NameCensus.

UK surname

Brookwell

In the 1881 census there were 77 people recorded with the Brookwell surname, ranking it #22,617 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 113, ranked #28,691, down from #22,617 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Leonard Shoreditch, London parishes and Dartford. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Isle of Anglesey, Wigan and Sevenoaks.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Brookwell is 129 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 46.8%.

1881 census count

77

Ranked #22,617

Modern count

113

2016, ranked #28,691

Peak year

2000

129 bearers

Map years

5

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Brookwell had 77 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #22,617 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 113 in 2016, ranked #28,691.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 107 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Brookwell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Brookwell surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Brookwell 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 51 #24,096
1861 historical 67 #25,342
1881 historical 77 #22,617
1891 historical 100 #24,045
1901 historical 83 #24,900
1911 historical 107 #21,842
1997 modern 114 #24,967
1998 modern 114 #25,589
1999 modern 123 #24,643
2000 modern 129 #23,901
2001 modern 124 #24,114
2002 modern 114 #25,886
2003 modern 113 #25,797
2004 modern 118 #25,317
2005 modern 119 #25,193
2006 modern 118 #25,556
2007 modern 112 #26,800
2008 modern 107 #27,844
2009 modern 112 #27,685
2010 modern 118 #27,404
2011 modern 112 #28,117
2012 modern 121 #26,829
2013 modern 120 #27,406
2014 modern 115 #28,439
2015 modern 116 #28,151
2016 modern 113 #28,691

Geography

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Where Brookwells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Leonard Shoreditch, London parishes, Dartford, Hawkinge, Folkestone and St Giles Camberwell. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Isle of Anglesey, Wigan, Sevenoaks 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 St Leonard Shoreditch London (East Districts)
2 London parishes London 3
3 Dartford Kent
4 Hawkinge, Folkestone Kent
5 St Giles Camberwell London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Isle of Anglesey 008 Isle of Anglesey
2 Wigan 006 Wigan
3 Sevenoaks 008 Sevenoaks
4 Isle of Anglesey 005 Isle of Anglesey
5 West Oxfordshire 012 West Oxfordshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Brookwell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Brookwell

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

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Brookwell surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Brookwell household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

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

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Brookwell 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

Brookwell 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

Brookwell falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Brookwell is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Brookwell, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

1881 census detail

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Brookwell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Brookwell 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 27 Brookwells recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.59x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 27 3.59x
Surrey 24 6.56x
Kent 23 8.97x
Staffordshire 2 0.79x
Gloucestershire 1 0.68x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Dartford in Kent leads with 13 Brookwells recorded in 1881 and an index of 496.18x.

Place Total Index
Dartford 13 496.18x
Shoreditch London 9 27.64x
Camberwell 8 16.67x
Folkestone 8 160.97x
Newington 8 28.83x
Harrow On The Hill 6 400.00x
Lambeth 5 7.63x
Hackney London 4 9.50x
Bethnal Green London 2 6.13x
Chelsea London 2 8.84x
Handsworth 2 32.00x
St Botolph Aldgate London 2 129.03x
Bermondsey 1 4.47x
Clifton 1 13.42x
Ewell 1 129.87x
Greenwich 1 8.36x
Knockholt 1 500.00x
Limehouse London 1 12.12x
Mitcham 1 43.29x
Norwood 1 58.14x

Top female names

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

FAQ

Brookwell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Brookwell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 77 people were recorded with the Brookwell surname. That placed it at #22,617 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Brookwell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 113 in 2016. That gives Brookwell a modern rank of #28,691.

What does the Brookwell map show?

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