NameCensus.

UK surname

Brend

A locational surname derived from a place name meaning hill or ridge.

In the 1881 census there were 149 people recorded with the Brend surname, ranking it #15,551 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 206, ranked #19,183, down from #15,551 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Minster, London parishes and Modbury, Bigbury, Ermington, Kingston. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Devon, Torridge and Cornwall.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Brend is 252 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 38.3%.

1881 census count

149

Ranked #15,551

Modern count

206

2016, ranked #19,183

Peak year

1901

252 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Brend had 149 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,551 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 206 in 2016, ranked #19,183.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 252 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Brend surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Brend surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Brend 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 104 #16,746
1861 historical 133 #16,835
1881 historical 149 #15,551
1891 historical 230 #13,494
1901 historical 252 #13,068
1911 historical 249 #12,951
1997 modern 197 #17,792
1998 modern 214 #17,366
1999 modern 224 #16,984
2000 modern 220 #17,138
2001 modern 217 #17,059
2002 modern 229 #16,771
2003 modern 218 #17,131
2004 modern 224 #16,918
2005 modern 218 #17,170
2006 modern 221 #17,149
2007 modern 217 #17,520
2008 modern 211 #17,997
2009 modern 219 #17,960
2010 modern 216 #18,492
2011 modern 218 #18,206
2012 modern 203 #19,025
2013 modern 207 #19,093
2014 modern 203 #19,504
2015 modern 204 #19,331
2016 modern 206 #19,183

Geography

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Where Brends are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Minster, London parishes, Modbury, Bigbury, Ermington, Kingston, Wolfardisworthy and Bideford. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Devon, Torridge and Cornwall. 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 Minster Kent
2 London parishes London 3
3 Modbury, Bigbury, Ermington, Kingston Devon
4 Wolfardisworthy Devon
5 Bideford Devon

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Devon 011 North Devon
2 Torridge 004 Torridge
3 Torridge 005 Torridge
4 North Devon 010 North Devon
5 Cornwall 016 Cornwall

Forenames

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First names often paired with Brend

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Brend

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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Brend surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Brend household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

European Enclaves

Within London, Brend is most associated with areas classed as European Enclaves, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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

Many residents of these accessible neighbourhoods have wide-ranging non-UK European origins. Typically residing in privately rented flats, many residents live alone and are beyond normal retirement age. There are more students than elsewhere in the Supergroup, some of which live in communal establishments. Household residents are often drawn from different ethnic groups.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Brend is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Brend falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Brend

The surname BREND originated in England in the late 11th century. It is derived from the Old English word "brenede," meaning "burnt" or "scorched." The name likely referred to someone who lived near an area that had been burned, such as a forest fire or a village that had been destroyed by fire.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name BREND can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a survey of land ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The Domesday Book lists a "Willelmus Brenede" as a landowner in the county of Dorset.

In the 12th century, the name BREND began to appear in various spellings, such as "Brent," "Brende," and "Brentt." These variations were likely due to regional dialects and the lack of standardized spelling at the time.

One notable bearer of the BREND surname was Sir John Brend, a 14th-century English knight who fought in the Hundred Years' War against France. He was born around 1320 and died in 1385.

Another historical figure with the BREND surname was William Brend, a 16th-century English merchant and member of the Worshipful Company of Mercers in London. He was born in 1520 and died in 1598.

In the 17th century, the BREND surname was associated with several place names in England, such as Brent Knoll in Somerset and Brentwood in Essex. These place names may have influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname in those areas.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the BREND surname in America was John Brend, who arrived in Virginia in 1635. He was one of the first settlers in the colony.

Another notable bearer of the BREND surname was Richard Brend, a British naval officer who served during the American Revolutionary War. He was born in 1742 and died in 1820.

Throughout history, the BREND surname has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, including soldiers, merchants, and explorers. While the name may have originated from humble beginnings, it has become a part of the rich tapestry of English and American history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Brend families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Brend 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. Devon leads with 82 Brends recorded in 1881 and an index of 27.29x.

County Total Index
Devon 82 27.29x
Middlesex 19 1.32x
Kent 16 3.25x
Surrey 8 1.14x
Cumberland 7 5.63x
Monmouthshire 5 4.79x
Somerset 4 1.72x
Hampshire 3 1.01x
Glamorgan 2 0.80x
Berkshire 1 0.92x
Cornwall 1 0.61x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Parkham in Devon leads with 25 Brends recorded in 1881 and an index of 6250.00x.

Place Total Index
Parkham 25 6250.00x
Bigbury 13 5909.09x
Minster In Sheppey 11 134.80x
Monkleigh 10 3703.70x
Bideford 7 217.39x
Rotherhithe 7 39.26x
Wigton 7 376.34x
Woolfardisworthy 7 1590.91x
Kensington London 6 7.48x
Chelsea London 5 11.49x
Christchurch 5 154.80x
Exeter St Thomas The 5 163.40x
Barnstaple 4 84.75x
Deptford St Paul 4 10.53x
St George Hanover Square 4 15.73x
Alwington 3 1578.95x
Portsea 3 5.17x
Wells St Cuthbert 3 188.68x
Egg Buckland 2 392.16x
Pilton 2 202.02x
Plymouth St Andrew 2 8.64x
Poplar London 2 7.34x
Roath 2 17.51x
Buckland Brewer 1 270.27x
Camberwell 1 1.08x
Chatham 1 7.38x
Fremington 1 163.93x
Frome 1 17.99x
Fulham London 1 4.78x
Hornsey 1 5.48x
Poughill 1 500.00x
Wallingford St Mary Le 1 163.93x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 10
Elizabeth 9
Sarah 8
Annie 3
Ann 2
Bessie 2
Eliza 2
Grace 2
Harriet 2
Helen 2
Lillie 2
Lucy 2
Martha 2
Alice 1
Allen 1
Anna 1
Beatrice 1
Betty 1
Blanche 1
Clara 1
Dorothy 1
Eda 1
Edith 1
Eliner 1
Emma 1
Esther 1
Eva 1
Fanny 1
Frances 1
Geneth 1
Helena 1
L.J. 1
Laura 1
Lily 1
Mahalah 1
Malinda 1
Margaret 1
Maria 1
Marion 1
Rebecca 1
Sophia 1
Susan 1
Susanah 1
Theresa 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 11
James 8
John 8
George 5
Charles 4
Thomas 4
Henry 3
Richard 3
Archibald 2
Arthur 2
Reuben 2
Robert 2
Samuel 2
Willm. 2
Daniel 1
Edward 1
Frederic 1
Frederick 1
Fredk 1
Jonathan 1
Joseph 1
Oliver 1
Sidney 1
Sydney 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Brend surname: questions and answers

How common was the Brend surname in 1881?

In 1881, 149 people were recorded with the Brend surname. That placed it at #15,551 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Brend surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 206 in 2016. That gives Brend a modern rank of #19,183.

What does the Brend surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place name meaning hill or ridge.

What does the Brend map show?

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