UK surname
A toponymic surname derived from various places in France meaning "the hill" or "the mount" in Old French.
In the 1881 census there were 29 people recorded with the Brey surname, ranking it #29,484 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 10, ranked #37,599, down from #29,484 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Huttoft, Barking and St Philip and Jacob. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Brey is 167 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 65.5%.
1881 census count
29
Ranked #29,484
Modern count
10
2016, ranked #37,599
Peak year
1861
167 bearers
Map years
2
1861 to 1891
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Brey surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Brey surname density by area, 1891 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 | 38 | #26,502 |
| 1861 | historical | 167 | #13,956 |
| 1881 | historical | 29 | #29,484 |
| 1891 | historical | 113 | #22,162 |
| 1901 | historical | 27 | #31,057 |
| 1911 | historical | 15 | #31,938 |
| 1997 | modern | 8 | #37,372 |
| 1998 | modern | 9 | #37,189 |
| 1999 | modern | 6 | #37,696 |
| 2000 | modern | 7 | #37,430 |
| 2001 | modern | 9 | #36,980 |
| 2002 | modern | 10 | #36,902 |
| 2003 | modern | 8 | #37,248 |
| 2004 | modern | 7 | #37,496 |
| 2005 | modern | 8 | #37,422 |
| 2006 | modern | 9 | #37,345 |
| 2007 | modern | 8 | #37,572 |
| 2008 | modern | 7 | #37,735 |
| 2009 | modern | 9 | #37,573 |
| 2010 | modern | 10 | #37,517 |
| 2011 | modern | 10 | #37,504 |
| 2012 | modern | 14 | #37,078 |
| 2013 | modern | 12 | #37,342 |
| 2014 | modern | 10 | #37,567 |
| 2015 | modern | 10 | #37,563 |
| 2016 | modern | 10 | #37,599 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Huttoft, Barking, St Philip and Jacob, Manchester and Aberdare. 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 | Huttoft | Lincolnshire |
| 2 | Barking | Essex |
| 3 | St Philip and Jacob | Gloucestershire |
| 4 | Manchester | Lancashire |
| 5 | Aberdare | Glamorganshire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Brey 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 Brey, 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 Brey surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Brey 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, Brey 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 Brey is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Brey, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Brey has its origins in Germany, with the earliest records dating back to the 14th century. It is believed to be derived from the German word "Bräu," which means "brew" or "beer-making." This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with individuals involved in the brewing industry.
In the Middle Ages, surnames were often occupational, reflecting the trade or profession of the family. The name Brey could have been given to those who worked as brewers or were involved in the production and sale of beer. Beer was an important beverage during this period, and the brewing trade was a respected and lucrative occupation.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Brey can be found in the records of the town of Mühlhausen in Thuringia, Germany, where a certain Hans Brey was mentioned in a document dated 1388. This document suggests that the Brey family had already established itself in the region by that time.
Another notable early reference to the name Brey comes from the Codex Diplomaticus Brandenburgensis, a collection of historical documents from the region of Brandenburg, Germany. In this collection, a certain Henning Brey is mentioned in a document dated 1412, further solidifying the presence of the name in various parts of Germany during the late medieval period.
Over the centuries, the Brey surname has also been associated with several notable individuals. One such person was Johann Samuel Brey (1770-1831), a German pastor and theologian known for his works on Christian ethics and moral philosophy. Another prominent figure was Friedrich Brey (1800-1875), a German architect who designed several notable buildings in Berlin during the 19th century.
In the realm of literature, Karl Brey (1847-1919) was a German writer and poet who gained recognition for his works that captured the essence of rural life in the Bavarian countryside. Additionally, the name Brey has been linked to various place names, such as the village of Brey in the Saarland region of Germany, further emphasizing the historical roots of the surname in various German regions.
It's worth noting that the name Brey has also been found in other European countries, likely due to migration patterns and the spread of German-speaking populations. For instance, there are records of individuals with the surname Brey in countries like Austria, Switzerland, and even the Netherlands, reflecting the cultural and linguistic connections between these regions and Germany.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Brey 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. Lancashire leads with 11 Breys recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.28x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Lancashire | 11 | 3.28x |
| Devon | 6 | 10.19x |
| Middlesex | 6 | 2.12x |
| Herefordshire | 3 | 25.86x |
| Durham | 1 | 1.19x |
| Glamorgan | 1 | 2.03x |
| Sussex | 1 | 2.10x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Liverpool in Lancashire leads with 6 Breys recorded in 1881 and an index of 29.44x.
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Brey 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 Brey 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 Brey households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 4 |
| Boot Maker | 2 |
| (Domestic)General Servamnt | 1 |
| Ag Lab | 1 |
| Ag Lab (Indoor) | 1 |
| Bricklayer | 1 |
| Coachman (ND) | 1 |
| Coal Merchant | 1 |
| Coal Merchant Wife | 1 |
| Cotton Winder | 1 |
| Dau | 1 |
| Filler | 1 |
| Governess (Sch) | 1 |
| Printers Apprentice | 1 |
| Son | 1 |
| Wife | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 29 people were recorded with the Brey surname. That placed it at #29,484 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 10 in 2016. That gives Brey a modern rank of #37,599.
A toponymic surname derived from various places in France meaning "the hill" or "the mount" in Old French.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Brey 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.