NameCensus.

UK surname

Brotton

An English place name derived from a location called Brotton in Yorkshire.

In the 1881 census there were 71 people recorded with the Brotton surname, ranking it #23,517 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 96, ranked #31,684, down from #23,517 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Darlington, Silkstone and Stokesley. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Redcar and Cleveland, Hambleton and Darlington.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Brotton is 116 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 35.2%.

1881 census count

71

Ranked #23,517

Modern count

96

2016, ranked #31,684

Peak year

1861

116 bearers

Map years

3

1861 to 1998

Key insights

  • Brotton had 71 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #23,517 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 96 in 2016, ranked #31,684.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 116 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Small Town Suburbia.

Brotton surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Brotton surname density by area, 1998 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Brotton 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 60 #22,584
1861 historical 116 #18,751
1881 historical 71 #23,517
1891 historical 110 #22,557
1901 historical 84 #24,759
1911 historical 91 #23,684
1997 modern 100 #26,901
1998 modern 103 #27,141
1999 modern 104 #27,164
2000 modern 103 #27,280
2001 modern 97 #27,823
2002 modern 97 #28,383
2003 modern 97 #28,217
2004 modern 96 #28,605
2005 modern 85 #30,219
2006 modern 84 #30,665
2007 modern 91 #30,061
2008 modern 101 #28,825
2009 modern 96 #30,239
2010 modern 98 #30,540
2011 modern 94 #31,016
2012 modern 98 #30,612
2013 modern 98 #31,078
2014 modern 97 #31,518
2015 modern 97 #31,499
2016 modern 96 #31,684

Geography

Back to top

Where Brottons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Darlington, Silkstone, Stokesley, Danby and Skelton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Redcar and Cleveland, Hambleton and Darlington. 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 Darlington Durham
2 Silkstone Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Stokesley Yorkshire, North Riding
4 Danby Yorkshire, North Riding
5 Skelton Yorkshire, North Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Redcar and Cleveland 006 Redcar and Cleveland
2 Hambleton 001 Hambleton
3 Hambleton 002 Hambleton
4 Darlington 002 Darlington
5 Darlington 005 Darlington

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Brotton

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Brotton

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

Small Town Suburbia

Nationally, the Brotton surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Small Town Suburbia, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Brotton 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 is predominantly comprised of married couples with no resident dependent children, living in areas characterised neither by under-occupancy nor overcrowding throughout the UK in or adjacent to small towns. White ethnic groups and affiliation with Christianity predominates. Housing tends to be predominantly semi-detached or detached and workers are employed principally in managerial and professional occupations, with semi-skilled occupations also in evidence. These areas of the Supergroup are of higher population density.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Brotton 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

Brotton 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

Brotton 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 Brotton is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Brotton

The surname Brotton finds its origins in England, specifically from the northeastern county of North Yorkshire. Historical references to the name date back to the medieval period, though the precise century is somewhat elusive due to varying records. The name is thought to be locational, derived from the village of Brotton near the town of Saltburn-by-the-Sea. Originally, the name likely referred to someone who lived in or near this village or came from this area.

The name Brotton appears to be derived from Old English elements. The first part of the name, "brot", may have evolved from the Old English word "broc", meaning badger, though it could also relate to "brōc", meaning brook or stream. The suffix "ton" is common in English place names and derived from "tūn", meaning an enclosure, farmstead, or settlement. Therefore, Brotton could be interpreted to mean "badger enclosure" or "brook farmstead".

Historical records provide glimpses into the surname's use in medieval England. One of the earliest mentions of the name is found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where the village of Brotton is listed as "Brotune". Various manuscripts and legal documents from the 12th and 13th centuries record similar spellings, including "Broctun" and "Broghton", showing the name's evolution over time.

The earliest documented individual with the surname Brotton appears in a late 13th-century tax record. John de Brotton is listed in the Yorkshire Subsidy Rolls of 1297, indicating that he was a person of some standing in his community. Subsequent records from the 14th and 15th centuries show the name Brotton in various legal and land documents, particularly in the North Riding of Yorkshire.

Several notable individuals carried the surname Brotton through history. Thomas Brotton, born in 1350 and recorded in the Poll Tax of 1379, was a yeoman in North Yorkshire, contributing to local governance. William Brotton, born circa 1420, is documented in a land grant in 1456, highlighting his role in local land transactions. In the 16th century, Richard Brotton, born in 1495, served as a juror in various court cases, indicating his involvement in legal affairs.

Another significant figure is Robert Brotton, born in 1530, who was recorded as a merchant in the bustling port city of Hull. His participation in overseas trade sheds light on the economic activities of the period. Lastly, Edward Brotton, born in 1610, is mentioned in early 17th-century probate records in York, denoting his status as a landowner and farmer. These historical figures collectively reflect the surname's longstanding association with Yorkshire and its gradual dissemination over time.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Brotton families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Brotton 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. Yorkshire leads with 45 Brottons recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.56x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 45 6.56x
Durham 23 11.17x
Middlesex 2 0.29x
Lancashire 1 0.12x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Darlington in Durham leads with 12 Brottons recorded in 1881 and an index of 150.94x.

Place Total Index
Darlington 12 150.94x
Stokesley 9 2093.02x
Bilsdale Midcable 6 3750.00x
Barnsley 5 70.62x
Stockton On Tees 4 40.28x
Broughton In Stokesley 3 2307.69x
Danby 3 1071.43x
Harton 3 370.37x
Hedleyhope 3 833.33x
Liverton 3 1875.00x
Marske In Guisbrough 3 245.90x
Moorsholme 3 3333.33x
Guisbrough 2 133.33x
Middlesbrough 2 22.40x
Ugglebarnby 2 2222.22x
Addingham 1 196.08x
Bishopwearmouth 1 5.66x
Bury 1 10.66x
Horton In Bradford 1 9.34x
Newholme Cum Dunsley 1 1111.11x
Paddington London 1 3.93x
Tottenham 1 9.07x
Wilton In Guisbrough 1 322.58x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 9
William 9
George 3
Thomas 3
Joseph 2
Charles 1
Francis 1
Frederick 1
Henry 1
Jonathan 1
Major 1
Martin 1
Robert 1
Robt. 1
Williamson 1

FAQ

Brotton surname: questions and answers

How common was the Brotton surname in 1881?

In 1881, 71 people were recorded with the Brotton surname. That placed it at #23,517 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Brotton surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 96 in 2016. That gives Brotton a modern rank of #31,684.

What does the Brotton surname mean?

An English place name derived from a location called Brotton in Yorkshire.

What does the Brotton map show?

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