NameCensus.

UK surname

Bridgewater

From a place name referring to a settlement near a bridge over a river or body of water.

In the 1881 census there were 695 people recorded with the Bridgewater surname, ranking it #5,215 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,298, ranked #4,615, up from #5,215 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rowley Regis, Dudley and Halesowen (all except Hunnington, Romsley; partly in Halesowen, Worcestershire). In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Horsham, Sandwell and Dudley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bridgewater is 1,369 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 86.8%.

1881 census count

695

Ranked #5,215

Modern count

1,298

2016, ranked #4,615

Peak year

1998

1,369 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bridgewater had 695 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,215 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,298 in 2016, ranked #4,615.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 981 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Bridgewater surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bridgewater surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bridgewater 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 275 #8,150
1861 historical 423 #6,073
1881 historical 695 #5,215
1891 historical 765 #5,218
1901 historical 934 #4,998
1911 historical 981 #4,611
1997 modern 1,297 #4,405
1998 modern 1,369 #4,352
1999 modern 1,355 #4,426
2000 modern 1,366 #4,381
2001 modern 1,303 #4,471
2002 modern 1,348 #4,440
2003 modern 1,306 #4,467
2004 modern 1,301 #4,479
2005 modern 1,299 #4,427
2006 modern 1,292 #4,469
2007 modern 1,295 #4,500
2008 modern 1,309 #4,488
2009 modern 1,342 #4,483
2010 modern 1,358 #4,521
2011 modern 1,335 #4,530
2012 modern 1,314 #4,523
2013 modern 1,339 #4,529
2014 modern 1,347 #4,533
2015 modern 1,308 #4,604
2016 modern 1,298 #4,615

Geography

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Where Bridgewaters are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rowley Regis, Dudley, Halesowen (all except Hunnington, Romsley; partly in Halesowen, Worcestershire), Bromsgrove, Upton Warren and Birmingham Town: Birmingham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Horsham, Sandwell, Dudley and Stratford-on-Avon. 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 Rowley Regis Staffordshire
2 Dudley Staffordshire
3 Halesowen (all except Hunnington, Romsley; partly in Halesowen, Worcestershire) Staffordshire
4 Bromsgrove, Upton Warren Worcestershire
5 Birmingham Town: Birmingham Warwickshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Horsham 014 Horsham
2 Sandwell 033 Sandwell
3 Dudley 025 Dudley
4 Stratford-on-Avon 015 Stratford-on-Avon
5 Dudley 021 Dudley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bridgewater

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bridgewater

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Bridgewater is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

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

Bridgewater 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

Bridgewater falls in decile 4 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Bridgewater is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Bridgewater

The surname Bridgewater originated in England and dates back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English words "brycg" (bridge) and "wæter" (water), indicating that the name likely referred to an individual who lived near a bridge over a body of water.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname appears in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which mentions a Richard de Bridgewater from Somerset. This suggests that the name was already well-established in that region by the late 13th century.

During the Middle Ages, the Bridgewater name was closely associated with the town of Bridgwater in Somerset. In fact, some historians believe that the town's name may have influenced the spelling of the surname over time.

The Bridgewater surname is also mentioned in the famous Domesday Book of 1086, which recorded landholders and their estates in England after the Norman Conquest. This reference suggests that the name had its origins even earlier, likely in the 11th century.

Notable individuals bearing the Bridgewater surname throughout history include:

1. Sir Thomas Bridgewater (c. 1490-1558), an English merchant and member of Parliament during the reign of Henry VIII. 2. John Bridgewater (1598-1668), an English clergyman and author who served as the Bishop of Oxford. 3. Francis Egerton, 3rd Duke of Bridgewater (1736-1803), a prominent English nobleman and canal pioneer who oversaw the construction of the Bridgewater Canal. 4. William Bridgewater (1779-1835), an English canal engineer and surveyor who worked on several important canal projects in the early 19th century. 5. George Bridgewater (1815-1881), an English cricketer who played first-class cricket for Kent and was known for his powerful batting.

The Bridgewater name has also been associated with various place names throughout England, such as Bridgewater in Somerset, Bridgwater Bay, and the Bridgewater Canal in Manchester.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bridgewater families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bridgewater 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 128 Bridgewaters recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.59x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 128 5.59x
Worcestershire 115 12.97x
Warwickshire 46 2.69x
Shropshire 44 7.50x
Yorkshire 44 0.65x
Herefordshire 35 12.57x
Sussex 35 3.06x
Middlesex 32 0.47x
Gloucestershire 26 1.95x
Monmouthshire 24 4.89x
Lancashire 23 0.29x
Leicestershire 15 1.99x
Berkshire 12 2.35x
Buckinghamshire 12 2.92x
Derbyshire 12 1.13x
Oxfordshire 12 2.86x
Surrey 12 0.36x
Brecknockshire 11 8.10x
Cheshire 9 0.60x
Durham 7 0.35x
Hampshire 7 0.50x
Channel Islands 6 2.98x
Carmarthenshire 4 1.40x
Cumberland 4 0.68x
Glamorgan 4 0.34x
Montgomeryshire 4 2.57x
Northamptonshire 4 0.63x
Hertfordshire 3 0.64x
Northumberland 2 0.20x
Bedfordshire 1 0.28x
Denbighshire 1 0.39x
Kent 1 0.04x
Midlothian 1 0.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Rowley Regis in Staffordshire leads with 42 Bridgewaters recorded in 1881 and an index of 65.76x.

Place Total Index
Rowley Regis 42 65.76x
Bromsgrove 30 100.54x
Islington London 25 3.80x
Birmingham 22 3.86x
Aston 21 4.45x
Kingswinford 16 19.23x
Stoke Upon Trent 16 6.58x
Cradley 15 187.03x
West Bromwich 13 9.91x
Aberystruth 12 27.74x
Eton 12 128.89x
Llanelly 11 67.73x
Wednesbury 10 17.46x
Shinfield 9 300.00x
Thornaby 9 35.80x
Tillington 9 436.89x
Beighton 8 165.98x
Cheltenham 8 7.79x
North Chapel 8 432.43x
Tipton 8 11.40x
Witney 8 114.12x
Chaddesley Corbett 7 210.84x
Clungunford 7 514.71x
Littleworth 7 542.64x
Lye 7 47.43x
Stowe 7 1186.44x
Swinfen Packington 7 744.68x
Clifton 6 8.91x
Dudley 6 5.57x
Hallow 6 138.25x
Hugglescote 6 54.20x
St Peter Port 6 16.12x
Wollaston 6 106.76x
Wolverhampton 6 3.41x
Aylestone 5 84.18x
Brandon Byshottles 5 19.76x
Cleckheaton 5 20.18x
Gradley 5 116.82x
Great Malvern 5 27.03x
Hasbury 5 86.21x
Hastings St Clement 5 46.43x
Hereford St Nicholas 5 131.93x
Hereford St Owen 5 54.41x
Oldbury 5 11.46x
Thursley 5 210.08x
Barrow In Furness 4 3.65x
Billingshurst 4 106.67x
Brighton 4 1.73x
Briton Ferry 4 28.37x
Kinlet 4 396.04x
Kirkleatham 4 44.05x
Lancaster 4 8.35x
Leicester St Mary 4 6.58x
Leigh 4 37.17x
Linthorpe 4 9.96x
Llanedy 4 74.21x
Llanllwchaiarn 4 59.35x
Lower Bebington 4 44.94x
Milson 4 1428.57x
Much Marcle 4 199.01x
Shitlington 4 57.47x
St Woollos 4 7.30x
Stanton Lacy 4 78.90x
Sutton 4 14.80x
Upton 4 2000.00x
Workington 4 11.95x
Worthen 4 64.21x
York St Mary 4 14.36x
Alveley 3 128.76x
Bromyard 3 81.74x
Cookham 3 18.88x
Flockton 3 109.49x
Guisbrough 3 20.41x
Hampton Wafer 3 30000.00x
Hulme 3 1.78x
Leintwardine 3 329.67x
Northampton Priory St 3 7.83x
Portslade 3 42.86x
Runcorn 3 8.68x
Watford 3 8.27x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 48
Elizabeth 36
Sarah 35
Alice 14
Ann 14
Jane 11
Emma 9
Fanny 7
Lucy 7
Annie 6
Eliza 6
Ellen 6
Emily 6
Kate 6
Clara 5
Caroline 4
Charlotte 4
Edith 4
Frances 4
Hannah 4
Margaret 4
Maria 4
Anne 3
Florence 3
Gertrude 3
Harriet 3
Lizzie 3
Louisa 3
Rose 3
Susan 3
Ada 2
Agnes 2
Amy 2
Betsy 2
Drucilla 2
Eleanor 2
Francis 2
Isabella 2
Julia 2
Leah 2
Lydia 2
Margt. 2
Myra 2
Phoebe 2
Rhoda 2
Elizebeth 1
Elva 1
Emmeline 1
Emmiline 1
Jemima 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 49
John 46
Charles 19
Thomas 19
James 18
Henry 17
George 15
Joseph 13
Samuel 13
Benjamin 10
Alfred 8
Arthur 8
Richard 8
Albert 7
Francis 7
Harry 7
Edward 6
Frederick 5
Robert 5
Frank 4
Walter 3
Daniel 2
Edwin 2
Herbert 2
Job 2
Reuben 2
Richd. 2
Stephen 2
Augustus 1
Benjmin. 1
Bentley 1
Chas. 1
Christor. 1
Clement 1
Earnest 1
Edmund 1
Elisha 1
Eliza 1
Ernest 1
Ezra 1
Fredk. 1
Henery 1
Howard 1
Hy. 1
Isaac 1
J. 1
Jas.F. 1
Jason 1
Jeremiah 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Bridgewater surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bridgewater surname in 1881?

In 1881, 695 people were recorded with the Bridgewater surname. That placed it at #5,215 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bridgewater surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,298 in 2016. That gives Bridgewater a modern rank of #4,615.

What does the Bridgewater surname mean?

From a place name referring to a settlement near a bridge over a river or body of water.

What does the Bridgewater map show?

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