NameCensus.

UK surname

Bricknell

A surname derived from an English place name referring to a brick-kiln or brick-making area.

In the 1881 census there were 539 people recorded with the Bricknell surname, ranking it #6,395 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 696, ranked #7,738, down from #6,395 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Werburgh and Southampton St Mary. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Hams, West Oxfordshire and Birmingham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bricknell is 866 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 29.1%.

1881 census count

539

Ranked #6,395

Modern count

696

2016, ranked #7,738

Peak year

1911

866 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bricknell had 539 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,395 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 696 in 2016, ranked #7,738.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 866 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Bricknell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bricknell surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bricknell 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 410 #5,916
1861 historical 330 #7,721
1881 historical 539 #6,395
1891 historical 629 #6,149
1901 historical 843 #5,400
1911 historical 866 #5,130
1997 modern 661 #7,579
1998 modern 759 #7,030
1999 modern 766 #7,023
2000 modern 738 #7,201
2001 modern 714 #7,250
2002 modern 734 #7,228
2003 modern 730 #7,148
2004 modern 718 #7,237
2005 modern 712 #7,229
2006 modern 701 #7,342
2007 modern 703 #7,398
2008 modern 701 #7,479
2009 modern 742 #7,312
2010 modern 733 #7,504
2011 modern 742 #7,373
2012 modern 708 #7,543
2013 modern 720 #7,578
2014 modern 707 #7,712
2015 modern 711 #7,630
2016 modern 696 #7,738

Geography

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Where Bricknells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Werburgh, Southampton St Mary and Portsmouth, Portsea. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Hams, West Oxfordshire, Birmingham, Sheffield and St Albans. 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 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 St Werburgh Derbyshire
4 Southampton St Mary Hampshire
5 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Hams 012 South Hams
2 West Oxfordshire 004 West Oxfordshire
3 Birmingham 029 Birmingham
4 Sheffield 046 Sheffield
5 St Albans 002 St Albans

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bricknell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bricknell

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

Ageing Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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, Bricknell 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

Bricknell is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Bricknell 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 Bricknell is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Bricknell

The surname Bricknell originates from England and dates back to the early medieval period. It is derived from the Old English words "brycg" meaning bridge and "cnoll" meaning hillock or small hill. This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near a small hill or raised ground near a bridge.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Brichenell" in entries relating to Somerset and Wiltshire. This indicates that the name was already well-established in southwestern England by the late 11th century.

Over the centuries, the name has been subject to various spelling variations, including Bricknoll, Bricknel, Bricknall, and Brickenhall. These variations often reflect local dialects and the preference of individual record-keepers.

One notable bearer of the name was John Bricknell, a 15th-century English landowner and Member of Parliament for Wiltshire, who was born around 1420 and died in 1485. Another early record is of Robert Bricknell, who was mentioned in the Hundred Rolls of Wiltshire in 1275.

In the 16th century, there are records of a John Bricknell who was a merchant and alderman in the city of Bristol, born around 1520. During the English Civil War in the 17th century, a Captain John Bricknell fought for the Parliamentarian forces and is mentioned in dispatches from 1644.

The name Bricknell has also been associated with several notable clergymen throughout history. Reverend John Bricknell served as the Rector of Dunkerton in Somerset from 1676 to 1713, while another Reverend John Bricknell was the Vicar of Wilton in Wiltshire from 1743 to 1769.

While the Bricknell surname originated in southwestern England, it eventually spread to other parts of the country and beyond. Today, bearers of the name can be found in various parts of the English-speaking world, though it remains relatively uncommon compared to some other English surnames.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bricknell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bricknell 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. Oxfordshire leads with 64 Bricknells recorded in 1881 and an index of 19.53x.

County Total Index
Oxfordshire 64 19.53x
Warwickshire 64 4.78x
Hampshire 50 4.60x
Middlesex 48 0.90x
Devon 45 4.07x
Surrey 39 1.51x
Northamptonshire 30 6.01x
Sussex 29 3.24x
Cornwall 18 3.00x
Cumberland 18 3.94x
Gloucestershire 15 1.44x
Lancashire 15 0.24x
Somerset 14 1.64x
Kent 12 0.66x
Worcestershire 11 1.59x
Yorkshire 11 0.21x
Cheshire 7 0.60x
Nottinghamshire 7 0.98x
Derbyshire 6 0.72x
Staffordshire 6 0.33x
Durham 5 0.32x
Glamorgan 5 0.54x
Wiltshire 5 1.07x
Hertfordshire 4 1.09x
Northumberland 4 0.51x
Royal Navy 3 4.74x
Channel Islands 2 1.27x
Essex 2 0.19x
Bedfordshire 1 0.36x
Berkshire 1 0.25x
Dorset 1 0.29x
Herefordshire 1 0.46x
Westmorland 1 0.86x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Birmingham in Warwickshire leads with 18 Bricknells recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.04x.

Place Total Index
Birmingham 18 4.04x
Kensington London 18 6.10x
Millom 18 128.57x
Portsea 18 8.44x
Bodmin 16 160.97x
Southampton All Sts 16 85.74x
Middleton Cheney 15 691.24x
Oxford St Thomas 13 85.02x
Broadwater 12 58.48x
Battersea 10 5.12x
Newchurch 10 19.41x
Cowley 9 87.98x
Folkestone 9 25.63x
Kenton 9 258.62x
Culworth 8 952.38x
Stoke Damerel 8 10.35x
Aston 7 1.90x
Coventry Holy Trinity 7 17.52x
Haslemere 7 343.14x
Lower Mitton 7 114.57x
Wells St Cuthbert 7 120.07x
Chipping Campden 6 176.99x
Foleshill 6 42.61x
Hillmorton 6 251.05x
Southwark St George Martyr 6 5.62x
Cardiff St Mary 5 9.82x
Cheltenham 5 6.23x
Chiddingfold 5 206.61x
Eastwood 5 78.13x
Hammersmith London 5 3.83x
Heworth 5 16.07x
Holy Trinity 5 215.52x
Kidlington 5 196.85x
Kingston By Sea 5 352.11x
Lambeth 5 1.08x
Midsomer Norton 5 62.11x
Nether Hallam 5 7.03x
Saffron Hill London 5 438.60x
Tranmere 5 11.61x
Walsall Foreign 5 5.40x
Banbury 4 60.98x
Bethnal Green London 4 1.74x
Coventry St Michael 4 9.30x
Ecclesall Bierlow 4 3.74x
Exeter St Sidwell 4 15.81x
Exhall 4 197.04x
Hemel Hempstead 4 24.27x
Kirkdale 4 3.78x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 4 8.48x
Oxford St Aldate 4 115.94x
Oxford St Ebbe 4 41.45x
Stratton St Margaret 4 55.56x
Wellingborough 4 15.94x
Atherstone 3 43.86x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 3 3.06x
Burford 3 105.63x
Carisbrooke 3 19.87x
Cuckfield 3 33.19x
Deptford St Paul 3 2.15x
Derby St Werburgh 3 6.25x
Godalming 3 18.43x
Hawkley 3 545.45x
Launton 3 277.78x
Milverton 3 76.53x
Portslade 3 54.84x
Royal Navy 3 5.55x
Shipston On Stour 3 95.24x
St Giles In Fields London 3 11.53x
Topsham 3 57.58x
Willesden 3 6.00x
Alfreton 2 7.92x
Bedhampton 2 155.04x
Brighton 2 1.11x
Ensham 2 117.65x
Hove 2 5.09x
Keymer 2 31.65x
Plymouth St Andrew 2 2.35x
Shipton On Cherwell 2 952.38x
Snenton 2 7.12x
St Peter Port 2 6.88x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 46
George 30
John 26
Thomas 18
Henry 15
James 15
Charles 10
Samuel 8
Richard 7
Alfred 6
Edwin 6
Edward 5
Robert 5
Frederick 4
Harry 4
Abel 3
Albert 3
Arthur 3
Benjamin 3
Francis 3
Frank 3
Herbert 3
Austin 2
Geo. 2
Joseph 2
Matthew 2
Thos. 2
Algernon 1
Courtney 1
Cristopher 1
Daniel 1
Eber 1
Ernest 1
Fred 1
Fredk. 1
Fredric 1
Husbet 1
Iles 1
Isaac 1
Isaiah 1
J.T. 1
Leonard 1
Leoni 1
Mark 1
Murray 1
Nathaniel 1
Rowland 1
Sampson 1
Septimus 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Bricknell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bricknell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 539 people were recorded with the Bricknell surname. That placed it at #6,395 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bricknell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 696 in 2016. That gives Bricknell a modern rank of #7,738.

What does the Bricknell surname mean?

A surname derived from an English place name referring to a brick-kiln or brick-making area.

What does the Bricknell map show?

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