NameCensus.

UK surname

Broadway

An English locational surname denoting someone who lived by a wide road.

In the 1881 census there were 609 people recorded with the Broadway surname, ranking it #5,757 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 915, ranked #6,232, down from #5,757 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hillingdon (Hillingdon), Ickenham, Cowley, London parishes and Motcomb. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Shropshire, Walsall and Lewes.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Broadway is 941 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 50.2%.

1881 census count

609

Ranked #5,757

Modern count

915

2016, ranked #6,232

Peak year

2014

941 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Broadway had 609 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,757 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 915 in 2016, ranked #6,232.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 830 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Broadway surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Broadway surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Broadway 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 407 #5,956
1861 historical 458 #5,668
1881 historical 609 #5,757
1891 historical 654 #5,939
1901 historical 737 #6,013
1911 historical 830 #5,320
1997 modern 859 #6,185
1998 modern 913 #6,092
1999 modern 917 #6,115
2000 modern 890 #6,228
2001 modern 858 #6,293
2002 modern 873 #6,330
2003 modern 859 #6,299
2004 modern 836 #6,427
2005 modern 834 #6,392
2006 modern 846 #6,344
2007 modern 858 #6,331
2008 modern 866 #6,318
2009 modern 897 #6,285
2010 modern 922 #6,266
2011 modern 888 #6,376
2012 modern 902 #6,239
2013 modern 925 #6,221
2014 modern 941 #6,171
2015 modern 922 #6,215
2016 modern 915 #6,232

Geography

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Where Broadways are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hillingdon (Hillingdon), Ickenham, Cowley, London parishes, Motcomb and St Matthew Bethnal Green. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Shropshire, Walsall, Lewes and West Dorset. 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 Hillingdon (Hillingdon), Ickenham, Cowley Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Motcomb Dorset
5 St Matthew Bethnal Green London (East Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Shropshire 035 Shropshire
2 Walsall 017 Walsall
3 Lewes 003 Lewes
4 Walsall 002 Walsall
5 West Dorset 003 West Dorset

Forenames

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First names often paired with Broadway

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Broadway

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

London Fringe

Within London, Broadway 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

Broadway 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

Broadway falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Broadway

The surname Broadway originates from England and dates back to the medieval period. It is a locational name derived from various place names containing the elements "broad" and "way," referring to a wide road or path.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Bradewei" in reference to a settlement in Gloucestershire. This suggests that the name was already well-established by the time of the Norman Conquest.

In the 13th century, the surname appeared in various forms such as "de Bradeweye" and "atte Brodeweye," reflecting the common practice of using prepositions like "de" or "atte" to indicate a person's place of origin.

One notable early bearer of the surname was John Broadway, a member of the English Parliament who represented Gloucestershire in 1397 and 1401.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the name began to take on its modern spelling of "Broadway." Records from this period include individuals like Robert Broadway, a merchant from London born in 1570, and Thomas Broadway, a clergyman and author from Worcestershire who lived from 1593 to 1668.

In the 18th century, the name gained further prominence with figures such as George Broadway (1711-1783), a successful London-based bookseller and publisher, and John Broadway (1744-1815), an English architect responsible for designing several notable buildings in Bristol.

Moving into the 19th century, one of the most famous bearers of the surname was William Broadway (1818-1898), a renowned English composer and organist who served as the organist of Westminster Abbey for over 40 years.

Throughout history, the Broadway surname has been associated with various occupations and professions, reflecting the diverse backgrounds of its bearers. From merchants and clergymen to architects and musicians, the name has left its mark across various aspects of English society.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Broadway families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Broadway 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 119 Broadways recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.00x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 119 2.00x
Warwickshire 73 4.87x
Oxfordshire 71 19.35x
Somerset 52 5.44x
Hampshire 38 3.12x
Dorset 36 9.23x
Berkshire 34 7.62x
Surrey 31 1.07x
Worcestershire 21 2.71x
Staffordshire 17 0.85x
Wiltshire 17 3.24x
Kent 16 0.79x
Buckinghamshire 15 4.18x
Devon 10 0.81x
Huntingdonshire 8 6.78x
Norfolk 6 0.66x
Yorkshire 6 0.10x
Cambridgeshire 5 1.33x
Cornwall 5 0.74x
Lancashire 5 0.07x
Northumberland 4 0.45x
Cheshire 3 0.23x
Durham 3 0.17x
Gloucestershire 3 0.26x
Sussex 3 0.30x
Ayrshire 2 0.45x
Pembrokeshire 2 1.06x
Bedfordshire 1 0.33x
Midlothian 1 0.13x
Monmouthshire 1 0.23x
Royal Navy 1 1.41x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Birmingham in Warwickshire leads with 34 Broadways recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.81x.

Place Total Index
Birmingham 34 6.81x
Bethnal Green London 27 10.46x
Watlington 23 611.70x
Aston 20 4.85x
Motcombe 18 627.18x
Hillingdon 16 84.48x
Radstock 14 222.58x
Chilvers Coton 10 162.34x
Road 10 862.07x
St Botolph Aldgate London 10 81.77x
Wheatfield 10 5000.00x
Chalgrove 9 857.14x
Norwood 9 66.27x
Portsea 9 3.77x
Rock 9 290.32x
St Pancras London 9 1.88x
Barwick 8 833.33x
St Ives 8 130.72x
Stokenchurch 8 243.90x
Burbage 7 261.19x
Hambleden 7 228.01x
Kings Norton 7 10.06x
Southwark St George Martyr 7 5.86x
Aston Rowant 6 454.55x
Child Okeford 6 348.84x
Nuneaton 6 34.56x
Ogley Hay 6 144.23x
Pangbourn 6 400.00x
Shoreditch London 6 2.33x
Sledmere Cum Croom 6 588.24x
St Bartholomew Hyde 6 206.19x
Westminster St James 6 9.82x
Bideford 5 37.74x
Bromley London 5 3.83x
Fisherton Anger 5 51.44x
S Weston 5 2500.00x
Southwark St Saviour 5 16.38x
Twyford 5 171.82x
Upwell 5 181.16x
West Swallowfield 5 236.97x
Yattendon 5 793.65x
Alnwick 4 26.32x
Berry Pomeroy 4 195.12x
Camberwell 4 1.05x
Christchurch 4 15.15x
Deptford St Paul 4 2.56x
Eltham 4 33.67x
Falmouth 4 16.80x
Holdenhurst 4 12.52x
Hornsey 4 5.32x
Iwerne Courtnay 4 152.09x
Newington 4 1.82x
Oxford St Thomas 4 23.36x
Salford 4 1.93x
Wallingford St Leonard 4 192.31x
Walsall Borough 4 25.69x
West Knoyle 4 1000.00x
Wollaston 4 81.30x
Woolverton 4 1538.46x
Alverstoke 3 6.81x
Curry Rivell 3 93.75x
Egham 3 16.88x
Hackney London 3 0.90x
Mile End Old Town London 3 2.37x
Old Windsor 3 58.14x
Pinner 3 57.69x
Ruscombe 3 394.74x
St George Hanover Square 3 2.87x
St Marylebone London 3 0.95x
Stockport 3 4.45x
Tipton 3 4.89x
Upton Cum Chalvey 3 20.96x
Upway 3 202.70x
Upwell 3 70.59x
Wargrave 3 78.33x
Westoe 3 2.99x
Kensington London 2 0.61x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 2 7.29x
Millbrook 2 6.52x
Shalford 2 62.50x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 33
Elizabeth 20
Eliza 18
Sarah 18
Annie 16
Ann 14
Alice 12
Emily 12
Jane 12
Ellen 9
Emma 7
Caroline 6
Martha 6
Clara 5
Louisa 5
Selina 5
Susan 5
Charlotte 4
Edith 4
Fanny 4
Laura 4
Lucy 4
Margaret 4
Maria 4
Florence 3
Frances 3
Hannah 3
Isabella 3
Sophia 3
Ada 2
Agnes 2
Amelia 2
Catherine 2
Cathrine 2
Elizth. 2
Esther 2
Harriett 2
Hester 2
Julia 2
Myra 2
Rose 2
Sop 2
B.M. 1
Beatrice 1
Bessie 1
Eleanor 1
Eliz. 1
Elizth 1
Elizth.A.B. 1
Theodorah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 49
John 27
George 23
James 22
Thomas 20
Henry 17
Samuel 9
Walter 9
Alfred 7
Charles 7
Edward 7
Albert 6
Edwin 6
Richard 5
Frederick 4
Jas. 4
Joseph 4
Benjamin 3
Edmund 3
Ernest 3
Robert 3
Stephen 3
Tom 3
Arthur 2
Daniel 2
Elias 2
Frank 2
Harry 2
Isaac 2
Mathew 2
Thos. 2
Willie 2
Wm. 2
Aurther 1
Edwd. 1
Fred 1
Fredrick 1
Herbert 1
Hubert 1
Hy. 1
Infant 1
Jabus 1
Josph. 1
Matthew 1
Oliver 1
Patrick 1
Percival 1
Peter 1
Reuben 1
Richd. 1

FAQ

Broadway surname: questions and answers

How common was the Broadway surname in 1881?

In 1881, 609 people were recorded with the Broadway surname. That placed it at #5,757 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Broadway surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 915 in 2016. That gives Broadway a modern rank of #6,232.

What does the Broadway surname mean?

An English locational surname denoting someone who lived by a wide road.

What does the Broadway map show?

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