NameCensus.

UK surname

Broadbent

A locational surname referring to someone who lived near a broad bent or curve, likely in a road or river.

In the 1881 census there were 6,399 people recorded with the Broadbent surname, ranking it #665 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 5,859, ranked #1,148, down from #665 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Halifax, Kirkheaton and Bradford. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Tameside, Oldham and Bradford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Broadbent is 7,809 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 8.4%.

1881 census count

6,399

Ranked #665

Modern count

5,859

2016, ranked #1,148

Peak year

1911

7,809 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Broadbent had 6,399 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #665 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 5,859 in 2016, ranked #1,148.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 7,809 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Broadbent surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Broadbent surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Broadbent 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 4,243 #671
1861 historical 4,335 #657
1881 historical 6,399 #665
1891 historical 6,961 #646
1901 historical 7,642 #704
1911 historical 7,809 #662
1997 modern 6,165 #1,066
1998 modern 6,366 #1,075
1999 modern 6,379 #1,077
2000 modern 6,330 #1,077
2001 modern 6,189 #1,078
2002 modern 6,274 #1,087
2003 modern 6,167 #1,085
2004 modern 6,164 #1,084
2005 modern 6,091 #1,080
2006 modern 6,038 #1,081
2007 modern 6,042 #1,088
2008 modern 6,106 #1,083
2009 modern 6,248 #1,086
2010 modern 6,328 #1,099
2011 modern 6,251 #1,097
2012 modern 6,110 #1,098
2013 modern 6,103 #1,118
2014 modern 6,072 #1,127
2015 modern 5,971 #1,136
2016 modern 5,859 #1,148

Geography

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Where Broadbents are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Halifax, Kirkheaton, Bradford, Rochdale and Ashton-under-Lyne. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Tameside, Oldham and Bradford. 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 Halifax Yorkshire, West Riding
2 Kirkheaton Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Rochdale Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Ashton-under-Lyne Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Tameside 001 Tameside
2 Oldham 006 Oldham
3 Bradford 061 Bradford
4 Bradford 052 Bradford
5 Oldham 013 Oldham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Broadbent

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Broadbent

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Broadbent surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Broadbent household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Broadbent is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

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

Broadbent is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Broadbent falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Broadbent

The surname BROADBENT is of English origin, derived from a combination of the Old English words 'brad' meaning broad and 'bene' meaning bent grass or coarse grass. It is believed to have originated as a descriptive name referring to someone who lived near a broad expanse of grassland or a broad valley.

The earliest recorded instance of the BROADBENT surname dates back to the 13th century in Lancashire, England. In 1292, a Robert de Bradebent was mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Lancashire. This spelling variation highlights the connection to the Old English roots of the name.

During the 14th century, the BROADBENT surname appeared in various records across Yorkshire and Lancashire. For instance, in 1379, a John de Brodebent was listed in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Returns. The name was also found in the Wakefield Court Rolls of 1317, which mentioned a William de Brodebent.

The BROADBENT surname has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One such figure was Thomas Broadbent (1638-1688), an English Nonconformist minister and writer who served as the chaplain to the Duke of Albemarle. Another prominent bearer of the name was John Broadbent (1751-1835), a British engineer and inventor who patented an early design for a self-righting lifeboat.

In the realm of literature, the BROADBENT name gained recognition through the works of George Broadbent (1838-1922), an English novelist and playwright. His most well-known work is the novel "The Intrusion of Peggy," published in 1905.

The BROADBENT surname has also been carried by several notable athletes. One example is Derek Broadbent (1933-2003), an English footballer who played for Manchester City and Sheffield Wednesday in the 1950s and 1960s. Another is Tom Broadbent (born 1989), an English rugby league player who has represented the England national team.

While the BROADBENT surname originated in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly to countries with strong British colonial ties. However, the majority of historical records and notable individuals bearing this name can be traced back to its English roots.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Broadbent families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Broadbent 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. Yorkshire leads with 3,358 Broadbents recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.41x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 3,358 5.41x
Lancashire 1,810 2.43x
Cheshire 442 3.20x
Derbyshire 138 1.41x
Middlesex 100 0.16x
Staffordshire 91 0.43x
Lincolnshire 82 0.82x
Surrey 55 0.18x
Durham 51 0.27x
Warwickshire 50 0.32x
Cumberland 49 0.91x
Isle of Man 29 2.49x
Kent 26 0.12x
Sussex 20 0.19x
Aberdeenshire 15 0.26x
Nottinghamshire 15 0.18x
Lanarkshire 14 0.07x
Shropshire 11 0.20x
Cornwall 9 0.13x
Leicestershire 8 0.12x
Northumberland 8 0.09x
Berkshire 5 0.11x
Hampshire 5 0.04x
Dumfriesshire 3 0.22x
Gloucestershire 3 0.02x
Westmorland 3 0.22x
Buckinghamshire 2 0.05x
Denbighshire 2 0.08x
Devon 2 0.02x
Essex 2 0.02x
Hertfordshire 2 0.05x
Perthshire 2 0.07x
Roxburghshire 2 0.18x
Somerset 2 0.02x
Ayrshire 1 0.02x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.03x
Huntingdonshire 1 0.08x
Inverness-shire 1 0.05x
Midlothian 1 0.01x
Worcestershire 1 0.01x

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 531 Broadbents recorded in 1881 and an index of 22.13x.

Place Total Index
Oldham 531 22.13x
Ashton Under Lyne 399 24.56x
Saddleworth 313 65.36x
Sowerby In Halifax 161 79.30x
Leeds 137 3.91x
Halifax 119 13.06x
Horton In Bradford 108 11.14x
Huddersfield 98 10.83x
Hyde 95 23.28x
Dukinfield 90 14.08x
Almondbury 86 28.65x
Hunslet 86 8.88x
Kirkheaton 83 82.42x
Norland 83 194.74x
Armley 82 29.94x
Bowling 78 12.68x
Meltham 77 79.74x
Glossop Dale 76 16.54x
Bradford 70 4.66x
Manchester 57 1.70x
Skircoat 54 22.06x
Headingley Cum Burley 53 13.26x
Northowram 50 11.48x
Southowram 50 26.38x
Warley 47 26.19x
Morley 45 13.94x
Batley 44 7.46x
Liversedge 43 15.56x
Manningham 43 5.62x
Soyland 43 57.73x
Lockwood 42 18.80x
Mirfield 42 12.32x
Wakefield 42 8.81x
Wortley In Bramley 42 8.54x
Midgley 39 58.94x
Chadderton 36 9.90x
Holbeck 36 8.75x
Lambeth 36 0.66x
Liverpool 35 0.78x
Marsden In Almondbury 35 61.96x
Tintwistle 33 44.65x
Chorlton On Medlock 32 2.71x
Dalton In Huddersfield 32 23.01x
Gomersal 30 10.35x
Werneth 29 66.94x
Ardwick 28 4.18x
Broughton In Salford 28 4.12x
Calverley Cum Farsley 28 15.88x
Elland Cum Greetland 28 10.01x
North Bierley 28 8.35x
Salford 28 1.28x
Pudsey 27 8.14x
Sheffield 27 1.37x
Toxteth Park 26 1.03x
Bredbury 25 31.23x
Crompton 25 11.81x
Erringden 25 62.33x
Heap 25 6.34x
Shepley 25 73.04x
Stockton On Tees 25 2.78x
Dewsbury 23 3.61x
Hackney London 23 0.65x
Royton 23 10.11x
Cheetham 22 3.97x
Gildersome 22 29.47x
North Meols 22 3.02x
Ovenden 22 7.96x
Denton 21 12.75x
Hipperholme Cum 21 7.70x
Ludworth 20 43.29x
Rastrick 20 11.60x
Newton 19 3.32x
Spotland 19 2.30x
Stainland Cum Old 19 17.88x
Bingley 18 4.55x
Failsworth 18 10.58x
Hattersley 18 318.02x
Preston 18 0.90x
Stansfield 18 7.88x
West Derby 18 0.83x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 526
Sarah 338
Elizabeth 219
Hannah 165
Ann 134
Jane 106
Eliza 99
Martha 98
Emma 97
Annie 93
Alice 88
Ellen 75
Emily 57
Harriet 45
Ada 44
Clara 39
Margaret 39
Betty 34
Edith 33
Esther 31
Charlotte 30
Maria 28
Ruth 27
Lucy 24
Florence 23
Louisa 21
Bertha 19
Elizth. 19
Nancy 19
Amelia 18
Fanny 18
Anne 17
Frances 17
Lydia 13
Susannah 13
Caroline 12
Lilly 12
Matilda 12
Agnes 11
Gertrude 11
Grace 11
Isabella 11
Rachel 11
Amy 10
Lily 10
Sophia 10
Anna 9
Kate 9
Rebecca 9
Selina 9

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 424
William 255
James 251
Joseph 172
Thomas 165
George 154
Samuel 88
Charles 72
Henry 68
Robert 65
Fred 63
Arthur 62
Alfred 52
Harry 50
Benjamin 45
Walter 43
Herbert 42
Albert 41
Edward 41
Tom 29
David 28
Ernest 28
Richard 27
Frank 24
Edwin 23
Frederick 23
Joe 20
Sam 20
Wm. 16
Joshua 14
Willie 14
Daniel 13
Eli 12
Francis 12
Thos. 12
Wright 12
Ben 11
Isaac 11
Luke 11
Geo. 10
Harold 9
Jonathan 9
Ralph 9
Saml. 9
Abraham 8
Hugh 7
Jas. 7
Mark 7
Matthew 7
Percy 7

FAQ

Broadbent surname: questions and answers

How common was the Broadbent surname in 1881?

In 1881, 6,399 people were recorded with the Broadbent surname. That placed it at #665 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Broadbent surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 5,859 in 2016. That gives Broadbent a modern rank of #1,148.

What does the Broadbent surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone who lived near a broad bent or curve, likely in a road or river.

What does the Broadbent map show?

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