NameCensus.

UK surname

Brenton

A locational surname referring to someone from any of the various places named Brenton in England.

In the 1881 census there were 612 people recorded with the Brenton surname, ranking it #5,741 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 683, ranked #7,848, down from #5,741 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Dennis, Padstow and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cornwall and Chichester.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Brenton is 842 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 11.6%.

1881 census count

612

Ranked #5,741

Modern count

683

2016, ranked #7,848

Peak year

1911

842 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Brenton had 612 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,741 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 683 in 2016, ranked #7,848.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 842 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Brenton surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Brenton surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Brenton 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 375 #6,361
1861 historical 364 #7,023
1881 historical 612 #5,741
1891 historical 673 #5,795
1901 historical 750 #5,941
1911 historical 842 #5,265
1997 modern 709 #7,181
1998 modern 732 #7,236
1999 modern 720 #7,362
2000 modern 720 #7,349
2001 modern 707 #7,314
2002 modern 717 #7,369
2003 modern 721 #7,211
2004 modern 706 #7,344
2005 modern 697 #7,380
2006 modern 704 #7,318
2007 modern 705 #7,381
2008 modern 706 #7,433
2009 modern 719 #7,484
2010 modern 723 #7,590
2011 modern 726 #7,491
2012 modern 706 #7,558
2013 modern 722 #7,554
2014 modern 713 #7,662
2015 modern 701 #7,703
2016 modern 683 #7,848

Geography

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Where Brentons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Dennis, Padstow, London parishes, St Columb Minor and St Wenn. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cornwall and Chichester. 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 St Dennis Cornwall
2 Padstow Cornwall
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Columb Minor Cornwall
5 St Wenn Cornwall

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cornwall 028 Cornwall
2 Cornwall 009 Cornwall
3 Cornwall 007 Cornwall
4 Cornwall 016 Cornwall
5 Chichester 008 Chichester

Forenames

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First names often paired with Brenton

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Brenton

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

Rural Amenity

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Brenton is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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 residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Brenton is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Brenton

The surname Brenton originates from the county of Devon in England, dating back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English word 'brent', meaning burnt or scorched, combined with the word 'tun', meaning an enclosure or settlement. This suggests that the name may have originated from a place or settlement where there had been a fire or burning event.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Brenton name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Devon from 1273, where it appears as 'Brentone'. This document was a census-like record of landowners and their holdings in the county of Devon.

The Brenton surname is also mentioned in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of 1327, which were tax records for the county of Devon. This indicates that the Brenton family had established itself as landowners in the area by that time.

In the 16th century, the Brenton name appeared in the records of the nearby parish of Brent Tor, which is believed to be the origin of the surname. The village of Brent Tor is located near the town of Tavistock in Devon, and the name is thought to derive from the same Old English roots as the surname.

One notable individual with the Brenton surname was Sir Jahleel Brenton (1770-1844), a British naval officer and author who served in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars. He was born in Rhode Island but traced his ancestry back to the Brenton family of Devon.

Another prominent figure was Edward Pelham Brenton (1809-1839), a British naval officer and explorer who participated in several Arctic expeditions in the 1830s in search of the Northwest Passage. He published a narrative of his experiences titled "A Narrative of a Voyage to the Polar Sea".

In the 17th century, the Brenton surname can be found in the records of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, where several members of the family emigrated from England. One such individual was William Brenton (1600-1674), who served as the Governor of Rhode Island from 1660 to 1662.

Another notable American with the Brenton surname was Jahleel Brenton (1691-1767), a merchant and landowner in Rhode Island who played a significant role in the colony's government and affairs.

Lastly, Sir Lancelot Charles Lee Brenton (1807-1898) was a British naval officer and author who served in the Royal Navy during the 19th century. He wrote several books on naval history and biography, including "The Naval History of Great Britain" and "Life and Correspondence of Earl St. Vincent".

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Brenton families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Brenton 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. Cornwall leads with 340 Brentons recorded in 1881 and an index of 50.31x.

County Total Index
Cornwall 340 50.31x
Devon 73 5.87x
Hampshire 42 3.43x
Middlesex 42 0.70x
Surrey 20 0.69x
Kent 18 0.88x
Glamorgan 15 1.44x
Lancashire 15 0.21x
Somerset 9 0.94x
Cheshire 8 0.61x
Northumberland 7 0.79x
Dorset 6 1.53x
Yorkshire 5 0.08x
Warwickshire 4 0.27x
Royal Navy 2 2.81x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.26x
Durham 1 0.06x
Norfolk 1 0.11x
Staffordshire 1 0.05x
Sussex 1 0.10x
Wiltshire 1 0.19x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Padstow in Cornwall leads with 37 Brentons recorded in 1881 and an index of 824.05x.

Place Total Index
Padstow 37 824.05x
Stoke Damerel 35 40.24x
St Merryn 34 3063.06x
St Columb Minor 23 405.64x
Kensington London 18 5.42x
Falmouth 17 71.07x
St Issey 16 1159.42x
Tywardreath 15 345.62x
St Dennis 12 476.19x
Highweek 11 248.31x
Roche 11 320.70x
St Columb Major 11 196.08x
Bodmin 10 89.45x
Colan 10 2000.00x
Portsea 10 4.17x
St Austell 10 43.29x
St Stephen In Brannel 10 162.07x
St Wenn 10 900.90x
Bermondsey 9 5.06x
St Germans 9 191.08x
Swansea Lower 9 169.81x
Lymington 8 88.99x
Redruth 8 41.84x
St Ervan 8 1000.00x
St Just In Roseland 8 270.27x
Bedminster 7 7.75x
Brockenhurst 7 330.19x
Bromley 7 22.55x
Cramlington 7 59.63x
Egloshayle 7 220.82x
Ellingham 7 1206.90x
Kenwyn 7 39.62x
Newlyn 7 242.21x
St Pancras London 7 1.46x
St Stephen 7 291.67x
Ashford 6 30.24x
Camborne 6 21.54x
Morchard Bishop 6 231.66x
Newington 6 2.72x
Sheviock 6 526.32x
Chester St Mary On Hill 5 44.25x
Clerkenwell London 5 3.55x
Kinson 5 65.27x
Liverpool 5 1.16x
St Breock 5 136.99x
St Enoder 5 217.39x
Toxteth Park 5 2.08x
Calstock 4 30.19x
Christchurch 4 15.08x
Kea 4 79.37x
Liverton 4 291.97x
St Blazey 4 67.45x
St George Hanover Square 4 3.80x
St Hilary Marazion 4 217.39x
St Marylebone London 4 1.26x
Ystradyfodwg 4 4.39x
Birmingham 3 0.60x
Brixham 3 20.83x
Lambeth 3 0.58x
Plymouth Charles The 3 5.48x
Southampton St Mary 3 3.90x
St Eval 3 555.56x
St Teath 3 73.71x
Tavistock 3 21.19x
Wolborough 3 19.10x
Barton Upon Irwell 2 3.75x
Birkenhead 2 1.90x
Cardiff St Mary 2 3.49x
Devonport 2 14.01x
Holdenhurst 2 6.23x
Kenton 2 51.02x
Perranzabuloe 2 34.31x
Plumstead 2 2.95x
Plymouth St Andrew 2 2.09x
Ramsgate 2 6.02x
Royal Navy 2 3.29x
Tormoham 2 3.80x
Wavertree 2 8.82x
Downton 1 14.47x
St Andrewthe Great 1 20.45x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 53
Elizabeth 23
Annie 19
Jane 15
Ellen 11
Emily 11
Emma 11
Harriet 10
Ann 7
Martha 7
Susan 7
Bessie 6
Catherine 6
Eliza 6
Frances 4
Hannah 4
Louisa 4
Margaret 4
Sarah 4
Alice 3
Edith 3
Ethel 3
Fanny 3
Jessie 3
Kate 3
Selina 3
Sophia 3
Ada 2
Anna 2
Betsy 2
Elizth. 2
Gertrude 2
Grace 2
Janie 2
Matilda 2
Minnie 2
Olivia 2
Pattie 2
Perthinia 2
Rhoda 2
Rose 2
Susanna 2
Alaminta 1
Amelia 1
Amy 1
Beatrice 1
Easlyn 1
Elizh. 1
Jemima 1
Thomasine 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 44
John 34
Thomas 27
Henry 19
James 17
Charles 15
George 14
Richard 14
Joseph 12
Samuel 7
Frederick 6
Francis 5
Robert 5
Edward 4
Harry 4
Albert 3
Frank 3
Tom 3
Willm. 3
Aaron 2
Alfred 2
Arthur 2
Benjamin 2
Daniel 2
David 2
Enos 2
Fredk. 2
Jos. 2
Martin 2
Richd. 2
Thos. 2
Alphonsus 1
Cotton 1
Gordon 1
Gregory 1
Harvy 1
Hugh 1
Jahbed 1
Jesse 1
Livian 1
Luke 1
Michael 1
Paul 1
Percy 1
Philip 1
R. 1
Reginald 1
Sidney 1
Solomon 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Brenton surname: questions and answers

How common was the Brenton surname in 1881?

In 1881, 612 people were recorded with the Brenton surname. That placed it at #5,741 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Brenton surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 683 in 2016. That gives Brenton a modern rank of #7,848.

What does the Brenton surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone from any of the various places named Brenton in England.

What does the Brenton map show?

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