NameCensus.

UK surname

Brissenden

A locational surname derived from a place name in Kent, England.

In the 1881 census there were 170 people recorded with the Brissenden surname, ranking it #14,265 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 140, ranked #24,865, down from #14,265 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Warehorne, Orlestone, Ticehurst and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Swale, Hertsmere and Ashford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Brissenden is 230 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 17.6%.

1881 census count

170

Ranked #14,265

Modern count

140

2016, ranked #24,865

Peak year

1901

230 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Brissenden had 170 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,265 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 140 in 2016, ranked #24,865.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 230 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Brissenden surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Brissenden surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Brissenden 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 153 #12,721
1861 historical 111 #19,429
1881 historical 170 #14,265
1891 historical 211 #14,366
1901 historical 230 #13,851
1911 historical 217 #14,214
1997 modern 157 #20,513
1998 modern 155 #21,227
1999 modern 151 #21,740
2000 modern 146 #22,170
2001 modern 145 #21,951
2002 modern 160 #21,011
2003 modern 147 #21,977
2004 modern 147 #22,094
2005 modern 139 #22,887
2006 modern 136 #23,378
2007 modern 134 #23,931
2008 modern 139 #23,635
2009 modern 141 #23,907
2010 modern 144 #24,147
2011 modern 142 #24,182
2012 modern 148 #23,457
2013 modern 151 #23,529
2014 modern 147 #24,177
2015 modern 141 #24,723
2016 modern 140 #24,865

Geography

Back to top

Where Brissendens are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Warehorne, Orlestone, Ticehurst, London parishes, Ashford and Hythe St Leonard, Cheriton, Newington, Saltwood, West Hythe, Burmarsh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Swale, Hertsmere and Ashford. 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 Warehorne, Orlestone Kent
2 Ticehurst Sussex
3 London parishes London 3
4 Ashford Kent
5 Hythe St Leonard, Cheriton, Newington, Saltwood, West Hythe, Burmarsh Kent

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Swale 007 Swale
2 Swale 011 Swale
3 Swale 013 Swale
4 Hertsmere 001 Hertsmere
5 Ashford 013 Ashford

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Brissenden

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Brissenden

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Brissenden is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, 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

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

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

Brissenden is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Brissenden falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Brissenden

The surname Brissenden is an English toponymic name originating from the village of Brissenden in Kent. The name can be traced back to the late 12th century, derived from the Old English words "brycg" meaning bridge and "denu" meaning valley, thus referring to a location near a bridge in a valley.

Early records show variations in spelling such as Brisenden, Brissyngdene, and Brysyndene. One of the earliest documented instances of this surname appears in the Pipe Rolls of Sussex in 1230, where a William de Brissenden is mentioned.

The Brissenden family held land and properties in Kent for several centuries. They are mentioned in various historical documents, including the Feet of Fines for Kent in 1319, which records a land transaction involving John de Brissenden.

In the 14th century, a branch of the family settled in the neighboring county of Sussex, where they became influential landowners. The Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1332 list a Robert de Brissenden as a taxpayer.

Notable individuals with the surname Brissenden include William Brissenden (c. 1520 - 1575), a wealthy merchant and landowner in Kent who served as a Member of Parliament for Canterbury in 1571. Another prominent figure was Sir John Brissenden (1595 - 1677), a lawyer and judge who served as a Justice of the King's Bench during the English Civil War.

In the 18th century, the Brissenden family continued to hold significant influence in Kent. Edward Brissenden (1723 - 1805) was a prominent landowner and magistrate, while his son, also named Edward Brissenden (1753 - 1818), served as the High Sheriff of Kent in 1795.

The name Brissenden is also found in historical records in other parts of England, such as Gloucestershire and Wiltshire, suggesting that branches of the family may have migrated from Kent over time.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Brissenden families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Brissenden 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. Kent leads with 123 Brissendens recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.74x.

County Total Index
Kent 123 21.74x
Sussex 18 6.44x
Surrey 10 1.24x
Essex 9 2.75x
Middlesex 8 0.48x
Durham 2 0.41x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Maidstone in Kent leads with 31 Brissendens recorded in 1881 and an index of 183.98x.

Place Total Index
Maidstone 31 183.98x
Preston Next Faversham 12 902.26x
Ashford 11 199.64x
Cheriton 11 476.19x
Minster In Sheppey 8 85.38x
Newington 6 9.80x
Orlestone 6 2608.70x
Ticehurst 6 350.88x
Wadhurst 6 326.09x
Willesborough 6 394.74x
Pluckley 5 961.54x
Walthamstow 5 42.44x
Colchester St Peter 4 305.34x
Goudhurst 4 254.78x
Hackney London 4 4.30x
Lewisham 4 13.26x
Ore 4 192.31x
Folkestone 3 27.35x
Sittingbourne 3 67.11x
Bishopwearmouth 2 4.72x
Brenchley 2 99.01x
Charlton 2 53.19x
Gillingham 2 17.15x
Kingsnorth 2 571.43x
Lambeth 2 1.38x
Loose 2 240.96x
New Brentford 2 229.89x
Tonbridge 2 9.80x
Bearsted 1 294.12x
Bethersden 1 172.41x
Brighton 1 1.77x
Chatham 1 6.43x
Cheam 1 116.28x
Frant 1 50.51x
Kensington London 1 1.08x
Kidbrooke 1 312.50x
New Romney 1 172.41x
Ratcliffe London 1 10.92x
Swanscombe 1 39.37x
Teynham 1 98.04x
Wimbledon 1 11.03x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 10
William 8
James 7
George 5
Thomas 5
Alfred 4
Charles 4
Edward 4
Albert 3
Arthur 2
Henry 2
Horace 2
Richard 2
Robert 2
Stephen 2
Walter 2
Adolphus 1
D.C. 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Frederic 1
Giles 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
Leonard 1
Lewis 1
Maurice 1
Sydney 1
Willm. 1

FAQ

Brissenden surname: questions and answers

How common was the Brissenden surname in 1881?

In 1881, 170 people were recorded with the Brissenden surname. That placed it at #14,265 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Brissenden surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 140 in 2016. That gives Brissenden a modern rank of #24,865.

What does the Brissenden surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place name in Kent, England.

What does the Brissenden map show?

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