NameCensus.

UK surname

Brookman

An English topographic surname referring to someone who lived by a brook or stream.

In the 1881 census there were 739 people recorded with the Brookman surname, ranking it #4,958 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,035, ranked #5,635, down from #4,958 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Bedminster and Trowbridge. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rhondda Cynon Taf, Blaenau Gwent and The Vale of Glamorgan.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Brookman is 1,117 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 40.1%.

1881 census count

739

Ranked #4,958

Modern count

1,035

2016, ranked #5,635

Peak year

1999

1,117 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Brookman had 739 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,958 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,035 in 2016, ranked #5,635.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,053 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Brookman surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Brookman surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Brookman 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 571 #4,456
1861 historical 532 #4,936
1881 historical 739 #4,958
1891 historical 810 #4,984
1901 historical 992 #4,799
1911 historical 1,053 #4,374
1997 modern 1,057 #5,249
1998 modern 1,093 #5,291
1999 modern 1,117 #5,230
2000 modern 1,117 #5,205
2001 modern 1,082 #5,243
2002 modern 1,102 #5,263
2003 modern 1,056 #5,359
2004 modern 1,049 #5,391
2005 modern 1,038 #5,381
2006 modern 1,046 #5,367
2007 modern 1,046 #5,412
2008 modern 1,043 #5,455
2009 modern 1,054 #5,530
2010 modern 1,087 #5,493
2011 modern 1,079 #5,460
2012 modern 1,044 #5,523
2013 modern 1,056 #5,567
2014 modern 1,053 #5,610
2015 modern 1,038 #5,632
2016 modern 1,035 #5,635

Geography

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Where Brookmans are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Rhondda Cynon Taf, Blaenau Gwent, The Vale of Glamorgan, Maidstone and Thurrock. 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 Bedminster Somerset
3 Trowbridge Wiltshire
4 London parishes London 1
5 London parishes London 3

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rhondda Cynon Taf 026 Rhondda Cynon Taf
2 Blaenau Gwent 007 Blaenau Gwent
3 The Vale of Glamorgan 008 Vale of Glamorgan
4 Maidstone 013 Maidstone
5 Thurrock 007 Thurrock

Forenames

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First names often paired with Brookman

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Brookman

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

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Brookman surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Brookman 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 comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Brookman 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

Brookman is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Brookman

The surname Brookman is of English origin, emerging in the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from an occupational name referring to a person who lived near a brook or small stream. The earliest recorded spelling is thought to be Brocman, found in the Pipe Rolls of Norfolk in 1177.

Some historical references to the name include John Brokman, mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1327. Additionally, the Hundred Rolls of Buckinghamshire from 1273 list a Ricardus Brokeman. These early records suggest the name was present in various regions of England during the Middle Ages.

The name is thought to have evolved from the Old English words "broc" and "mann," meaning "brook" and "man," respectively. This reflects the connection to living near a small watercourse. Variants such as Brockman and Brookeman have also been documented in historical records.

Regarding place names, there is a village called Brookman's Park in Hertfordshire, which may have been associated with the surname's origin or derived from it. However, the exact relationship between the place name and the surname is unclear.

Notable individuals with the surname Brookman include Thomas Brookman (1754-1837), an English clergyman and author. Another figure is John Brookman (1869-1916), a British trade unionist and Labour Party politician. Cecily Brookman (1925-2010) was an Australian artist known for her paintings and etchings.

Additionally, there is Henry Brookman (1670-1737), an English theologian and author of several religious works. Finally, John Brookman Everest (1824-1867) was an English surveyor and geodesist best known for his work in the Great Trigonometrical Survey of India.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Brookman families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Brookman 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. Middlesex leads with 157 Brookmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.17x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 157 2.17x
Somerset 105 9.04x
Surrey 94 2.67x
Gloucestershire 84 5.93x
Wiltshire 62 9.71x
Kent 57 2.31x
Glamorgan 32 2.55x
Lancashire 29 0.34x
Monmouthshire 27 5.17x
Hampshire 26 1.76x
Berkshire 10 1.85x
Sussex 9 0.74x
Yorkshire 7 0.10x
Pembrokeshire 6 2.62x
Essex 5 0.35x
Dorset 4 0.84x
Hertfordshire 3 0.60x
Midlothian 3 0.31x
Renfrewshire 3 0.54x
Staffordshire 3 0.12x
Buckinghamshire 2 0.46x
Lanarkshire 2 0.09x
Warwickshire 2 0.11x
Ayrshire 1 0.19x
Cheshire 1 0.06x
Cornwall 1 0.12x
Derbyshire 1 0.09x
Lincolnshire 1 0.09x
Royal Navy 1 1.16x
Rutland 1 1.89x
Stirlingshire 1 0.38x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Hackney London in Middlesex leads with 26 Brookmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.42x.

Place Total Index
Hackney London 26 6.42x
Trowbridge 26 92.13x
Deptford St Paul 23 12.11x
Bedminster 21 19.23x
Lambeth 19 3.02x
Camberwell 17 3.69x
Enfield 17 35.90x
Southampton St Mary 17 18.27x
Bristol St Paul In 14 37.12x
Chelsea London 14 6.44x
Newington 14 5.25x
Nettleton 13 1300.00x
Walcot 13 21.01x
Croydon 12 6.15x
St George Hanover Square 12 9.44x
Kensington London 11 2.74x
West Derby 11 4.39x
West Kington 11 1466.67x
Bitton Oldland 10 69.11x
Llandaff 10 23.91x
Shoreditch London 10 3.20x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 9 6.75x
Liverpool 9 1.73x
Lyncombe Widcombe 8 26.30x
Swansea Town 8 7.76x
Bedwellty 7 7.60x
Bristol St James In 7 33.62x
Compton Dando 7 864.20x
Eglwysilan 7 32.10x
Frampton Cotterell 7 140.85x
Hammersmith London 7 3.94x
Limehouse London 7 8.83x
Westbury On Trym 7 14.60x
Aberystruth 6 13.04x
Bristol St Augustine 6 26.26x
Canterbury St Mary 6 36.30x
Castle Combe 6 491.80x
Clapham 6 6.65x
Ealing 6 9.30x
Eastbourne 6 10.71x
Edmonton 6 10.32x
Gildersome 6 69.77x
Risca 6 60.98x
Saltford 6 550.46x
Southwark St John 6 27.17x
Stocklinch Ottersey 6 2068.97x
Tenby St Mary In 6 51.37x
Twickenham 6 19.39x
Bermondsey 5 2.33x
Canterbury St Alphage 5 190.11x
Llantwit Vairdre 5 35.39x
Margate St John Baptist 5 11.09x
Marshfield 5 132.28x
Minster In Thanet 5 97.47x
Poplar London 5 3.67x
Rotherhithe 5 5.61x
St Giles In Fields London 5 14.12x
Stoke Newington London 5 8.89x
Ashford 4 70.18x
Bristol St James St Paul 4 8.47x
Caldicot 4 115.61x
Churchill 4 216.22x
Greenwich 4 3.48x
Hampstead Norris 4 117.65x
Southwark St Saviour 4 10.78x
Westminster St Margaret 4 11.49x
Wivenhoe 4 70.67x
Yatton 4 88.50x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 3 0.77x
Ewell Lydden 3 156.25x
Horfield 3 21.05x
Long Ashton 3 52.08x
Southampton All Sts 3 11.82x
Stoke Upon Trent 3 1.16x
Swindon 3 6.06x
Tirley 3 252.10x
Twerton 3 25.04x
Wantage 3 34.72x
Watford 3 7.78x
West Greenock 3 2.99x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 48
Elizabeth 25
Sarah 22
Jane 18
Alice 15
Eliza 15
Emma 15
Emily 13
Ann 12
Caroline 11
Ellen 10
Martha 8
Ada 7
Susan 7
Louisa 6
Rose 6
Amy 5
Annie 5
Florence 5
Hannah 5
Clara 4
Edith 4
Fanny 4
Harriet 4
Lucy 4
Selina 4
Catherine 3
Esther 3
Frances 3
Laura 3
Lydia 3
Mabel 3
Maud 3
Minnie 3
Amelia 2
Anna 2
Bessie 2
Charlotte 2
Dorothy 2
Gertrude 2
Harriett 2
Helen 2
Henrietta 2
Kate 2
Matilda 2
Rebecca 2
Allice 1
Annette 1
Charlott 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 45
John 26
Thomas 26
George 24
Henry 22
James 22
Charles 11
Frederick 11
Samuel 10
Alfred 9
Arthur 8
Edward 8
Joseph 8
Albert 7
Benjamin 7
Daniel 7
Richard 7
Robert 6
Frank 4
Walter 4
David 3
Fred 3
Harry 3
Isaac 3
Dennis 2
Edmund 2
Edwin 2
Francis 2
Fredk. 2
Herbert 2
Jno. 2
Percy 2
Sidney 2
Stephen 2
Thos. 2
Wallace 2
Wm. 2
Dick 1
Donald 1
Earnest 1
F.G. 1
Fred. 1
Fredrick 1
Friedrick 1
Geffory 1
J. 1
Johnie 1
Jonathen 1
Lot 1
Maxwell 1

FAQ

Brookman surname: questions and answers

How common was the Brookman surname in 1881?

In 1881, 739 people were recorded with the Brookman surname. That placed it at #4,958 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Brookman surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,035 in 2016. That gives Brookman a modern rank of #5,635.

What does the Brookman surname mean?

An English topographic surname referring to someone who lived by a brook or stream.

What does the Brookman map show?

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