NameCensus.

UK surname

Broomfield

An English locational surname referring to someone who lived in or near a field of broom shrubs.

In the 1881 census there were 2,012 people recorded with the Broomfield surname, ranking it #2,186 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,434, ranked #2,706, down from #2,186 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lyndhurst, Eling and Millbrook. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Babergh, Southampton and New Forest.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Broomfield is 2,693 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 21.0%.

1881 census count

2,012

Ranked #2,186

Modern count

2,434

2016, ranked #2,706

Peak year

2000

2,693 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Broomfield had 2,012 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,186 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,434 in 2016, ranked #2,706.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,553 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Broomfield surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Broomfield surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Broomfield 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 1,073 #2,614
1861 historical 1,132 #2,481
1881 historical 2,012 #2,186
1891 historical 2,054 #2,251
1901 historical 2,516 #2,181
1911 historical 2,553 #2,003
1997 modern 2,522 #2,501
1998 modern 2,668 #2,472
1999 modern 2,674 #2,482
2000 modern 2,693 #2,465
2001 modern 2,625 #2,469
2002 modern 2,637 #2,495
2003 modern 2,561 #2,505
2004 modern 2,560 #2,514
2005 modern 2,486 #2,551
2006 modern 2,459 #2,581
2007 modern 2,481 #2,587
2008 modern 2,457 #2,625
2009 modern 2,496 #2,644
2010 modern 2,559 #2,643
2011 modern 2,566 #2,609
2012 modern 2,480 #2,642
2013 modern 2,499 #2,663
2014 modern 2,515 #2,665
2015 modern 2,467 #2,689
2016 modern 2,434 #2,706

Geography

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Where Broomfields are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lyndhurst, Eling, Millbrook, London parishes and Southampton St Mary. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Babergh, Southampton, New Forest and County Durham. 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 Lyndhurst Hampshire
2 Eling Hampshire
3 Millbrook Hampshire
4 London parishes London 3
5 Southampton St Mary Hampshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Babergh 004 Babergh
2 Southampton 031 Southampton
3 New Forest 005 New Forest
4 Southampton 007 Southampton
5 County Durham 052 County Durham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Broomfield

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Broomfield

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Broomfield, 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 Broomfield surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Broomfield 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, Broomfield 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

Broomfield 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

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

Meaning and origin of Broomfield

The surname Broomfield has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval era. It is a locational name, derived from the place name "Broomfield" found in various regions across the country, such as Essex, Somerset, and Kent.

The name "Broomfield" is believed to be a combination of the Old English words "brom," meaning broom or shrub, and "feld," meaning field or open land. This suggests that the name originally referred to a field or area covered with broom shrubs.

Historical references to the name can be found in various ancient records and manuscripts. One notable example is the Domesday Book of 1086, where the name is recorded as "Brumfeld" in Essex.

The earliest known record of the Broomfield surname dates back to the 13th century. In 1273, a certain Robert de Brumfeld was mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire. Another early record is from 1327, when John de Broomfield was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Somerset.

Over the centuries, the name has undergone various spelling variations, including Bromfeld, Broomfelde, and Brumfelde, reflecting the differences in local dialects and scribal interpretations.

Among notable historical figures bearing the Broomfield surname, one can mention:

1. William Broomfield (c. 1525 - 1592), an English politician and Member of Parliament for Taunton during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

2. Thomas Broomfield (1641 - 1702), an English Puritan minister and author, known for his work "The Lord's Supper Laid Forth" published in 1671.

3. Samuel Broomfield (1758 - 1826), a British naval officer who served during the American Revolutionary War and the Napoleonic Wars.

4. John Broomfield (1816 - 1879), a British architect responsible for designing several notable buildings in London, including the Royal Albert Hall.

5. Dorothy Broomfield (1898 - 1988), a British painter and illustrator known for her landscape paintings and illustrations of children's books.

While the surname Broomfield has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and diaspora, with families bearing this name found in countries like the United States, Canada, and Australia.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Broomfield families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Broomfield 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. Hampshire leads with 583 Broomfields recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.48x.

County Total Index
Hampshire 583 14.48x
Middlesex 158 0.80x
Surrey 103 1.08x
Somerset 92 2.91x
Sussex 91 2.75x
Kent 87 1.30x
Worcestershire 85 3.31x
Lincolnshire 78 2.48x
Lancashire 69 0.30x
Staffordshire 67 1.01x
Berwickshire 56 23.55x
Devon 50 1.22x
Cheshire 45 1.04x
Durham 44 0.75x
Roxburghshire 44 12.37x
Essex 39 1.01x
Yorkshire 38 0.20x
Warwickshire 33 0.67x
Midlothian 31 1.18x
Northumberland 29 0.99x
Dorset 27 2.10x
Northamptonshire 17 0.92x
East Lothian 16 6.15x
Glamorgan 15 0.44x
Monmouthshire 14 0.99x
Shropshire 13 0.77x
Wiltshire 11 0.63x
Gloucestershire 10 0.26x
Fife 8 0.69x
Herefordshire 7 0.87x
Lanarkshire 7 0.11x
Selkirkshire 7 3.94x
Hertfordshire 6 0.44x
Oxfordshire 6 0.49x
Cornwall 5 0.22x
Nottinghamshire 5 0.19x
Buckinghamshire 4 0.34x
Derbyshire 4 0.13x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.06x
Berkshire 1 0.07x
Cumberland 1 0.06x
Leicestershire 1 0.05x
Norfolk 1 0.03x
Perthshire 1 0.11x
Royal Navy 1 0.43x
Suffolk 1 0.04x
West Lothian 1 0.34x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Eling in Hampshire leads with 120 Broomfields recorded in 1881 and an index of 294.33x.

Place Total Index
Eling 120 294.33x
Millbrook 87 85.82x
Lyndhurst 51 462.79x
Southampton St Mary 51 20.15x
Minstead 45 777.20x
Christchurch 42 48.13x
Bromsgrove 34 39.39x
Stoke Upon Trent 28 3.98x
Islington London 27 1.42x
Wonersh 24 201.01x
Boldre 21 145.63x
Portslade 21 103.75x
Beckley 20 241.84x
Chatham 20 10.85x
Kelso 19 53.61x
Bishopwearmouth 18 3.59x
Camberwell 18 1.44x
St Pancras London 18 1.14x
Clayton 17 136.22x
Audlem 15 146.77x
Aylesford 15 80.78x
West Ham 15 1.75x
Burley 14 327.87x
Tiverton 14 19.88x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 13 1.23x
Garvald 13 253.41x
Wilton 13 157.96x
Freshwater 12 65.25x
Lambeth 12 0.70x
Maidstone 12 6.01x
Middlesbrough 12 4.74x
Portsea 12 1.52x
Bramshaw 11 215.69x
Ednam 11 265.06x
Lymington 11 37.19x
Mile End New Town London 11 28.35x
Newcastle On Tyne St 11 7.26x
Rimpton 11 628.57x
Wolstanton 11 5.46x
Battersea 10 1.38x
Bermondsey 10 1.71x
Hackney London 10 0.91x
Southampton All Sts 10 14.48x
Swinton 10 153.85x
Taunton St James 10 21.69x
Warrington 10 3.62x
Wolverhampton 10 1.96x
Birmingham 9 0.55x
Chelsea London 9 1.52x
Clee With Weelsby 9 13.09x
Clerkenwell London 9 1.94x
Diddlebury 9 161.00x
Eccles 9 86.37x
Kidderminster Borough 9 6.00x
Norton By Kempsey 9 160.71x
Walthamstow 9 6.45x
Woodford 9 20.51x
Boarhunt 8 412.37x
Carrington 8 400.00x
Clayhidon 8 201.51x
Donyatt 8 311.28x
Eyemouth 8 40.32x
Great Grimsby 8 4.01x
Hartlebury 8 52.42x
Knowsley 8 95.01x
Milford 8 68.03x
Newcastle Under Lyme 8 6.82x
Ringwood 8 31.07x
Stamford Baron St Martin 8 80.89x
Kingston 7 110.24x
Lancing 7 77.01x
Morebattle 7 102.94x
Partney 7 235.69x
Shoreditch London 7 0.82x
Southwark St George Martyr 7 1.77x
Symondsbury 7 85.26x
Tottenham 7 2.24x
Toxteth Park 7 0.89x
Tudhoe 7 13.70x
Ystradyfodwg 7 2.33x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 99
Sarah 66
Elizabeth 60
Annie 39
Ann 38
Jane 38
Alice 36
Eliza 35
Emma 25
Emily 24
Fanny 21
Ellen 19
Louisa 18
Harriet 15
Margaret 14
Kate 13
Rose 13
Agnes 12
Caroline 11
Charlotte 11
Harriett 11
Edith 10
Florence 10
Maria 10
Ada 9
Martha 9
Esther 8
Matilda 8
Hannah 7
Anne 6
Frances 6
Lucy 6
Sophia 6
Susannah 6
Clara 5
Helen 5
Rosa 5
Susan 5
Amelia 4
Amy 4
Bessie 4
Maud 4
Catherine 3
Elizth. 3
Elsie 3
Helena 3
Julia 3
Laura 3
Nancy 3
Rebecca 3

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 109
John 91
James 65
George 61
Thomas 55
Charles 48
Henry 38
Walter 28
Joseph 23
Albert 22
Robert 22
Harry 21
Frederick 20
Samuel 20
Arthur 19
Alfred 16
Richard 16
Edward 15
Frank 13
Edwin 10
Francis 10
Fred 10
David 8
Ernest 8
Herbert 8
Benjamin 7
Chas. 6
Geo. 5
Abraham 4
Fredrick 4
Matthew 4
Sidney 4
Stephen 4
Thos. 4
Andrew 3
Mark 3
Martin 3
Percy 3
Peter 3
Saml. 3
Tom 3
Wilson 3
Adam 2
Archibald 2
Charlie 2
Christopher 2
Frederic 2
Fredk. 2
Infant 2
Ralph 2

FAQ

Broomfield surname: questions and answers

How common was the Broomfield surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,012 people were recorded with the Broomfield surname. That placed it at #2,186 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Broomfield surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,434 in 2016. That gives Broomfield a modern rank of #2,706.

What does the Broomfield surname mean?

An English locational surname referring to someone who lived in or near a field of broom shrubs.

What does the Broomfield map show?

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