NameCensus.

UK surname

Brewis

An English surname derived from a nickname referring to one who brewed beer.

In the 1881 census there were 880 people recorded with the Brewis surname, ranking it #4,309 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,204, ranked #4,939, down from #4,309 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Gateshead and Newcastle All Saints. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Northumberland and County Durham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Brewis is 1,376 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 36.8%.

1881 census count

880

Ranked #4,309

Modern count

1,204

2016, ranked #4,939

Peak year

1911

1,376 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Brewis had 880 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,309 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,204 in 2016, ranked #4,939.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,376 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Brewis surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Brewis surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Brewis 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 502 #4,979
1861 historical 539 #4,868
1881 historical 880 #4,309
1891 historical 986 #4,192
1901 historical 1,232 #4,020
1911 historical 1,376 #3,496
1997 modern 1,248 #4,564
1998 modern 1,311 #4,535
1999 modern 1,321 #4,537
2000 modern 1,328 #4,487
2001 modern 1,279 #4,547
2002 modern 1,299 #4,575
2003 modern 1,282 #4,534
2004 modern 1,278 #4,553
2005 modern 1,266 #4,542
2006 modern 1,257 #4,578
2007 modern 1,262 #4,603
2008 modern 1,278 #4,577
2009 modern 1,314 #4,560
2010 modern 1,338 #4,576
2011 modern 1,325 #4,559
2012 modern 1,251 #4,743
2013 modern 1,270 #4,758
2014 modern 1,274 #4,764
2015 modern 1,233 #4,854
2016 modern 1,204 #4,939

Geography

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Where Brewis' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Gateshead, Newcastle All Saints, Monkwearmouth and Long Benton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Northumberland and County Durham. 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 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
2 Gateshead Durham
3 Newcastle All Saints Northumberland
4 Monkwearmouth Durham
5 Long Benton Northumberland

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Northumberland 003 Northumberland
2 Northumberland 006 Northumberland
3 Northumberland 004 Northumberland
4 County Durham 043 County Durham
5 Northumberland 028 Northumberland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Brewis

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Brewis

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Brewis, 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 Brewis surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Brewis 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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Brewis is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Brewis is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Brewis falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Brewis is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Brewis, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Brewis

The surname Brewis is believed to have originated in England, likely during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "breu" or "bræw," which means "to brew" or "to make broth." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone involved in the brewing or cooking trades.

The name Brewis is thought to have first appeared in various regions of England, including Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Northumberland. It is closely related to similar surnames such as Brewer, Brewster, and Brewhouse, all of which share the same root and connection to the brewing or cooking professions.

Historical records indicate that the surname Brewis has been documented as early as the 13th century. One notable mention is found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which lists a Robert Brewis residing in Lincolnshire. Additionally, the Subsidy Rolls of 1327 and 1332 reference individuals bearing the surname Brewis in Yorkshire.

In the 16th century, the surname Brewis appears in various parish records and tax rolls across different counties in England. For instance, a John Brewis was recorded in the Parish Registers of Wragby, Lincolnshire, in 1558. Another notable figure from this period was Thomas Brewis, a yeoman farmer from Yorkshire, who was born around 1560 and died in 1623.

The 17th century saw the surname Brewis spread beyond England, with some members of the family emigrating to the American colonies. One such individual was Edward Brewis, who was born in England in 1635 and later settled in Virginia.

In the 18th century, the Brewis surname continued to be prevalent in England, with notable individuals including John Brewis (1710-1784), a wealthy landowner from Northumberland, and William Brewis (1734-1805), a merchant and shipowner from Newcastle upon Tyne.

As the centuries progressed, the Brewis surname appeared in various parts of the world, with descendants settling in countries like Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Some notable individuals with this surname include Sir David Brewis (1781-1868), a British naval officer and explorer, and John Brewis (1847-1928), a prominent Australian politician and businessman.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Brewis families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Brewis 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. Northumberland leads with 417 Brewis' recorded in 1881 and an index of 32.99x.

County Total Index
Northumberland 417 32.99x
Durham 312 12.34x
Middlesex 37 0.44x
Lancashire 16 0.16x
Yorkshire 16 0.19x
Essex 11 0.66x
Buckinghamshire 8 1.56x
Kent 8 0.28x
Staffordshire 8 0.28x
Surrey 7 0.17x
Midlothian 6 0.53x
Sussex 5 0.35x
Hertfordshire 4 0.68x
Lincolnshire 4 0.29x
Angus 3 0.38x
Peeblesshire 3 7.51x
Hampshire 2 0.11x
Cheshire 1 0.05x
Cumberland 1 0.14x
Glamorgan 1 0.07x
Oxfordshire 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. Gateshead in Durham leads with 63 Brewis' recorded in 1881 and an index of 33.29x.

Place Total Index
Gateshead 63 33.29x
Bishopwearmouth 50 23.04x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 45 59.60x
Monkwearmouth Shore 29 58.78x
Morpeth 25 168.24x
Hebron Cockle Park Earsdon 22 2095.24x
Stannington 22 733.33x
Jesmond 21 118.04x
Cowpen 20 68.70x
Elswick 20 19.82x
Longbenton 20 37.36x
Byker 19 30.40x
Cramlington 18 107.72x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 18 16.44x
Alnwick 16 73.63x
Monkwearmouth 15 62.01x
Wallsend 14 34.92x
Heworth 12 24.09x
Islington London 11 1.34x
Newcastle On Tyne St 11 16.79x
Sunderland 11 24.64x
Westgate 11 14.05x
Westoe 11 7.68x
Barking 10 20.38x
Dinnington 10 1492.54x
Southwick 10 41.77x
Tynemouth 10 14.77x
Whickham 10 42.99x
Birtley 9 87.21x
Elford 9 3750.00x
Stranton 9 10.58x
Washington 9 84.91x
Darlington 8 8.20x
Deptford St Paul 8 3.58x
Ibstone Stokenchurch 8 851.06x
South Gosforth 8 544.22x
Stoke Upon Trent 8 2.63x
Tanfield 8 26.61x
Heaton 7 166.67x
South Shields 7 31.08x
Swarland 7 1707.32x
Tudhoe 7 31.65x
Bamburgh 6 594.06x
Bothal Demesne 6 99.17x
Clerkenwell London 6 2.99x
Hornsey 6 5.58x
Newlands 6 1764.71x
South Leith 6 4.68x
Whittonstall 6 1333.33x
Whitworth 6 32.41x
Burradon In Tynemouth 5 154.80x
Cottingham 5 27.55x
Coxlodge 5 52.03x
Eshott 5 1219.51x
Hastings St Mary In The 5 16.36x
Howick 5 555.56x
South Blyth Newsham 5 201.61x
Windle 5 8.81x
Chester Le Street 4 20.61x
Chorlton On Medlock 4 2.50x
Gainsborough 4 12.49x
Hedley 4 714.29x
Middleton In Teesdale 4 59.97x
Paddington London 4 1.28x
Shoreston 4 1081.08x
St Paul Walden 4 134.68x
Thornhill 4 16.28x
Togstone 4 597.01x
Barrow In Furness 3 2.19x
Beadnell 3 322.58x
Bishop Auckland 3 8.85x
Brechin 3 9.70x
Camberwell 3 0.55x
Hammersmith London 3 1.43x
Heaton Norris 3 5.23x
Horton 3 48.00x
Leeds 3 0.63x
Peebles 3 25.40x
Waldridge 3 70.92x
Welton 3 1875.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 67
Margaret 37
Elizabeth 36
Jane 33
Isabella 27
Ann 26
Sarah 26
Hannah 14
Annie 12
Catherine 9
Frances 8
Alice 6
Eleanor 6
Dorothy 5
Anne 4
Edith 4
Jessie 4
Ada 3
Elizth. 3
Ellen 3
Emily 3
Ethel 3
Fanny 3
Margt. 3
Elenor 2
Eliza 2
Emma 2
Kate 2
Mgt. 2
Rachel 2
Ruth 2
Susanah 2
Violet 2
Agnas 1
Alverda 1
Beatrice 1
Bertha 1
Blanche 1
Eliz 1
Eliz.C. 1
Eliz.J. 1
Elizabth 1
Georgina 1
Gertrude 1
Hester 1
Isabel 1
Isobel 1
Janet 1
Julia 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 77
William 63
Robert 46
George 44
Thomas 41
James 32
Edward 13
Joseph 13
Henry 7
Samuel 7
Wm. 7
Robt. 6
Thos. 5
Andrew 4
Charles 4
David 4
Peter 4
Arthur 3
Frederick 3
Oswald 3
Christopher 2
Daniel 2
Edwin 2
Jonas 2
Matthew 2
Alexander 1
Arets.E. 1
Bertram 1
E. 1
E.W. 1
Ernest 1
Errington 1
Frances 1
Fredk. 1
G.A. 1
Hubert 1
Hugh 1
Hy.J. 1
Jacob 1
Jame 1
Johnson 1
Mark 1
Mathew 1
Michael 1
Percy 1
Rachel 1
Ralph 1
Reginald 1
Richard 1
Richd. 1

FAQ

Brewis surname: questions and answers

How common was the Brewis surname in 1881?

In 1881, 880 people were recorded with the Brewis surname. That placed it at #4,309 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Brewis surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,204 in 2016. That gives Brewis a modern rank of #4,939.

What does the Brewis surname mean?

An English surname derived from a nickname referring to one who brewed beer.

What does the Brewis map show?

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