NameCensus.

UK surname

Brotherton

A locational surname referring to someone from any of the various places named Brotherton in England.

In the 1881 census there were 1,521 people recorded with the Brotherton surname, ranking it #2,761 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,007, ranked #3,210, down from #2,761 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, Evesham St Lawrence and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wychavon and Northumberland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Brotherton is 2,160 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 32.0%.

1881 census count

1,521

Ranked #2,761

Modern count

2,007

2016, ranked #3,210

Peak year

2010

2,160 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Brotherton had 1,521 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,761 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,007 in 2016, ranked #3,210.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,945 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Brotherton surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Brotherton surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Brotherton 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 1,067 #2,626
1861 historical 923 #3,005
1881 historical 1,521 #2,761
1891 historical 1,591 #2,796
1901 historical 1,903 #2,777
1911 historical 1,945 #2,555
1997 modern 2,083 #2,948
1998 modern 2,146 #2,985
1999 modern 2,130 #3,028
2000 modern 2,098 #3,048
2001 modern 2,056 #3,038
2002 modern 2,100 #3,048
2003 modern 2,017 #3,091
2004 modern 2,042 #3,064
2005 modern 2,061 #2,998
2006 modern 2,081 #2,975
2007 modern 2,117 #2,962
2008 modern 2,131 #2,966
2009 modern 2,112 #3,058
2010 modern 2,160 #3,068
2011 modern 2,136 #3,059
2012 modern 2,078 #3,083
2013 modern 2,117 #3,080
2014 modern 2,087 #3,144
2015 modern 2,039 #3,177
2016 modern 2,007 #3,210

Geography

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Where Brothertons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, Evesham St Lawrence, Manchester, Walsall 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 Wychavon and Northumberland. 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 Wolverhampton Staffordshire
2 Evesham St Lawrence Worcestershire
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Walsall Staffordshire
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wychavon 016 Wychavon
2 Wychavon 017 Wychavon
3 Wychavon 015 Wychavon
4 Northumberland 010 Northumberland
5 Wychavon 014 Wychavon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Brotherton

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Brotherton

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Brotherton 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

Brotherton is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Brotherton falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Brotherton

The surname Brotherton has its origins in England, tracing back to the 13th century. It is a locational name derived from the town of Brotherton in the West Riding of Yorkshire, which itself takes its name from an Old English word meaning "the farm of the brothers" or "the settlement of brothers."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Brotherton can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Brodretone." This suggests that the name was already well-established in the region by the time of the Norman Conquest.

In the 13th century, a renowned knight named Sir Thomas de Brotherton was born, likely taking his surname from the Yorkshire town. He was the son of King Edward I of England and his second wife, Margaret of France. Sir Thomas played a significant role in the Scottish Wars of Independence and was later created Earl of Norfolk in 1312.

Another notable figure bearing the Brotherton name was Sir Richard de Brotherton, who was a member of the Order of the Garter and served as the Marshal of England in the late 14th century. He was a prominent military commander during the Hundred Years' War.

In the 16th century, a clergyman named William Brotherton (1535-1624) gained recognition as a scholar and theologian. He served as the Master of Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, and authored several works on religious subjects.

During the English Civil War in the 17th century, Captain John Brotherton (1618-1684) was a notable figure who fought on the Parliamentarian side. He played a role in the defense of York against the Royalist forces.

Another individual of note was Sir Payan Brotherton (1670-1749), a wealthy merchant and landowner who served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1735. He was instrumental in establishing several charitable institutions in the city.

While the surname Brotherton has its roots in Yorkshire, it has since spread to various parts of England and beyond, with bearers of the name contributing to various fields throughout history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Brotherton families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Brotherton 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 411 Brothertons recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.33x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 411 2.33x
Yorkshire 248 1.68x
Staffordshire 181 3.60x
Worcestershire 98 5.04x
Durham 84 1.90x
Middlesex 79 0.53x
Northumberland 55 2.48x
Surrey 52 0.72x
Warwickshire 46 1.23x
Cheshire 45 1.37x
Lanarkshire 44 0.91x
Lincolnshire 41 1.72x
Oxfordshire 25 2.72x
Essex 14 0.48x
Nottinghamshire 14 0.70x
Derbyshire 13 0.56x
Leicestershire 11 0.67x
Bedfordshire 6 0.78x
Kent 6 0.12x
Flintshire 5 1.25x
Gloucestershire 5 0.17x
Ayrshire 4 0.36x
Angus 3 0.22x
Devon 3 0.10x
East Lothian 3 1.52x
Glamorgan 3 0.12x
Midlothian 3 0.15x
Stirlingshire 3 0.55x
Sussex 3 0.12x
Anglesey 2 0.76x
Caernarfonshire 2 0.33x
Hampshire 2 0.07x
Norfolk 2 0.09x
Shropshire 2 0.16x
Fife 1 0.11x
Herefordshire 1 0.16x
Hertfordshire 1 0.10x
Ross-shire 1 0.24x
Royal Navy 1 0.56x
Westmorland 1 0.31x
Wigtownshire 1 0.51x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Evesham St Lawrence in Worcestershire leads with 54 Brothertons recorded in 1881 and an index of 523.26x.

Place Total Index
Evesham St Lawrence 54 523.26x
Wolverhampton 50 12.95x
Habergham Eaves 37 22.93x
Salford 33 6.36x
Walsall Foreign 33 12.72x
Toxteth Park 27 4.52x
Berwick Upon Tweed 26 55.44x
Evesham All Sts 26 287.29x
Wednesbury 26 20.72x
Stockton On Tees 23 10.78x
Boston 20 27.71x
Birmingham 19 1.52x
Leeds 19 2.28x
Sandbach 19 67.83x
Bermondsey 17 3.84x
Gateshead 17 5.13x
Gorton 16 9.64x
Great Little Marsden 15 18.55x
Accrington 14 8.72x
Aston 14 1.36x
Battersea 14 2.56x
Bishop Auckland 14 23.58x
Manchester 14 1.76x
Nottingham St Mary 14 2.70x
Oldham 14 2.46x
Padiham 14 32.83x
Dewsbury 13 8.60x
Idle 13 19.02x
Barrowford Booth 12 61.44x
Castleton 12 6.81x
St Pancras London 12 1.00x
Hulme 11 2.98x
Pendleton In Clitheroe 11 164.67x
Woodstock 11 190.64x
Barony 10 0.82x
Burnley 10 6.73x
Islington London 10 0.69x
Preston 10 2.12x
Shipley 10 13.07x
Stretton 10 840.34x
Sutton On Forest 10 341.30x
Warwick St Nicholas 10 36.35x
Wiswell 10 265.96x
Byker 9 8.23x
Gnosall 9 74.26x
Hammersmith London 9 2.46x
Keighley 9 5.73x
Lanark 9 23.25x
Newton 9 6.62x
Otley 9 25.15x
West Derby 9 1.74x
Govan 8 0.67x
Pinner 8 61.40x
Potter Newton 8 30.76x
Thockrington 8 1355.93x
Atherton 7 10.89x
Birstwith 7 280.00x
Bothwell 7 5.37x
Claines 7 13.13x
Everton 7 1.24x
Halifax 7 3.23x
Hampsthwaite 7 300.43x
Ince In Makerfield 7 8.52x
Kirkdale 7 2.36x
Little Bolton 7 3.08x
Old Laund Booth 7 414.20x
Wormhill 7 143.74x
Bury 6 2.98x
Cannock 6 6.85x
Kensington London 6 0.73x
Kirkby Malzeard 6 185.76x
Leighton Buzzard 6 18.11x
Macclesfield 6 4.11x
Sculcoates 6 2.57x
St Marylebone London 6 0.76x
Stranton 6 4.03x
Bowling 5 3.42x
Cartworth 5 41.02x
Hartwith Cum Winsley 5 92.59x
Lancaster 5 4.76x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 114
Sarah 55
Elizabeth 51
Ann 34
Ellen 33
Jane 32
Margaret 28
Eliza 20
Annie 18
Alice 17
Martha 16
Emma 15
Emily 13
Harriet 13
Ada 12
Louisa 12
Maria 12
Hannah 10
Kate 10
Agnes 8
Anne 8
Fanny 8
Florence 8
Isabella 8
Clara 7
Frances 6
Lucy 6
Amelia 5
Selina 5
Charlotte 4
Edith 4
Eleanor 4
Elizth. 4
Julia 4
Laura 4
Matilda 4
Susan 4
Amy 3
Bertha 3
Georgina 3
Grace 3
Helen 3
M. 3
Minnie 3
Ruth 3
Susannah 3
Elenor 2
M.A. 2
Mabel 2
Margret 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 114
William 78
James 49
Thomas 48
George 38
Joseph 35
Richard 35
Charles 28
Henry 25
Robert 23
Samuel 16
Edward 13
Alfred 11
Arthur 11
Albert 9
Frank 9
Francis 8
Frederick 7
Thos. 7
Herbert 6
Walter 6
Edwin 5
Fred 5
Ernest 4
Harry 4
Reuben 4
Alexander 3
Christopher 3
David 3
Lawrence 3
Wm. 3
Adam 2
Benjamin 2
Daniel 2
Dean 2
Fred. 2
Fredk. 2
Geo. 2
Harold 2
Hartley 2
Horace 2
Jno. 2
Percival 2
Percy 2
Peter 2
Ricd. 2
Saml. 2
Tom 2
Wilfred 2
Willm. 2

FAQ

Brotherton surname: questions and answers

How common was the Brotherton surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,521 people were recorded with the Brotherton surname. That placed it at #2,761 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Brotherton surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,007 in 2016. That gives Brotherton a modern rank of #3,210.

What does the Brotherton surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone from any of the various places named Brotherton in England.

What does the Brotherton map show?

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