NameCensus.

UK surname

Brazel

A variant English surname derived from the Old French brasillon, meaning "little burning wood."

In the 1881 census there were 104 people recorded with the Brazel surname, ranking it #19,296 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 113, ranked #28,691, down from #19,296 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Quainton, Shipton Lee and Llangafelach. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include The Vale of Glamorgan, Craven and Vale of White Horse.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Brazel is 121 in 2013. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 8.7%.

1881 census count

104

Ranked #19,296

Modern count

113

2016, ranked #28,691

Peak year

2013

121 bearers

Map years

4

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Brazel had 104 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #19,296 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 113 in 2016, ranked #28,691.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 117 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Multicultural Inner Suburbs.

Brazel surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Brazel surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Brazel 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 54 #27,127
1881 historical 104 #19,296
1891 historical 88 #25,677
1901 historical 117 #20,830
1911 historical 99 #22,850
1997 modern 108 #25,788
1998 modern 110 #26,129
1999 modern 106 #26,885
2000 modern 110 #26,248
2001 modern 102 #27,093
2002 modern 95 #28,666
2003 modern 96 #28,381
2004 modern 102 #27,637
2005 modern 98 #28,325
2006 modern 97 #28,793
2007 modern 102 #28,351
2008 modern 100 #29,001
2009 modern 100 #29,597
2010 modern 107 #29,153
2011 modern 109 #28,653
2012 modern 114 #27,868
2013 modern 121 #27,255
2014 modern 117 #28,109
2015 modern 118 #27,833
2016 modern 113 #28,691

Geography

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Where Brazels are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Quainton, Shipton Lee, Llangafelach, Pembrey and Swansea. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to The Vale of Glamorgan, Craven, Vale of White Horse, Amber Valley and Swansea. 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 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 Quainton, Shipton Lee Buckinghamshire
3 Llangafelach Glamorganshire
4 Pembrey Carmarthenshire
5 Swansea Glamorganshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 The Vale of Glamorgan 004 Vale of Glamorgan
2 Craven 006 Craven
3 Vale of White Horse 006 Vale of White Horse
4 Amber Valley 012 Amber Valley
5 Swansea 008 Swansea

Forenames

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First names often paired with Brazel

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Brazel

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

Multicultural Inner Suburbs

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house many younger and middle-aged adults with children. All ethnic minorities, apart from those identifying as Pakistani or Bangladeshi, appear to be present in above average proportions. Affiliation to Christian religions is uncommon. Long-term disability rates are low, mirrored in limited provision of unpaid care. Privately rented terrace houses and flats are the norm. Managerial, professional and technical occupations are prevalent, and work is rarely part time. Many individuals have degree level qualifications. These areas form the inner suburbs of many of the UK’s 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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Brazel is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Brazel 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

Brazel falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Brazel is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 40-50 mbit/s.

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

7
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Brazel

The surname Brazel originated in England, with the earliest known records dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "bræc," which means "fern" or "bracken." This suggests that the name likely referred to someone who lived near a patch of ferns or bracken plants.

The surname was first found in the counties of Staffordshire and Shropshire, where the name was prominent among the landed gentry. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which lists a Richard de Brazel as a landowner in Staffordshire.

In the 14th century, the Brazel family held estates in the village of Bradwell, located in the Peak District of Derbyshire. This village's name is thought to have influenced the spelling of the surname, leading to variations such as Bradwell and Bradwall.

During the Middle Ages, the Brazel surname was also found in various historical records, including the Pipe Rolls of Staffordshire from 1166 and the Assize Rolls of Shropshire from 1292. These documents mention individuals bearing the name, indicating their presence in these regions at the time.

One notable individual with the surname Brazel was Sir John Brazel (c. 1480 - 1552), who served as a Member of Parliament for Staffordshire in the 16th century. Another prominent figure was Richard Brazel (1573 - 1644), a renowned English clergyman and author who served as the Rector of Cheddar in Somerset.

In the 17th century, the Brazel surname spread to other parts of England, with records showing individuals bearing the name in counties such as Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. One example is William Brazel (1610 - 1678), a successful merchant and landowner from Yorkshire.

The name Brazel has also been associated with various place names, such as Brazell's Green in Staffordshire and Brazell's Farm in Shropshire, further reinforcing its connection to these regions.

Other notable individuals with the surname Brazel include John Brazel (1720 - 1795), a prominent English architect responsible for designing several churches and public buildings in London, and Thomas Brazel (1789 - 1863), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Brazel families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Brazel 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. Glamorgan leads with 38 Brazels recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.72x.

County Total Index
Glamorgan 38 21.72x
Carmarthenshire 37 87.39x
Buckinghamshire 12 19.76x
Hampshire 5 2.43x
Durham 4 1.34x
Gloucestershire 3 1.52x
Lancashire 3 0.25x
Northumberland 1 0.67x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Pembrey in Carmarthenshire leads with 28 Brazels recorded in 1881 and an index of 1435.90x.

Place Total Index
Pembrey 28 1435.90x
Cwmdu 12 563.38x
Swansea Town 12 83.68x
Clase 11 169.23x
Quainton 11 3666.67x
Aldershot 5 72.46x
Llanarthney 5 781.25x
Pelton 4 281.69x
Cheltenham 3 19.74x
Llanelly 3 31.45x
Llanguick 3 95.85x
Salford 2 5.70x
Clifton Reynes 1 1428.57x
Habergham Eaves 1 9.17x
Jesmond 1 47.62x
Llanedy 1 125.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 9
Margaret 7
Sarah 5
Ann 4
Elizabeth 4
Edith 2
Isabella 2
Betvas 1
Catherine 1
Eliza 1
Emily 1
Harriet 1
Jane 1
Louise 1
Margt. 1
Rachel 1
Rose 1
Susanah 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Brazel surname: questions and answers

How common was the Brazel surname in 1881?

In 1881, 104 people were recorded with the Brazel surname. That placed it at #19,296 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Brazel surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 113 in 2016. That gives Brazel a modern rank of #28,691.

What does the Brazel surname mean?

A variant English surname derived from the Old French brasillon, meaning "little burning wood."

What does the Brazel map show?

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