NameCensus.

UK surname

Bridgett

A variant spelling of the English surname meaning a dweller at a bridge or place where a bridge stood.

In the 1881 census there were 265 people recorded with the Bridgett surname, ranking it #10,612 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 420, ranked #11,414, down from #10,612 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bassetlaw, Staffordshire Moorlands and Stoke-on-Trent.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bridgett is 441 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 58.5%.

1881 census count

265

Ranked #10,612

Modern count

420

2016, ranked #11,414

Peak year

2010

441 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bridgett had 265 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,612 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 420 in 2016, ranked #11,414.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 405 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Small Town Suburbia.

Bridgett surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bridgett surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bridgett 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 186 #11,024
1861 historical 248 #9,947
1881 historical 265 #10,612
1891 historical 309 #10,848
1901 historical 405 #9,405
1911 historical 397 #9,336
1997 modern 356 #12,021
1998 modern 434 #10,694
1999 modern 433 #10,807
2000 modern 438 #10,669
2001 modern 421 #10,789
2002 modern 433 #10,780
2003 modern 437 #10,539
2004 modern 438 #10,532
2005 modern 430 #10,575
2006 modern 412 #10,976
2007 modern 416 #11,020
2008 modern 413 #11,185
2009 modern 432 #11,048
2010 modern 441 #11,087
2011 modern 432 #11,132
2012 modern 415 #11,403
2013 modern 426 #11,350
2014 modern 428 #11,371
2015 modern 422 #11,409
2016 modern 420 #11,414

Geography

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Where Bridgetts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Nottingham St Mary and Chesterfield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bassetlaw, Staffordshire Moorlands, Stoke-on-Trent and Newcastle-under-Lyme. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
4 Nottingham St Mary Nottinghamshire
5 Chesterfield Derbyshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bassetlaw 001 Bassetlaw
2 Staffordshire Moorlands 011 Staffordshire Moorlands
3 Staffordshire Moorlands 012 Staffordshire Moorlands
4 Stoke-on-Trent 032 Stoke-on-Trent
5 Newcastle-under-Lyme 016 Newcastle-under-Lyme

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bridgett

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bridgett

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Bridgett, 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 Bridgett surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Small Town Suburbia, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Bridgett 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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Bridgett is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Bridgett 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

Bridgett 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 Bridgett 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 Bridgett, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Bridgett

The surname Bridgett originated in England during the late medieval period. It is a locational surname derived from the Old English words "brycg" and "geat," meaning "bridge" and "gate" respectively. This suggests that the name likely referred to someone who lived near a bridge or gate in a particular town or village.

The earliest known recorded instance of the surname Bridgett can be found in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, where it appears as "Brigget." This record lists individuals in various counties of England and their landholdings. Other early spellings of the name include Briggett, Brygget, and Briggate, reflecting the regional variations in pronunciation and spelling during that era.

One notable historical figure with the surname Bridgett was Sir John Bridgett (1535-1591), an English politician and landowner from Worcestershire. He served as a Member of Parliament for Worcester in 1572 and was knighted by Queen Elizabeth I in 1578.

Another prominent individual was Reverend Thomas Bridgett (1829-1899), a Roman Catholic priest and author from Derbyshire. He wrote several books on religious and historical topics, including "The Life and Writings of Sir Thomas More" and "The Life of Blessed John Fisher."

In the 16th century, the Bridgett family was well-established in Staffordshire, with records indicating their presence in the parish of Blymhill. One member, William Bridgett (1556-1624), was a notable landowner and held the manor of Blymhill during his lifetime.

The surname Bridgett also has connections to place names in England, such as Bridgetown, a village in Somerset, and Bridgett's Cross, a location in Shropshire. These place names likely derived from the same Old English roots as the surname, further reinforcing the locational origins of the name.

Another individual of note was Robert Bridgett (1610-1675), a wealthy merchant and landowner from Yorkshire. He was involved in the cloth trade and owned substantial properties in the region, contributing to the growth and prosperity of the local community.

While the surname Bridgett originated in England, it later spread to other parts of the British Isles and beyond, carried by individuals and families who migrated or established new roots in different regions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bridgett families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bridgett 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. Staffordshire leads with 106 Bridgetts recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.24x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 106 12.24x
Nottinghamshire 35 10.12x
Derbyshire 26 6.47x
Middlesex 18 0.70x
Yorkshire 18 0.71x
Leicestershire 17 5.98x
Lancashire 8 0.26x
Somerset 8 1.94x
Surrey 8 0.64x
Fife 5 3.29x
Hampshire 3 0.57x
Warwickshire 3 0.46x
Cornwall 2 0.69x
Devon 2 0.37x
Gloucestershire 2 0.40x
Kent 2 0.23x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Nottingham St Mary in Nottinghamshire leads with 32 Bridgetts recorded in 1881 and an index of 35.78x.

Place Total Index
Nottingham St Mary 32 35.78x
Dilhorne 25 1736.11x
Kingsley 19 1180.12x
Stoke Upon Trent 18 19.60x
Stone 18 162.45x
Chesterfield 15 99.60x
Nailstone 11 1692.31x
Snydale 10 1886.79x
Stafford St Mary 7 57.10x
Bedminster 6 15.46x
Sheffield 6 7.41x
Wirksworth 6 164.38x
Barlestone 5 806.45x
Camberwell 5 3.05x
Dunfermline 5 21.41x
Kensington London 5 3.51x
Trentham 5 67.93x
Wolstanton 5 19.01x
Wolverhampton 5 7.51x
Hornsey 4 12.33x
Whittington 4 71.94x
Birmingham 3 1.39x
Caverswall 3 66.67x
Clapham 3 9.35x
Gorton 3 10.49x
Shoreditch London 3 2.70x
Chorlton On Medlock 2 4.14x
Coffinswell 2 1176.47x
Falmouth 2 19.46x
Howden 2 115.61x
Nottingham St Peter 2 51.95x
Ropley 2 259.74x
South Hamlet 2 64.31x
St Marylebone London 2 1.46x
Withington 2 20.39x
Alfreton 1 8.20x
Alverstoke 1 5.25x
Frome 1 10.12x
Heston 1 11.74x
Hugglescote 1 23.92x
Mells 1 117.65x
Salford 1 1.12x
Speldhurst 1 22.42x
St George Hanover Square 1 2.21x
St Pancras London 1 0.48x
West Bromwich 1 2.02x
Westminster St James 1 3.79x
Woolwich 1 3.09x
Worksop 1 9.76x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 18
Sarah 11
Louisa 7
Caroline 6
Ann 5
Eliza 5
Jane 5
Alice 4
Ellen 4
Hannah 4
Harriett 4
Annie 3
Emma 3
Florence 3
Edith 2
Elizabeth 2
Emily 2
Fanny 2
Kate 2
Lucy 2
Martha 2
Stella 2
Susan 2
Ada 1
Agnes 1
Anne 1
Beatrice 1
Bertha 1
Bessie 1
Clara 1
Dora 1
E. 1
Edna 1
Eleanor 1
Elizth. 1
Elizth.J. 1
Eva 1
Harriet 1
Harrt. 1
James 1
Mabel 1
Margaret 1
Marian 1
Marion 1
May 1
Rachel 1
Ruth 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 21
John 13
Thomas 11
James 10
Charles 8
George 8
Edwin 6
Samuel 6
Harry 4
Isaac 3
Alfred 2
Arthur 2
Chas. 2
Daniel 2
Edward 2
Frank 2
Leonard 2
Stephen 2
Theordore 2
Walter 2
Wm. 2
Albert 1
Alexander 1
Benjamin 1
Bennett 1
Caesar 1
Enoch 1
Ephraim 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Frederick 1
Geo. 1
Gryme 1
Isaiah 1
Jno. 1
Jno.Wm. 1
Joel 1
Joseph 1
Maurice 1
Morton 1
Ralph 1
Ted 1
Tom 1

FAQ

Bridgett surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bridgett surname in 1881?

In 1881, 265 people were recorded with the Bridgett surname. That placed it at #10,612 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bridgett surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 420 in 2016. That gives Bridgett a modern rank of #11,414.

What does the Bridgett surname mean?

A variant spelling of the English surname meaning a dweller at a bridge or place where a bridge stood.

What does the Bridgett map show?

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