NameCensus.

UK surname

Brooklyn

A surname derived from the name of the borough in New York City.

In the 1881 census there were 23 people recorded with the Brooklyn surname, ranking it #30,339 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 106, ranked #29,927, up from #30,339 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Darlington, Hillingdon and South Cambridgeshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Brooklyn is 109 in 2015. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 360.9%.

1881 census count

23

Ranked #30,339

Modern count

106

2016, ranked #29,927

Peak year

2015

109 bearers

Map years

1

2016 to 2016

Key insights

  • Brooklyn had 23 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #30,339 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 106 in 2016, ranked #29,927.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 52 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Outer Suburbs.

Brooklyn surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Brooklyn surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Brooklyn 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
1861 historical 8 #32,887
1881 historical 23 #30,339
1891 historical 36 #31,465
1901 historical 52 #28,377
1911 historical 45 #28,332
1997 modern 75 #30,109
1998 modern 92 #28,680
1999 modern 92 #28,833
2000 modern 89 #29,173
2001 modern 86 #29,281
2002 modern 84 #29,982
2003 modern 88 #29,506
2004 modern 89 #29,623
2005 modern 91 #29,406
2006 modern 90 #29,893
2007 modern 90 #30,228
2008 modern 87 #30,999
2009 modern 87 #31,489
2010 modern 89 #31,745
2011 modern 94 #31,016
2012 modern 101 #30,078
2013 modern 100 #30,773
2014 modern 102 #30,714
2015 modern 109 #29,327
2016 modern 106 #29,927

Geography

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Where Brooklyns are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Darlington, Hillingdon, South Cambridgeshire and West Oxfordshire. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Darlington 006 Darlington
2 Hillingdon 025 Hillingdon
3 South Cambridgeshire 007 South Cambridgeshire
4 Darlington 012 Darlington
5 West Oxfordshire 004 West Oxfordshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Brooklyn

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Brooklyn

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

Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals

Group

Outer Suburbs

Nationally, the Brooklyn surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Outer Suburbs, within Ethnically Diverse Suburban Professionals. This does not mean every Brooklyn household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods are found on the outer edges of many towns and cities. Many residents were born outside the UK. Indian ethnic group representation is high. There are high numbers of families with dependent children aged 5 to 14. Incidences of disability and of provision of unpaid care are low. Neighbourhoods provide a mix of detached housing and flats, and terraced housing is not uncommon. Levels of overcrowding are low and homeownership rates are high. Professional and managerial occupations are prevalent: unemployment is low and education to degree level is the norm.

Wider pattern

Those working within the managerial, professional and administrative occupations typically reflect a wide range of ethnic groups, and reside in detached or semi-detached housing. Their residential locations at the edges of cities and conurbations and car-based lifestyles are more characteristic of Supergroup membership than birthplace or participation in child-rearing. Houses are typically owner-occupied and marriage rates are lower than the national average. This Supergroup is found throughout suburban UK.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Brooklyn is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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

These residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Brooklyn is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Brooklyn falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Brooklyn

The surname BROOKLYN is of English origin and dates back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English words "broc" meaning a small stream or brook, and "tun" meaning a settlement or town. The name likely referred to a settlement or village located near a small brook or stream.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname BROOKLYN can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive record of landholdings in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name was likely spelled as "Brocktun" or a similar variation at that time.

In the 13th century, the surname appeared in various historical records and documents, often spelled as "Brokton" or "Broketon." This variation in spelling was common during that era due to the lack of standardized spelling conventions.

The surname BROOKLYN may also have connections to the place name "Brooklyn" in the county of Somerset, England. This location was recorded in the late 11th century as "Bruneall" or "Brunela," which could be derived from the Old English words "brun" meaning brown and "healh" meaning a meadow or nook.

Notable individuals with the surname BROOKLYN throughout history include:

1. Sir John BROOKLYN (c. 1330 - 1398), an English knight and landowner who served in the Hundred Years' War. 2. Thomas BROOKLYN (c. 1500 - 1560), an English merchant and member of the Worshipful Company of Mercers in London. 3. Margaret BROOKLYN (c. 1550 - 1620), an English poet and writer whose works were published in the late 16th century. 4. William BROOKLYN (1590 - 1667), an English minister and religious author who wrote several treatises on theology. 5. Henry BROOKLYN (1655 - 1723), an English lawyer and Member of Parliament for the borough of Bodmin in Cornwall.

While the surname BROOKLYN is relatively uncommon, it has a rich history dating back to the Middle Ages, with its origins rooted in the English countryside and the settlements that grew around small brooks or streams.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Brooklyn families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Brooklyn 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. Berkshire leads with 6 Brooklyns recorded in 1881 and an index of 35.63x.

County Total Index
Berkshire 6 35.63x
Durham 4 5.99x
Glamorgan 4 10.24x
Lancashire 3 1.13x
Buckinghamshire 2 14.75x
Middlesex 2 0.89x
Devon 1 2.14x
Lanarkshire 1 1.38x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Cookham in Berkshire leads with 6 Brooklyns recorded in 1881 and an index of 1132.08x.

Place Total Index
Cookham 6 1132.08x
Gateshead 4 80.00x
Roath 4 225.99x
Cliviger 3 2000.00x
Burnham 1 588.24x
Cullompton 1 500.00x
Feltham 1 454.55x
Isleworth 1 100.00x
Kinning Park 1 10000.00x
Upton Cum Chalvey 1 185.19x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Ann 3
Charlotte 1
Ellen 1
Florence 1
Georgeina 1
Gertrude 1
Louisa 1
Lucy 1
Maria 1
May 1
Minnie 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Henry 2
Amos 1
Charles 1
Edwin 1
James 1
Samuel 1
Thomas 1
William 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Brooklyn households.

FAQ

Brooklyn surname: questions and answers

How common was the Brooklyn surname in 1881?

In 1881, 23 people were recorded with the Brooklyn surname. That placed it at #30,339 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Brooklyn surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 106 in 2016. That gives Brooklyn a modern rank of #29,927.

What does the Brooklyn surname mean?

A surname derived from the name of the borough in New York City.

What does the Brooklyn map show?

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