NameCensus.

UK surname

Bridgman

An occupational surname referring to a bridge construction worker or maintainer.

In the 1881 census there were 1,019 people recorded with the Bridgman surname, ranking it #3,843 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,259, ranked #4,748, down from #3,843 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Tormoham with Torquay and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Torridge, East Devon and Mid Devon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bridgman is 1,389 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 23.6%.

1881 census count

1,019

Ranked #3,843

Modern count

1,259

2016, ranked #4,748

Peak year

1911

1,389 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bridgman had 1,019 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,843 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,259 in 2016, ranked #4,748.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,389 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Bridgman surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bridgman surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bridgman 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 904 #3,044
1861 historical 805 #3,415
1881 historical 1,019 #3,843
1891 historical 1,292 #3,349
1901 historical 1,366 #3,675
1911 historical 1,389 #3,473
1997 modern 1,234 #4,604
1998 modern 1,294 #4,590
1999 modern 1,304 #4,588
2000 modern 1,319 #4,507
2001 modern 1,278 #4,551
2002 modern 1,296 #4,585
2003 modern 1,254 #4,632
2004 modern 1,269 #4,583
2005 modern 1,265 #4,545
2006 modern 1,264 #4,556
2007 modern 1,267 #4,585
2008 modern 1,261 #4,633
2009 modern 1,281 #4,675
2010 modern 1,323 #4,628
2011 modern 1,297 #4,652
2012 modern 1,253 #4,734
2013 modern 1,275 #4,737
2014 modern 1,281 #4,741
2015 modern 1,278 #4,706
2016 modern 1,259 #4,748

Geography

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Where Bridgmans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Tormoham with Torquay, London parishes and St Pancras. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Torridge, East Devon, Mid Devon and Torbay. 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 Tormoham with Torquay Devon
3 London parishes London 1
4 London parishes London 3
5 St Pancras London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Torridge 009 Torridge
2 Torridge 007 Torridge
3 East Devon 008 East Devon
4 Mid Devon 009 Mid Devon
5 Torbay 001 Torbay

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bridgman

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bridgman

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

Bridgman 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

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

Meaning and origin of Bridgman

The surname Bridgman originated in England during the medieval period. It is an occupational name derived from the Old English words "brycg" and "mann," meaning "bridge man" or someone who lived or worked near a bridge. The name is also associated with the village of Bridgham in Norfolk, England, which was recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as "Bricgham."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1166, where a Robert Brigeman is mentioned. Another early reference is found in the Curia Regis Rolls of Northamptonshire from 1212, which mentions a William Brigeman.

During the 13th century, the surname appeared in various spellings, such as Briggeman, Brigman, and Brugman, reflecting regional variations in pronunciation and spelling. One notable bearer of the name was John Bridgman (c. 1335-1399), a wealthy landowner and Member of Parliament for Gloucestershire in 1382 and 1388.

In the 16th century, the Bridgman family became prominent in Berkshire and Gloucestershire. Sir Orlando Bridgeman (1609-1674) was a renowned lawyer and Lord Keeper of the Great Seal under Charles II. His son, Sir John Bridgeman (1631-1710), served as Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas.

Other notable individuals with the surname Bridgman include Richard Whalley Bridgman (1784-1861), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars, and Raymond Landon Bridgman (1884-1941), an American physicist known for his contributions to the theory of condensed matter.

In the 19th century, the Bridgman family established themselves in various parts of the United States. One prominent figure was Herbert L. Bridgman (1844-1924), a successful businessman and philanthropist who founded the Bridgman Library in Northampton, Massachusetts.

The name Bridgman has also been associated with several place names, such as Bridgman, Michigan, and Bridgman Downs in Queensland, Australia, reflecting the migration and settlement patterns of those bearing the surname over time.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bridgman families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bridgman 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 205 Bridgmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.05x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 205 2.05x
Devon 154 7.38x
Gloucestershire 100 5.09x
Cornwall 66 5.82x
Surrey 65 1.33x
Kent 40 1.17x
Somerset 40 2.48x
Wiltshire 38 4.29x
Suffolk 36 2.95x
Lancashire 35 0.29x
Oxfordshire 33 5.33x
Berkshire 30 3.99x
Hampshire 18 0.88x
Cheshire 17 0.77x
Glamorgan 17 0.97x
Worcestershire 13 0.99x
Buckinghamshire 11 1.82x
Hertfordshire 11 1.59x
Northamptonshire 10 1.06x
Lanarkshire 8 0.25x
Sussex 8 0.47x
Yorkshire 8 0.08x
Cambridgeshire 7 1.10x
Lincolnshire 7 0.44x
Norfolk 7 0.45x
Pembrokeshire 7 2.20x
Isle of Man 6 3.23x
Staffordshire 6 0.18x
Essex 5 0.25x
Shropshire 4 0.46x
Dorset 3 0.46x
Monmouthshire 2 0.28x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.15x
Warwickshire 2 0.08x
Argyllshire 1 0.36x
Bedfordshire 1 0.19x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.25x
Channel Islands 1 0.34x
Midlothian 1 0.07x
Montgomeryshire 1 0.44x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Shebbear in Devon leads with 29 Bridgmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 926.52x.

Place Total Index
Shebbear 29 926.52x
Islington London 27 2.78x
St Pancras London 27 3.35x
Tormoham 22 24.93x
Bermondsey 17 5.70x
Newington 17 4.59x
Chorlton On Medlock 16 8.47x
Frome 16 41.48x
St Marylebone London 16 2.99x
Calstock 14 62.95x
Little Somerford 14 1076.92x
Shoreditch London 14 3.22x
Paignton 13 81.92x
South Molton 13 113.44x
Woodborough 13 955.88x
Combs 12 294.84x
Painswick 12 86.33x
Charlton Kings 11 80.94x
Hailey 11 253.46x
Paddington London 11 2.99x
Deptford St Paul 10 3.79x
Mangotsfield 10 51.07x
Roath 10 12.62x
St Dominick 10 350.88x
St George Bloomsbury 9 15.66x
Sudbury St Gregory 9 92.02x
Barrow In Furness 8 4.95x
Caversham 8 64.62x
Cheshunt 8 33.14x
Cromhall Cromhall Lygon 8 754.72x
Hackney London 8 1.42x
Lambeth 8 0.92x
Reading St Giles 8 10.84x
St Mary Magdalene 8 95.92x
Werrington 8 353.98x
Bedminster 7 4.62x
Bow London 7 5.49x
Clerkenwell London 7 2.96x
Dummer 7 522.39x
Enstone 7 184.70x
Rotherhithe 7 5.66x
Tenby St Mary In 7 43.18x
Upton St Leonards 7 140.28x
Warbstow 7 1029.41x
Boyton 6 2222.22x
Bradford 6 2.50x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 6 3.24x
Cheltenham 6 3.96x
Cheriton Fitzpaine 6 226.42x
Claines 6 16.71x
Easton In Gordano 6 92.45x
Great Marlow 6 36.70x
Hoole 6 71.77x
Ilfracombe 6 27.95x
Lezayre 6 71.86x
Lower Bebington 6 45.66x
Old Monkland 6 4.67x
Rothwell 6 63.42x
St Anne Soho London 6 10.49x
Stoke Newington London 6 7.69x
Strood 6 30.77x
Taunton St Mary 6 20.27x
Wilcott 6 310.88x
Battersea 5 1.36x
Bibury 5 210.97x
Hammersmith London 5 2.03x
Hampstead London 5 3.20x
Honiton 5 43.33x
Kingsclere 5 53.30x
Lanhydrock 5 781.25x
Lewisham 5 2.74x
Manchester 5 0.94x
North Petherwyn 5 169.49x
St Andrew Holborn London 5 11.53x
St Juliot 5 649.35x
Stoke Climsland 5 69.06x
Uffington 5 256.41x
Wargrave 5 77.40x
Woolwich 5 3.96x
Portsea 4 0.99x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 68
Elizabeth 40
Ellen 23
Alice 20
Ann 20
Emily 20
Eliza 19
Annie 18
Sarah 17
Maria 13
Fanny 11
Emma 9
Jane 8
Ada 7
Florence 7
Laura 7
Martha 7
Susan 7
Edith 6
Frances 6
Catherine 5
Charlotte 5
Hannah 5
Harriet 5
Kate 5
Louisa 5
Margaret 5
Anne 4
Caroline 4
Esther 4
Lily 4
Lucy 4
Rose 4
Amy 3
Beatrice 3
Clara 3
E. 3
Elizth. 3
Grace 3
Julia 3
Lydia 3
Marian 3
Rosa 3
Amelia 2
Barbara 2
Bessie 2
Charlott 2
Constance 2
Ester 2
Mabel 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 75
John 52
George 40
James 31
Charles 21
Thomas 21
Henry 20
Frederick 12
Joseph 12
Walter 12
Alfred 11
Arthur 11
Edward 10
Ernest 8
Richard 8
Albert 6
Harry 6
Robert 6
Sidney 5
Benjamin 4
Edwin 4
Francis 4
Herbert 4
Chas. 3
Daniel 3
Jno. 3
Robt. 3
Wm. 3
Arscott 2
C. 2
David 2
Frank 2
Fred 2
Fredrick 2
Geo. 2
Granville 2
Joshua 2
Marcus 2
Richd. 2
Saml. 2
Samuel 2
Stephen 2
Thos. 2
Cain 1
Cecil 1
Charls 1
Ellis 1
Enoch 1
Joe 1
Worthy 1

FAQ

Bridgman surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bridgman surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,019 people were recorded with the Bridgman surname. That placed it at #3,843 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bridgman surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,259 in 2016. That gives Bridgman a modern rank of #4,748.

What does the Bridgman surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to a bridge construction worker or maintainer.

What does the Bridgman map show?

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