NameCensus.

UK surname

Brierly

An English surname derived from a place name meaning "clearing or pasture where briers or brambles grow".

In the 1881 census there were 628 people recorded with the Brierly surname, ranking it #5,639 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 118, ranked #27,873, down from #5,639 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, Manchester and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Malvern Hills, Havering and Bath and North East Somerset.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Brierly is 628 in 1881. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 81.2%.

1881 census count

628

Ranked #5,639

Modern count

118

2016, ranked #27,873

Peak year

1881

628 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Brierly had 628 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,639 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 118 in 2016, ranked #27,873.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 628 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Outer Suburbs.

Brierly surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Brierly surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Brierly 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 622 #4,153
1861 historical 499 #5,242
1881 historical 628 #5,639
1891 historical 454 #8,026
1901 historical 360 #10,212
1911 historical 451 #8,489
1997 modern 156 #20,593
1998 modern 163 #20,582
1999 modern 166 #20,458
2000 modern 160 #20,903
2001 modern 152 #21,294
2002 modern 156 #21,348
2003 modern 139 #22,734
2004 modern 141 #22,689
2005 modern 126 #24,287
2006 modern 126 #24,493
2007 modern 138 #23,478
2008 modern 135 #24,123
2009 modern 131 #25,056
2010 modern 136 #25,009
2011 modern 133 #25,177
2012 modern 123 #26,561
2013 modern 129 #26,211
2014 modern 126 #26,781
2015 modern 116 #28,151
2016 modern 118 #27,873

Geography

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Where Brierlys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, Manchester, London parishes and Bury (Walmersley and Tottington, Heap),Middleton (Birtle with Bamford, Pilsworth). These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Malvern Hills, Havering, Bath and North East Somerset, Bexley and West Lancashire. 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 Rochdale Lancashire
2 Manchester Lancashire
3 Rochdale Yorkshire, West Riding
4 London parishes London 2
5 Bury (Walmersley and Tottington, Heap),Middleton (Birtle with Bamford, Pilsworth) Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Malvern Hills 010 Malvern Hills
2 Havering 018 Havering
3 Bath and North East Somerset 010 Bath and North East Somerset
4 Bexley 026 Bexley
5 West Lancashire 011 West Lancashire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Brierly

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Brierly

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

Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals

Group

Outer Suburbs

Nationally, the Brierly surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Outer Suburbs, within Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals. This does not mean every Brierly household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods are found on the outer edges of many towns and cities. Many residents were born outside the UK. Indian ethnic group representation is high. There are high numbers of families with dependent children aged 5 to 14. Incidences of disability and of provision of unpaid care are low. Neighbourhoods provide a mix of detached housing and flats, and terraced housing is not uncommon. Levels of overcrowding are low and homeownership rates are high. Professional and managerial occupations are prevalent: unemployment is low and education to degree level is the norm.

Wider pattern

Those working within the managerial, professional and administrative occupations typically reflect a wide range of ethnic groups, and reside in detached or semi-detached housing. Their residential locations at the edges of cities and conurbations and car-based lifestyles are more characteristic of Supergroup membership than birthplace or participation in child-rearing. Houses are typically owner-occupied and marriage rates are lower than the national average. This Supergroup is found throughout suburban UK.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Brierly 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

Brierly is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Brierly falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Brierly 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 Brierly, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Brierly

The surname BRIERLY originated in England and is a locational name derived from the Old English words "bri" meaning bridge and "leah" meaning a clearing or meadow. It refers to someone who lived near a bridge in a clearing or meadow. The name is also sometimes spelled BRIERLEY, BRIARLY, or BRIARLEY.

The earliest known recording of the name dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as Brierleia in the county of Lancashire. This suggests that the name originated in the area around Lancashire or Yorkshire in northern England. Other early recordings include Richard de Brierelay in the Assize Court Rolls of Lancashire in 1246 and Johannes de Bryerley in the Subsidy Rolls of Staffordshire in 1327.

The name is also associated with several place names in England, such as Brierley Hill in the West Midlands and Brierley in South Yorkshire. These place names likely derived from the same Old English roots as the surname and may have influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the name over time.

One notable bearer of the surname was Henry Brierly (1825-1886), a British artist and writer who is best known for his illustrations of Charles Dickens' novels. Another was Sir Oswald Brierly (1817-1894), a British naval officer and explorer who served as the Hydrographer of the Navy from 1867 to 1886.

Other historical figures with the surname BRIERLY include:

1. John Brierly (1786-1856), an English clockmaker and inventor from Lancashire. 2. Benjamin Brierly (1825-1896), an English landscape painter and art teacher. 3. Walter Brierly (1836-1904), a British colonial administrator who served as the Lieutenant Governor of British Guiana. 4. Arthur Brierly (1869-1949), an English cricketer who played for Warwickshire County Cricket Club. 5. Edward Brierly (1855-1912), a British trade unionist and politician who served as the Member of Parliament for Coventry from 1906 to 1910.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Brierly families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Brierly 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. Lancashire leads with 339 Brierlys recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.66x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 339 4.66x
Yorkshire 87 1.43x
Cheshire 44 3.25x
Middlesex 38 0.62x
Warwickshire 28 1.81x
Lanarkshire 9 0.45x
Nottinghamshire 9 1.09x
Derbyshire 8 0.83x
Staffordshire 8 0.39x
Kent 7 0.33x
Caernarfonshire 6 2.42x
Surrey 6 0.20x
Leicestershire 5 0.74x
Northumberland 5 0.55x
Westmorland 4 2.97x
Dorset 3 0.75x
Herefordshire 3 1.19x
Lincolnshire 3 0.31x
Montgomeryshire 3 2.14x
Shropshire 3 0.57x
Denbighshire 2 0.86x
Devon 2 0.16x
Hampshire 2 0.16x
Cumberland 1 0.19x
Northamptonshire 1 0.17x
Sussex 1 0.10x
Worcestershire 1 0.13x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Saddleworth in Yorkshire leads with 43 Brierlys recorded in 1881 and an index of 91.84x.

Place Total Index
Saddleworth 43 91.84x
Oldham 31 13.21x
Habergham Eaves 27 40.64x
Ashton Under Lyne 25 15.74x
Newchurch 24 40.36x
Pendleton In Salford 17 19.63x
St Pancras London 15 3.04x
Spotland 12 14.85x
Great Neston 11 246.64x
Manchester 11 3.37x
Blackburn 10 5.17x
Bethnal Green London 9 3.38x
Lathom 9 102.51x
Wuerdle Wardle 9 40.78x
Burnley 8 13.07x
Church Coppenhall 8 132.23x
Northowram 8 18.80x
Womersley 8 987.65x
Armley 7 26.15x
Crompton 7 33.82x
Edgbaston 7 14.61x
Middleton In Oldham 7 32.11x
Pentrich 7 129.63x
Bradfield 6 25.64x
Bury 6 7.23x
Castleton 6 8.27x
Glasgow 6 1.71x
Haslington 6 157.89x
Lewisham 6 5.38x
Scarrington 6 1363.64x
West Derby 6 2.82x
Droylsden 5 21.09x
Eccleston In Prescot 5 13.70x
Elton 5 19.91x
Farnworth 5 11.48x
Halliwell 5 18.90x
Heap 5 12.97x
Huddersfield 5 5.65x
Newcastle On Tyne St 5 10.58x
Newnham Regis 5 2000.00x
Pennington In Leigh 5 35.84x
Sharples 5 63.45x
Wolverhampton 5 3.14x
Worsley 5 11.16x
Broughton In Salford 4 6.02x
Fishwick 4 88.89x
Harbrough Magna 4 555.56x
Hurdsfield 4 48.08x
Ince In Makerfield 4 11.83x
Kirkby Lonsdale 4 109.89x
Lambeth 4 0.75x
Leicester St Margaret 4 2.42x
Preston 4 2.06x
Stretford 4 10.00x
Windle 4 9.78x
Burton Upon Trent 3 6.20x
Cheetham 3 5.53x
Dwygyfylchi 3 65.50x
Fownhope 3 136.36x
Gate Fulford 3 21.16x
Haughton 3 28.30x
Leamington Priors 3 7.89x
Mile End Old Town London 3 2.30x
New Sleaford 3 47.77x
Newtown 3 33.41x
North Meols 3 4.22x
Nottingham St Mary 3 1.40x
Prestwich 3 16.55x
Reddish 3 29.97x
Skelmersdale 3 24.77x
St Marylebone London 3 0.92x
Stockport 3 4.31x
Wem 3 38.12x
Ash Normandy 2 49.26x
Barony 2 0.40x
Church Lawford 2 357.14x
Congleton 2 8.56x
Great Bolton 2 2.08x
Salford 2 0.94x
Tottenham 2 2.05x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 41
Elizabeth 39
Sarah 28
Alice 20
Jane 18
Hannah 11
Ann 9
Eliza 8
Kate 8
Martha 8
Annie 7
Ellen 7
Maria 7
Emily 6
Emma 6
Florence 6
Margaret 6
Edith 5
Esther 5
Harriet 5
Eleanor 4
Lucy 4
Ada 3
Betty 3
Frances 3
Louisa 3
Lydia 3
Margt. 3
Susan 3
Agnes 2
Amelia 2
Caroline 2
Charlotte 2
Clara 2
Fanny 2
Louise 2
Maggie 2
Nancy 2
Susannah 2
Amy 1
Betsy 1
Bety 1
Elizeth. 1
Elizth. 1
Ellin 1
Janet 1
Jemima 1
Jessie 1
Julia 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 35
William 35
Joseph 20
George 18
James 18
Henry 14
Charles 9
Samuel 9
Thomas 8
Robert 7
Edward 6
Albert 5
Alfred 5
Arthur 4
Benjamin 4
Edwin 4
Moses 4
Frank 3
Harry 3
Herbert 3
Richard 3
Walter 3
Abraham 2
Daniel 2
Elliot 2
Ernest 2
Frederick 2
Leonard 2
Luke 2
Tom 2
Alonza 1
Arnold 1
August 1
Charlotte 1
Eustace 1
Fred 1
Frederic 1
Fredk.W. 1
Geoffrey 1
Handel 1
Jackson 1
Jessie 1
Job 1
Jonathan 1
Josh.H. 1
Keppel 1
Levi 1
Major 1
Mary 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Brierly surname: questions and answers

How common was the Brierly surname in 1881?

In 1881, 628 people were recorded with the Brierly surname. That placed it at #5,639 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Brierly surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 118 in 2016. That gives Brierly a modern rank of #27,873.

What does the Brierly surname mean?

An English surname derived from a place name meaning "clearing or pasture where briers or brambles grow".

What does the Brierly map show?

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