NameCensus.

UK surname

Brindle

A surname referring to a person with a dark complexion or streaked or spotted hair or skin.

In the 1881 census there were 2,155 people recorded with the Brindle surname, ranking it #2,063 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,252, ranked #2,887, down from #2,063 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Preston, Bolton-le-Moors and Blackburn. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Blackburn with Darwen, Bolton and Chorley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Brindle is 2,761 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 4.5%.

1881 census count

2,155

Ranked #2,063

Modern count

2,252

2016, ranked #2,887

Peak year

1911

2,761 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Brindle had 2,155 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,063 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,252 in 2016, ranked #2,887.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,761 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Brindle surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Brindle surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Brindle 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 1,325 #2,167
1861 historical 1,327 #2,159
1881 historical 2,155 #2,063
1891 historical 2,260 #2,067
1901 historical 2,654 #2,083
1911 historical 2,761 #1,880
1997 modern 2,349 #2,657
1998 modern 2,417 #2,684
1999 modern 2,406 #2,718
2000 modern 2,393 #2,715
2001 modern 2,375 #2,683
2002 modern 2,361 #2,743
2003 modern 2,284 #2,769
2004 modern 2,239 #2,826
2005 modern 2,232 #2,798
2006 modern 2,191 #2,850
2007 modern 2,223 #2,834
2008 modern 2,237 #2,843
2009 modern 2,285 #2,853
2010 modern 2,303 #2,893
2011 modern 2,278 #2,880
2012 modern 2,202 #2,915
2013 modern 2,249 #2,909
2014 modern 2,263 #2,912
2015 modern 2,263 #2,880
2016 modern 2,252 #2,887

Geography

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Where Brindles are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Preston, Bolton-le-Moors, Blackburn and Chorley. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Blackburn with Darwen, Bolton and Chorley. 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 Preston Lancashire
2 Bolton-le-Moors Lancashire
3 Blackburn Lancashire
4 Chorley Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Blackburn with Darwen 009 Blackburn with Darwen
2 Bolton 001 Bolton
3 Blackburn with Darwen 014 Blackburn with Darwen
4 Blackburn with Darwen 012 Blackburn with Darwen
5 Chorley 008 Chorley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Brindle

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Brindle

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Brindle surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Brindle household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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, Brindle 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

Brindle is most concentrated in decile 2 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Brindle 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 Brindle is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Brindle

The surname Brindle originated in England, deriving from the Old English word "brin" meaning brown or dusky, and "dell" meaning a valley or hollow. It likely referred to someone who lived in a brown-colored valley or a valley with a dusky appearance.

The name Brindle can be traced back to the 13th century in Lancashire, England, where it was first recorded as a place name. The earliest known record of the surname Brindle is found in the Assize Rolls of Lancashire in 1246, where a Robert de Brindill was mentioned.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, the area now known as Brindle is referred to as "Burnhull," which may have been an early variation of the name. This suggests that the name's origins date back to at least the 11th century.

One of the earliest known bearers of the surname was John de Bryndyll, who was listed in the Wills at Chester in 1392. Another early record is of Richard de Bryndyll, who was mentioned in the Lancashire Fines in 1395.

Notable individuals with the surname Brindle throughout history include William Brindle (1604-1665), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Master of Pembroke College, Cambridge. Thomas Brindle (1621-1661) was an English Catholic priest and martyr who was executed during the reign of Charles II.

In the 18th century, John Brindle (1733-1805) was a renowned English mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the study of lunar theory. James Brindle (1774-1858) was a British artist known for his landscape paintings and portraits.

Moving into the 19th century, John Brindle (1819-1875) was a prominent English engineer and inventor who patented several improvements to steam engines and railway locomotives.

These examples illustrate the long history and varied accomplishments of individuals bearing the surname Brindle, originating from the brown-colored valleys of Lancashire, England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Brindle families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Brindle 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 1,715 Brindles recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.89x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 1,715 6.89x
Yorkshire 67 0.32x
Gloucestershire 62 1.51x
Surrey 58 0.57x
Middlesex 56 0.27x
Cheshire 25 0.54x
Warwickshire 25 0.47x
Essex 21 0.51x
Cumberland 19 1.05x
Derbyshire 18 0.55x
Anglesey 9 2.42x
Durham 8 0.13x
Staffordshire 8 0.11x
Hampshire 7 0.16x
Sussex 6 0.17x
Kent 4 0.06x
Midlothian 4 0.14x
Oxfordshire 4 0.31x
Monmouthshire 3 0.20x
Norfolk 3 0.09x
Northumberland 3 0.10x
Nottinghamshire 3 0.11x
Suffolk 3 0.12x
Wiltshire 3 0.16x
Worcestershire 3 0.11x
Devon 2 0.05x
Hertfordshire 2 0.14x
Lanarkshire 2 0.03x
Royal Navy 2 0.80x
Berkshire 1 0.06x
Glamorgan 1 0.03x
Lincolnshire 1 0.03x
Selkirkshire 1 0.53x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Blackburn in Lancashire leads with 196 Brindles recorded in 1881 and an index of 29.61x.

Place Total Index
Blackburn 196 29.61x
Chorley 158 113.20x
Preston 144 21.64x
Little Bolton 86 26.89x
Over Darwen 76 38.25x
Great Bolton 52 15.78x
Accrington 50 22.11x
Withnell 48 314.55x
Oswaldtwistle 45 51.20x
Wigan 43 12.37x
Oldham 41 5.11x
Walton Le Dale 38 56.85x
Westhoughton 33 49.71x
Lower Darwen 31 94.95x
Leyland 30 69.32x
Salford 29 3.96x
Livesey 27 61.84x
Walmersley Cum 23 57.86x
Wheelton 23 206.65x
Birmingham 21 1.19x
Halliwell 17 18.78x
Holy Trinity 17 3.40x
Ashton In Makerfield 16 22.59x
Farnworth 16 10.74x
Islington London 16 0.79x
Rishton 16 54.83x
Bibury 15 302.42x
Edgeworth 15 112.28x
Liverpool 15 0.99x
Lostock 15 267.38x
Tockholes 15 423.73x
Walton On Hill 14 10.39x
Adlington 13 55.82x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 13 3.36x
West Derby 13 1.79x
Westleigh 13 23.01x
Everton 12 1.51x
Lambeth 12 0.66x
Sharples 12 44.48x
Battersea 11 1.43x
Glossop Dale 11 7.16x
Ince In Makerfield 11 9.50x
Manchester 11 0.98x
Tonge With Haulgh 11 22.72x
Atherton 10 11.04x
Chorlton On Medlock 10 2.53x
Church 10 28.47x
Hornsey 10 3.77x
Litherland 10 19.23x
Pendleton In Salford 10 3.37x
Shevington 10 87.95x
Tottington Lower End 10 8.46x
Amlwch 9 25.74x
Bourton On The Water 9 107.53x
Bury 9 3.17x
Hindley 9 8.49x
Newington 9 1.16x
Osbaldeston 9 810.81x
Southwark St George Martyr 9 2.13x
Sutton 9 38.02x
Dewsbury 8 3.76x
Hipperholme Cum 8 8.76x
South Weald 8 22.57x
Stretford 8 5.85x
Yate Pickup Bank 8 162.27x
Bedford 7 13.45x
Disley Stanley 7 29.39x
Eccleston In Prescot 7 5.61x
Fairford 7 63.75x
Great Mollington 7 411.76x
Penwortham 7 59.42x
Tottington Higher End 7 24.72x
Toxteth Park 7 0.83x
Billington 6 59.11x
Bootle Cum Linacre 6 3.04x
Clayton Le Woods 6 258.62x
Elton 6 6.98x
Hammersmith London 6 1.16x
Radcliffe 6 5.00x
Whitehaven 6 6.24x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 182
Elizabeth 97
Alice 78
Ann 63
Sarah 62
Ellen 61
Jane 57
Margaret 51
Annie 22
Hannah 21
Maria 18
Eliza 17
Isabella 16
Emma 14
Martha 14
Agnes 13
Catherine 12
Emily 12
Esther 12
Ada 10
Betty 10
Nancy 10
Betsy 9
Harriet 9
Charlotte 8
Fanny 8
Kate 8
Edith 7
Lucy 7
Lydia 7
Margt. 7
Elizth. 6
Susannah 6
Amelia 5
Eliz. 5
Florence 5
Frances 4
Louisa 4
Margret 4
Rachel 4
Amy 3
Dinah 3
Eleanor 3
Harriett 3
Nelly 3
Rose 3
Sophia 3
Bertha 2
Clarisa 2
M. 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 145
William 127
James 122
Thomas 115
George 55
Joseph 43
Robert 43
Richard 33
Henry 32
Arthur 16
Edward 15
Peter 15
Ralph 13
Alfred 12
Frederick 12
Adam 11
Charles 11
Wm. 10
Harry 9
Samuel 8
Ernest 7
Albert 6
David 6
Hugh 6
Moses 6
Walter 6
Herbert 5
Timothy 5
Benjamin 4
Edwin 4
Francis 4
Isaac 4
Nathan 4
Thos. 4
Alexander 3
Daniel 3
Edmund 3
Frank 3
Fred 3
J. 3
Matthew 3
Robt. 3
Tom 3
Carter 2
Geo. 2
Harold 2
Michael 2
Reuben 2
Richd. 2
Simeon 2

FAQ

Brindle surname: questions and answers

How common was the Brindle surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,155 people were recorded with the Brindle surname. That placed it at #2,063 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Brindle surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,252 in 2016. That gives Brindle a modern rank of #2,887.

What does the Brindle surname mean?

A surname referring to a person with a dark complexion or streaked or spotted hair or skin.

What does the Brindle map show?

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