NameCensus.

UK surname

Brew

An occupational surname for a person who brewed beer or ale.

In the 1881 census there were 478 people recorded with the Brew surname, ranking it #7,000 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 950, ranked #6,045, up from #7,000 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Bees, London parishes and Toxteth Park. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Allerdale, Liverpool and Neath Port Talbot.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Brew is 950 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 98.7%.

1881 census count

478

Ranked #7,000

Modern count

950

2016, ranked #6,045

Peak year

2016

950 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Brew had 478 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,000 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 950 in 2016, ranked #6,045.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 656 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Small Town Suburbia.

Brew surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Brew surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Brew 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 305 #7,542
1861 historical 376 #6,792
1881 historical 478 #7,000
1891 historical 512 #7,283
1901 historical 642 #6,705
1911 historical 656 #6,401
1997 modern 827 #6,372
1998 modern 854 #6,411
1999 modern 857 #6,442
2000 modern 850 #6,457
2001 modern 828 #6,480
2002 modern 841 #6,517
2003 modern 842 #6,383
2004 modern 833 #6,451
2005 modern 837 #6,373
2006 modern 815 #6,514
2007 modern 838 #6,447
2008 modern 871 #6,288
2009 modern 908 #6,216
2010 modern 934 #6,200
2011 modern 903 #6,310
2012 modern 890 #6,294
2013 modern 908 #6,310
2014 modern 927 #6,248
2015 modern 939 #6,130
2016 modern 950 #6,045

Geography

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Where Brews are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Bees, London parishes, Toxteth Park, Liverpool and West Derby. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Allerdale, Liverpool, Neath Port Talbot and Gwynedd. 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 Bees Cumberland
2 London parishes London 3
3 Toxteth Park Lancashire
4 Liverpool Lancashire
5 West Derby Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Allerdale 009 Allerdale
2 Allerdale 008 Allerdale
3 Liverpool 059 Liverpool
4 Neath Port Talbot 013 Neath Port Talbot
5 Gwynedd 011 Gwynedd

Forenames

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First names often paired with Brew

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Brew

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Small Town Suburbia

Nationally, the Brew surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Small Town Suburbia, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Brew 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 is predominantly comprised of married couples with no resident dependent children, living in areas characterised neither by under-occupancy nor overcrowding throughout the UK in or adjacent to small towns. White ethnic groups and affiliation with Christianity predominates. Housing tends to be predominantly semi-detached or detached and workers are employed principally in managerial and professional occupations, with semi-skilled occupations also in evidence. These areas of the Supergroup are of higher population density.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Brew is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Brew 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

Brew falls in decile 9 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Brew

The surname BREW originated in England during the Middle Ages. It is an occupational surname derived from the Old English word "brewian," meaning "to brew" or "to make ale." The name likely referred to someone who was involved in the brewing or ale-making trade.

The earliest known record of the BREW surname dates back to the 13th century. In the Hundred Rolls of Huntingdonshire from 1273, a person named William le Brew is mentioned, indicating the existence of the surname during that time period.

One of the earliest known bearers of the BREW surname was John Brew, who was recorded in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327. Another early record is that of William Brew, who was mentioned in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire in 1348.

The BREW surname can also be found in various historical records and manuscripts, such as the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire from 1379, which lists a Richard Brew. Additionally, the name appears in the Pipe Rolls of Northamptonshire from 1424, where a Thomas Brew is recorded.

Notable individuals with the BREW surname throughout history include:

1. John Brew (c. 1570-1667), an English clergyman and author who served as the Rector of Kingswinford in Staffordshire. 2. Samuel Brew (1790-1869), an English engraver and painter who was known for his portraits and landscapes. 3. William Brew (1825-1898), a British sailor and explorer who participated in several Arctic expeditions and is credited with discovering the Brew Islands in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. 4. Reginald Brew (1863-1938), an English cricketer who played first-class cricket for Gloucestershire County Cricket Club. 5. Jessie Brew (1915-2009), an American actress and singer who appeared in several Broadway productions and films during the mid-20th century.

The BREW surname can also be found in various place names and older spellings of place names. For example, Brewham in Somerset, England, is derived from the Old English words "brewere" and "ham," meaning "the homestead of the brewer." Similarly, the village of Brewton in Somerset is believed to be named after the Brew family who lived there in the 13th century.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Brew families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Brew 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. Isle of Man leads with 276 Brews recorded in 1881 and an index of 202.06x.

County Total Index
Isle of Man 276 202.06x
Lancashire 182 2.09x
Staffordshire 51 2.05x
Cumberland 33 5.21x
Middlesex 30 0.41x
Surrey 25 0.70x
Cheshire 13 0.80x
Angus 12 1.76x
Shropshire 11 1.73x
Yorkshire 11 0.15x
Aberdeenshire 10 1.47x
Perthshire 9 2.73x
Nottinghamshire 8 0.81x
Devon 7 0.46x
Flintshire 7 3.54x
Glamorgan 7 0.55x
Kent 7 0.28x
Warwickshire 7 0.38x
Gloucestershire 6 0.42x
Sussex 6 0.48x
Durham 5 0.23x
Midlothian 5 0.51x
Buckinghamshire 3 0.67x
Carmarthenshire 3 0.97x
Hampshire 3 0.20x
Kirkcudbrightshire 3 2.82x
Monmouthshire 3 0.56x
Worcestershire 3 0.31x
Hertfordshire 2 0.39x
Northumberland 2 0.18x
Berkshire 1 0.18x
Cornwall 1 0.12x
Somerset 1 0.08x
Stirlingshire 1 0.37x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Onchan in Isle of Man leads with 64 Brews recorded in 1881 and an index of 162.68x.

Place Total Index
Onchan 64 162.68x
Liverpool 30 5.66x
Lonan 30 362.76x
Ballaugh 27 1106.56x
Everton 22 7.91x
Maughold 22 208.73x
Andreas 21 567.57x
Toxteth Park 21 7.11x
Great Crosby 16 67.26x
Braddan 14 187.67x
Prestwich 14 64.31x
German 13 174.50x
Lorton 12 1200.00x
Malew 12 100.59x
Bootle Cum Linacre 11 15.87x
Jurby 11 666.67x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 10 7.85x
Bride 10 534.76x
Lambeth 10 1.56x
Litherland 10 54.79x
Alyth 8 90.09x
Dalton In Furness 8 23.75x
Marown 8 321.29x
Ordsall 8 105.40x
Patrick 8 120.12x
St Anne 8 544.22x
Wolverhampton 8 4.19x
Barrow In Furness 7 5.90x
Chelsea London 7 3.16x
Chorlton On Medlock 7 5.05x
Hawarden Saltney 7 253.62x
Islington London 7 0.98x
Lapley 7 374.33x
Leeds 7 1.70x
Preston 7 3.00x
West Derby 7 2.74x
Whitehaven 7 20.74x
Arbory 6 201.34x
Brighton 6 2.40x
Leamington Priors 6 13.15x
Norton Canes 6 66.30x
Ashton Under Lyne 5 2.62x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 5 3.68x
Clase 5 10.50x
Douglas 5 252.53x
German Peel 5 63.53x
Kettins 5 219.30x
Rushen 5 54.11x
Seaton 5 84.75x
Southwark St Saviour 5 13.23x
St Luke London 5 4.24x
Appleton 4 108.70x
Brewood 4 55.87x
Broseley 4 35.43x
Burntwood Edial 4 25.22x
Cheslyn Hay 4 88.30x
Parton 4 106.95x
Penge 4 8.51x
Ponsonby 4 952.38x
St Martin In Fields 4 9.08x
Upper Penn 4 64.31x
Aylesbury 3 15.23x
Cannock 3 6.93x
Codsall 3 84.99x
Dundee 3 1.18x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 3 0.76x
Gateshead 3 1.83x
Haslington 3 65.65x
Hensingham 3 58.03x
Hulme 3 1.65x
Kirkcudbright 3 34.05x
Lezayre 3 48.94x
Michael 3 107.91x
Plumstead 3 3.59x
Tettenhall 3 19.76x
Worcester St Peter 3 16.50x
Burnley 2 2.72x
Kirriemuir 2 11.90x
Saredon 2 294.12x
Totteridge 2 125.79x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 62
William 56
Thomas 33
George 26
Robert 20
James 17
Edward 14
Henry 11
Charles 9
Frederick 9
Joseph 9
Wm. 7
Richard 5
Albert 4
Samuel 4
Thos. 4
Walter 4
Alexander 3
Alfred 3
Benjamin 3
Christopher 3
Geo. 3
Ceasar 2
Daniel 2
Edwin 2
Harry 2
Lewis 2
Louis 2
Stanley 2
Caesar 1
Chas. 1
David 1
Eanes 1
Enoch 1
Ernest 1
Evan 1
Francis 1
Fredk. 1
Georg 1
Gilbert 1
Herbert 1
Jno. 1
Mark 1
Mary 1
Moses 1
Nathan 1
Patrick 1
Philip 1
Phillip 1
Raymond 1

FAQ

Brew surname: questions and answers

How common was the Brew surname in 1881?

In 1881, 478 people were recorded with the Brew surname. That placed it at #7,000 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Brew surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 950 in 2016. That gives Brew a modern rank of #6,045.

What does the Brew surname mean?

An occupational surname for a person who brewed beer or ale.

What does the Brew map show?

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