NameCensus.

UK surname

Britain

A locational surname denoting someone from Great Britain.

In the 1881 census there were 178 people recorded with the Britain surname, ranking it #13,840 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 246, ranked #16,993, down from #13,840 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Sedgley, St Leonard Shoreditch and Eccles. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Selby, Fenland and Harrogate.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Britain is 254 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 38.2%.

1881 census count

178

Ranked #13,840

Modern count

246

2016, ranked #16,993

Peak year

2014

254 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Britain had 178 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #13,840 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 246 in 2016, ranked #16,993.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 231 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Britain surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Britain surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Britain 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 173 #11,629
1861 historical 231 #10,572
1881 historical 178 #13,840
1891 historical 228 #13,582
1901 historical 174 #16,520
1911 historical 211 #14,467
1997 modern 215 #16,844
1998 modern 238 #16,218
1999 modern 235 #16,458
2000 modern 242 #16,101
2001 modern 228 #16,525
2002 modern 218 #17,338
2003 modern 215 #17,286
2004 modern 213 #17,492
2005 modern 197 #18,339
2006 modern 197 #18,465
2007 modern 200 #18,485
2008 modern 203 #18,470
2009 modern 215 #18,179
2010 modern 226 #17,942
2011 modern 224 #17,891
2012 modern 239 #17,027
2013 modern 250 #16,778
2014 modern 254 #16,726
2015 modern 249 #16,858
2016 modern 246 #16,993

Geography

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Where Britains are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Sedgley, St Leonard Shoreditch, Eccles, Wisbech St Mary and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Selby, Fenland, Harrogate, Hambleton and Oldham. 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 Sedgley Staffordshire
2 St Leonard Shoreditch London (East Districts)
3 Eccles Lancashire
4 Wisbech St Mary Cambridgeshire
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Selby 003 Selby
2 Fenland 003 Fenland
3 Harrogate 005 Harrogate
4 Hambleton 007 Hambleton
5 Oldham 031 Oldham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Britain

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Britain

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Britain surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Britain household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Britain is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Britain is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Britain falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Britain

The surname Britain has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is a locational surname, derived from the Old English word "Bryten," which referred to the ancient Britons, the Celtic inhabitants of Britain before the Anglo-Saxon invasion.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Brictun." This entry suggests that there were individuals bearing this surname in the late 11th century.

The name Britain is believed to have originated in areas of England that were once inhabited by Britons, such as Cornwall, Devon, and parts of Wales. It may have been initially used to distinguish individuals of British descent from the Anglo-Saxons or Normans.

In the 13th century, a notable bearer of the name was Sir William Britain, a knight who fought alongside King Edward I during the Welsh Wars. He was born around 1250 and played a significant role in the conquest of Wales.

Another historical figure with the surname Britain was John Britain, a prominent merchant and alderman in the City of London during the 15th century. He was born around 1420 and served as the Sheriff of London in 1466.

In the 16th century, the name Britain was found in various spellings, such as Britten, Briten, and Britton. One notable individual from this period was William Britten, a scholar and translator who was born in 1516 and produced English translations of works by classical Greek authors.

During the 17th century, the surname Britain was also associated with places like Britain Hill in Derbyshire and Britain Street in London. A notable bearer of the name from this era was Richard Britain, a Puritan minister who was born in 1605 and served as a chaplain in the Parliamentary forces during the English Civil War.

In the 18th century, the surname Britain gained prominence in various parts of England, including Yorkshire and Lancashire. One notable figure from this period was James Britain, a renowned clockmaker who was born in 1725 and produced intricate timepieces for the aristocracy.

Throughout history, the surname Britain has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including soldiers, merchants, scholars, and artisans. While its origins can be traced back to the ancient Britons, the name has become an integral part of the English surname landscape.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Britain families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Britain 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 48 Britains recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.76x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 48 2.76x
Yorkshire 29 1.69x
Lancashire 26 1.26x
Staffordshire 20 3.41x
Cambridgeshire 12 10.91x
Warwickshire 7 1.60x
Caernarfonshire 6 8.55x
Wiltshire 6 3.91x
Worcestershire 6 2.65x
Glamorgan 3 0.99x
Buckinghamshire 2 1.91x
Norfolk 2 0.75x
Northamptonshire 2 1.22x
Somerset 2 0.72x
Sussex 2 0.68x
Gloucestershire 1 0.29x
Kent 1 0.17x
Lincolnshire 1 0.36x
Northumberland 1 0.39x
Surrey 1 0.12x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Oldham in Lancashire leads with 14 Britains recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.06x.

Place Total Index
Oldham 14 21.06x
Sedgley 14 64.31x
Shoreditch London 13 17.27x
Islington London 12 7.13x
Leeds 12 12.35x
Wisbech St Mary 12 952.38x
Holbeck 7 61.40x
Bangor 6 88.63x
Langley Burrell 6 937.50x
Salford 6 9.90x
Alrewas 5 877.19x
Dudley 5 18.14x
Hackney London 5 5.14x
Mile End Old Town London 5 13.53x
St George Bloomsbury 5 50.20x
Aston 3 2.49x
Birmingham 3 2.06x
Sherburn 3 212.77x
Barton Upon Irwell 2 12.89x
Hornsey 2 9.11x
Hulme 2 4.65x
Kensington London 2 2.07x
Llanwonno 2 18.42x
Spratton 2 408.16x
St Luke London 2 7.18x
St Marylebone London 2 2.16x
Wigan 2 6.95x
Bedminster 1 3.81x
Berkswell 1 114.94x
Brighton 1 1.69x
Cawood 1 151.52x
Chichester St Pancras 1 114.94x
Claines 1 16.08x
Ecclesall Bierlow 1 2.86x
Eynsford 1 98.04x
Harborne 1 5.32x
Heigham 1 6.98x
Lofthouse 1 38.91x
Middleton Quernhow 1 2000.00x
Nether Poppleton 1 588.24x
Newington 1 1.56x
Olney 1 68.97x
Oulton Cum Woodlesford 1 71.43x
Ringland 1 526.32x
Stamford St Michael 1 126.58x
Stapleton 1 15.48x
Stone 1 123.46x
Trull 1 175.44x
Tynemouth 1 7.23x
York St Giles In 1 61.73x
Ystradyfodwg 1 3.77x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 10
Sarah 9
Kate 5
Martha 5
Elizabeth 4
Ellen 4
Alice 3
Ann 3
Emma 3
Hannah 3
Margaret 3
Catherine 2
Charlotte 2
Esther 2
Harriet 2
Jane 2
Minnie 2
Sushannah 2
Ada 1
Agnes 1
Anne 1
Annie 1
Caroline 1
Caterin 1
Catharine 1
Clara 1
Edith 1
Eleno 1
Emily 1
Ester 1
Eva 1
Frances 1
Gertrude 1
Helena 1
Henrietta 1
Jessie 1
Katherine 1
Lilan 1
Margeret 1
Margret 1
Meggie 1
Phoebe 1
Rebecca 1
Rose 1
Sarrah 1
Susanna 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 11
Joseph 9
John 8
Thomas 6
George 5
Alfred 3
Edward 3
Wm. 3
Albert 2
Arthur 2
Frank 2
Frederick 2
Herbert 2
James 2
Obadiah 2
Stephen 2
Benjamin 1
C. 1
Chas. 1
David 1
Ebenezer 1
Ezra 1
Francis 1
Geo. 1
Henry 1
Jabez 1
Jonathan 1
Levi 1
Marriott 1
Paul 1
Samuel 1
Titus 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Britain surname: questions and answers

How common was the Britain surname in 1881?

In 1881, 178 people were recorded with the Britain surname. That placed it at #13,840 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Britain surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 246 in 2016. That gives Britain a modern rank of #16,993.

What does the Britain surname mean?

A locational surname denoting someone from Great Britain.

What does the Britain map show?

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