NameCensus.

UK surname

Broad

An English locational surname referring to someone who lived by a wide, open space, such as a large field.

In the 1881 census there were 3,802 people recorded with the Broad surname, ranking it #1,201 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 4,776, ranked #1,421, down from #1,201 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and Wolstanton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Tonbridge and Malling, Uttlesford and Sevenoaks.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Broad is 5,165 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 25.6%.

1881 census count

3,802

Ranked #1,201

Modern count

4,776

2016, ranked #1,421

Peak year

1911

5,165 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Broad had 3,802 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,201 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 4,776 in 2016, ranked #1,421.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 5,165 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Broad surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Broad surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Broad 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 2,684 #1,100
1861 historical 2,412 #1,212
1881 historical 3,802 #1,201
1891 historical 4,239 #1,130
1901 historical 4,728 #1,194
1911 historical 5,165 #1,013
1997 modern 4,657 #1,404
1998 modern 5,049 #1,350
1999 modern 5,094 #1,349
2000 modern 4,999 #1,365
2001 modern 4,904 #1,358
2002 modern 4,992 #1,360
2003 modern 4,855 #1,363
2004 modern 4,812 #1,374
2005 modern 4,693 #1,387
2006 modern 4,702 #1,390
2007 modern 4,747 #1,391
2008 modern 4,763 #1,393
2009 modern 4,881 #1,396
2010 modern 4,943 #1,409
2011 modern 4,910 #1,396
2012 modern 4,795 #1,402
2013 modern 4,848 #1,409
2014 modern 4,861 #1,417
2015 modern 4,793 #1,423
2016 modern 4,776 #1,421

Geography

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Where Broads are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, Wolstanton and Lambeth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Tonbridge and Malling, Uttlesford, Sevenoaks, Cheshire East and Wrexham. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 London parishes London 1
3 Wolstanton Staffordshire
4 London parishes London 3
5 Lambeth London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Tonbridge and Malling 006 Tonbridge and Malling
2 Uttlesford 009 Uttlesford
3 Sevenoaks 015 Sevenoaks
4 Cheshire East 033 Cheshire East
5 Wrexham 018 Wrexham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Broad

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Broad

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

Broad 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

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

Meaning and origin of Broad

The surname Broad is of English origin, with its roots traced back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "brad," which means "broad" or "wide." This term likely referred to a physical characteristic, such as a person's stature or the breadth of their shoulders.

In the early days, surnames were often descriptive, reflecting a person's appearance, occupation, or place of origin. The name Broad may have been initially bestowed upon someone who possessed a broad or imposing physique, setting them apart from others in their community.

Historical records indicate that the surname Broad has appeared in various forms throughout the centuries. Early variations include Brod, Brode, and Broade, which were common spellings in medieval England.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Broad can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire, dated 1327, which mention a John Brode. Another early reference comes from the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1379, where a Richard Brod is mentioned.

The Broad surname has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One such figure was Richard Broad (c. 1500-1570), an English Protestant martyr who was burned at the stake during the Marian Persecutions under Queen Mary I.

Another prominent individual was Thomas Broad (1677-1765), an English clergyman and author who served as the rector of St. Michael's Church in Bath. He is known for his work "A Guide to the Hebrew Tongue," which was published in 1715.

In the realm of literature, John Broad (1800-1862) was a British poet and author whose works include "The Story of Robert Emmett" and "The Peasant Poet."

The name Broad has also been associated with places of historical significance. For example, Broadwater, a village in West Sussex, England, derives its name from the Old English words "brad" and "waeter," meaning "broad water" or "wide stream."

Furthermore, the surname Broad has been carried by individuals who have made significant contributions in various fields, such as William Broad (1853-1939), an English cricketer who played for Gloucestershire, and Robert Broad (born 1951), an American physicist and Nobel laureate in physics.

While the surname Broad may have originated as a descriptive term, it has since evolved into a respected family name with a rich history and a diverse range of notable bearers.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Broad families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Broad 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. Cornwall leads with 536 Broads recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.75x.

County Total Index
Cornwall 536 12.75x
Middlesex 478 1.29x
Kent 427 3.37x
Surrey 308 1.70x
Staffordshire 257 2.05x
Devon 163 2.11x
Cheshire 149 1.82x
Somerset 143 2.39x
Hampshire 125 1.64x
Lancashire 124 0.28x
Gloucestershire 123 1.69x
Berkshire 113 4.05x
Essex 107 1.46x
Yorkshire 90 0.24x
Wiltshire 60 1.83x
Sussex 59 0.94x
Worcestershire 59 1.22x
Monmouthshire 47 1.75x
Glamorgan 43 0.67x
Durham 39 0.35x
Oxfordshire 36 1.57x
Herefordshire 34 2.23x
Derbyshire 26 0.45x
Warwickshire 25 0.27x
Northumberland 23 0.42x
Selkirkshire 23 6.85x
Pembrokeshire 22 1.86x
Denbighshire 21 1.50x
Lanarkshire 14 0.12x
Suffolk 14 0.31x
Leicestershire 13 0.32x
Royal Navy 13 2.94x
Buckinghamshire 10 0.45x
Carmarthenshire 10 0.64x
Roxburghshire 10 1.49x
Dorset 9 0.37x
Channel Islands 7 0.64x
Norfolk 7 0.12x
Nottinghamshire 7 0.14x
Shropshire 7 0.22x
Lincolnshire 6 0.10x
Midlothian 6 0.12x
Dunbartonshire 5 0.50x
Northamptonshire 3 0.09x
Hertfordshire 2 0.08x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.07x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.04x
Renfrewshire 1 0.03x
Stirlingshire 1 0.07x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Lambeth in Surrey leads with 68 Broads recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.10x.

Place Total Index
Lambeth 68 2.10x
Islington London 62 1.72x
Wrotham 56 133.40x
Camberwell 50 2.11x
Liskeard 47 66.81x
Kensington London 42 2.03x
Wolstanton 37 9.72x
Newington 36 2.62x
Harlow 34 107.63x
Burslem 33 9.19x
Stoke Damerel 33 6.10x
Trentham 33 30.95x
Hackney London 32 1.54x
Staplehurst 32 153.77x
Plymouth St Andrew 31 5.21x
Bermondsey 30 2.71x
Croydon 30 2.99x
Chelsea London 29 2.59x
Duloe 29 235.20x
Stoke Upon Trent 28 2.11x
Mile End Old Town London 27 3.42x
Paddington London 27 1.98x
Pelynt 27 316.16x
Bedminster 26 4.63x
Chatham 26 7.46x
Clerkenwell London 24 2.74x
Weston 24 52.21x
Sandbach 23 32.89x
Bristol St James St Paul 22 9.06x
Pembroke St Mary 22 14.47x
Lifton 21 112.84x
Chedworth 20 190.66x
St Marylebone London 20 1.01x
St Pancras London 20 0.67x
Falmouth 19 12.77x
East West Challow 18 248.96x
Northfleet 18 16.13x
Portsea 18 1.21x
St George Hanover Square 18 2.75x
St Germans 18 61.37x
St Teath 18 71.09x
East Ardsley 17 53.34x
Milton In Gravesend 17 8.95x
Phillack 17 31.32x
Birmingham 16 0.51x
Bodmin 16 23.00x
Ford 16 48.34x
Galashiels 16 12.88x
Gorton 16 3.86x
Hammersmith London 16 1.75x
St Woollos 16 5.34x
Antony 15 36.95x
Audley 15 12.09x
Bethnal Green London 15 0.93x
Bromley London 15 1.84x
Congleton 15 10.59x
Deptford St Paul 15 1.53x
Hoo 15 89.23x
Kingston On Thames 15 3.45x
Madeley 15 48.00x
Monks Coppenhall 15 4.85x
Poplar London 15 2.14x
St Andrew Holborn London 15 9.33x
St Mary Magdalene 15 48.54x
East West Hagbourn 14 148.78x
Redruth 14 11.77x
St Austell 14 9.74x
Toxteth Park 14 0.94x
Battersea 13 0.95x
Bedwellty 13 2.74x
Little Torrington 13 191.46x
Royal Navy 13 3.44x
Southampton St Mary 13 2.72x
West Ham 13 0.80x
Westminster St John 13 2.87x
Great Malvern 12 11.86x
Habergham Eaves 12 2.98x
Preston 12 1.02x
St Keyne 12 579.71x
Swindon 12 4.71x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 236
Elizabeth 158
Sarah 118
Jane 92
Annie 61
Ann 60
Eliza 60
Emma 60
Alice 53
Emily 52
Ellen 40
Louisa 31
Edith 28
Harriet 28
Hannah 26
Martha 25
Ada 24
Maria 24
Clara 23
Florence 23
Frances 22
Margaret 22
Susan 22
Caroline 20
Kate 20
Catherine 17
Fanny 16
Lucy 16
Charlotte 15
Julia 15
Amelia 14
Amy 12
Anne 11
Esther 11
Jessie 10
Rose 10
Agnes 9
Rebecca 9
Elizth. 8
Gertrude 8
Minnie 8
Rosina 8
Beatrice 7
Bessie 7
Laura 7
Matilda 7
Rosa 7
Bertha 6
Harriett 6
Lydia 6

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 254
John 227
Thomas 130
George 120
James 103
Henry 89
Charles 88
Edward 60
Alfred 54
Joseph 49
Richard 44
Samuel 36
Frederick 31
Arthur 30
Albert 29
Robert 27
Walter 25
Edwin 20
Ernest 20
Harry 20
Herbert 16
Frank 14
Stephen 11
Wm. 11
Isaac 10
Edmund 9
Nicholas 9
Percy 8
Sydney 8
Willm. 8
Benjamin 7
Geo. 7
David 6
Edgar 6
Fredk. 6
Fredrick 6
Francis 5
Horace 5
Peter 5
Philip 5
Daniel 4
Jesse 4
Jonathan 4
Josiah 4
Baby 3
Cecil 3
Humphrey 3
Leonard 3
Ralph 3
Saml. 3

FAQ

Broad surname: questions and answers

How common was the Broad surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3,802 people were recorded with the Broad surname. That placed it at #1,201 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Broad surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 4,776 in 2016. That gives Broad a modern rank of #1,421.

What does the Broad surname mean?

An English locational surname referring to someone who lived by a wide, open space, such as a large field.

What does the Broad map show?

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