UK surname
An occupational surname referring to an embroiderer or decorative needleworker.
In the 1881 census there were 101 people recorded with the Bremmer surname, ranking it #19,636 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 51, ranked #34,838, down from #19,636 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Aberdeen and Old Machar and St Mary Stratford-le-Bow. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bremmer is 140 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 49.5%.
1881 census count
101
Ranked #19,636
Modern count
51
2016, ranked #34,838
Peak year
1891
140 bearers
Map years
4
1881 to 1911
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Bremmer surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Bremmer 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 | 36 | #26,838 |
| 1861 | historical | 75 | #24,238 |
| 1881 | historical | 101 | #19,636 |
| 1891 | historical | 140 | #19,193 |
| 1901 | historical | 100 | #22,863 |
| 1911 | historical | 100 | #22,717 |
| 1997 | modern | 87 | #28,749 |
| 1998 | modern | 78 | #30,192 |
| 1999 | modern | 68 | #31,311 |
| 2000 | modern | 57 | #32,417 |
| 2001 | modern | 43 | #33,576 |
| 2002 | modern | 42 | #33,951 |
| 2003 | modern | 41 | #34,113 |
| 2004 | modern | 43 | #34,149 |
| 2005 | modern | 41 | #34,478 |
| 2006 | modern | 42 | #34,714 |
| 2007 | modern | 51 | #34,272 |
| 2008 | modern | 49 | #34,580 |
| 2009 | modern | 45 | #34,972 |
| 2010 | modern | 51 | #34,773 |
| 2011 | modern | 48 | #34,926 |
| 2012 | modern | 48 | #34,938 |
| 2013 | modern | 52 | #34,780 |
| 2014 | modern | 54 | #34,700 |
| 2015 | modern | 52 | #34,775 |
| 2016 | modern | 51 | #34,838 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Aberdeen and Old Machar, St Mary Stratford-le-Bow, Penrith and Glasgow. 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 | London parishes | London 3 |
| 2 | Aberdeen and Old Machar | Aberdeen |
| 3 | St Mary Stratford-le-Bow | London (East Districts) |
| 4 | Penrith | Cumberland |
| 5 | Glasgow | Lanark |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Bremmer 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 Bremmer, 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 Bremmer surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Bremmer 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, Bremmer 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 Bremmer is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Bremmer, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Bremmer is believed to originate from the Low German region of northern Germany and the Netherlands. It likely emerged during the medieval period, around the 12th or 13th century. The name is thought to derive from the Old German word "bremer," which referred to someone from the city of Bremen or the surrounding area.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Bremmer can be found in the Bremisches Urkundenbuch, a collection of medieval documents from the city of Bremen, dating back to the 13th century. It is possible that the name was initially used to identify individuals who had migrated from Bremen to other regions.
In the late 15th century, a notable figure named Heyne Bremmer was mentioned in the Chronica van der hilliger Stat van Coellen, a chronicle of the city of Cologne. This suggests that the Bremmer name had spread beyond its original geographic area by this time.
During the 16th century, the Bremmer surname appeared in various records across northern Europe. For example, Jann Bremmer, a merchant from Hamburg, was documented in the city's trade records in the year 1562.
In the 17th century, the Dutch painter Dirck Bremmer (1616-1669) achieved some recognition for his landscapes and genre scenes. His works can be found in several museums, including the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.
Another notable figure from this era was Johann Bremmer (1633-1691), a German composer and organist who served in the court of the Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg.
In the 19th century, the Dutch linguist Reitze Bremmer (1824-1898) made significant contributions to the study of Frisian language and literature. He published several works, including a Frisian dictionary and a collection of Frisian proverbs.
The Bremmer name has also been associated with various place names, such as Bremmerhafen and Bremmerberg, which are located in the vicinity of Bremen, further reinforcing the connection between the surname and the city.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bremmer 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. Middlesex leads with 21 Bremmers recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.11x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Middlesex | 21 | 2.11x |
| Banffshire | 17 | 82.40x |
| Aberdeenshire | 9 | 9.77x |
| Surrey | 8 | 1.65x |
| Lanarkshire | 7 | 2.18x |
| Lancashire | 7 | 0.59x |
| Cumberland | 5 | 5.84x |
| Renfrewshire | 5 | 6.49x |
| Devon | 4 | 1.93x |
| Midlothian | 4 | 3.00x |
| Durham | 3 | 1.01x |
| Fife | 3 | 5.09x |
| Kent | 2 | 0.59x |
| Angus | 1 | 1.09x |
| Glamorgan | 1 | 0.58x |
| Morayshire | 1 | 6.47x |
| Northumberland | 1 | 0.68x |
| Royal Navy | 1 | 8.44x |
| Shropshire | 1 | 1.16x |
| Yorkshire | 1 | 0.10x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Fordyce in Banffshire leads with 9 Bremmers recorded in 1881 and an index of 608.11x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Fordyce | 9 | 608.11x |
| Aberdeen St Nicholas | 8 | 46.40x |
| Boyndie | 8 | 1176.47x |
| Lambeth | 8 | 9.22x |
| Barony | 7 | 8.60x |
| Bow London | 7 | 55.29x |
| Cathcart | 5 | 119.90x |
| Penrith | 5 | 158.23x |
| Bromley London | 4 | 18.28x |
| Edinburgh St Cuthberts | 4 | 7.46x |
| Plymouth St Andrew | 4 | 25.08x |
| Preston | 4 | 12.67x |
| Dunfermline | 3 | 33.15x |
| Southwick | 3 | 107.14x |
| St Pancras London | 3 | 3.75x |
| Kensington London | 2 | 3.62x |
| Margate St John Baptist | 2 | 32.21x |
| Shoreditch London | 2 | 4.64x |
| Ashton Under Lyne | 1 | 3.88x |
| Barrow In Furness | 1 | 6.23x |
| Berwick Upon Tweed | 1 | 31.85x |
| Craig | 1 | 112.36x |
| Drainie | 1 | 72.99x |
| Glenmuick Tullich | 1 | 151.52x |
| Hornsey | 1 | 7.95x |
| Merthyr Tydfil | 1 | 6.01x |
| Paddington London | 1 | 2.73x |
| Sculcoates | 1 | 6.40x |
| Shrewsbury St Mary | 1 | 29.50x |
| Stretford | 1 | 15.41x |
| Westminster St John | 1 | 8.26x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Bremmer 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 Bremmer 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 Bremmer households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 15 |
| Journalist | 2 |
| Police Constable | 2 |
| Railway Engine Driver | 2 |
| A B Seaman | 1 |
| Baker | 1 |
| Builders Clerk | 1 |
| Carman | 1 |
| Consulting Civil Engineer | 1 |
| Cotton Spinner | 1 |
| Cotton Weaver | 1 |
| General Serv (Domestic) | 1 |
| General Servant | 1 |
| Labourer | 1 |
| Laundress | 1 |
| Milkman | 1 |
| Railway Engine Cleaner | 1 |
| Royal Marine & Tailors Assistant | 1 |
| Sch | 1 |
| Sempstress | 1 |
| Travelling Drapers Assistant | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 101 people were recorded with the Bremmer surname. That placed it at #19,636 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 51 in 2016. That gives Bremmer a modern rank of #34,838.
An occupational surname referring to an embroiderer or decorative needleworker.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Bremmer 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.