NameCensus.

UK surname

Briers

Referring to one who lived near or among thorny bushes.

In the 1881 census there were 563 people recorded with the Briers surname, ranking it #6,155 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,079, ranked #5,412, up from #6,155 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ibstock, Sheepshead and Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Leicester, St. Helens and North West Leicestershire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Briers is 1,196 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 91.7%.

1881 census count

563

Ranked #6,155

Modern count

1,079

2016, ranked #5,412

Peak year

1999

1,196 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Briers had 563 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,155 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,079 in 2016, ranked #5,412.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 984 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Briers surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Briers surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Briers 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 326 #7,136
1861 historical 256 #9,667
1881 historical 563 #6,155
1891 historical 632 #6,123
1901 historical 783 #5,742
1911 historical 984 #4,603
1997 modern 1,145 #4,901
1998 modern 1,178 #4,959
1999 modern 1,196 #4,944
2000 modern 1,183 #4,969
2001 modern 1,164 #4,946
2002 modern 1,158 #5,068
2003 modern 1,114 #5,119
2004 modern 1,130 #5,072
2005 modern 1,102 #5,118
2006 modern 1,102 #5,137
2007 modern 1,115 #5,125
2008 modern 1,145 #5,039
2009 modern 1,164 #5,075
2010 modern 1,186 #5,099
2011 modern 1,154 #5,168
2012 modern 1,083 #5,358
2013 modern 1,095 #5,393
2014 modern 1,091 #5,440
2015 modern 1,074 #5,456
2016 modern 1,079 #5,412

Geography

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Where Briers' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ibstock, Sheepshead, Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars, London parishes and Finchley. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Leicester, St. Helens and North West Leicestershire. 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 Ibstock Leicestershire
2 Sheepshead Leicestershire
3 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire
4 London parishes London 2
5 Finchley Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Leicester 035 Leicester
2 St. Helens 004 St. Helens
3 St. Helens 008 St. Helens
4 North West Leicestershire 009 North West Leicestershire
5 North West Leicestershire 007 North West Leicestershire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Briers

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Briers

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Young Families in Industrial Towns

Nationally, the Briers surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Briers 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 house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Briers is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Briers is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Briers falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Briers

The surname BRIERS has its origins in England, dating back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English word "brer," meaning a prickly bush or bramble. This suggests that the name may have initially been a descriptive one, referring to someone who lived near or was associated with a briar patch or thicket.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is found in the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire from 1273, which mentions a William de Breres. The "de" prefix indicates a place of origin, possibly a location with a name derived from the word "breres" (briars).

In the 14th century, the surname appears in various forms, such as Breres, Brerys, and Breris, reflecting the evolution of spelling and pronunciation over time. The Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire from 1379 list a John Breres, while the Poll Tax Returns of 1381 include a William Brerys from Cambridgeshire.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the surname BRIERS became more established, with records showing its presence in various parts of England. For example, the Parish Registers of Wiltshire from the late 16th century mention a Thomas Briers, while the Hearth Tax Returns of 1664 list a John Briers in Nottinghamshire.

Notable individuals with the surname BRIERS include:

1. Richard Briers (1934-2013), an English actor best known for his roles in television shows like "The Good Life" and "Ever Decreasing Circles." 2. William Briers (1770-1828), an English portrait painter and engraver who worked in London during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. 3. James Briers (1793-1875), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars and later became a prominent writer and historian. 4. Elizabeth Briers (1769-1828), an English poet and writer who published several works in the early 19th century, including "The Rural Muse" and "The Forest Minstrel." 5. John Briers (1560-1622), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Master of Peterhouse, Cambridge University, in the early 17th century.

While the surname BRIERS is not among the most common in England, it has a long and interesting history, with roots dating back to the medieval period and associations with various notable figures throughout the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Briers families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Briers 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 216 Briers' recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.31x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 216 3.31x
Leicestershire 110 18.03x
Middlesex 75 1.36x
Hertfordshire 50 13.19x
Derbyshire 24 2.79x
Bedfordshire 18 6.32x
Yorkshire 18 0.33x
Surrey 9 0.34x
Buckinghamshire 8 2.41x
Huntingdonshire 7 6.41x
Kent 6 0.32x
Somerset 6 0.68x
Hampshire 5 0.44x
Midlothian 5 0.68x
Durham 2 0.12x
Dunbartonshire 1 0.68x
Essex 1 0.09x
Isle of Man 1 0.98x
Royal Navy 1 1.53x
Staffordshire 1 0.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Leicester St Margaret in Leicestershire leads with 39 Briers' recorded in 1881 and an index of 26.22x.

Place Total Index
Leicester St Margaret 39 26.22x
Parr 37 158.39x
Sutton 36 164.46x
Sheepshed 32 382.78x
Halewood 23 657.14x
Little Staughton 18 2045.45x
Chipping Barnet 15 226.24x
Melbourne 15 254.67x
East Barnet 13 172.87x
Windle 13 35.39x
Islington London 12 2.25x
Wheelton 12 410.96x
South Mimms 11 145.89x
St Pancras London 11 2.48x
Whitwick 10 128.87x
Bermondsey 8 4.88x
Charnock Richard 8 620.16x
Clayton Cum Frickley 8 1333.33x
Finchley 8 37.93x
Hulme 8 5.87x
Lytham 8 80.24x
Chelsea London 7 4.22x
Hemingford Grey 7 419.16x
Whittle Le Woods 7 324.07x
Wigston Magna 7 86.53x
Aylesbury 6 40.71x
Eccleston In Prescot 6 18.31x
Hampstead London 6 7.00x
Hugglescote 6 66.89x
Manchester 6 2.04x
Newton 6 11.92x
Ridge 6 789.47x
Stoke Under Hambdon 6 206.19x
Wigan 6 6.58x
Inveresk 5 25.06x
Shenley 5 200.00x
Shoreditch London 5 2.10x
Totteridge 5 420.17x
Whittington 5 41.95x
Widnes 5 10.62x
Layton With Warbreck 4 16.69x
Withington 4 19.02x
Blackburn 3 1.73x
Chipping Barnet 3 208.33x
Deptford St Paul 3 2.07x
Elstree 3 240.00x
Leicester St Leonard 3 51.99x
Leicester St Mary 3 6.09x
Mickleover 3 112.78x
Narborough 3 179.64x
Portsea 3 1.36x
Rochdale 3 63.03x
Warrington 3 3.88x
Westleigh 3 20.24x
Anglezarke 2 1052.63x
Blaby 2 81.30x
Clerkenwell London 2 1.54x
Edmonton 2 4.51x
Greenwich 2 2.28x
Hackney London 2 0.65x
Huddersfield 2 2.52x
Kirkdale 2 1.82x
Leicester All Sts 2 16.69x
Openshaw 2 6.54x
Pendleton In Salford 2 2.57x
Sheffield 2 1.15x
West Derby 2 1.05x
Bethnal Green London 1 0.42x
Bishopwearmouth 1 0.71x
Burslem 1 1.88x
Chatham 1 1.94x
Cosby 1 52.91x
Croydon 1 0.67x
Fawley 1 27.93x
Hertford All Saints 1 47.17x
Ormesby 1 6.83x
Orrell 1 12.32x
Royal Navy 1 1.78x
Swinton In Rotherham 1 6.93x
Wycombe 1 4.03x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 33
Elizabeth 31
Sarah 23
Ann 17
Ellen 13
Jane 11
Martha 10
Margaret 9
Alice 8
Eliza 8
Emily 8
Hannah 8
Emma 6
Ada 5
Kate 5
Louisa 5
Annie 4
Clara 4
Frances 4
Maria 4
Harriet 3
Helen 3
Rachel 3
Charlotte 2
Lucy 2
Susan 2
Sushannah 2
Amelia 1
Amy 1
Bertha 1
Betsy 1
Bridgett 1
Caroline 1
Elizth. 1
Esther 1
Ethel 1
Eugenie 1
Eva 1
Florence 1
Francis 1
Henrietta 1
Jennie 1
John 1
Josephine 1
Julia 1
Lavinia 1
Leah 1
Lenna 1
Lydia 1
Winefred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 48
William 31
James 21
Thomas 21
George 17
Joseph 16
Samuel 12
Henry 10
Frederick 9
Robert 9
Alfred 7
Arthur 6
Charles 5
Harry 5
Benjamin 4
Frank 4
Michael 4
Richard 4
Walter 4
Ernest 3
Albert 2
Edward 2
Edwin 2
Herbert 2
Sam 2
Saurin 2
Wm. 2
Arther 1
Christopher 1
David 1
Earnest 1
Edmund 1
Eli 1
Enoch 1
Ephraim 1
Fred 1
Geo.W. 1
Isaac 1
Jabez 1
Jno.Jas. 1
Jos. 1
Josh. 1
Leonard 1
Maragret 1
Moses 1
Philip 1
T. 1
Thos. 1
Tom 1
W. 1

FAQ

Briers surname: questions and answers

How common was the Briers surname in 1881?

In 1881, 563 people were recorded with the Briers surname. That placed it at #6,155 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Briers surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,079 in 2016. That gives Briers a modern rank of #5,412.

What does the Briers surname mean?

Referring to one who lived near or among thorny bushes.

What does the Briers map show?

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