NameCensus.

UK surname

Broderick

Derived from the Irish surname Ó Bruadair, meaning "descendant of Bruadar" (an Old Irish byname meaning "dream" or "vision").

In the 1881 census there were 989 people recorded with the Broderick surname, ranking it #3,945 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,138, ranked #3,024, up from #3,945 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Warrington, North East Lincolnshire and Rochdale.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Broderick is 2,200 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 116.2%.

1881 census count

989

Ranked #3,945

Modern count

2,138

2016, ranked #3,024

Peak year

2002

2,200 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Broderick had 989 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,945 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,138 in 2016, ranked #3,024.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,122 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Broderick surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Broderick surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Broderick 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 324 #7,179
1861 historical 301 #8,412
1881 historical 989 #3,945
1891 historical 941 #4,400
1901 historical 1,099 #4,395
1911 historical 1,122 #4,143
1997 modern 2,115 #2,920
1998 modern 2,168 #2,954
1999 modern 2,199 #2,944
2000 modern 2,184 #2,940
2001 modern 2,143 #2,932
2002 modern 2,200 #2,920
2003 modern 2,081 #3,011
2004 modern 2,088 #3,006
2005 modern 2,034 #3,031
2006 modern 2,071 #2,988
2007 modern 2,090 #2,994
2008 modern 2,109 #2,991
2009 modern 2,154 #3,013
2010 modern 2,188 #3,028
2011 modern 2,146 #3,047
2012 modern 2,126 #3,011
2013 modern 2,159 #3,021
2014 modern 2,177 #3,011
2015 modern 2,163 #2,998
2016 modern 2,138 #3,024

Geography

Back to top

Where Brodericks are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, Gateshead and Manchester. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Warrington, North East Lincolnshire, Rochdale, Blaenau Gwent and Halton. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Gateshead Durham
5 Manchester Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Warrington 013 Warrington
2 North East Lincolnshire 013 North East Lincolnshire
3 Rochdale 022 Rochdale
4 Blaenau Gwent 005 Blaenau Gwent
5 Halton 010 Halton

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Broderick

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Broderick

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Broderick surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Broderick household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Broderick is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Broderick is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Broderick

The surname Broderick is of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic name "Broderick" or "Brothairche", which means "brother" or "descendant of the friar". It is believed to have originated in the counties of Cork and Limerick in Ireland, where it was first recorded in the 12th century.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name Broderick can be found in the Annals of Inisfallen, a chronicle of Irish history written in the 12th century. The name appears in various spellings, such as "Broderick", "Brodrig", and "Brodryg", indicating its evolution over time.

In the 16th century, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, the Broderick family gained prominence as members of the Irish landed gentry. Thomas Broderick (c. 1550-1625) was granted land in County Cork and became a prominent landowner.

Over the centuries, the Broderick surname has been associated with several notable individuals. One such individual was Sir John Broderick (1625-1707), an Irish lawyer and politician who served as Lord Chancellor of Ireland from 1685 to 1687.

Another prominent figure was William Brodrick, 8th Viscount Midleton (1856-1942), a British politician and writer who served as Secretary of State for War from 1901 to 1903.

In the literary world, Fabian Broderick (1921-2010) was an Irish writer and poet who published several collections of poetry and was awarded the Irish American Cultural Institute's Literary Award in 2004.

The Broderick surname has also been associated with sports figures, such as Brendan Broderick (born 1985), an Irish cricketer who has played for the Irish national team.

While the name Broderick has its roots in Ireland, it has since spread to other parts of the world, including the United States, Australia, and various European countries, as Irish immigrants settled in these regions over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Broderick families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Broderick 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 315 Brodericks recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.75x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 315 2.75x
Yorkshire 127 1.33x
Middlesex 92 0.95x
Surrey 60 1.27x
Northumberland 54 3.75x
Cheshire 53 2.48x
Glamorgan 43 2.55x
Durham 42 1.46x
Derbyshire 22 1.45x
Lincolnshire 22 1.42x
Gloucestershire 20 1.05x
Westmorland 19 8.94x
Warwickshire 15 0.62x
Essex 14 0.73x
Kent 14 0.42x
Hampshire 13 0.66x
Lanarkshire 10 0.32x
Devon 7 0.35x
Leicestershire 7 0.65x
Dorset 5 0.79x
Brecknockshire 4 2.07x
Oxfordshire 4 0.67x
Sussex 4 0.25x
Berkshire 3 0.41x
Monmouthshire 3 0.43x
Somerset 3 0.19x
Midlothian 2 0.15x
Norfolk 2 0.13x
Northamptonshire 2 0.22x
Royal Navy 2 1.74x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.17x
Herefordshire 1 0.25x
Huntingdonshire 1 0.52x
Kirkcudbrightshire 1 0.71x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.08x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.33x
Shropshire 1 0.12x
Staffordshire 1 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Accrington in Lancashire leads with 37 Brodericks recorded in 1881 and an index of 35.48x.

Place Total Index
Accrington 37 35.48x
Fulham London 21 14.98x
Kirkby Stephen 18 326.68x
Bermondsey 17 5.91x
Liverpool 17 2.44x
Bishopwearmouth 16 6.48x
Oldham 16 4.32x
Prescot 15 72.32x
Salford 15 4.45x
Habergham Eaves 14 13.35x
Manchester 14 2.71x
Islington London 13 1.39x
Aberavon 12 77.47x
Ashton Under Lyne 12 4.79x
Huddersfield 12 8.60x
Llandaff 12 21.43x
Newington 12 3.36x
Great Bolton 11 7.24x
Little Bolton 11 7.46x
Macclesfield 11 11.60x
Birkenhead 10 5.88x
Hollingworth 10 113.64x
Horfield 10 52.41x
St Pancras London 10 1.29x
Woking 10 35.22x
Burnley 9 9.32x
Cowpen 9 27.17x
Hartley 9 234.38x
Hawksworth 9 1267.61x
Merthyr Tydfil 9 5.56x
Sheffield 9 2.95x
Ardwick 8 7.73x
Birmingham 8 0.98x
Crowle 8 85.02x
Glossop Dale 8 11.29x
Longbenton 8 13.13x
Spalding 8 26.08x
Warrington 8 5.88x
Derby St Alkmund 7 15.43x
Derby St Peter 7 14.52x
Godley 7 151.84x
Govan 7 0.91x
Kirkdale 7 3.63x
Maidstone 7 7.12x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 7 8.15x
Over Darwen 7 7.64x
Radford Semele 7 378.38x
Tanshelf 7 91.50x
Upholland 7 47.62x
Brightside Bierlow 6 3.19x
Chorlton On Medlock 6 3.29x
Farnley In Bramley 6 50.17x
Haslingden 6 12.63x
Kensington London 6 1.12x
Leeds 6 1.11x
Shipley 6 12.07x
Tottington Lower End 6 11.01x
Westgate 6 6.74x
Bothal Demesne 5 72.67x
Clayton Le Dale 5 510.20x
Clerkenwell London 5 2.19x
Croydon 5 1.91x
Dorchester All Sts 5 165.02x
Eccleston In Prescot 5 8.68x
Holy Trinity 5 2.17x
Lambeth 5 0.59x
Leicester St Mary 5 5.77x
Newbottle 5 31.85x
Roath 5 6.54x
Ryde 5 11.75x
Sutton In Macclesfield 5 22.58x
Toxteth Park 5 1.29x
West Ham 5 1.19x
Blackburn 4 1.31x
Burton Cum Walden 4 272.11x
Edgeworth 4 64.94x
North Kyme 4 173.91x
Spitalfields London 4 5.50x
Stranton 4 4.13x
Subdeanary 4 91.32x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 84
James 50
William 43
Thomas 38
George 20
Patrick 20
Edward 19
Michael 18
Martin 10
Frederick 9
Richard 8
Alfred 7
Arthur 7
Charles 7
David 7
Joseph 6
Francis 5
Henry 5
Robert 5
Anthony 4
Matthew 4
Peter 4
Albert 3
Benjamin 3
Cornelius 3
Daniel 3
Herbert 3
Robt. 3
Thos. 3
Timothy 3
Walter 3
Alexander 2
Christopher 2
Dennis 2
Fred 2
Harry 2
Maurice 2
Wm. 2
Anthaney 1
Edwin 1
Ernest 1
Frank 1
Fredk.W. 1
G.A. 1
Garrick 1
J. 1
Johnay 1
Lack 1
Lonsdale 1
Wm.H. 1

FAQ

Broderick surname: questions and answers

How common was the Broderick surname in 1881?

In 1881, 989 people were recorded with the Broderick surname. That placed it at #3,945 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Broderick surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,138 in 2016. That gives Broderick a modern rank of #3,024.

What does the Broderick surname mean?

Derived from the Irish surname Ó Bruadair, meaning "descendant of Bruadar" (an Old Irish byname meaning "dream" or "vision").

What does the Broderick map show?

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