NameCensus.

UK surname

Brockhouse

A locational surname derived from someone who lived near a badger's den or warren.

In the 1881 census there were 126 people recorded with the Brockhouse surname, ranking it #17,245 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 203, ranked #19,396, down from #17,245 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, Harborne and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Basingstoke and Deane, Babergh and Bolton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Brockhouse is 210 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 61.1%.

1881 census count

126

Ranked #17,245

Modern count

203

2016, ranked #19,396

Peak year

2014

210 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Brockhouse had 126 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #17,245 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 203 in 2016, ranked #19,396.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 201 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Brockhouse surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Brockhouse surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Brockhouse 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 86 #18,820
1861 historical 75 #24,238
1881 historical 126 #17,245
1891 historical 161 #17,473
1901 historical 152 #17,916
1911 historical 201 #14,905
1997 modern 196 #17,859
1998 modern 206 #17,796
1999 modern 201 #18,179
2000 modern 190 #18,806
2001 modern 185 #18,840
2002 modern 196 #18,535
2003 modern 193 #18,501
2004 modern 200 #18,213
2005 modern 198 #18,279
2006 modern 190 #18,898
2007 modern 199 #18,542
2008 modern 204 #18,403
2009 modern 206 #18,657
2010 modern 202 #19,322
2011 modern 205 #18,965
2012 modern 202 #19,084
2013 modern 203 #19,327
2014 modern 210 #19,064
2015 modern 208 #19,085
2016 modern 203 #19,396

Geography

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Where Brockhouses are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, Harborne, London parishes, Wednesbury and Whalley. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Basingstoke and Deane, Babergh, Bolton, Dudley and Thanet. 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 Wolverhampton Staffordshire
2 Harborne Worcestershire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Wednesbury Staffordshire
5 Whalley Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Basingstoke and Deane 011 Basingstoke and Deane
2 Babergh 004 Babergh
3 Bolton 013 Bolton
4 Dudley 015 Dudley
5 Thanet 016 Thanet

Forenames

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First names often paired with Brockhouse

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Brockhouse

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Brockhouse, 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 Brockhouse surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Brockhouse 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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Brockhouse 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

Brockhouse is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Brockhouse 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 Brockhouse is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Brockhouse

The surname Brockhouse has its origins in England, tracing back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English words "broc" meaning a brook or stream, and "hus" meaning a house or dwelling. This suggests that the name originally referred to someone who lived near a brook or stream.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Brochaus". This entry likely refers to a place name or settlement that later gave rise to the surname.

In the 13th century, the name appears in various forms such as "Brochous", "Brokhaus", and "Brochuys". These variations reflect the evolution of the spelling over time as well as regional dialects.

During the late Middle Ages and Renaissance period, several notable individuals bore the Brockhouse surname. One such figure was John Brockhouse (c. 1450-1520), a prominent merchant and landowner in Yorkshire. Another was William Brockhouse (1571-1636), an English clergyman and author who served as the vicar of Little Finborough in Suffolk.

In the 17th century, the Brockhouse family established themselves in the county of Lancashire, where they held significant land and property. One member of this branch was Richard Brockhouse (1636-1709), a wealthy landowner and Justice of the Peace.

As the name spread across England, it also took on various forms related to place names. For instance, the town of Brockhouse in Derbyshire likely contributed to the surname's development. Similarly, the village of Brockhaus in Staffordshire may have influenced the name's spelling and pronunciation in certain regions.

Other notable individuals with the Brockhouse surname include Sir John Brockhouse (1709-1789), a Member of Parliament for Middlesex, and Alfred Brockhouse (1801-1872), a prominent architect responsible for designing several churches and public buildings in London.

Throughout its history, the Brockhouse surname has maintained a strong connection to its English roots, reflecting the country's rich linguistic and cultural heritage.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Brockhouse families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Brockhouse 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. Staffordshire leads with 50 Brockhouses recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.05x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 50 12.05x
Worcestershire 23 14.33x
Yorkshire 17 1.40x
Middlesex 13 1.06x
Warwickshire 12 3.87x
Surrey 9 1.50x
Cornwall 1 0.72x
Kent 1 0.24x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Oldbury in Worcestershire leads with 17 Brockhouses recorded in 1881 and an index of 215.19x.

Place Total Index
Oldbury 17 215.19x
Willenhall 15 193.05x
Harborne 13 97.74x
West Bromwich 10 42.11x
Lambeth 9 8.40x
Darton 8 640.00x
Lichfield St Chad 8 860.22x
Westminster St John 8 53.44x
Dudley 5 25.63x
Polesworth 4 272.11x
Hoyland Nether 3 100.33x
Nether Hallam 3 18.20x
St Pancras London 3 3.03x
Walsall Foreign 3 14.00x
Astley 2 2000.00x
Birmingham 2 1.94x
Normanton 2 54.64x
Sutton Coldfield 2 61.35x
Aston 1 1.17x
Castle Church 1 40.16x
Chelsea London 1 2.70x
Ipsley 1 175.44x
Kings Norton 1 6.95x
Monk Bretton 1 81.30x
Scilly Islands St Mary 1 185.19x
St George Hanover Square 1 4.62x
Swanscombe 1 53.19x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Sarah 5
Ann 4
Eliza 4
Emma 3
Jane 3
Louisa 3
Mary 3
Ada 2
Elizabeth 2
Ellen 2
Minnie 2
Phoebe 2
Agnes 1
Alice 1
Amo 1
Amy 1
Anna 1
Annah 1
Annie 1
Caroline 1
Catharine 1
Clara 1
Ellenor 1
Elsie 1
Florence 1
Lucy 1
Lydia 1
Mabel 1
Maria 1
Martha 1
Nancy 1
Phebe 1
Pheboe 1
Rosina 1
Ruth 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 12
William 9
Samuel 6
Enoch 5
Charles 3
Henry 3
Joseph 3
Abraham 2
Alfred 2
David 2
Frederick 2
George 2
Herbert 2
James 2
Jno. 2
Arthur 1
Benjamin 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Jonah 1
Leonard 1
M.H. 1
Richard 1
Roland 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Brockhouse surname: questions and answers

How common was the Brockhouse surname in 1881?

In 1881, 126 people were recorded with the Brockhouse surname. That placed it at #17,245 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Brockhouse surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 203 in 2016. That gives Brockhouse a modern rank of #19,396.

What does the Brockhouse surname mean?

A locational surname derived from someone who lived near a badger's den or warren.

What does the Brockhouse map show?

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