NameCensus.

UK surname

Briant

A variant of the surname Bryant, derived from an occupational name for a maker of wooden tubs and vessels.

In the 1881 census there were 809 people recorded with the Briant surname, ranking it #4,612 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 714, ranked #7,599, down from #4,612 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St George in the East, London parishes and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Southwark, North Dorset and Lewes.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Briant is 1,302 in 1851. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 11.7%.

1881 census count

809

Ranked #4,612

Modern count

714

2016, ranked #7,599

Peak year

1851

1,302 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Briant had 809 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,612 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 714 in 2016, ranked #7,599.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,302 in 1851.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Briant surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Briant surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Briant 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 1,302 #2,202
1861 historical 823 #3,347
1881 historical 809 #4,612
1891 historical 763 #5,228
1901 historical 864 #5,299
1911 historical 881 #5,051
1997 modern 763 #6,790
1998 modern 787 #6,846
1999 modern 816 #6,687
2000 modern 792 #6,831
2001 modern 762 #6,911
2002 modern 786 #6,875
2003 modern 784 #6,764
2004 modern 775 #6,843
2005 modern 755 #6,921
2006 modern 719 #7,210
2007 modern 755 #7,015
2008 modern 759 #7,046
2009 modern 770 #7,099
2010 modern 777 #7,183
2011 modern 748 #7,322
2012 modern 724 #7,427
2013 modern 736 #7,451
2014 modern 726 #7,563
2015 modern 713 #7,614
2016 modern 714 #7,599

Geography

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Where Briants are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St George in the East, London parishes, St Pancras and Lambeth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Southwark, North Dorset, Lewes, Woking and Ceredigion. 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 George in the East London (East Districts)
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Pancras London (North Districts)
5 Lambeth London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Southwark 014 Southwark
2 North Dorset 001 North Dorset
3 Lewes 003 Lewes
4 Woking 009 Woking
5 Ceredigion 011 Ceredigion

Forenames

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First names often paired with Briant

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Briant

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Briant is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, 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

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

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

Briant is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Briant falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Briant

The surname Briant is of Old French origin, deriving from the personal name "Brian" or "Briant". The name is believed to have originated in Brittany, a region in the northwest of France, during the medieval period.

The name "Brian" itself is thought to derive from an Old Celtic word meaning "high" or "noble". It was a popular name among the Britons and was later adopted by the Normans, who introduced it to England after the Norman Conquest in 1066.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Briant can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of England completed in 1086 on the orders of William the Conqueror. The Domesday Book mentions a landowner named "Brianus" in Somerset.

In the 12th century, the surname Briant appears in various records, including the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1175, where a "Willelmus Briant" is mentioned. Another early reference is in the Curia Regis Rolls of Bedfordshire in 1199, which mentions a "Robertus Briant".

Over the centuries, the surname Briant has been associated with several notable individuals. In the 13th century, Sir Guy Briant (c.1230-1300) was a prominent English knight who fought in the Barons' Wars. In the 16th century, Richard Briant (c.1535-1600) was an English clergyman and writer who served as the Dean of Salisbury.

Another notable figure was Sir Nicholas Briant (1557-1619), an English merchant and politician who served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1611. In the 18th century, Jacques-René Briant (1726-1799) was a French painter known for his historical and religious works.

In the 19th century, Lemuel Briant (1823-1890) was an American artist known for his landscape paintings, particularly those depicting scenes from the Hudson River Valley. Additionally, Samuel Briant (1841-1923) was a British politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Hertfordshire.

Throughout its history, the surname Briant has also been associated with various place names, such as Briant's Puddle in Dorset, England, and Briant's Bridge in Somerset, England, reflecting the prevalence of this surname in certain regions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Briant families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Briant 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. Middlesex leads with 189 Briants recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.37x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 189 2.37x
Surrey 127 3.27x
Hampshire 111 6.80x
Berkshire 60 10.04x
Wiltshire 58 8.24x
Hertfordshire 41 7.47x
Sussex 34 2.53x
Essex 33 2.10x
Buckinghamshire 28 5.82x
Kent 14 0.52x
Worcestershire 11 1.06x
Gloucestershire 10 0.64x
Nottinghamshire 10 0.93x
Yorkshire 10 0.13x
Lancashire 9 0.10x
Monmouthshire 9 1.56x
Staffordshire 9 0.34x
Devon 8 0.48x
Leicestershire 8 0.91x
Somerset 6 0.47x
Cornwall 5 0.55x
Glamorgan 5 0.36x
Northumberland 4 0.34x
Channel Islands 3 1.27x
Cheshire 3 0.17x
Royal Navy 3 3.16x
Bedfordshire 2 0.49x
Ayrshire 1 0.17x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.20x
Dorset 1 0.19x
Oxfordshire 1 0.20x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.40x
Renfrewshire 1 0.16x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Lambeth in Surrey leads with 54 Briants recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.78x.

Place Total Index
Lambeth 54 7.78x
St Pancras London 27 4.21x
West Ham 25 7.21x
Portsea 23 7.19x
Camberwell 19 3.74x
Stoke Hammond 18 1818.18x
Holdenhurst 17 39.73x
Islington London 17 2.20x
Ashwell 15 348.03x
Hurstbourne Tarrant 13 570.18x
Mortlake 12 69.40x
Kensington London 11 2.49x
Mile End Old Town London 11 6.49x
Portsmouth 11 29.28x
Shalbourn 11 491.07x
Shoreditch London 11 3.19x
Wylye 11 820.90x
Chertsey 10 39.90x
St George In East London 10 13.36x
Aldbury 9 362.90x
Alverstoke 9 15.24x
Bromley London 9 5.14x
Hampton London 9 68.81x
Kings Norton 9 9.66x
Shadwell London 9 40.41x
Tring 9 61.43x
Christchurch 8 44.94x
Fordingbridge 8 90.19x
Great Bedwin 8 160.00x
Hammersmith London 8 4.08x
Leicester St Margaret 8 3.72x
Pemberton 8 21.24x
Poplar London 8 5.33x
South Newton 8 434.78x
Ufton Nervet 8 930.23x
Chichester St Pancras 7 174.56x
Clapham 7 7.03x
Hampstead Norris 7 186.67x
Hillingdon 7 27.58x
Newington 7 2.38x
Paddington London 7 2.39x
Rowde 7 215.38x
Subdeanary 7 193.91x
Tewin 7 486.11x
Cuddington 6 461.54x
Ellingham 6 779.22x
Hackney London 6 1.34x
St Helens 6 50.59x
Whitchurch 6 243.90x
Bermondsey 5 2.11x
Carlton 5 40.85x
Chelsea London 5 2.08x
Eltham 5 31.43x
Esher 5 92.08x
Gloucester Kingsholm St 5 85.91x
Hungerford 5 61.88x
St Giles In Fields London 5 12.80x
St Ives 5 28.36x
Westminster St James 5 6.11x
Amble 4 74.21x
Brighton 4 1.48x
Dawlish 4 32.36x
Downton 4 43.43x
Hampton Wick London 4 68.61x
Havant 4 48.43x
Holy Trinity 4 2.11x
Preston 4 17.06x
Southampton St Mary 4 3.90x
Upavon 4 303.03x
Waltham Holy Cross 4 27.23x
Woolwich 4 3.99x
Yattendon 4 476.19x
Aylesbury 3 14.07x
Bosham 3 87.72x
Guildford Holy Trinity 3 40.60x
Hunslet 3 2.44x
Hurley 3 96.46x
Radford 3 5.50x
Roath 3 4.77x
St Marylebone London 3 0.71x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 47
John 43
George 28
Henry 27
Thomas 24
Charles 23
James 18
Edward 14
Robert 12
Alfred 9
Arthur 9
Frank 8
Frederick 7
Albert 5
Edwin 5
Joseph 5
Wm. 5
Harry 4
Herbert 4
Richard 4
Samuel 4
Ernest 3
Fredrick 3
Geo. 3
Walter 3
Benjamin 2
Edgar 2
Ezra 2
Francis 2
Fredk. 2
Harold 2
Henery 2
Isaac 2
Jabez 2
Mark 2
Reginald 2
Septimus 2
Sidney 2
Thos. 2
Timothy 2
Apoby 1
Chas.J. 1
Chas.T. 1
Cornelius 1
Daniel 1
Fred 1
G.W. 1
Job 1
Joe 1
Wm.Geo. 1

FAQ

Briant surname: questions and answers

How common was the Briant surname in 1881?

In 1881, 809 people were recorded with the Briant surname. That placed it at #4,612 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Briant surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 714 in 2016. That gives Briant a modern rank of #7,599.

What does the Briant surname mean?

A variant of the surname Bryant, derived from an occupational name for a maker of wooden tubs and vessels.

What does the Briant map show?

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