen 18
Emma 18
Alice 17
Annie 14
Emily 12
Edith 10
Harriet 10
Clara 8
Louisa 8
Maria 8
Ada 7
Agnes 7
Eliza 7
Florence 7
Isabella 6
Margaret 6
Ethel 5
Grace 5
Rachel 5
Rose 5
Sophia 5
Amelia 4
Anne 4
Caroline 4
Charlotte 3
Elizth. 3
Fanny 3
Ida 3
Maude 3
Polly 3
Ruth 3
Amy 2
Anna 2
Carrie 2
Catherine 2
Christiana 2
Harriett 2
Laura 2
Lucy 2
Priscilla 2
Susannah 2
Tamar 2
Dorah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 68
William 48
Thomas 33
James 29
George 28
Joseph 22
Henry 16
Albert 13
Alfred 12
Benjamin 11
Charles 11
Arthur 10
Walter 10
Frederick 9
Harry 9
Samuel 9
Edward 8
Fred 8
Herbert 8
Edwin 7
Robert 6
David 5
Ernest 5
Jonathan 5
Tom 5
Wm. 5
Abraham 4
Isaac 4
Austin 3
Christopher 3
Fredk. 3
Mark 3
Richard 3
Thos. 3
Alfd. 2
Daniel 2
Emanuel 2
Francis 2
Frank 2
Horace 2
Jesse 2
Jonathon 2
Marshall 2
Michael 2
Saml. 2
Simeon 2
Thos.E. 2
Willie 2
Birtha 1
Edwd. 1

FAQ

Brayshaw surname: questions and answers

How common was the Brayshaw surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,091 people were recorded with the Brayshaw surname. That placed it at #3,645 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Brayshaw surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,186 in 2016. That gives Brayshaw a modern rank of #5,013.

What does the Brayshaw surname mean?

A place name referring to a location near a small wood or brushwood area.

What does the Brayshaw map show?

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