NameCensus.

UK surname

Brockett

An English toponymic surname derived from a place name meaning "badger hole" or "den of a badger."

In the 1881 census there were 289 people recorded with the Brockett surname, ranking it #9,968 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 501, ranked #9,974, down from #9,968 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bedford St Paul, London parishes and Glasgow. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include IZ03, Shropshire and Drumchapel North.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Brockett is 540 in 2009. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 73.4%.

1881 census count

289

Ranked #9,968

Modern count

501

2016, ranked #9,974

Peak year

2009

540 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Brockett had 289 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,968 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 501 in 2016, ranked #9,974.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 394 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Brockett surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Brockett surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Brockett 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 124 #14,792
1861 historical 144 #15,817
1881 historical 289 #9,968
1891 historical 337 #10,133
1901 historical 394 #9,579
1911 historical 391 #9,443
1997 modern 537 #8,823
1998 modern 536 #9,099
1999 modern 527 #9,277
2000 modern 506 #9,541
2001 modern 505 #9,404
2002 modern 530 #9,242
2003 modern 528 #9,127
2004 modern 519 #9,257
2005 modern 505 #9,379
2006 modern 510 #9,342
2007 modern 522 #9,254
2008 modern 508 #9,521
2009 modern 540 #9,294
2010 modern 538 #9,523
2011 modern 527 #9,584
2012 modern 513 #9,684
2013 modern 505 #9,949
2014 modern 495 #10,145
2015 modern 501 #9,995
2016 modern 501 #9,974

Geography

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Where Brocketts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bedford St Paul, London parishes, Glasgow and Stranton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to IZ03, Shropshire, Drumchapel North, North Hertfordshire and Luton. 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 Bedford St Paul Bedfordshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Glasgow Lanark
4 Stranton Durham
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 IZ03 West Dunbartonshire
2 Shropshire 012 Shropshire
3 Drumchapel North Glasgow City
4 North Hertfordshire 014 North Hertfordshire
5 Luton 016 Luton

Forenames

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First names often paired with Brockett

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Brockett

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

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Brockett is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Brockett 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

Brockett falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Brockett is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Brockett, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Brockett

The surname Brockett is of English origin and dates back to the late 12th century. It is derived from the Old English words "broc" meaning a small stream or brook, and "hætt" meaning a hat or headpiece. The name likely referred to someone who lived near a small stream or brook.

Brockett was originally found in the counties of Staffordshire and Shropshire in the West Midlands region of England. The earliest recorded spelling of the name appears in the Pipe Rolls of Staffordshire in 1199, where one William Brochet is mentioned.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, a place called "Brochehull" is recorded in Staffordshire, which may be related to the surname's origins. Other early spellings of the name include Brocket, Brockett, Brokete, and Broket.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname was John Brockett, who was born in Staffordshire in 1567. He was a prominent landowner and served as a justice of the peace in the county.

Sir John Brockett (1559-1637) was a Member of Parliament for Staffordshire in the early 17th century and played a significant role in the English Civil War as a Royalist supporter of King Charles I.

William Brockett (1768-1842) was a notable English painter and engraver who exhibited his works at the Royal Academy in London.

Reverend John Trotter Brockett (1788-1842) was a respected clergyman and antiquarian from Newcastle upon Tyne. He wrote several books on the history and antiquities of the region.

John Brockett (1829-1890) was a prominent lawyer and judge in New York City, serving as a Justice of the New York Supreme Court from 1884 until his death.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Brockett families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Brockett 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. Bedfordshire leads with 60 Brocketts recorded in 1881 and an index of 41.10x.

County Total Index
Bedfordshire 60 41.10x
Middlesex 42 1.49x
Surrey 30 2.18x
Cambridgeshire 27 15.12x
Yorkshire 25 0.89x
Durham 22 2.62x
Lanarkshire 19 2.08x
Hertfordshire 11 5.66x
Northumberland 11 2.62x
Lincolnshire 10 2.22x
Northamptonshire 8 3.02x
Essex 7 1.26x
Kent 4 0.42x
Berkshire 2 0.95x
Buckinghamshire 2 1.17x
Hampshire 2 0.35x
Huntingdonshire 2 3.57x
Monmouthshire 2 0.98x
Staffordshire 2 0.21x
Dorset 1 0.54x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stotfold in Bedfordshire leads with 21 Brocketts recorded in 1881 and an index of 752.69x.

Place Total Index
Stotfold 21 752.69x
Barony 19 8.23x
Guilden Morden 17 1789.47x
Stranton 17 60.22x
Bedford St Paul 15 149.85x
Hackney London 15 9.49x
Ruswarp 10 321.54x
Therfield 10 877.19x
Silk Willoughby 9 3333.33x
Bethnal Green London 8 6.53x
Bromham 8 2500.00x
Hornsey 8 22.44x
Wimbledon 8 51.88x
Kingston On Thames 6 18.18x
Battersea 5 4.82x
Goathland 5 1000.00x
Great Doddington 5 862.07x
Southwark St George Martyr 5 8.81x
Wylam 5 543.48x
Biddenham 4 1333.33x
Croydon 4 5.25x
Ovington 4 784.31x
St Clement Cambridge 4 540.54x
Twickenham 4 33.09x
West Ham 4 3.26x
Bedford St Mary 3 79.79x
Edmonton 3 13.21x
Gateshead 3 4.78x
Kempston 3 90.63x
Marston Moretaine 3 263.16x
Northampton St Giles 3 29.70x
Steeple Morden 3 315.79x
Bellerby 2 666.67x
Bilton Cum Harrogate 2 20.94x
Blunham 2 202.02x
Brightside Bierlow 2 3.65x
Handsworth 2 8.53x
Hornchurch 2 73.26x
Iver 2 90.91x
Kimbolton 2 169.49x
Lambeth 2 0.81x
New Windsor 2 28.13x
St Giles 2 38.17x
Wath On Dearne 2 35.91x
West Wratting 2 350.88x
Whitby 2 21.25x
Aldershot 1 5.17x
Bedford St Peter 1 26.39x
Chatham 1 3.78x
Chislehurst 1 19.38x
Earsdon 1 29.33x
Great Grimsby 1 3.50x
Hammersmith London 1 1.44x
Hexham 1 15.41x
Islington London 1 0.37x
Kensington London 1 0.64x
Mynyddyslwyn 1 12.44x
Plumstead 1 3.12x
Portland 1 10.05x
Royston 1 60.61x
Sherfield Upon Loddon 1 161.29x
St Anne Soho London 1 6.21x
Trevethin 1 5.19x
Walmer 1 23.92x
Whaddon 1 303.03x
Willingale Spain 1 500.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 24
Sarah 14
Elizabeth 13
Eliza 7
Ann 5
Annie 5
Emily 4
Margaret 4
Alice 3
Emma 3
Hannah 3
Jane 3
Louisa 3
Beatrice 2
Ellen 2
Fanny 2
Henrietta 2
Lillia 2
Maria 2
Minnie 2
Susanah 2
Agnes 1
Betsey 1
Caroline 1
Cecilia 1
Charlotte 1
Clara 1
Edith 1
Eleanor 1
Eliz 1
Elizth. 1
Evelyna 1
Fannie 1
Flora 1
Florence 1
Georgiana 1
Grace 1
Harriett 1
Jessie 1
Julia 1
Leah 1
Lillian 1
Lizzy 1
Mabel 1
Maud 1
Nancy 1
Rebbecca 1
Rebecca 1
Rosa 1
Rose 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 14
John 13
Charles 11
Alfred 9
James 9
George 7
Thomas 7
Frederick 5
Henry 5
Edward 4
Willm. 3
Benjamin 2
Daniel 2
Frank 2
Herbert 2
Isaac 2
Reuben 2
Robert 2
Samuel 2
Wilfred 2
Abraham 1
Archer 1
Arthur 1
Aubrey 1
Augustus 1
David 1
Edwd. 1
Edwin 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Frd. 1
Fredk.C. 1
Harry 1
Jno. 1
Joseph 1
Mark 1
Morris 1
Richard 1
Robt. 1
Solomon 1
Spencer 1
Sydney 1
Thos.Chas. 1
Walter 1
Wm.Henry 1

FAQ

Brockett surname: questions and answers

How common was the Brockett surname in 1881?

In 1881, 289 people were recorded with the Brockett surname. That placed it at #9,968 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Brockett surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 501 in 2016. That gives Brockett a modern rank of #9,974.

What does the Brockett surname mean?

An English toponymic surname derived from a place name meaning "badger hole" or "den of a badger."

What does the Brockett map show?

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