NameCensus.

UK surname

Breden

A surname potentially derived from a place name or related to broad meadows or fields.

In the 1881 census there were 95 people recorded with the Breden surname, ranking it #20,349 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 201, ranked #19,525, up from #20,349 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Dunstan Stepney and Hove. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Liverpool, Brighton and Hove and County Durham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Breden is 213 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 111.6%.

1881 census count

95

Ranked #20,349

Modern count

201

2016, ranked #19,525

Peak year

2000

213 bearers

Map years

6

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Breden had 95 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #20,349 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 201 in 2016, ranked #19,525.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 147 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy Industrial and Coastal Communities.

Breden surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Breden surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Breden 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 78 #19,840
1861 historical 93 #22,009
1881 historical 95 #20,349
1891 historical 109 #22,701
1901 historical 114 #21,166
1911 historical 147 #18,104
1997 modern 198 #17,729
1998 modern 204 #17,896
1999 modern 208 #17,808
2000 modern 213 #17,503
2001 modern 198 #18,047
2002 modern 201 #18,236
2003 modern 195 #18,411
2004 modern 199 #18,260
2005 modern 187 #18,924
2006 modern 187 #19,079
2007 modern 188 #19,204
2008 modern 184 #19,666
2009 modern 194 #19,398
2010 modern 193 #19,880
2011 modern 205 #18,965
2012 modern 197 #19,408
2013 modern 196 #19,790
2014 modern 202 #19,575
2015 modern 202 #19,433
2016 modern 201 #19,525

Geography

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Where Bredens are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Dunstan Stepney, Hove, Charlwood and Balcombe. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Liverpool, Brighton and Hove, County Durham, Tonbridge and Malling and Worthing. 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 London parishes London 3
2 St Dunstan Stepney London (East Districts)
3 Hove Sussex
4 Charlwood Surrey
5 Balcombe Sussex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Liverpool 028 Liverpool
2 Brighton and Hove 009 Brighton and Hove
3 County Durham 056 County Durham
4 Tonbridge and Malling 008 Tonbridge and Malling
5 Worthing 009 Worthing

Forenames

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First names often paired with Breden

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Breden

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

Legacy Industrial and Coastal Communities

Nationally, the Breden surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy Industrial and Coastal Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Breden household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Single-person households are common in these neighbourhoods, and these residents are typically divorced rather than never married. A high proportion of residents were born outside the UK in the EU. There are many young adults, some with young children, but relatively few residents are of normal retirement age or over. Although levels of identification with ethnic minorities are in line with the Supergroup average, individuals identifying with Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is more common than average. High long-term disability rates are observed, and unpaid care is more common than in the rest of the Group. The predominant housing types are terraced houses and flats, which are typically part of the social rented sector. This Group is commonly found in coastal areas and (present-day or former) industrial 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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Breden is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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 neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Breden is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Breden

The surname Breden is of Anglo-Saxon origin, tracing its roots back to the 7th century in England. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "bred," which referred to a broad or flat area, often near a river or stream. This suggests that the name may have originated as a topographic surname, given to someone who lived near a wide expanse of land or a river floodplain.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Breden can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Bredene." This seminal record of landowners in England after the Norman Conquest provides valuable insights into the distribution of the name during that time period.

In the 12th century, the name appeared as "Breden" in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire, indicating that the surname was well-established in that county. This is consistent with the notion that the name originated in the eastern regions of England, where many Anglo-Saxon place names and surnames can be traced.

Throughout the Middle Ages, variations of the name emerged, such as "Bredun" and "Bredoun," reflecting regional dialects and scribal influences. Place names like Bradden in Northamptonshire and Bredon in Worcestershire may also have contributed to the development of the surname.

One notable figure bearing the surname Breden was Sir John Breden, a 14th-century English knight who fought in the Hundred Years' War. He was born around 1320 and served under Edward III during the crucial Battle of Crécy in 1346.

In the 16th century, Thomas Breden, a prominent merchant and landowner from Essex, played a significant role in the local community. His descendants continued to hold influential positions in the region for several generations.

Another individual of note was William Breden, born in 1645 in Lincolnshire. He was a respected scholar and author who published several works on theology and philosophy during his lifetime.

In the 18th century, the name Breden was associated with the influential Breden family of Yorkshire. Samuel Breden, born in 1712, was a successful businessman and landowner who contributed greatly to the local economy and community.

As the centuries progressed, the surname Breden continued to spread across England and eventually to other parts of the British Isles and beyond. While its origins can be traced back to the Anglo-Saxon period, the name has endured and adapted, reflecting the rich tapestry of British history and culture.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Breden families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Breden 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. Surrey leads with 39 Bredens recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.64x.

County Total Index
Surrey 39 8.64x
Sussex 22 14.08x
Middlesex 21 2.27x
Lancashire 7 0.64x
Renfrewshire 2 2.79x
Ayrshire 1 1.44x
Kent 1 0.32x
Warwickshire 1 0.43x
Worcestershire 1 0.83x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bermondsey in Surrey leads with 20 Bredens recorded in 1881 and an index of 72.49x.

Place Total Index
Bermondsey 20 72.49x
Mile End Old Town London 12 60.85x
Hove 9 131.20x
Cuckfield 7 443.04x
Withyam 6 895.52x
Charlwood 5 1162.79x
Newington 5 14.61x
Toxteth Park 5 13.43x
Limehouse London 4 39.33x
Rotherhithe 4 34.93x
Hammersmith London 3 13.14x
Lambeth 3 3.71x
Eastwood 2 45.25x
Dundonald 1 39.06x
Fulwood 1 84.03x
Hackney London 1 1.92x
Liverpool 1 1.50x
Reigate Foreign 1 20.45x
Southwark St George Martyr 1 5.36x
St Ann Blackfriars London 1 588.24x
Tonbridge 1 8.77x
Warwick St Nicholas 1 58.48x
Worcester St Helen 1 256.41x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 6
Martha 3
Sarah 3
Ada 2
Ann 2
Annie 2
Eliza 2
Jane 2
Rebecca 2
Rose 2
Alice 1
Amelia 1
Bertha 1
Clara 1
Ellen 1
Emily 1
Ester 1
Fanny 1
Harriet 1
Helen 1
Lizzie 1
Louisa 1
Lucy 1
Maria 1
Marian 1
Mary 1
Philadelphia 1
Sophie 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 9
Thomas 6
Henry 5
Charles 3
Frederick 3
Joseph 3
David 2
Ernest 2
James 2
John 2
Alfred 1
Archibald 1
Arthur 1
Clemont 1
Elem 1
Erneny 1
Matthew 1
Octavias 1
Peter 1
Robert 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 Breden households.

FAQ

Breden surname: questions and answers

How common was the Breden surname in 1881?

In 1881, 95 people were recorded with the Breden surname. That placed it at #20,349 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Breden surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 201 in 2016. That gives Breden a modern rank of #19,525.

What does the Breden surname mean?

A surname potentially derived from a place name or related to broad meadows or fields.

What does the Breden map show?

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