NameCensus.

UK surname

Brinkworth

A surname derived from an English place name meaning "dweller by the brink or edge of a stream".

In the 1881 census there were 632 people recorded with the Brinkworth surname, ranking it #5,612 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 632, ranked #8,362, down from #5,612 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Horsley, Minchinhampton and King Stanley. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Stratford-on-Avon, Stroud and Wiltshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Brinkworth is 877 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 0.0%.

1881 census count

632

Ranked #5,612

Modern count

632

2016, ranked #8,362

Peak year

1911

877 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Brinkworth had 632 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,612 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 632 in 2016, ranked #8,362.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 877 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Brinkworth surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Brinkworth surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Brinkworth 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 444 #5,543
1861 historical 444 #5,826
1881 historical 632 #5,612
1891 historical 678 #5,761
1901 historical 815 #5,539
1911 historical 877 #5,075
1997 modern 639 #7,763
1998 modern 676 #7,680
1999 modern 688 #7,618
2000 modern 661 #7,833
2001 modern 651 #7,785
2002 modern 655 #7,896
2003 modern 625 #8,060
2004 modern 618 #8,164
2005 modern 604 #8,238
2006 modern 616 #8,117
2007 modern 600 #8,358
2008 modern 615 #8,252
2009 modern 627 #8,307
2010 modern 628 #8,485
2011 modern 627 #8,394
2012 modern 635 #8,220
2013 modern 646 #8,252
2014 modern 647 #8,289
2015 modern 638 #8,317
2016 modern 632 #8,362

Geography

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Where Brinkworths are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Horsley, Minchinhampton, King Stanley, Pewsham, Chippenham, Langley Burrell, Hardenhuish, Kington, Slaughterford, Biddestone St Nicholas an and Stroud, Whaddon, Longney, Brookthorpe, Harescombe, Haresfield, Standish, Moreton Valence, Saul, Fret. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Stratford-on-Avon, Stroud, Wiltshire, Neath Port Talbot and Cardiff. 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 Horsley Gloucestershire
2 Minchinhampton Gloucestershire
3 King Stanley Gloucestershire
4 Pewsham, Chippenham, Langley Burrell, Hardenhuish, Kington, Slaughterford, Biddestone St Nicholas an Wiltshire
5 Stroud, Whaddon, Longney, Brookthorpe, Harescombe, Haresfield, Standish, Moreton Valence, Saul, Fret Gloucestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Stratford-on-Avon 002 Stratford-on-Avon
2 Stroud 011 Stroud
3 Wiltshire 019 Wiltshire
4 Neath Port Talbot 008 Neath Port Talbot
5 Cardiff 004 Cardiff

Forenames

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First names often paired with Brinkworth

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Brinkworth

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

Ageing Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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, Brinkworth 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

Brinkworth 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

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

Meaning and origin of Brinkworth

The surname Brinkworth has its origins in England, tracing back to the medieval period. It is believed to be a locational name, derived from the village of Brinkworth in Wiltshire, situated near Malmesbury. The name itself is composed of two Old English elements: "brinc," meaning a brink or slope, and "worth," which signifies an enclosure or homestead. Thus, Brinkworth likely referred to a settlement located on a slope or hillside.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Brinkworth can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is spelled as "Brinchwrde." This valuable historical record provides insights into the distribution of land and population in England during the Norman Conquest.

In the 13th century, records show a Robert de Brinkworth, who was a landowner and nobleman in Wiltshire. This indicates that the name had already become established as a surname by this time.

During the 14th century, the surname underwent various spelling variations, including Brinkworth, Brynkeworth, and Brynworth. This was a common occurrence in the medieval period, as surnames were often recorded phonetically by scribes.

One notable figure bearing the Brinkworth surname was John Brinkworth, a merchant and alderman in the city of Bristol in the late 15th century. He played a significant role in the city's trade and governance during that era.

In the 16th century, the Brinkworth family expanded their influence, with members holding positions of authority in various parts of England. Thomas Brinkworth (1501-1568) was a prominent lawyer and Member of Parliament for Wiltshire, while William Brinkworth (1525-1597) served as the Sheriff of Wiltshire in 1574.

The 17th century saw the emergence of another notable Brinkworth, Sir John Brinkworth (1619-1687), who was a successful merchant and philanthropist in London. He contributed generously to the establishment of several charitable institutions in the city.

As the centuries progressed, the Brinkworth surname continued to spread across England and eventually to other parts of the world, carried by emigrants and settlers seeking new opportunities.

Among the more recent historical figures bearing the Brinkworth name was Sir Edward Brinkworth (1875-1951), a British engineer and inventor who made significant contributions to the development of the internal combustion engine and automotive technology.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Brinkworth families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Brinkworth 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. Gloucestershire leads with 183 Brinkworths recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.06x.

County Total Index
Gloucestershire 183 15.06x
Wiltshire 108 19.72x
Warwickshire 83 5.31x
Middlesex 71 1.15x
Somerset 65 6.52x
Staffordshire 30 1.43x
Monmouthshire 24 5.36x
Berkshire 14 3.01x
Surrey 14 0.46x
Nottinghamshire 12 1.44x
Lancashire 11 0.15x
Sussex 5 0.48x
Glamorgan 4 0.37x
Kent 4 0.19x
Hampshire 3 0.24x
Cumberland 2 0.38x
Herefordshire 1 0.39x
Royal Navy 1 1.35x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stroud in Gloucestershire leads with 44 Brinkworths recorded in 1881 and an index of 186.13x.

Place Total Index
Stroud 44 186.13x
Birmingham 36 6.92x
Aston 32 7.44x
Lyncombe Widcombe 27 103.41x
Calne 23 203.90x
Chippenham 22 191.47x
Kingstanley 19 423.16x
Horsley 18 334.57x
Avening 12 279.72x
Laycock 12 483.87x
Rugeley 12 80.00x
Trowbridge 11 45.44x
Chelsea London 10 5.36x
Corsham 10 125.16x
Nottingham St Mary 10 4.63x
Lambeth 9 1.67x
Llanvihangel Llantarnam 9 105.39x
Randwick 9 376.57x
Shoreditch London 9 3.35x
Batheaston 8 234.60x
Cheltenham 8 8.54x
Coventry Holy Trinity 8 17.15x
Frampton On Severn 8 390.24x
Reading St Mary 8 21.48x
St Pancras London 8 1.60x
Berkeley 7 103.55x
Bristol St Paul In 7 21.63x
Gloucester Barton St Mary 7 31.49x
Hackney London 7 2.02x
Minchinhampton 7 72.31x
Taunton St Mary 7 38.25x
Whitechapel London 7 11.46x
Bathwick 6 54.40x
Burslem 6 10.02x
Langley Burrell 6 263.16x
Llanvihangel Pontymoile 6 759.49x
Reading St Giles 6 13.15x
Stonehouse 6 86.96x
Swindon 6 14.12x
Wolverhampton 6 3.73x
Bathford 5 243.90x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 5 4.37x
Fulham London 5 5.57x
Liverpool 5 1.12x
Llanover 5 32.70x
Pilton 5 210.08x
St Marylebone London 5 1.51x
Acton 4 11.02x
Devizes St Mary 4 72.20x
Leamington Priors 4 10.41x
Neath 4 18.22x
Arlingham 3 225.56x
Berkeley Hamfallow 3 136.36x
Clifton 3 4.88x
Kensington London 3 0.87x
Kington Langley 3 247.93x
Manchester 3 0.91x
Over Darwen 3 5.11x
Paddington London 3 1.32x
Painswick 3 34.92x
Pewsham 3 370.37x
Saul 3 236.22x
Stoke Upon Trent 3 1.35x
Sutton Benger 3 400.00x
Churchdown 2 82.64x
Croydon 2 1.19x
Edmonton 2 4.01x
Hunsonby Winskill 2 333.33x
Newport 2 29.03x
Ore 2 25.74x
Radford 2 4.72x
St George Bloomsbury 2 5.63x
St Martin In Fields 2 5.39x
St Woollos 2 4.00x
Streatham 2 4.35x
Sutton Coldfield 2 12.18x
Walcot 2 3.77x
Winterbourne 2 29.81x
Edgbaston 1 2.06x
Gloucester Kingsholm St 1 22.08x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 34
Sarah 28
Elizabeth 22
Ellen 20
Eliza 14
Emily 12
Annie 11
Jane 10
Caroline 9
Emma 8
Clara 7
Maria 7
Alice 6
Fanny 6
Hannah 6
Catherine 5
Edith 5
Florence 5
Kate 5
Susan 5
Bessie 4
Charlotte 4
Lucy 4
Matilda 4
Agnes 3
Isabella 3
Louisa 3
Margaret 3
Ada 2
Amelia 2
Anne 2
Frances 2
Harriet 2
Laura 2
Lilian 2
Lily 2
Martha 2
Minnie 2
Miriam 2
Rebecca 2
Rosa 2
Amy 1
Blanch 1
Carlinn 1
Elizth.Blair 1
Esther 1
Ethel 1
Kathleen 1
Kesiah 1
Winnifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 33
George 29
John 28
Thomas 19
Charles 17
James 15
Henry 12
Albert 10
Frederick 9
Joseph 9
Harry 8
Arthur 7
Alfred 6
Walter 6
Edward 5
Edwin 5
Isaac 5
Samuel 5
Robert 4
Ernest 3
Frank 3
Herbert 3
Sidney 3
Tom 3
Benjamin 2
Chas. 2
Daniel 2
Enoch 2
Fredrick 2
Hy. 2
Jacob 2
Peter 2
Philip 2
Richard 2
W.H. 2
Wm. 2
Arther 1
David 1
Edmond 1
G.E. 1
Harold 1
Henery 1
Leofwin 1
Lewis 1
Mark 1
Michael 1
N.S. 1
Nathaniel 1
Noah 1
Wm.Ewart 1

FAQ

Brinkworth surname: questions and answers

How common was the Brinkworth surname in 1881?

In 1881, 632 people were recorded with the Brinkworth surname. That placed it at #5,612 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Brinkworth surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 632 in 2016. That gives Brinkworth a modern rank of #8,362.

What does the Brinkworth surname mean?

A surname derived from an English place name meaning "dweller by the brink or edge of a stream".

What does the Brinkworth map show?

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