UK surname
An occupational surname derived from the medieval word for "brewer".
In the 1881 census there were 108 people recorded with the Breman surname, ranking it #18,888 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 6, ranked #38,110, down from #18,888 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to St George in the East, London parishes and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Breman is 389 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 94.4%.
1881 census count
108
Ranked #18,888
Modern count
6
2016, ranked #38,110
Peak year
1891
389 bearers
Map years
6
1851 to 1911
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Breman surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Breman surname density by area, 1881 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 135 | #13,964 |
| 1861 | historical | 272 | #9,167 |
| 1881 | historical | 108 | #18,888 |
| 1891 | historical | 389 | #9,085 |
| 1901 | historical | 172 | #16,643 |
| 1911 | historical | 151 | #17,797 |
| 1997 | modern | 7 | #37,533 |
| 1998 | modern | 4 | #38,082 |
| 1999 | modern | 7 | #37,513 |
| 2000 | modern | 4 | #38,004 |
| 2001 | modern | 4 | #37,862 |
| 2002 | modern | 6 | #37,532 |
| 2003 | modern | 2 | #38,424 |
| 2004 | modern | 2 | #38,464 |
| 2005 | modern | 4 | #38,078 |
| 2006 | modern | 6 | #37,788 |
| 2007 | modern | 4 | #38,169 |
| 2008 | modern | 6 | #37,883 |
| 2009 | modern | 7 | #37,816 |
| 2010 | modern | 7 | #37,904 |
| 2011 | modern | 8 | #37,737 |
| 2012 | modern | 8 | #37,740 |
| 2013 | modern | 8 | #37,767 |
| 2014 | modern | 6 | #38,077 |
| 2015 | modern | 6 | #38,076 |
| 2016 | modern | 6 | #38,110 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around St George in the East, London parishes, Manchester, St Giles-in-the-Fields and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | St George in the East | London (East Districts) |
| 2 | London parishes | London 3 |
| 3 | Manchester | Lancashire |
| 4 | St Giles-in-the-Fields | London (Central Districts) |
| 5 | Liverpool | Lancashire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Breman surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Breman, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Breman surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Breman household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Breman is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Breman is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Breman, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Breman is of English origin, first appearing in medieval records during the late 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "breme" meaning fierce or vigorous, and "mann" meaning man. The name likely referred to someone of a bold or courageous nature.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Breman surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from the year 1195, where a William Breman is mentioned. In the Feet of Fines for Essex from 1293, a Robert Breman is referenced in relation to a land transaction.
The surname Breman also appears in the Subsidy Rolls for Worcestershire in 1327, listing a John Breman among those taxed. This suggests the name had spread across various regions of England by the early 14th century.
A notable early bearer of the Breman surname was Sir John Breman, a knight who fought in the Hundred Years' War under King Edward III. He was born around 1320 in Nottinghamshire and participated in several battles against the French, including the Battle of Crecy in 1346.
In the 15th century, the Breman surname can be found in the records of the city of York, where a Thomas Breman served as a alderman and mayor in the 1460s. This indicates that members of the Breman family had achieved a certain level of prominence and influence in urban centers.
Another significant figure was William Breman, a merchant and landowner from Gloucestershire who lived during the 16th century. He is recorded as having acquired substantial property holdings in the region and was a benefactor to several local churches and charities.
The variant spelling "Breyman" was also used, as evidenced by the presence of a Richard Breyman in the parish registers of St. Mary's Church in Warwickshire in the late 1500s.
Throughout the 17th and 18th centuries, the Breman surname continued to be represented across various parts of England, with records showing individuals bearing the name in counties like Lincolnshire, Oxfordshire, and Dorset.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Breman surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Yorkshire leads with 24 Bremans recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.30x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Yorkshire | 24 | 2.30x |
| Lancashire | 15 | 1.20x |
| Lanarkshire | 12 | 3.52x |
| Surrey | 12 | 2.34x |
| Essex | 7 | 3.37x |
| Middlesex | 7 | 0.66x |
| Durham | 6 | 1.91x |
| Kent | 5 | 1.39x |
| Northumberland | 5 | 3.19x |
| Warwickshire | 5 | 1.88x |
| Worcestershire | 3 | 2.18x |
| Glamorgan | 2 | 1.09x |
| Midlothian | 2 | 1.42x |
| Hampshire | 1 | 0.46x |
| Oxfordshire | 1 | 1.54x |
| Suffolk | 1 | 0.78x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Govan in Lanarkshire leads with 10 Bremans recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.87x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Govan | 10 | 11.87x |
| Morley | 8 | 147.33x |
| Bootle Cum Linacre | 6 | 60.42x |
| Lambeth | 6 | 6.53x |
| Battersea | 5 | 12.90x |
| Huddersfield | 5 | 32.87x |
| West Ham | 5 | 10.89x |
| Birmingham | 4 | 4.52x |
| Deptford St Paul | 4 | 14.43x |
| Westgate | 4 | 41.19x |
| Dudley | 3 | 17.94x |
| Islington London | 3 | 2.94x |
| Newington | 3 | 104.53x |
| Stranton | 3 | 28.44x |
| Barony | 2 | 2.32x |
| Ford | 2 | 212.77x |
| Horton In Bradford | 2 | 12.27x |
| Leeds | 2 | 3.39x |
| Liverpool | 2 | 2.63x |
| Merthyr Tydfil | 2 | 11.34x |
| Newchurch | 2 | 19.55x |
| Wigan | 2 | 11.45x |
| Wortley In Bramley | 2 | 24.18x |
| Bermondsey | 1 | 3.19x |
| Bishopwearmouth | 1 | 3.72x |
| Blackburn | 1 | 3.01x |
| Bury St Edmunds St James | 1 | 29.15x |
| Caversham | 1 | 76.92x |
| Colchester St Mary At | 1 | 135.14x |
| Crowle | 1 | 97.09x |
| Dalton | 1 | 3333.33x |
| Danbury | 1 | 285.71x |
| Edinburgh Buccleuch | 1 | 29.94x |
| Edinburgh St Stephens | 1 | 35.97x |
| Foleshill | 1 | 35.71x |
| Hackney London | 1 | 1.69x |
| Hindley | 1 | 18.76x |
| Kirkdale | 1 | 4.76x |
| Mile End New Town London | 1 | 48.08x |
| Portsea | 1 | 2.36x |
| St Andrew Holborn London | 1 | 21.93x |
| St Giles In Fields London | 1 | 19.34x |
| Wakefield | 1 | 12.48x |
| Woolwich | 1 | 7.53x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Breman surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Breman surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
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 Breman households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 12 |
| Labourer | 6 |
| General Labourer | 5 |
| Agr Labourer | 2 |
| Cotton Picker | 2 |
| Tailor | 2 |
| 2nd Class Assistant Inland Revenue | 1 |
| Burler (Woollen) | 1 |
| Carter | 1 |
| Charwoman | 1 |
| Coal Miner | 1 |
| Cook (Dom) | 1 |
| Cotton Rover | 1 |
| Cotton Weaver | 1 |
| Dom Serv | 1 |
| Domestic Coachman | 1 |
| Domestic Ser | 1 |
| Fish Salesman | 1 |
| Formerly Cook Dom Serv | 1 |
| Gas Fitter | 1 |
| General Lab | 1 |
| General Lab Wife | 1 |
| General Laborer | 1 |
| General Serv (Domestic) | 1 |
| Grocer | 1 |
| Hawker | 1 |
| House Keeper (Dom) (L H K) | 1 |
| Housekeeper | 1 |
| Labourer (G L) | 1 |
| Machinist (Tailor) | 1 |
| Miner (C) | 1 |
| No Occupation | 1 |
| Nurse Domestic (Servt) | 1 |
| Paper Maker | 1 |
| Pavists Labourer | 1 |
| Printer Compositor | 1 |
| Private Soldier 12th Regt | 1 |
| Provision Dealer | 1 |
| Pupil Teacher | 1 |
| Resident | 1 |
| Retired Ord Nance | 1 |
| Schlar | 1 |
| Servant | 1 |
| Wife | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 108 people were recorded with the Breman surname. That placed it at #18,888 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 6 in 2016. That gives Breman a modern rank of #38,110.
An occupational surname derived from the medieval word for "brewer".
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Breman bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.