NameCensus.

UK surname

Brocklehurst

A locational surname denoting someone from a place called Brockhole Hurst.

In the 1881 census there were 1,636 people recorded with the Brocklehurst surname, ranking it #2,617 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,550, ranked #2,597, up from #2,617 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Prestbury, Stockport and Glossop. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Derbyshire Dales, Cheshire East and Calderdale.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Brocklehurst is 2,742 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 55.9%.

1881 census count

1,636

Ranked #2,617

Modern count

2,550

2016, ranked #2,597

Peak year

1999

2,742 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Brocklehurst had 1,636 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,617 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,550 in 2016, ranked #2,597.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,523 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Brocklehurst surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Brocklehurst surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Brocklehurst 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 825 #3,273
1861 historical 904 #3,065
1881 historical 1,636 #2,617
1891 historical 1,920 #2,398
1901 historical 2,389 #2,279
1911 historical 2,523 #2,026
1997 modern 2,608 #2,437
1998 modern 2,735 #2,421
1999 modern 2,742 #2,436
2000 modern 2,717 #2,441
2001 modern 2,679 #2,424
2002 modern 2,717 #2,441
2003 modern 2,618 #2,471
2004 modern 2,625 #2,468
2005 modern 2,563 #2,485
2006 modern 2,562 #2,489
2007 modern 2,590 #2,484
2008 modern 2,605 #2,490
2009 modern 2,620 #2,541
2010 modern 2,622 #2,593
2011 modern 2,575 #2,601
2012 modern 2,507 #2,615
2013 modern 2,593 #2,583
2014 modern 2,606 #2,583
2015 modern 2,562 #2,597
2016 modern 2,550 #2,597

Geography

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Where Brocklehursts are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Derbyshire Dales, Cheshire East and Calderdale. 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 Glossop Derbyshire
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Derbyshire Dales 003 Derbyshire Dales
2 Cheshire East 016 Cheshire East
3 Cheshire East 018 Cheshire East
4 Cheshire East 020 Cheshire East
5 Calderdale 006 Calderdale

Forenames

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First names often paired with Brocklehurst

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Brocklehurst

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

Ageing Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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, Brocklehurst 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

Brocklehurst 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

Brocklehurst falls in decile 9 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Brocklehurst

The surname Brocklehurst has its origins in England, and can be traced back to the late 12th century. It is believed to have derived from a place name, with the first part of the name stemming from the Old English word "brocc", meaning a badger, and the latter part from "hyrst", meaning a wooded hill or ridge.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Brocklehurst can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Lancashire from 1212, where it appears as "Broccolhurst". This suggests that the name was initially used to identify someone who resided near a wooded hill frequented by badgers.

In the 13th century, the name appears in the Assize Rolls of Yorkshire as "Brokelhurst", indicating a slight variation in spelling. The Brocklehurst family is believed to have originated from the village of Brockholes in Lancashire, which was once known as Brockulhurst.

The Domesday Book of 1086 does not contain any direct references to the name Brocklehurst, but it does mention several places with similar names, such as Brockholes and Brockhall, further supporting the theory of the name's geographical origins.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Brocklehurst was John Brocklehurst, who was born in Cheshire, England, in 1550. Another notable figure was William Brocklehurst (1596-1667), a successful merchant and landowner from Lancashire.

In the 18th century, Thomas Brocklehurst (1720-1792) was a prominent industrialist and philanthropist from Yorkshire, known for his contributions to the development of the textile industry. His son, John Brocklehurst (1766-1837), was a notable politician and Member of Parliament.

Another influential figure was Sir Philip Brocklehurst (1887-1975), a British industrialist and Member of Parliament for Cheltenham from 1931 to 1945. He played a significant role in the establishment of the Brocklehurst Controlled Reservoir in Derbyshire, which was completed in 1968.

Throughout history, the surname Brocklehurst has maintained its strong association with England, particularly the regions of Lancashire, Cheshire, and Yorkshire, where many notable individuals bearing this name have left their mark.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Brocklehurst families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Brocklehurst 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. Cheshire leads with 541 Brocklehursts recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.38x.

County Total Index
Cheshire 541 15.38x
Lancashire 411 2.17x
Derbyshire 390 15.63x
Yorkshire 92 0.58x
Staffordshire 67 1.25x
Nottinghamshire 29 1.35x
Middlesex 28 0.18x
Leicestershire 14 0.79x
Surrey 12 0.15x
Buckinghamshire 9 0.93x
Warwickshire 9 0.22x
Essex 8 0.25x
Glamorgan 6 0.22x
Hampshire 3 0.09x
Kent 3 0.06x
Berkshire 2 0.17x
Rutland 2 1.71x
Wiltshire 2 0.14x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.16x
Channel Islands 1 0.21x
Denbighshire 1 0.17x
Dorset 1 0.10x
Northamptonshire 1 0.07x
Shropshire 1 0.07x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Macclesfield in Cheshire leads with 100 Brocklehursts recorded in 1881 and an index of 63.94x.

Place Total Index
Macclesfield 100 63.94x
Sheldon 48 5217.39x
Brampton 36 103.21x
Blackburn 34 6.76x
Hayfield 32 209.01x
Eckington 31 51.14x
Oldham 29 4.75x
Sutton In Macclesfield 26 71.21x
Quarnford 23 966.39x
Kettleshulme 22 1222.22x
Tideswell 22 203.14x
Manchester 21 2.47x
Bulwell 20 42.82x
Congleton 20 32.90x
Rainow 20 285.31x
Tintwistle 19 101.06x
Preston 18 3.56x
Hurdsfield 17 78.52x
Pendleton In Salford 17 7.54x
Glossop Dale 16 13.69x
Hulme 16 4.05x
West Derby 16 2.89x
Alderwasley 15 710.90x
Gorton 15 8.44x
Handsworth 15 35.92x
Kirkdale 15 4.71x
Little Leigh 15 595.24x
Wirksworth 15 66.11x
Altrincham 14 22.77x
Bollington In 14 44.70x
Beswick 13 26.88x
Dukinfield 13 8.00x
Froggatt 13 1756.76x
Wednesbury 13 9.67x
Burslem 12 7.79x
Buxton 12 56.82x
Matlock 12 35.81x
Over Alderley 12 550.46x
Salford 12 2.16x
Cheetham 11 7.80x
North Wingfield 11 98.65x
Warrington 11 4.91x
Yeardsley Cum Whaley 11 158.50x
Alfreton 10 13.19x
Castleton 10 5.29x
Great Bolton 10 3.99x
Heaton Norris 10 9.29x
Middlewich 10 138.12x
Newton 10 6.86x
Seven Oaks 10 1030.93x
Bradfield 9 14.78x
Bradwall 9 248.62x
Brassington 9 239.36x
Church Coppenhall 9 57.22x
Marple 9 37.27x
North Meols 9 4.86x
Nottingham St Mary 9 1.62x
Pilkington 9 12.53x
Sheffield 9 1.79x
Wincle 9 580.65x
Wolverton 9 45.14x
Appleton 8 100.38x
Ashton Under Lyne 8 1.94x
Atherton 8 11.62x
Chesterfield 8 8.55x
Chinley Bugsworth 8 121.95x
Great Budworth 8 128.21x
Hale 8 65.95x
Hartington Upper 8 67.17x
Hinckley 8 19.08x
Litchurch 8 7.97x
Newbold Dunston 8 33.73x
Normanton 8 37.95x
Rastrick 8 18.24x
Warley 8 17.52x
Wharton 8 41.75x
Bedford 7 17.69x
Chorlton On Medlock 7 2.33x
St Marylebone London 7 0.82x
Stockport 7 3.87x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 139
Sarah 73
Elizabeth 59
Ann 40
Hannah 37
Eliza 32
Martha 27
Annie 25
Jane 25
Alice 24
Ellen 20
Harriet 16
Margaret 16
Emma 14
Ada 12
Emily 10
Clara 9
Esther 8
Fanny 8
Florence 8
Maria 8
Edith 7
Elizth. 7
Lucy 7
Amelia 6
Caroline 6
Betty 5
Louisa 5
May 5
Agnes 4
Bertha 4
Frances 4
Grace 4
Kate 4
Phoebe 4
Selina 4
Sophia 4
Catherine 3
Charlotte 3
Eleanor 3
Eliz. 3
Ester 3
Gertrude 3
Janet 3
Amy 2
Betsy 2
Dorothy 2
Lois 2
Lydia 2
M. 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 101
John 92
George 65
Joseph 62
Thomas 53
James 47
Henry 33
Charles 26
Arthur 18
Samuel 18
Walter 16
Edward 13
Frederick 13
Herbert 13
Robert 10
Albert 9
Ernest 9
Geo. 9
Frank 8
Thos. 8
Edwin 7
Isaac 7
Peter 7
Richard 7
David 6
Harry 6
Alfred 5
Wm. 5
Benjamin 4
Fredk. 4
Matthew 4
Anthony 3
Eli 3
Francis 3
Fred 3
J. 3
Jas. 3
Percy 3
A. 2
Aaron 2
Chas. 2
Cyrus 2
Ebenezer 2
Edmund 2
Mathew 2
Reuben 2
Richd. 2
S. 2
Sam 2
Wright 2

FAQ

Brocklehurst surname: questions and answers

How common was the Brocklehurst surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,636 people were recorded with the Brocklehurst surname. That placed it at #2,617 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Brocklehurst surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,550 in 2016. That gives Brocklehurst a modern rank of #2,597.

What does the Brocklehurst surname mean?

A locational surname denoting someone from a place called Brockhole Hurst.

What does the Brocklehurst map show?

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