NameCensus.

UK surname

Britten

A surname of Anglo-Saxon origin, derived from a place name meaning "Britta's homestead" or "Britta's settlement."

In the 1881 census there were 1,195 people recorded with the Britten surname, ranking it #3,374 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,649, ranked #3,779, down from #3,374 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Billing, Great, St Leonard Shoreditch and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wiltshire, Leeds and Winchester.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Britten is 1,803 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 38.0%.

1881 census count

1,195

Ranked #3,374

Modern count

1,649

2016, ranked #3,779

Peak year

1999

1,803 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Britten had 1,195 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,374 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,649 in 2016, ranked #3,779.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,658 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Britten surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Britten surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Britten 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 728 #3,605
1861 historical 619 #4,312
1881 historical 1,195 #3,374
1891 historical 1,199 #3,573
1901 historical 1,386 #3,631
1911 historical 1,658 #2,944
1997 modern 1,751 #3,412
1998 modern 1,798 #3,450
1999 modern 1,803 #3,468
2000 modern 1,798 #3,461
2001 modern 1,743 #3,486
2002 modern 1,767 #3,524
2003 modern 1,712 #3,558
2004 modern 1,656 #3,659
2005 modern 1,615 #3,708
2006 modern 1,649 #3,641
2007 modern 1,671 #3,625
2008 modern 1,680 #3,633
2009 modern 1,718 #3,636
2010 modern 1,775 #3,603
2011 modern 1,737 #3,632
2012 modern 1,682 #3,677
2013 modern 1,677 #3,745
2014 modern 1,700 #3,721
2015 modern 1,670 #3,749
2016 modern 1,649 #3,779

Geography

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Where Brittens are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Billing, Great, St Leonard Shoreditch, London parishes, Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory and Moulton, Moulton Park. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wiltshire, Leeds, Winchester, Aylesbury Vale and Northampton. 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 Billing, Great Northamptonshire
2 St Leonard Shoreditch London (East Districts)
3 London parishes London 3
4 Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory Northamptonshire
5 Moulton, Moulton Park Northamptonshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wiltshire 024 Wiltshire
2 Leeds 089 Leeds
3 Winchester 004 Winchester
4 Aylesbury Vale 001 Aylesbury Vale
5 Northampton 001 Northampton

Forenames

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First names often paired with Britten

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Britten

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

Britten 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

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

Meaning and origin of Britten

The surname Britten originated in England during the medieval period, deriving from the Old English word "britten," meaning a Briton or a person of British descent. This name likely emerged as a way to distinguish those of British ancestry from the Anglo-Saxon or Norman populations that had settled in the region.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Britten can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Brictun" in reference to a landholder in Lincolnshire. This suggests that the name had already established itself in certain parts of England by the late 11th century.

During the Middle Ages, the name Britten was particularly prevalent in the counties of Norfolk, Suffolk, and Essex, where it may have originated as a locational surname referring to settlements with names like Britten or Britton. In some instances, the name may have also been an occupational surname for someone who worked with or traded in British goods or products.

Notable individuals with the surname Britten include Sir Thomas Britten (c. 1370-1450), a prominent English soldier and diplomat who served under Henry V during the Hundred Years' War. Another early bearer of the name was John Britten (c. 1420-1480), a wealthy merchant and landowner from Norfolk.

In the 16th century, the name Britten gained further recognition with the birth of Edward Britten (1530-1595), an English theologian and scholar who served as the Dean of Westminster Abbey. His contemporary, Richard Britten (c. 1540-1620), was a respected lawyer and member of the Parliament of England.

Perhaps the most famous bearer of the surname Britten is the celebrated English composer Benjamin Britten (1913-1976), whose works, such as the opera Peter Grimes and the War Requiem, have become cornerstones of 20th-century classical music.

Throughout its history, the surname Britten has maintained its strong ties to England, and its bearers have made significant contributions to various fields, including military service, commerce, academia, and the arts.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Britten families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Britten 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 196 Brittens recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.68x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 196 1.68x
Northamptonshire 192 17.54x
Surrey 82 1.45x
Kent 74 1.86x
Bedfordshire 60 9.96x
Wiltshire 59 5.73x
Somerset 46 2.46x
Lancashire 41 0.30x
Yorkshire 39 0.34x
Gloucestershire 34 1.49x
Berkshire 32 3.66x
Hampshire 32 1.34x
Staffordshire 31 0.79x
Warwickshire 31 1.06x
Glamorgan 20 0.99x
Leicestershire 20 1.55x
Buckinghamshire 18 2.56x
Worcestershire 18 1.18x
Lincolnshire 17 0.91x
Essex 15 0.65x
Carmarthenshire 14 2.85x
Devon 14 0.58x
Huntingdonshire 11 4.76x
Durham 10 0.29x
Shropshire 10 0.99x
Cambridgeshire 8 1.09x
Sussex 8 0.41x
Cheshire 7 0.27x
Nottinghamshire 7 0.45x
Hertfordshire 6 0.75x
Midlothian 6 0.38x
Norfolk 5 0.28x
Ayrshire 4 0.46x
Flintshire 4 1.28x
Herefordshire 4 0.84x
Oxfordshire 4 0.56x
Lanarkshire 3 0.08x
Renfrewshire 3 0.33x
Derbyshire 2 0.11x
Royal Navy 2 1.44x
Montgomeryshire 1 0.38x
Northumberland 1 0.06x
Rutland 1 1.17x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bethnal Green London in Middlesex leads with 37 Brittens recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.32x.

Place Total Index
Bethnal Green London 37 7.32x
Northampton St Giles 37 88.73x
Moulton 35 574.71x
Lambeth 26 2.56x
Shoreditch London 26 5.15x
Great Billing 24 1548.39x
Islington London 24 2.13x
Chippenham 23 106.58x
Downhead 23 3239.44x
Camberwell 20 2.69x
Northampton Priory St 19 28.93x
Fordingbridge 18 138.78x
Sittingbourne 17 54.23x
Llanelly 14 12.67x
Bedford St Paul 12 29.03x
Hunslet 12 6.67x
West Derby 12 2.97x
Aston 11 1.36x
Bermondsey 11 3.18x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 11 5.12x
Kensington London 11 1.70x
Raunds 11 98.65x
Abingdon St Helen 10 39.15x
Bray 10 38.96x
Calne 10 47.19x
Leicester St Margaret 10 3.18x
Llandilo Talybont 10 93.99x
Midsomer Norton 10 56.66x
Mile End Old Town London 10 4.04x
Bridgnorth St Mary 9 91.74x
Kingsthorpe 9 73.95x
Lewisham 9 4.25x
Little Staughton 9 481.28x
Somerby 9 424.53x
Castor 8 171.67x
Clerkenwell London 8 2.91x
Felmersham 8 408.16x
Harlaxton 8 522.88x
Llanwonno 8 10.99x
Northampton St Sepulchre 8 14.37x
Plumstead 8 6.04x
St Marylebone London 8 1.29x
Standground 8 152.67x
Aspley Guise 7 121.32x
Bedford St Mary 7 45.10x
Damerham 7 284.55x
Exeter St George The 7 262.17x
Gainsborough 7 15.96x
Hackney London 7 1.07x
Margate St John Baptist 7 9.63x
Paddington London 7 1.64x
Poddington 7 324.07x
Sheffield 7 1.91x
Toxteth Park 7 1.50x
Worsley 7 8.22x
Basildon 6 228.14x
Bilston 6 7.88x
Bristol St George 6 5.68x
Burton Extra 6 26.64x
Chipping Barnet 6 42.77x
Maidstone 6 5.07x
St Edmond King London 6 1428.57x
Tottenham 6 3.24x
West Bromwich 6 2.67x
Brixworth 5 106.84x
Chelsea London 5 1.43x
Croydon 5 1.59x
East Tisbury 5 140.85x
Exeter St Mary Major 5 34.25x
Gillingham 5 6.11x
Hornsey 5 3.40x
Lillingstone Dayrell 5 454.55x
Newington 5 1.16x
Overstone 5 694.44x
Oxton 5 34.41x
Purton 5 54.59x
St George In East London 5 4.57x
Thaxted 5 65.62x
Walgrave 5 208.33x
Woolwich 5 3.41x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 74
Sarah 49
Elizabeth 44
Jane 27
Ann 21
Eliza 21
Ellen 21
Emma 20
Annie 17
Caroline 17
Martha 15
Florence 13
Alice 10
Emily 10
Hannah 9
Ada 8
Catherine 8
Harriet 8
Kate 8
Maria 8
Louisa 7
Lucy 7
Matilda 7
Agnes 6
Amelia 6
Anne 6
Charlotte 6
Clara 6
Fanny 6
Gertrude 6
Jessie 6
E. 5
Amy 4
Edith 4
Julia 4
Susan 4
Esther 3
Flora 3
Harriett 3
Laura 3
Lily 3
Margaret 3
Maud 3
Rosa 3
Rose 3
Ruth 3
Adelaide 2
Anna 2
Diana 2
Lydia 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 63
George 53
John 48
Charles 37
Thomas 34
James 29
Henry 24
Edward 18
Arthur 14
Joseph 13
Robert 13
Alfred 12
Richard 11
Samuel 10
Frederick 9
Walter 9
Francis 7
Albert 6
Frank 6
Harry 6
Benjamin 5
Edwin 4
Herbert 4
Daniel 3
David 3
Ernest 3
Felix 3
Fredk. 3
Fredrick 3
Isaac 3
Lewis 3
Percy 3
Philip 3
Adam 2
Anthony 2
Benj. 2
Chas. 2
Christopher 2
Edmund 2
Eli 2
Fred 2
Oliver 2
Saml. 2
Stephen 2
Thos. 2
Tom 2
Wm. 2
Benjeman 1
Edgar 1
Wyndham 1

FAQ

Britten surname: questions and answers

How common was the Britten surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,195 people were recorded with the Britten surname. That placed it at #3,374 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Britten surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,649 in 2016. That gives Britten a modern rank of #3,779.

What does the Britten surname mean?

A surname of Anglo-Saxon origin, derived from a place name meaning "Britta's homestead" or "Britta's settlement."

What does the Britten map show?

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