NameCensus.

UK surname

Bridgwater

A locational surname derived from the English town of Bridgwater, Somerset.

In the 1881 census there were 570 people recorded with the Bridgwater surname, ranking it #6,099 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 697, ranked #7,728, down from #6,099 in 1881.

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

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bridgwater is 970 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 22.3%.

1881 census count

570

Ranked #6,099

Modern count

697

2016, ranked #7,728

Peak year

1911

970 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bridgwater had 570 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,099 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 697 in 2016, ranked #7,728.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 970 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Bridgwater surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bridgwater surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bridgwater 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 438 #5,615
1861 historical 390 #6,567
1881 historical 570 #6,099
1891 historical 643 #6,038
1901 historical 807 #5,591
1911 historical 970 #4,661
1997 modern 741 #6,944
1998 modern 749 #7,107
1999 modern 745 #7,181
2000 modern 750 #7,101
2001 modern 717 #7,228
2002 modern 740 #7,180
2003 modern 712 #7,279
2004 modern 727 #7,181
2005 modern 716 #7,196
2006 modern 704 #7,318
2007 modern 715 #7,308
2008 modern 718 #7,335
2009 modern 730 #7,393
2010 modern 747 #7,402
2011 modern 742 #7,373
2012 modern 705 #7,562
2013 modern 711 #7,641
2014 modern 710 #7,687
2015 modern 705 #7,679
2016 modern 697 #7,728

Geography

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Where Bridgwaters are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Dudley, Rowley Regis, 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 Wyre Forest, Shropshire, Bromsgrove and Cheshire West and Chester. 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 Dudley Staffordshire
2 Rowley Regis 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 Wyre Forest 014 Wyre Forest
2 Shropshire 034 Shropshire
3 Bromsgrove 013 Bromsgrove
4 Cheshire West and Chester 001 Cheshire West and Chester
5 Bromsgrove 007 Bromsgrove

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bridgwater

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bridgwater

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

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Bridgwater is most associated with areas classed as Senior Professionals, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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 very central neighbourhoods house residents whose ages are more skewed towards older age cohorts than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Few households have young children. Rates of illness are low. Indian ethnicity is rare compared to the Supergroup mean. Property under occupation is more common, despite the centrality of neighbourhoods, and more residents live in communal establishments than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Bridgwater is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Bridgwater

The surname Bridgwater originates from England, and its earliest known use dates back to the 13th century. The name is derived from the town of Bridgwater, located in Somerset, England. Bridgwater is believed to have been named after a bridge over the River Parrett, suggesting that the name's roots can be traced back to Old English words like "brycg" (bridge) and "wæter" (water).

The surname Bridgwater is mentioned in various historical records, including the Pipe Rolls of 1204, where a certain William de Bridgwater is named. This suggests that the surname was already well-established by the early 13th century. Another notable early reference is found in the Hundred Rolls of 1275, which mention a Roger de Bridgwater.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Bridgwater was John Bridgwater, a prominent merchant and alderman in the city of Bristol in the late 14th century (c. 1350-1420). Another notable bearer of the name was Thomas Bridgwater (c. 1490-1558), a 16th-century English clergyman and author who served as the Dean of Arches.

In the 17th century, Sir Orlando Bridgwater (c. 1609-1674) was a prominent English politician and landowner who served as the Sheriff of Somerset in 1663. His son, Sir John Bridgwater (c. 1630-1710), also held important political positions, including serving as the Member of Parliament for Somerset.

During the 18th century, Robert Bridgwater (c. 1700-1780) was a noted English painter and engraver, known for his landscapes and topographical views. Later, in the 19th century, Reverend William Bridgwater (1801-1865) was a prominent English clergyman and author, best known for his work on biblical chronology.

Various spelling variations of the surname have existed throughout history, including Bridgewater, Brigewater, and Bridgwatter. Additionally, the name has been associated with several place names in England, such as Bridgwater in Somerset, Bridgwater in Shropshire, and Bridgwater Bay in Dorset.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bridgwater families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bridgwater 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. Worcestershire leads with 118 Bridgwaters recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.28x.

County Total Index
Worcestershire 118 16.28x
Staffordshire 115 6.14x
Warwickshire 63 4.50x
Oxfordshire 52 15.17x
Shropshire 49 10.22x
Middlesex 30 0.54x
Herefordshire 29 12.74x
Gloucestershire 17 1.56x
Leicestershire 16 2.60x
Lancashire 14 0.21x
Brecknockshire 13 11.71x
Surrey 10 0.37x
Yorkshire 9 0.16x
Cheshire 6 0.49x
Hampshire 6 0.53x
Montgomeryshire 6 4.72x
Devon 4 0.35x
Cumberland 3 0.63x
Sussex 3 0.32x
Bedfordshire 2 0.70x
Somerset 2 0.22x
Denbighshire 1 0.48x
Norfolk 1 0.12x

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 35 Bridgwaters recorded in 1881 and an index of 67.04x.

Place Total Index
Rowley Regis 35 67.04x
Birmingham 30 6.43x
Dudley 29 32.91x
Aston 22 5.71x
Northfield 20 145.45x
Hailey 16 663.90x
Bromsgrove 15 61.50x
Oxford St Ebbe 14 138.75x
Kingswinford 12 17.64x
West Derby 12 6.23x
Wolverhampton 12 8.33x
Stourbridge 11 58.98x
Tipton 11 19.17x
Wilnecote 10 249.38x
Bromyard 9 300.00x
Ditton Priors 9 789.47x
Chirbury 8 282.69x
Cowley 8 74.77x
Oxford St Giles 8 48.93x
Wednesbury 8 17.09x
Westminster St James 8 14.02x
Hereford St Owen 7 93.09x
Sedgley 7 10.06x
Upperswinford 7 114.19x
West Bromwich 7 6.53x
Alverstoke 6 14.57x
Cirencester 6 40.71x
Hope Bowdler 6 1935.48x
Leicester St Margaret 6 4.00x
Leicester St Mary 6 12.07x
Cannock 5 15.30x
Farlow 5 757.58x
Hay 5 121.36x
Horfield 5 45.66x
Kensington London 5 1.62x
Leintwardine 5 675.68x
Lye 5 41.46x
Onibury 5 574.71x
Wass 5 2380.95x
Acton 4 12.29x
Camberwell 4 1.13x
Chester St Mary On Hill 4 38.06x
Cradley 4 61.07x
Darlaston 4 15.45x
Elmley Castle 4 563.38x
Harborne 4 6.66x
Harrow On The Hill 4 36.07x
Havercroft Cum Cold 4 425.53x
Hugglescote 4 44.20x
Kew 4 254.78x
Kidderminster Foreign 4 39.02x
Mile End Old Town London 4 3.39x
Plymouth St Andrew 4 4.49x
Tenbury 4 100.76x
Upton Cressett 4 689.66x
Bilston 3 8.26x
Bitterley 3 157.89x
Bow London 3 4.25x
Bristol St Augustine 3 17.07x
Bronllys 3 526.32x
Churchstoke 3 125.00x
Claines 3 15.08x
Cleobury Mortimer 3 99.34x
Glasbury 3 200.00x
Kings Norton 3 4.62x
Ledbury 3 38.36x
Montgomery 3 132.16x
Threlkeld 3 375.00x
Willenhall 3 8.55x
Cusop 2 512.82x
Eversholt 2 136.99x
Gloucester St Michael 2 80.32x
Gradley 2 57.14x
Kidderminster Borough 2 4.71x
Oxford St Peter Le Bailey 2 117.65x
Oxford St Thomas 2 12.50x
Poulton Cum Seacombe 2 14.19x
Stanton Lacy 2 48.31x
Talgarth 2 72.73x
Toxteth Park 1 0.45x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 23
Sarah 20
Alice 16
Ann 15
Elizabeth 15
Jane 13
Annie 12
Ellen 12
Emma 10
Eliza 8
Martha 7
Hannah 6
Harriet 6
Charlotte 5
Florence 5
Louisa 5
Clara 4
Edith 4
Fanny 4
Amy 3
Eleanor 3
Esther 3
Rose 3
Ada 2
Agnes 2
Caroline 2
Emily 2
Gertrude 2
Harriett 2
Isabella 2
Julia 2
Lucy 2
Minnie 2
Myra 2
Rachel 2
Anna 1
Catherine 1
Elizth. 1
Elsie 1
Emilie 1
Eveline 1
Kate 1
Lavinia 1
Leonora 1
Lettie 1
Lilian 1
Lizze 1
Lizzie 1
Lottie 1
Winnefred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 39
John 35
Thomas 22
James 20
Charles 17
Joseph 15
George 10
Henry 9
Albert 8
Arthur 8
Frederick 8
Benjamin 7
Edward 6
Samuel 6
Harry 5
Herbert 5
Alfred 4
Francis 4
David 3
Frank 3
Isaac 3
Jabez 3
Richard 3
Thos. 3
Walter 3
Benj. 2
Joab 2
Noah 2
Percy 2
Stephen 2
Andrew 1
Anthony 1
Benjn. 1
Cha... 1
Chas. 1
Edmund 1
Edwin 1
Ernest 1
Esau 1
Evan 1
Fred 1
Genaco 1
Howard 1
Jns.E. 1
Job 1
Joshua 1
Major 1
Marvin 1
Myria 1
Peter 1

FAQ

Bridgwater surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bridgwater surname in 1881?

In 1881, 570 people were recorded with the Bridgwater surname. That placed it at #6,099 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bridgwater surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 697 in 2016. That gives Bridgwater a modern rank of #7,728.

What does the Bridgwater surname mean?

A locational surname derived from the English town of Bridgwater, Somerset.

What does the Bridgwater map show?

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