NameCensus.

UK surname

Brittan

Of English origin, meaning "a Briton" or "born in Britain."

In the 1881 census there were 552 people recorded with the Brittan surname, ranking it #6,255 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 434, ranked #11,102, down from #6,255 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Harborne, Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff and Bedminster. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Doncaster, West Kilbride and Seamill and Newport.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Brittan is 649 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 21.4%.

1881 census count

552

Ranked #6,255

Modern count

434

2016, ranked #11,102

Peak year

1891

649 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Brittan had 552 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,255 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 434 in 2016, ranked #11,102.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 649 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Brittan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Brittan surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Brittan 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 400 #6,040
1861 historical 383 #6,680
1881 historical 552 #6,255
1891 historical 649 #5,976
1901 historical 628 #6,820
1911 historical 544 #7,356
1997 modern 540 #8,782
1998 modern 536 #9,099
1999 modern 542 #9,079
2000 modern 532 #9,181
2001 modern 514 #9,267
2002 modern 493 #9,728
2003 modern 480 #9,782
2004 modern 495 #9,573
2005 modern 516 #9,236
2006 modern 502 #9,463
2007 modern 492 #9,677
2008 modern 492 #9,771
2009 modern 510 #9,699
2010 modern 503 #10,017
2011 modern 499 #9,965
2012 modern 479 #10,176
2013 modern 469 #10,492
2014 modern 460 #10,713
2015 modern 449 #10,836
2016 modern 434 #11,102

Geography

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Where Brittans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Harborne, Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Bedminster, Newchurch and Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Doncaster, West Kilbride and Seamill, Newport, Leicester and North Somerset. 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 Harborne Worcestershire
2 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
3 Bedminster Somerset
4 Newchurch Hampshire
5 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Doncaster 001 Doncaster
2 West Kilbride and Seamill North Ayrshire
3 Newport 010 Newport
4 Leicester 035 Leicester
5 North Somerset 024 North Somerset

Forenames

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First names often paired with Brittan

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Brittan

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

Brittan is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Brittan falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Brittan is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Brittan

The surname Brittan is of English origin and dates back to the late medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "Breten," which means "Britain" or "Briton." This suggests that the name may have originally been given to someone who came from Britain or had some connection to the region.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Brittan can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086. This historic record lists a landowner named Brittan in the county of Lincolnshire. The name is also found in various other medieval records from the 12th and 13th centuries, including the Pipe Rolls and the Curia Regis Rolls.

In the 14th century, the surname Brittan appeared in several places across England, including Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, and Somerset. During this time, variations of the spelling included Britten, Brittin, and Brittain. These variations likely arose due to regional dialects and the inconsistent spelling practices of the era.

One notable individual with the surname Brittan was Sir John Brittan, a 15th-century English politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for Somerset in 1455. Another prominent figure was Thomas Brittan, a 16th-century English merchant and explorer who participated in several voyages to the Americas and the West Indies.

In the 17th century, the surname Brittan gained prominence through individuals such as Nathaniel Brittan, a prominent Puritan minister and author who was born in 1630 and served as a pastor in Massachusetts. Additionally, William Brittan, born in 1644, was a successful merchant and landowner in Virginia.

The 18th century saw the rise of Samuel Brittan, a notable English philosopher and political economist who was born in 1776. He was known for his influential writings on political economy and his advocacy for free trade principles.

In the 19th century, Thomas Brittan, born in 1801, was a renowned English architect responsible for designing several notable buildings, including the Royal Exchange in London and the Church of St. George in Doncaster.

Throughout its history, the surname Brittan has been associated with various place names, such as Brittan Green in Worcestershire and Brittan Street in London. These place names may have derived from individuals with the surname Brittan who lived in or owned property in those areas.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Brittan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Brittan 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 90 Brittans recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.67x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 90 1.67x
Gloucestershire 44 4.16x
Staffordshire 44 2.42x
Nottinghamshire 42 5.78x
Warwickshire 40 2.94x
Yorkshire 38 0.71x
Somerset 37 4.26x
Hampshire 26 2.35x
Surrey 20 0.76x
Wiltshire 17 3.56x
Norfolk 16 1.93x
Lancashire 15 0.23x
Devon 14 1.25x
Cheshire 12 1.01x
Derbyshire 11 1.30x
Huntingdonshire 11 10.27x
Lanarkshire 10 0.57x
Kent 8 0.43x
Lincolnshire 7 0.81x
Monmouthshire 7 1.80x
Sussex 7 0.77x
Glamorgan 5 0.53x
Roxburghshire 4 4.09x
Berkshire 3 0.74x
Essex 3 0.28x
Worcestershire 3 0.43x
Cambridgeshire 2 0.59x
Dorset 2 0.56x
Dunbartonshire 2 1.38x
Durham 2 0.12x
Herefordshire 2 0.90x
Leicestershire 2 0.33x
Northamptonshire 2 0.39x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.20x
Ayrshire 1 0.25x
Bedfordshire 1 0.36x
Channel Islands 1 0.63x
Suffolk 1 0.15x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Pancras London in Middlesex leads with 24 Brittans recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.53x.

Place Total Index
St Pancras London 24 5.53x
Harborne 21 35.98x
Aston 20 5.34x
Nottingham St Mary 17 9.04x
Carisbrooke 16 104.23x
Leeds 15 4.97x
Bethnal Green London 12 5.12x
Holbeck 11 31.06x
Bedminster 10 12.26x
Birmingham 10 2.21x
Chew Magna 10 328.95x
Shorwell 10 884.96x
Glasgow 9 2.91x
Stibbington 9 900.00x
Wednesbury 9 19.78x
Clifton 8 14.96x
Mangotsfield 8 75.83x
Portishead 8 124.03x
Bexwell 7 4666.67x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 7 7.03x
Farnsfield 7 362.69x
Kensington London 7 2.33x
Methwold 7 261.19x
Salisbury St Martin 7 140.85x
Willesden 7 13.77x
Wolverhampton 7 5.00x
Allestree 6 555.56x
Brighton 6 3.27x
Bristol St Augustine 6 35.15x
Edgbaston 6 14.22x
Plymouth Charles The 6 12.13x
Tottenham 6 6.98x
Trevethin 6 16.29x
Alfreton 5 19.49x
Clerkenwell London 5 3.93x
Clevedon 5 55.37x
Congleton 5 24.31x
Cottingham 5 43.40x
Deptford St Paul 5 3.52x
Edmonton 5 11.50x
Hackney London 5 1.65x
Newington 5 2.51x
Uttoxeter 5 53.65x
Westminster St James 5 9.02x
Bredbury 4 58.06x
Croydon 4 2.74x
Everton 4 1.96x
Fisherton Anger 4 45.30x
Hucknall Torkard 4 21.69x
Melrose 4 47.34x
Snenton 4 14.00x
Boston 3 11.46x
Bristol St Stephen 3 109.09x
Bristol Temple 3 43.10x
Calne 3 30.55x
Frampton Cotterell 3 80.86x
Fugglestone St Peter 3 158.73x
Lambeth 3 0.64x
Lenton 3 17.51x
Long Ashton 3 69.61x
Lye 3 25.60x
Manchester 3 1.04x
Padiham 3 19.40x
Plymouth St Andrew 3 3.47x
Radford 3 8.12x
Southwark St George Martyr 3 2.76x
St Andrew Holborn London 3 12.85x
St Dunstan In West London 3 178.57x
St John Near Swansea 3 25.84x
Streatham 3 7.50x
Tormoham 3 6.31x
Worksop 3 13.91x
Barrow In Furness 2 2.30x
Bodenham 2 122.70x
Hampstead London 2 2.38x
Islington London 2 0.38x
Kenilworth 2 26.08x
Sheffield 2 1.18x
St Andrewthe Less 2 5.12x
Stainforth In Thorne 2 147.06x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 38
Elizabeth 26
Sarah 18
Ann 13
Alice 10
Eliza 9
Annie 8
Jane 8
Kate 8
Charlotte 7
Ellen 7
Emma 7
Clara 5
Emily 5
Amy 4
Anne 4
Florence 4
Frances 4
Harriet 4
Louisa 4
Susan 4
Catherine 3
Edith 3
Hannah 3
Julia 3
Rebecca 3
Ada 2
Annes 2
C. 2
Ester 2
Harriett 2
Isabella 2
J. 2
Jemima 2
Lizzie 2
Lucy 2
Martha 2
Carrie 1
Christina 1
Ella 1
Emly 1
Ethel 1
Eva 1
Fanny 1
Hester 1
Honoara 1
Isbella 1
Juliana 1
Katherine 1
Violletta 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 37
William 25
George 20
Henry 17
Thomas 13
Charles 12
James 11
Joseph 9
Edward 8
Arthur 6
Frederick 6
Samuel 6
Albert 5
Alfred 5
Frank 4
Harry 4
Herbert 4
Walter 4
Amos 3
Francis 3
Robert 3
Andrew 2
B. 2
Ernest 2
Fredk. 2
Geo. 2
Isaac 2
J. 2
Joshua 2
Willm. 2
Alexander 1
Chas. 1
Dennis 1
Ebrahaim 1
Edwd.F. 1
F. 1
Fred. 1
Fred.J.C. 1
Frederic 1
Jessie 1
Jno. 1
Josiah 1
Mark 1
Mortimer 1
Nicholas 1
Noah 1
Oliver 1
R. 1
Reginald 1
Wm.Thomas 1

FAQ

Brittan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Brittan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 552 people were recorded with the Brittan surname. That placed it at #6,255 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Brittan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 434 in 2016. That gives Brittan a modern rank of #11,102.

What does the Brittan surname mean?

Of English origin, meaning "a Briton" or "born in Britain."

What does the Brittan map show?

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