NameCensus.

UK surname

Brookfield

An English habitational surname referring to someone who lived near a brook or stream.

In the 1881 census there were 860 people recorded with the Brookfield surname, ranking it #4,399 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,123, ranked #5,248, down from #4,399 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to North Meols, Sheffield and Stoke-on-Trent, Bucknell-cum-Bagnall, Caverswall. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cheshire East, Sefton and West Lancashire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Brookfield is 1,285 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 30.6%.

1881 census count

860

Ranked #4,399

Modern count

1,123

2016, ranked #5,248

Peak year

1999

1,285 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Brookfield had 860 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,399 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,123 in 2016, ranked #5,248.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,164 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Small Town Suburbia.

Brookfield surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Brookfield surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Brookfield 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 500 #5,001
1861 historical 548 #4,805
1881 historical 860 #4,399
1891 historical 934 #4,431
1901 historical 1,085 #4,456
1911 historical 1,164 #4,018
1997 modern 1,212 #4,673
1998 modern 1,266 #4,676
1999 modern 1,285 #4,647
2000 modern 1,284 #4,633
2001 modern 1,257 #4,631
2002 modern 1,252 #4,729
2003 modern 1,210 #4,773
2004 modern 1,176 #4,895
2005 modern 1,137 #4,991
2006 modern 1,118 #5,066
2007 modern 1,112 #5,141
2008 modern 1,125 #5,126
2009 modern 1,157 #5,109
2010 modern 1,165 #5,173
2011 modern 1,141 #5,211
2012 modern 1,138 #5,136
2013 modern 1,153 #5,167
2014 modern 1,153 #5,186
2015 modern 1,147 #5,167
2016 modern 1,123 #5,248

Geography

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Where Brookfields are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around North Meols, Sheffield and Stoke-on-Trent, Bucknell-cum-Bagnall, Caverswall. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cheshire East, Sefton and West Lancashire. 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 North Meols Lancashire
2 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Stoke-on-Trent, Bucknell-cum-Bagnall, Caverswall Staffordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cheshire East 051 Cheshire East
2 Sefton 008 Sefton
3 West Lancashire 002 West Lancashire
4 Sefton 010 Sefton
5 Sefton 001 Sefton

Forenames

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First names often paired with Brookfield

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Brookfield

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Small Town Suburbia

Nationally, the Brookfield surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Small Town Suburbia, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Brookfield 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 is predominantly comprised of married couples with no resident dependent children, living in areas characterised neither by under-occupancy nor overcrowding throughout the UK in or adjacent to small towns. White ethnic groups and affiliation with Christianity predominates. Housing tends to be predominantly semi-detached or detached and workers are employed principally in managerial and professional occupations, with semi-skilled occupations also in evidence. These areas of the Supergroup are of higher population density.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Brookfield 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

Brookfield 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

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

Meaning and origin of Brookfield

The surname Brookfield originates from England, dating back to the 12th century. It is a locational surname, derived from the Old English words "broc" meaning brook or stream, and "feld" meaning field, referring to a person who lived near a stream or brook in a field.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1195, where it appears as "de Brokefeld." This suggests that the name was initially used as a descriptive term for someone residing near a brook in a field.

The Brookfield surname is also mentioned in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1273, indicating its presence in various regions of England during the medieval period. Some variations in spelling include Brokefield, Brokfeld, and Brokefelde.

In the 14th century, the name appears in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire, where it is recorded as "Brokfeld." This further reinforces the name's association with specific locations and its evolution over time.

Notable individuals with the Brookfield surname include:

1. Sir John Brookfield (1558-1634), an English politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for Somerset. 2. William Brookfield (1709-1792), a renowned English clergyman and author who wrote several theological works. 3. Jane Brookfield (1784-1857), a prominent English writer and translator known for her literary salons in London. 4. Charles Brookfield (1857-1913), a British actor and playwright who gained popularity for his comedic performances on stage. 5. Gladys Brookfield (1898-1979), an English novelist and short story writer, celebrated for her works depicting life in rural England.

The Brookfield surname has also been associated with various place names throughout England, such as Brookfield in Somerset, Brookfield in Kent, and Brookfield in Derbyshire, further emphasizing its locational origins.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Brookfield families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Brookfield 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 337 Brookfields recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.38x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 337 3.38x
Yorkshire 168 2.02x
Shropshire 85 11.71x
Staffordshire 52 1.83x
Cheshire 49 2.64x
Denbighshire 38 11.98x
Middlesex 29 0.35x
Sussex 21 1.48x
Essex 14 0.84x
Flintshire 14 6.20x
Warwickshire 11 0.52x
Hampshire 5 0.29x
Surrey 5 0.12x
Durham 4 0.16x
Kent 4 0.14x
Pembrokeshire 4 1.50x
Lanarkshire 3 0.11x
Montgomeryshire 3 1.56x
Oxfordshire 3 0.58x
Gloucestershire 2 0.12x
Leicestershire 2 0.21x
Worcestershire 2 0.18x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.13x
Berkshire 1 0.16x
Hertfordshire 1 0.17x
Northumberland 1 0.08x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.09x
Royal Navy 1 1.00x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. North Meols in Lancashire leads with 152 Brookfields recorded in 1881 and an index of 155.80x.

Place Total Index
North Meols 152 155.80x
Ecclesall Bierlow 29 17.13x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 27 34.82x
Stoke Upon Trent 27 8.98x
Birkdale 24 95.16x
Nether Hallam 23 20.43x
Garston 20 68.00x
Brightside Bierlow 19 11.64x
Liverpool 18 2.97x
Tickhill 14 263.65x
Everton 13 4.09x
Windle 13 23.18x
Bradford 12 5.96x
Sheffield 12 4.53x
Shrewsbury St Mary 12 41.91x
Toxteth Park 12 3.56x
West Ham 12 3.28x
Stansty 11 314.29x
Ince In Makerfield 9 19.41x
Kirkdale 9 5.37x
Pickhill 9 1084.34x
Welsh Hampton 9 600.00x
Wisborough Green 9 189.08x
Aston 8 1.37x
Preston 8 3.00x
Ruyton Of Eleven Towns 8 249.22x
St George In East London 8 10.13x
Threapwood 8 1454.55x
W Felton 8 259.74x
Aston Cum Aughton 7 102.79x
Chrtltn Cdngtn Nwtn 7 476.19x
Middle 7 353.54x
Rotherham 7 14.92x
Wombridge 7 78.13x
Birkenhead 6 4.06x
Heaton Norris 6 10.58x
Ruabon 6 13.75x
Rushton 6 618.56x
Stafford St Mary 6 14.95x
Stretford 6 10.94x
Wem 6 55.61x
Whitchurch 6 42.61x
Horton 5 1923.08x
Kensington London 5 1.07x
West Derby 5 1.71x
Aspull 4 17.06x
Auckland St Helen 4 152.09x
Caverswall 4 27.14x
Crayford 4 31.97x
Ellesmere Cockshutt 4 449.44x
Haverfordwest St Martin 4 80.81x
Lamberhurst 4 112.04x
Madeley 4 15.03x
Oswestry Town 4 17.21x
Stone 4 11.03x
Trentham 4 16.59x
Willesden 4 5.05x
Wolverhampton 4 1.83x
Wombwell 4 16.48x
Wrexham Regis 4 16.98x
Altrincham 3 9.26x
Ardwick 3 3.34x
Aughton 3 30.40x
Charlbury 3 51.55x
Eastbourne 3 4.60x
Farndon 3 187.50x
Govan 3 0.45x
Gresford Gwersyllt 3 30.49x
Llansaintffraid 3 129.87x
Mold 3 14.65x
Mold Bistree 3 81.74x
Stoke Newington London 3 4.59x
Tarleton 3 54.74x
Tilston 3 285.71x
Tryddyn 3 61.22x
Wardleworth 3 5.27x
Alveston 2 71.94x
Coppull 2 37.66x
Macclesfield 2 2.43x
Tattenhall 2 63.49x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 56
Elizabeth 28
Jane 28
Sarah 25
Ann 24
Alice 20
Margaret 20
Ellen 16
Eliza 14
Emma 12
Fanny 12
Martha 12
Ada 8
Annie 7
Hannah 6
Harriet 6
Isabella 6
Charlotte 5
Emily 5
Florence 5
Edith 4
Jenny 4
Kate 4
Louisa 4
Betty 3
Catherine 3
Dorothy 3
Esther 3
Gertrude 3
Harriett 3
Janet 3
Margret 3
Rose 3
Amelia 2
Anne 2
Caroline 2
Eleanor 2
Grace 2
Isabel 2
Margt. 2
Maria 2
Nanny 2
Selina 2
Susan 2
Teresa 2
Bertha 1
Betsey 1
Elizth. 1
Ida 1
Infant 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 61
William 42
Thomas 35
James 28
Charles 20
George 20
Henry 19
Robert 18
Samuel 18
Edward 15
Peter 15
Richard 11
Arthur 9
Harry 9
Joseph 7
Wm. 5
Alfred 4
Thos. 4
Walter 4
Albert 3
Ernest 3
Frank 3
Frederick 3
Andrew 2
Chas. 2
Cuthbert 2
Edwin 2
Francis 2
Fred 2
Harold 2
Herbert 2
Leon 2
Moses 2
Authur 1
Clement 1
Clements 1
Edwd. 1
Ellis 1
Enoch 1
Fredk. 1
Fredrick 1
Hugh 1
Isaac 1
J.W. 1
Jas. 1
Jas.B. 1
Jeffrey 1
Jno. 1
Joshua 1
Lawrence 1

FAQ

Brookfield surname: questions and answers

How common was the Brookfield surname in 1881?

In 1881, 860 people were recorded with the Brookfield surname. That placed it at #4,399 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Brookfield surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,123 in 2016. That gives Brookfield a modern rank of #5,248.

What does the Brookfield surname mean?

An English habitational surname referring to someone who lived near a brook or stream.

What does the Brookfield map show?

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