NameCensus.

UK surname

Bristow

An English habitational surname derived from places meaning "the place where bristles are made or sold."

In the 1881 census there were 4,049 people recorded with the Bristow surname, ranking it #1,116 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 6,121, ranked #1,106, up from #1,116 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Pancras and Lambeth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Sevenoaks, South Holland and North Kesteven.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bristow is 6,781 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 51.2%.

1881 census count

4,049

Ranked #1,116

Modern count

6,121

2016, ranked #1,106

Peak year

1999

6,781 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bristow had 4,049 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,116 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 6,121 in 2016, ranked #1,106.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 5,887 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Bristow surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bristow surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bristow 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 2,230 #1,317
1861 historical 1,786 #1,623
1881 historical 4,049 #1,116
1891 historical 3,700 #1,290
1901 historical 5,159 #1,088
1911 historical 5,887 #879
1997 modern 6,483 #1,002
1998 modern 6,767 #998
1999 modern 6,781 #1,005
2000 modern 6,713 #1,005
2001 modern 6,535 #1,013
2002 modern 6,639 #1,023
2003 modern 6,490 #1,023
2004 modern 6,460 #1,032
2005 modern 6,248 #1,055
2006 modern 6,163 #1,063
2007 modern 6,156 #1,072
2008 modern 6,180 #1,072
2009 modern 6,265 #1,083
2010 modern 6,391 #1,088
2011 modern 6,302 #1,088
2012 modern 6,140 #1,092
2013 modern 6,237 #1,097
2014 modern 6,308 #1,089
2015 modern 6,185 #1,100
2016 modern 6,121 #1,106

Geography

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Where Bristows are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Pancras, Lambeth and Croydon, Battersea (Penge), Sanderstead. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Sevenoaks, South Holland, North Kesteven and East Riding of Yorkshire. 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 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 St Pancras London (North Districts)
4 Lambeth London (South Districts)
5 Croydon, Battersea (Penge), Sanderstead Surrey

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Sevenoaks 002 Sevenoaks
2 South Holland 001 South Holland
3 North Kesteven 010 North Kesteven
4 East Riding of Yorkshire 041 East Riding of Yorkshire
5 East Riding of Yorkshire 037 East Riding of Yorkshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bristow

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bristow

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Bristow is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, 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

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

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

Bristow 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

Bristow falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Bristow

The surname Bristow originated in England, dating back to the Anglo-Saxon period before the Norman Conquest of 1066. It is a locational name derived from the Old English words "bri" meaning "bridge" and "stow" meaning "place" or "town". Thus, Bristow refers to a place near a bridge or a settlement located by a bridge.

Bristow is believed to have emerged as a surname in the southwestern counties of England, particularly in Somerset and Devon. The earliest known record of the name appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Bristou" in reference to the town of Bristol.

One of the earliest documented individuals with the surname Bristow was Richard de Bristou, who lived in Somerset in the 13th century. Another early bearer of the name was William Bristow, a member of the Parliament of England in the late 14th century.

The spelling of the surname has varied over time, with variations such as Bristowe, Bristough, and Bristo appearing in historical records. These variations often reflected local dialects and pronunciation patterns.

Notable individuals with the surname Bristow include Sir Robert Bristow (1576-1640), an English politician and Member of Parliament during the reign of King Charles I. Another prominent figure was Henry William Bristow (1817-1889), an English geologist and naturalist who made significant contributions to the study of fossilized plants.

In the United States, one of the earliest recorded individuals with the Bristow surname was Robert Bristow, who arrived in Virginia in 1635. Benjamin Bristow (1832-1896) was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 28th United States Secretary of the Treasury under President Ulysses S. Grant.

Other notable Bristows throughout history include Benjamin Helm Bristow (1832-1896), an American lawyer and politician; William Bristow (1893-1972), a British actor; and Arthur Bristow (1886-1971), a British aeronautical engineer and co-founder of the Bristow Helicopter Company.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bristow families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bristow 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. Middlesex leads with 686 Bristows recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.74x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 686 1.74x
Surrey 609 3.16x
Kent 436 3.23x
Sussex 352 5.28x
Lincolnshire 254 4.02x
Yorkshire 220 0.56x
Wiltshire 186 5.32x
Buckinghamshire 176 7.37x
Lancashire 127 0.27x
Norfolk 103 1.69x
Somerset 99 1.56x
Berkshire 96 3.24x
Hampshire 95 1.17x
Worcestershire 61 1.18x
Staffordshire 56 0.42x
Gloucestershire 52 0.67x
Essex 50 0.64x
Devon 49 0.60x
Hertfordshire 32 1.17x
Warwickshire 31 0.31x
Northamptonshire 26 0.70x
Oxfordshire 24 0.98x
Shropshire 23 0.67x
Nottinghamshire 19 0.36x
Huntingdonshire 16 2.04x
Durham 15 0.13x
Monmouthshire 15 0.52x
Suffolk 15 0.31x
Glamorgan 14 0.20x
Cambridgeshire 13 0.52x
Renfrewshire 12 0.39x
Cumberland 11 0.32x
Leicestershire 9 0.21x
Midlothian 8 0.15x
Aberdeenshire 7 0.19x
Cornwall 7 0.16x
Dorset 7 0.27x
Northumberland 6 0.10x
Derbyshire 5 0.08x
Herefordshire 5 0.31x
Pembrokeshire 5 0.40x
Royal Navy 5 1.06x
Cheshire 4 0.05x
Denbighshire 4 0.27x
Bedfordshire 1 0.05x
Channel Islands 1 0.09x
Flintshire 1 0.09x
Inverness-shire 1 0.08x
Lanarkshire 1 0.01x
Perthshire 1 0.06x
Rutland 1 0.34x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bermondsey in Surrey leads with 85 Bristows recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.22x.

Place Total Index
Bermondsey 85 7.22x
Lambeth 81 2.35x
Great Yarmouth 66 13.11x
Mere 56 141.02x
Camberwell 47 1.86x
St Pancras London 47 1.48x
Kensington London 45 2.05x
Shoreditch London 43 2.51x
Brighton 42 3.12x
Tottenham 40 6.35x
Islington London 39 1.02x
Greenwich 34 5.40x
Hackney London 34 1.53x
Tonbridge 34 6.99x
West Wycombe 33 101.79x
Chailey 32 154.96x
Newington 32 2.19x
Holy Trinity 31 3.29x
Liverpool 31 1.09x
St Marylebone London 30 1.42x
Penge 29 11.49x
Ramsgate 29 13.17x
Battersea 28 1.93x
Mile End Old Town London 28 3.33x
Orpington 28 67.81x
Clapham 26 5.26x
Southwark St George Martyr 26 3.27x
Wycombe 26 14.60x
Bethnal Green London 25 1.46x
Kingston On Thames 25 5.40x
Aston 23 0.84x
Hughenden 23 94.30x
Paddington London 23 1.58x
Cuckfield 22 32.68x
Chippenham 21 28.65x
Deal 21 18.26x
Deptford St Paul 21 2.02x
St Luke London 21 3.31x
West Ham 21 1.22x
Mortlake 20 23.30x
Uxbridge 20 44.29x
Billingshurst 19 87.08x
Willenhall 19 7.60x
Lyncombe Widcombe 18 10.81x
Maidstone 18 4.48x
Stoke Newington London 18 5.85x
Ditchling 17 93.61x
Lewisham 17 2.36x
Steyning 17 75.22x
Walton On Thames 17 19.22x
Barnes 16 19.64x
Eastbourne 16 5.22x
Fulham London 16 2.79x
Limehouse London 16 3.69x
Margate St John Baptist 16 6.48x
Poplar London 16 2.14x
Croydon 15 1.40x
Guildford Holy Trinity 15 40.86x
Quadring 15 123.15x
Twerton 15 22.86x
Clerkenwell London 14 1.50x
Cranwell 14 500.00x
Epsom 14 14.92x
Peterborough 14 5.20x
St Botolph Lincoln 14 30.82x
St George Hanover Square 14 2.01x
Thakeham 14 190.22x
Alverstoke 13 4.43x
Bridgnorth St Mary 13 39.03x
East Ruston 13 144.12x
Edmonton 13 4.08x
Esher 13 48.20x
Hornsey 13 2.60x
Manchester 13 0.62x
Osbournby 13 193.74x
Penn 13 87.37x
Reading St Mary 13 5.47x
St Lawrence 13 14.02x
Worth 13 26.87x
Portsea 12 0.76x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 252
Elizabeth 143
Sarah 131
Jane 76
Eliza 73
Emily 69
Alice 63
Emma 60
Ellen 57
Ann 56
Annie 55
Harriet 38
Louisa 37
Martha 37
Edith 31
Kate 31
Ada 29
Fanny 29
Florence 28
Hannah 28
Lucy 27
Caroline 25
Clara 23
Margaret 23
Rose 23
Anne 21
Catherine 21
Charlotte 17
Elizth. 16
Amy 15
Maria 14
Susan 14
Eleanor 13
Esther 13
Matilda 13
Ruth 12
Amelia 11
Frances 11
Harriett 11
Julia 11
Sophia 11
Grace 10
Susannah 10
Betsy 9
Gertrude 9
Maud 9
Minnie 9
Rebecca 9
Agnes 8
Laura 8

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 239
John 211
George 178
James 103
Henry 102
Thomas 99
Charles 86
Edward 60
Alfred 59
Frederick 47
Joseph 44
Arthur 42
Robert 41
Albert 34
Frank 33
Harry 33
Samuel 32
Edwin 28
Walter 26
Richard 24
Ernest 23
Fred 17
Benjamin 16
David 15
Herbert 14
Francis 13
Stephen 11
Fredk. 10
Isaac 10
Wm. 9
Daniel 8
Mark 8
Percy 8
Chas. 7
Fredrick 7
Abraham 6
Edmund 6
Sidney 6
Amos 5
Horace 5
Owen 5
Ralph 5
Jesse 4
Michael 4
Thos. 4
Tom 4
Augustus 3
Edgar 3
Jacob 3
Sydney 3

FAQ

Bristow surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bristow surname in 1881?

In 1881, 4,049 people were recorded with the Bristow surname. That placed it at #1,116 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bristow surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 6,121 in 2016. That gives Bristow a modern rank of #1,106.

What does the Bristow surname mean?

An English habitational surname derived from places meaning "the place where bristles are made or sold."

What does the Bristow map show?

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