UK surname
A variant spelling of the English surname for someone from Britain.
In the 1881 census there were 273 people recorded with the Brittian surname, ranking it #10,390 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 22, ranked #36,533, down from #10,390 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Willingale Doe, London parishes and Eccles. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Brittian is 318 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 91.9%.
1881 census count
273
Ranked #10,390
Modern count
22
2016, ranked #36,533
Peak year
1901
318 bearers
Map years
6
1851 to 1911
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Brittian surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Brittian surname density by area, 1881 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 172 | #11,682 |
| 1861 | historical | 198 | #12,114 |
| 1881 | historical | 273 | #10,390 |
| 1891 | historical | 272 | #11,957 |
| 1901 | historical | 318 | #11,187 |
| 1911 | historical | 128 | #19,664 |
| 1997 | modern | 23 | #35,484 |
| 1998 | modern | 21 | #35,788 |
| 1999 | modern | 17 | #36,261 |
| 2000 | modern | 11 | #36,879 |
| 2001 | modern | 13 | #36,483 |
| 2002 | modern | 13 | #36,570 |
| 2003 | modern | 12 | #36,715 |
| 2004 | modern | 15 | #36,530 |
| 2005 | modern | 17 | #36,407 |
| 2006 | modern | 23 | #36,054 |
| 2007 | modern | 19 | #36,450 |
| 2008 | modern | 17 | #36,699 |
| 2009 | modern | 16 | #36,850 |
| 2010 | modern | 19 | #36,687 |
| 2011 | modern | 17 | #36,839 |
| 2012 | modern | 21 | #36,490 |
| 2013 | modern | 20 | #36,614 |
| 2014 | modern | 22 | #36,496 |
| 2015 | modern | 22 | #36,493 |
| 2016 | modern | 22 | #36,533 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Willingale Doe, London parishes, Eccles, Olney, Lavendon and Halesowen (all except Hunnington, Romsley; partly in Halesowen, Worcestershire). These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Willingale Doe | Essex |
| 2 | London parishes | London 1 |
| 3 | Eccles | Lancashire |
| 4 | Olney, Lavendon | Buckinghamshire |
| 5 | Halesowen (all except Hunnington, Romsley; partly in Halesowen, Worcestershire) | Staffordshire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Brittian surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Brittian, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Brittian surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Brittian household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Brittian is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Brittian is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Brittian, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Brittian is of English origin and is believed to have derived from the Old English word 'Bryten', which means Britain or a person from Britain. This name was commonly used during the Anglo-Saxon period in England, which lasted from the 5th to the 11th century.
The earliest recorded instance of the name Brittian can be traced back to the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landowners and their properties in England and parts of Wales. The Domesday Book mentions a landholder named Brictian, which is believed to be an early spelling variation of the name Brittian.
During the medieval period, the name Brittian was primarily concentrated in the southern and eastern regions of England, particularly in counties such as Kent, Essex, and Suffolk. These areas had strong historical connections with Britain and were among the earliest regions to be settled by the Anglo-Saxons.
One notable individual who bore the name Brittian was Sir John Brittian, a prominent English landowner and knight who lived during the 14th century. He was a member of the gentry and held significant estates in the county of Essex.
Another historical figure with the surname Brittian was Thomas Brittian, an English clergyman who lived in the 16th century. He served as the rector of the parish church in the village of Wootton, Bedfordshire, from 1558 until his death in 1578.
In the 17th century, the spelling of the name Brittian began to evolve, and variations such as Brittan, Britten, and Brittain became more common. One notable individual from this period was John Brittain, a wealthy merchant and landowner who was born in 1612 in the city of Bristol.
During the 18th century, the name Brittian continued to be used, although it was less common than some of its spelling variations. One notable bearer of the name was William Brittian, a successful farmer and landowner who lived in the village of Stoke-by-Nayland, Suffolk, in the mid-1700s.
In the 19th century, the surname Brittian was still in use, although it had become relatively rare by this time. One notable individual with this surname was Edward Brittian, a renowned architect and surveyor who was born in 1808 in the city of Bath, Somerset.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Brittian surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Warwickshire leads with 48 Brittians recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.20x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Warwickshire | 48 | 7.20x |
| Lancashire | 32 | 1.02x |
| Gloucestershire | 26 | 5.01x |
| Yorkshire | 23 | 0.88x |
| Surrey | 14 | 1.09x |
| Hertfordshire | 13 | 7.13x |
| Staffordshire | 13 | 1.46x |
| Middlesex | 12 | 0.45x |
| Worcestershire | 12 | 3.48x |
| Wiltshire | 11 | 4.71x |
| Durham | 9 | 1.14x |
| Cambridgeshire | 8 | 4.78x |
| Bedfordshire | 7 | 5.11x |
| Somerset | 7 | 1.65x |
| Essex | 6 | 1.15x |
| Kent | 6 | 0.67x |
| Buckinghamshire | 5 | 3.13x |
| Northumberland | 5 | 1.27x |
| Cheshire | 3 | 0.51x |
| Norfolk | 3 | 0.74x |
| Derbyshire | 2 | 0.48x |
| Kincardineshire | 2 | 6.21x |
| Lanarkshire | 1 | 0.12x |
| Northamptonshire | 1 | 0.40x |
| Nottinghamshire | 1 | 0.28x |
| Pembrokeshire | 1 | 1.19x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Aston in Warwickshire leads with 21 Brittians recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.44x.
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Brittian surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
| Name | Count |
|---|---|
| Mary | 20 |
| Elizabeth | 8 |
| Sarah | 8 |
| Eliza | 5 |
| Ann | 4 |
| Annie | 4 |
| Emily | 4 |
| Harriett | 4 |
| Jane | 4 |
| Martha | 4 |
| Ada | 3 |
| Alice | 3 |
| Betsy | 3 |
| Catherine | 3 |
| Florence | 3 |
| Louisa | 3 |
| Lucy | 3 |
| Margaret | 3 |
| Charlotte | 2 |
| Clara | 2 |
| Edith | 2 |
| Emma | 2 |
| Fanny | 2 |
| Frances | 2 |
| Hanah | 2 |
| Hannah | 2 |
| Matilda | 2 |
| Rose | 2 |
| Beatrice | 1 |
| Diana | 1 |
| Dinah | 1 |
| Eleanor | 1 |
| Elezabeth | 1 |
| Elizebath | 1 |
| Ellen | 1 |
| Grace | 1 |
| Harriet | 1 |
| Helena | 1 |
| Isabell | 1 |
| Isabella | 1 |
| Letitia | 1 |
| Lillian | 1 |
| Maud | 1 |
| May | 1 |
| Miriam | 1 |
| Naomi | 1 |
| Priscilla | 1 |
| Rebecca | 1 |
| Roseanah | 1 |
| Rosena | 1 |
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Brittian surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
| Name | Count |
|---|---|
| John | 18 |
| William | 16 |
| George | 9 |
| Thomas | 8 |
| James | 7 |
| Joseph | 6 |
| Albert | 5 |
| Alfred | 5 |
| Charles | 5 |
| Henry | 4 |
| Richard | 4 |
| Arthur | 3 |
| Harry | 3 |
| Edward | 2 |
| Enoch | 2 |
| Herbert | 2 |
| Robert | 2 |
| Samson | 2 |
| Samuel | 2 |
| Alice | 1 |
| Anthony | 1 |
| Chas. | 1 |
| David | 1 |
| Edmund | 1 |
| Edwin | 1 |
| Eli | 1 |
| Fred | 1 |
| Frederick | 1 |
| Fredk | 1 |
| Fredrick | 1 |
| Jesse | 1 |
| Jethero | 1 |
| Job | 1 |
| Joel | 1 |
| Jonathon | 1 |
| Jos. | 1 |
| Keinick | 1 |
| Leonard | 1 |
| Oliver | 1 |
| Roger | 1 |
| Sydney | 1 |
| Walter | 1 |
Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Brittian households.
FAQ
In 1881, 273 people were recorded with the Brittian surname. That placed it at #10,390 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 22 in 2016. That gives Brittian a modern rank of #36,533.
A variant spelling of the English surname for someone from Britain.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Brittian bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.