NameCensus.

UK surname

Brearley

Derived from the Old English place name Brearley, meaning "broad meadow" or "clearing."

In the 1881 census there were 1,868 people recorded with the Brearley surname, ranking it #2,333 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,807, ranked #3,502, down from #2,333 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, Halifax and Batley. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Calderdale and Kirklees.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Brearley is 2,529 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 3.3%.

1881 census count

1,868

Ranked #2,333

Modern count

1,807

2016, ranked #3,502

Peak year

1911

2,529 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Brearley had 1,868 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,333 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,807 in 2016, ranked #3,502.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,529 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Brearley surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Brearley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Brearley 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 1,519 #1,888
1861 historical 1,083 #2,597
1881 historical 1,868 #2,333
1891 historical 1,890 #2,430
1901 historical 2,312 #2,352
1911 historical 2,529 #2,017
1997 modern 1,844 #3,266
1998 modern 1,958 #3,206
1999 modern 1,979 #3,205
2000 modern 1,956 #3,220
2001 modern 1,893 #3,251
2002 modern 1,937 #3,254
2003 modern 1,876 #3,271
2004 modern 1,850 #3,316
2005 modern 1,855 #3,275
2006 modern 1,834 #3,322
2007 modern 1,843 #3,328
2008 modern 1,859 #3,329
2009 modern 1,907 #3,332
2010 modern 1,942 #3,354
2011 modern 1,893 #3,394
2012 modern 1,844 #3,415
2013 modern 1,861 #3,434
2014 modern 1,866 #3,450
2015 modern 1,874 #3,405
2016 modern 1,807 #3,502

Geography

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Where Brearleys are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Calderdale and Kirklees. 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 Rochdale Lancashire
2 Halifax Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Batley Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Leeds Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Calderdale 025 Calderdale
2 Calderdale 003 Calderdale
3 Kirklees 019 Kirklees
4 Calderdale 017 Calderdale
5 Calderdale 018 Calderdale

Forenames

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First names often paired with Brearley

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Brearley

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Brearley, 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 Brearley surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Brearley 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Brearley 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

Brearley 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

Brearley falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Brearley 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 Brearley, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Brearley

The surname Brearley is of English origin, stemming from the northern counties of England, particularly Yorkshire and Lancashire. It is believed to have emerged during the 12th or 13th century as a locational name, referring to someone who hailed from a place called Brearley or a similar variation. The name is thought to derive from the Old English words "brer" meaning briar or bramble, and "leah" signifying a meadow or woodland clearing.

Records show that the earliest known bearer of the surname was Roger de Brereley, mentioned in the Yorkshire Feet of Fines in 1310. Another early instance is found in the Lancashire Inquests of 1324, where a William de Brerdelegh is recorded. These variations in spelling, such as Brerdelegh, Brereley, and Brearley, were common during the Middle Ages due to the lack of standardized orthography.

The Brearley name appears in various historical documents, including the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire in 1379, where a John de Brerdeley is listed. Additionally, the Lancashire Wills and Inventories from 1548 to 1625 mention several individuals with the surname, indicating its continued presence in the region.

One notable bearer of the Brearley name was Richard Brearley (1591-1673), a English Puritan minister who served as a vicar in Yorkshire. Another prominent figure was John Brearley (1708-1799), a wealthy merchant and landowner from Lancashire, whose family estate was located in Brearley Hall.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the Brearley surname spread to other parts of England, with records showing individuals residing in areas such as London, Staffordshire, and Buckinghamshire. Samuel Brearley (1695-1773) was a notable merchant and alderman in the city of London, while John Brearley (1749-1818) was a respected clergyman and author from Buckinghamshire.

In the 19th century, the Brearley name gained further prominence with individuals like David Brearley (1786-1873), a successful industrialist and philanthropist from Yorkshire, and William Brearley (1818-1892), a prominent architect who designed several notable buildings in Manchester.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Brearley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Brearley 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 1,226 Brearleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.78x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 1,226 6.78x
Lancashire 394 1.82x
Derbyshire 51 1.78x
Warwickshire 38 0.83x
Staffordshire 34 0.55x
Worcestershire 30 1.26x
Middlesex 15 0.08x
Surrey 14 0.16x
Northamptonshire 13 0.76x
Nottinghamshire 12 0.49x
Kent 11 0.18x
Isle of Man 10 2.95x
Leicestershire 7 0.35x
Durham 3 0.06x
Gloucestershire 3 0.08x
Lincolnshire 3 0.10x
Cheshire 2 0.05x
Essex 2 0.06x
Brecknockshire 1 0.27x
Herefordshire 1 0.13x
Sussex 1 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Elland Cum Greetland in Yorkshire leads with 121 Brearleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 148.52x.

Place Total Index
Elland Cum Greetland 121 148.52x
Northowram 109 85.95x
Batley 93 54.11x
Leeds 77 7.54x
Spotland 71 29.49x
Castleton 63 29.13x
Halifax 63 23.73x
Bradfield 45 64.54x
Oldham 42 6.01x
Baildon 41 120.38x
Bradford 35 7.99x
Liversedge 33 40.99x
Butterworth 28 53.06x
Heckmondwike 28 48.13x
Aston 25 1.97x
Mirfield 24 24.17x
Ovenden 24 29.82x
Skircoat 23 32.25x
Sowerby In Halifax 23 38.89x
Bowling 21 11.72x
Bury 20 8.08x
Longwood 20 68.61x
Penistone 20 141.84x
Rastrick 20 39.81x
Blatchinworth 19 38.53x
Soothill 19 29.08x
Thornton In Bradford 19 31.56x
Clifton In Halifax 17 157.26x
Dudley 17 5.87x
Horton In Bradford 17 6.02x
Elton 15 20.05x
Hipperholme Cum 15 18.88x
Clayton 14 31.63x
Wuerdle Wardle 14 21.30x
Huddersfield 13 4.93x
Stapenhill 13 30.57x
Wadsworth 13 44.16x
Wardleworth 13 10.50x
Bingley 12 10.42x
North Meols 12 5.66x
Southowram 12 21.74x
Brightside Bierlow 11 3.10x
Darfield 11 66.83x
Lindley Cum Quarmby 11 24.11x
Manningham 11 4.94x
Ockbrook 11 90.68x
Birmingham 10 0.65x
Nether Hallam 10 4.09x
Shipley 10 10.65x
Cleckheaton 9 13.51x
Dewsbury 9 4.85x
Idle 9 10.73x
Liverpool 9 0.68x
Tottington Lower End 9 8.74x
Toxteth Park 9 1.23x
Warley 9 17.22x
Ashton Under Lyne 8 1.69x
Grendon 8 235.99x
Norland 8 64.46x
Blackfordby 7 108.36x
Bow London 7 3.01x
Hopwood 7 24.73x
Hoyland Nether 7 15.78x
Hunshelf 7 78.92x
Sheffield 7 1.22x
Stourbridge 7 11.41x
Wortley In Wortley 7 98.45x
Bromley London 6 1.49x
Doncaster 6 4.54x
Hucknall Torkard 6 9.62x
Lewisham 6 1.81x
Onchan 6 6.15x
Ormesby 6 12.34x
Oxspring 6 273.97x
Salford 6 0.94x
Walsall Foreign 6 1.89x
Burton Extra 5 14.16x
Chorlton On Medlock 5 1.45x
Gomersal 5 5.92x
Wolverhampton 5 1.06x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 153
Sarah 86
Elizabeth 55
Ann 45
Hannah 41
Alice 37
Emma 36
Martha 36
Eliza 26
Jane 26
Annie 25
Ellen 24
Emily 20
Edith 18
Harriet 16
Ada 14
Betty 14
Fanny 14
Clara 13
Ruth 12
Lucy 11
Florence 9
Lilly 8
Maria 8
Caroline 7
Charlotte 7
Louisa 7
Margaret 7
Frances 6
Amelia 5
Amy 5
Eleanor 5
Isabella 5
Rebecca 5
Sophia 5
Susannah 5
Anne 4
Bertha 4
Grace 4
Rachel 4
Susan 4
Agnes 3
Catherine 3
Elizth. 3
Esther 3
Harriett 3
Henrietta 3
Jessie 3
Minnie 3
Selina 3

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 116
William 71
James 66
Joseph 57
George 42
Thomas 39
Arthur 26
Charles 26
Robert 26
Henry 23
Fred 20
Harry 16
Walter 15
Frank 14
Samuel 14
Albert 11
David 11
Edward 11
Herbert 11
Alfred 9
Abraham 8
Edwin 8
Ernest 8
Benjamin 7
Tom 7
Sam 6
Amos 5
Lewis 5
Ralph 5
Thos. 5
Daniel 4
Frederick 4
Isaac 4
Joe 4
Richard 4
Abel 3
Bernard 3
Edmund 3
Eli 3
Harold 3
Jeremiah 3
Leonard 3
Willie 3
Charley 2
Ely 2
Enoch 2
Mark 2
Mathew 2
Nathan 2
Riley 2

FAQ

Brearley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Brearley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,868 people were recorded with the Brearley surname. That placed it at #2,333 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Brearley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,807 in 2016. That gives Brearley a modern rank of #3,502.

What does the Brearley surname mean?

Derived from the Old English place name Brearley, meaning "broad meadow" or "clearing."

What does the Brearley map show?

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