NameCensus.

UK surname

Broadhurst

A surname referring to someone living in a broad wooded area or forest glade.

In the 1881 census there were 3,031 people recorded with the Broadhurst surname, ranking it #1,480 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 4,167, ranked #1,628, down from #1,480 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Prestbury, Stockport and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Doncaster, High Peak and East Staffordshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Broadhurst is 4,366 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 37.5%.

1881 census count

3,031

Ranked #1,480

Modern count

4,167

2016, ranked #1,628

Peak year

2000

4,366 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Broadhurst had 3,031 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,480 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 4,167 in 2016, ranked #1,628.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 4,319 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Broadhurst surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Broadhurst surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Broadhurst 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 1,784 #1,615
1861 historical 2,069 #1,397
1881 historical 3,031 #1,480
1891 historical 3,253 #1,464
1901 historical 3,746 #1,503
1911 historical 4,319 #1,200
1997 modern 4,120 #1,573
1998 modern 4,341 #1,549
1999 modern 4,358 #1,555
2000 modern 4,366 #1,545
2001 modern 4,263 #1,547
2002 modern 4,326 #1,556
2003 modern 4,271 #1,546
2004 modern 4,176 #1,579
2005 modern 4,102 #1,587
2006 modern 4,118 #1,586
2007 modern 4,119 #1,595
2008 modern 4,175 #1,591
2009 modern 4,317 #1,575
2010 modern 4,325 #1,605
2011 modern 4,247 #1,613
2012 modern 4,150 #1,618
2013 modern 4,218 #1,621
2014 modern 4,264 #1,614
2015 modern 4,220 #1,616
2016 modern 4,167 #1,628

Geography

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Where Broadhursts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Prestbury, Stockport, Manchester, Walsall and Warrington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Doncaster, High Peak, East Staffordshire, North Warwickshire and Cheshire East. 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 Prestbury Cheshire
2 Stockport Cheshire
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Walsall Staffordshire
5 Warrington Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Doncaster 034 Doncaster
2 High Peak 006 High Peak
3 East Staffordshire 014 East Staffordshire
4 North Warwickshire 001 North Warwickshire
5 Cheshire East 018 Cheshire East

Forenames

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First names often paired with Broadhurst

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Broadhurst

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Broadhurst surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Broadhurst household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Broadhurst is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

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

Broadhurst is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Broadhurst

The surname Broadhurst is of English origin, deriving from the Old English words 'brad' meaning broad and 'hyrst' meaning a wooded hill or grove. It is therefore a locational name, referring to someone who lived near a broad wooded area or grove.

The earliest known records of the name date back to the 13th century in the counties of Lancashire and Yorkshire. In 1275, a Robert de Brodehurst is mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire. The Subsidy Rolls were tax records compiled in medieval England.

By the late 13th century, the name had started appearing in various other parts of northern England, including Cheshire and Staffordshire. An entry in the Assize Rolls of Staffordshire from 1292 mentions a William de Brodeherst.

The Broadhurst surname is also found in the famous Domesday Book of 1086, a record of landholders in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. An entry in the Domesday Book for Yorkshire lists a place called 'Bradehurstedelie'.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was John Broadhurst, born around 1470 in Cheshire. He was a landowner and held the position of Steward of the Manor of Nantwich in Cheshire.

Another notable figure was Thomas Broadhurst, born in 1587 in Lancashire. He was a prominent Puritan minister and served as the vicar of Batley in Yorkshire from 1622 until his death in 1653.

In the 17th century, a branch of the Broadhurst family settled in the West Indies. One member of this branch was Sir John Broadhurst, born in Barbados in 1642. He served as the Lieutenant Governor of Barbados from 1690 to 1693.

The Broadhurst surname can also be found in various place names throughout England, such as Broadhurst Fields in Lancashire and Broadhurst Manor in Staffordshire.

During the 19th century, the surname gained recognition through the work of Thomas Broadhurst, born in 1828 in Staffordshire. He was a renowned painter and sculptor, known for his portraits and allegorical works.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Broadhurst families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Broadhurst 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. Lancashire leads with 814 Broadhursts recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.32x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 814 2.32x
Cheshire 602 9.22x
Staffordshire 424 4.25x
Derbyshire 183 3.95x
Yorkshire 177 0.60x
Warwickshire 161 2.16x
Leicestershire 124 3.78x
Surrey 89 0.62x
Middlesex 65 0.22x
Nottinghamshire 65 1.63x
Shropshire 65 2.54x
Hampshire 60 0.99x
Worcestershire 35 0.91x
Kent 21 0.21x
Sussex 21 0.42x
Berkshire 19 0.86x
Cornwall 16 0.48x
Gloucestershire 12 0.21x
Hertfordshire 11 0.54x
Durham 10 0.11x
Denbighshire 9 0.81x
Somerset 7 0.15x
Lanarkshire 6 0.06x
Devon 5 0.08x
Lincolnshire 5 0.11x
Monmouthshire 5 0.23x
Flintshire 4 0.50x
Midlothian 4 0.10x
Wigtownshire 3 0.76x
Brecknockshire 2 0.34x
Cambridgeshire 2 0.11x
Glamorgan 1 0.02x
Norfolk 1 0.02x
Oxfordshire 1 0.05x
Renfrewshire 1 0.04x
Royal Navy 1 0.28x
Rutland 1 0.46x
Wiltshire 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stockport in Cheshire leads with 106 Broadhursts recorded in 1881 and an index of 31.54x.

Place Total Index
Stockport 106 31.54x
Warrington 94 22.59x
Macclesfield 88 30.31x
Walsall Foreign 79 15.31x
Birmingham 71 2.86x
Manchester 56 3.55x
Ashton Under Lyne 51 6.65x
Stoke Upon Trent 50 4.72x
Ashby De La Zouch 49 64.44x
Glossop Dale 42 19.36x
Lambeth 37 1.43x
Gorton 34 10.30x
Salford 34 3.29x
Sutton In Macclesfield 34 50.17x
Aston 31 1.51x
Congleton 30 26.59x
Poynton 30 136.61x
Holbeck 28 14.42x
Hyde 28 14.53x
Heaton Norris 27 13.51x
Oldham 27 2.38x
Worsley 27 12.48x
Wolstanton 26 8.57x
Ecclesall Bierlow 25 4.19x
Newbold Astbury 25 321.34x
Sheffield 25 2.68x
Pendleton In Salford 23 5.50x
Everton 22 1.97x
Ollersett 22 243.63x
Pownall Fee 21 71.87x
Silchester 20 418.41x
Crich 19 62.85x
Hulme 19 2.59x
Kingswinford 19 5.24x
Walsall Borough 19 24.51x
Culcheth 18 78.26x
Newton 18 6.65x
Upper Arley 18 242.92x
Aspull 17 20.59x
Chadderton 17 9.91x
Chorlton On Medlock 17 3.05x
Altrincham 16 14.02x
Battersea 16 1.47x
Cheetham 16 6.11x
Newcastle Under Lyme 16 9.05x
Sowe 16 119.05x
Blackfordby 14 133.72x
Brightside Bierlow 14 2.43x
Hastings St Mary 14 11.28x
Pendlebury 14 18.89x
St Pancras London 14 0.59x
Willenhall 14 7.48x
Ardwick 13 4.11x
Shifnal 13 18.73x
Stapenhill 13 18.85x
Chapel En Le Frith 12 28.38x
Nottingham St Mary 12 1.16x
Runcorn 12 7.97x
Bennington 11 188.03x
Bollington In 11 18.92x
Broseley 11 24.22x
Burntwood Edial 11 17.24x
Burslem 11 3.85x
Derby St Werburgh 11 4.11x
Leek Lowe 11 8.28x
Mamble 11 470.09x
Preston 11 1.17x
Sedgley 11 2.97x
Tamworth 11 20.60x
Alfreton 10 7.11x
Bow London 10 2.65x
Derby St Alkmund 10 7.20x
Disley Stanley 10 29.74x
Drayton In Hales 10 18.98x
Failsworth 10 12.45x
Gateshead 10 1.52x
Horninglow 10 21.26x
Rushall 10 17.02x
St Marylebone London 10 0.63x
Yardley 10 10.12x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 231
Sarah 133
Elizabeth 123
Ann 66
Eliza 58
Ellen 51
Emma 48
Hannah 48
Jane 48
Alice 46
Annie 41
Martha 35
Margaret 33
Emily 28
Harriet 28
Louisa 25
Ada 23
Maria 23
Clara 19
Fanny 16
Esther 15
Lucy 15
Charlotte 13
Caroline 12
Catherine 12
Florence 12
Agnes 10
Frances 10
Edith 9
Harriett 9
Elizth. 8
Selina 8
Ruth 7
Anne 6
Eleanor 6
Rebecca 6
Sophia 6
Amelia 5
Bertha 5
Betsy 5
Jessie 5
Kate 5
Lydia 5
Rosa 5
Susannah 5
Lilly 4
Minnie 4
Nancy 4
Susan 4
Maggie 3

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 191
William 184
James 113
Thomas 102
Joseph 96
George 82
Samuel 64
Charles 56
Henry 47
Edward 42
Arthur 27
Alfred 23
Harry 21
Frederick 20
Richard 20
Albert 19
Isaac 16
Walter 16
Edwin 15
Wm. 14
Ernest 13
Frank 13
Benjamin 11
Daniel 11
David 11
Robert 9
Peter 8
Thos. 8
Herbert 7
Willm. 7
Francis 6
Jonathan 6
Ralph 6
Fred 5
Geo. 5
Stephen 5
Abraham 4
Ben 4
Fredk. 4
Jno. 4
Reuben 4
Andrew 3
Chas. 3
Cornelius 3
Elijah 3
Horace 3
Josiah 3
Noah 3
Richd. 3
Tom 3

FAQ

Broadhurst surname: questions and answers

How common was the Broadhurst surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3,031 people were recorded with the Broadhurst surname. That placed it at #1,480 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Broadhurst surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 4,167 in 2016. That gives Broadhurst a modern rank of #1,628.

What does the Broadhurst surname mean?

A surname referring to someone living in a broad wooded area or forest glade.

What does the Broadhurst map show?

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