NameCensus.

UK surname

Brow

A topographic surname denoting someone who lived on or near a hill.

In the 1881 census there were 175 people recorded with the Brow surname, ranking it #13,982 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 146, ranked #24,173, down from #13,982 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Leonard Shoreditch, Govan Combination and Alyth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Erskine West, Bradford and East Riding of Yorkshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Brow is 329 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 16.6%.

1881 census count

175

Ranked #13,982

Modern count

146

2016, ranked #24,173

Peak year

1861

329 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Brow had 175 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #13,982 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 146 in 2016, ranked #24,173.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 329 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Brow surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Brow surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Brow 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 170 #11,780
1861 historical 329 #7,748
1881 historical 175 #13,982
1891 historical 261 #12,337
1901 historical 216 #14,426
1911 historical 124 #20,023
1997 modern 152 #20,948
1998 modern 147 #21,935
1999 modern 121 #24,855
2000 modern 122 #24,698
2001 modern 99 #27,534
2002 modern 93 #28,920
2003 modern 91 #29,121
2004 modern 100 #27,964
2005 modern 102 #27,689
2006 modern 107 #27,179
2007 modern 111 #26,954
2008 modern 113 #26,920
2009 modern 125 #25,823
2010 modern 143 #24,247
2011 modern 137 #24,716
2012 modern 131 #25,439
2013 modern 127 #26,452
2014 modern 133 #25,851
2015 modern 133 #25,729
2016 modern 146 #24,173

Geography

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Where Brows are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Leonard Shoreditch, Govan Combination, Alyth, Annan 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 Erskine West, Bradford, East Riding of Yorkshire and West Lindsey. 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 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Alyth Perth
4 Annan Dumfries
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Erskine West Renfrewshire
2 Bradford 026 Bradford
3 East Riding of Yorkshire 005 East Riding of Yorkshire
4 West Lindsey 003 West Lindsey
5 Bradford 017 Bradford

Forenames

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First names often paired with Brow

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Brow

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Brow surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Brow household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Brow 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

Brow is most concentrated in decile 8 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Brow falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Brow

The surname Brow is of English origin, and it can be traced back to the Middle English period, which spanned from the 11th to the 15th century. The name is derived from the Old English word "bru," which means "brow" or "ridge," referring to a person who lived near a prominent ridge or hill.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Brow can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive record of landowners and properties in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. In this document, the name appears as "Bru" or "Bruge," reflecting the variations in spelling that were common during that era.

The surname Brow has been associated with various place names throughout England, such as Browhill in Oxfordshire, Browside in Cumbria, and Browmarsh in Wiltshire. These place names likely originated from the Old English word "bru," indicating that the name was often given to individuals who lived in or near these locations.

One notable figure with the surname Brow was Sir John Brow, a 14th-century English knight who fought in the Hundred Years' War against France. Another prominent individual was Thomas Brow, a 16th-century English clergyman and author who wrote several religious texts.

In the 17th century, the surname Brow gained recognition with the birth of Sir Christopher Brow (1621-1696), an English politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for Oxfordshire. During the same period, Robert Brow (1624-1705) was a renowned mathematician and philosopher who made significant contributions to the field of calculus.

A century later, in the 18th century, the Brow family produced another notable figure, William Brow (1736-1803), a British naval officer who played a crucial role in several battles during the American Revolutionary War and the Napoleonic Wars.

Throughout history, the surname Brow has been found across various parts of England, including Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Oxfordshire, reflecting its widespread distribution and the mobility of families bearing this name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Brow families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Brow 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 31 Brows recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.84x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 31 1.84x
Durham 20 3.96x
Cumberland 17 11.63x
Middlesex 14 0.82x
Angus 9 5.72x
Lancashire 9 0.45x
Dumfriesshire 8 21.34x
Gloucestershire 8 2.40x
Surrey 8 0.97x
Lincolnshire 7 2.58x
Perthshire 6 7.88x
Berwickshire 5 24.33x
Essex 5 1.49x
Westmorland 4 10.72x
Fife 3 2.99x
Northumberland 3 1.19x
Ayrshire 2 1.57x
Devon 2 0.57x
Dunbartonshire 2 4.39x
Staffordshire 2 0.35x
Bedfordshire 1 1.14x
Berkshire 1 0.78x
Derbyshire 1 0.38x
Kent 1 0.17x
Lanarkshire 1 0.18x
Somerset 1 0.37x
Sussex 1 0.35x
Warwickshire 1 0.23x
Wiltshire 1 0.67x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bristol St George in Gloucestershire leads with 8 Brows recorded in 1881 and an index of 51.95x.

Place Total Index
Bristol St George 8 51.95x
Hurworth 8 909.09x
Annan 7 217.39x
Hethersgill 7 2058.82x
Alyth 6 292.68x
Bishopwearmouth 6 13.84x
Bramley In Bramley 6 93.17x
Guiseley 6 279.07x
Kirkdale 6 17.71x
Bourn 5 228.31x
Earlston 5 485.44x
Headingley Cum Burley 5 46.17x
Hunslet 5 19.06x
Rotherhithe 5 23.84x
Crosscanonby 4 82.82x
Hornsey 4 18.64x
Kendal 4 58.57x
Maldon St Peter 4 233.92x
Cortachy 3 1500.00x
Cupar 3 68.65x
Gateshead 3 7.93x
St Cuthbert Within 3 177.51x
Bethnal Green London 2 2.71x
Cardross 2 36.50x
Forfar 2 23.50x
Kensington London 2 2.12x
Kirriemuir 2 51.55x
Leeds 2 2.11x
Plymouth St Andrew 2 7.35x
Abingdon St Nicholas 1 285.71x
Birkby 1 1666.67x
Birmingham 1 0.70x
Bowness 1 175.44x
Camberwell 1 0.92x
Chelsea London 1 1.96x
Chirton 1 17.48x
Clitheroe 1 16.86x
Colton 1 256.41x
Darlington 1 5.13x
Dumfries 1 27.03x
East Grinstead 1 24.69x
Featherstone 1 52.91x
Glasgow 1 1.03x
Hackney London 1 1.05x
Hammersmith London 1 2.39x
Hampstead London 1 3.78x
Helpringham 1 181.82x
Hessle In Sculcoates 1 67.11x
Hougham 1 29.07x
Islington London 1 0.61x
Lambeth 1 0.68x
Liff Benvie 1 4.19x
Luton 1 6.57x
Manchester 1 1.10x
Marden 1 833.33x
Morton In Keighley 1 75.76x
Newington 1 1.59x
Pleasley 1 149.25x
Preston In Tynemouth 1 101.01x
Sheffield 1 1.87x
Shildon 1 24.63x
South Petherton 1 70.92x
South Shields 1 22.22x
St Mary Within 1 54.64x
St Quivox 1 23.31x
St Swithin Lincoln 1 23.42x
Stoke Upon Trent 1 1.65x
Tarbolton 1 47.85x
Tealing 1 227.27x
Tynemouth 1 7.40x
Wardleworth 1 8.69x
West Ham 1 1.35x
Westminster St John 1 4.84x
Whitby 1 17.64x
Yarm 1 116.28x
York St Nicholas In 1 105.26x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 10
Elizabeth 8
Catherine 3
Ellen 3
Hannah 3
Isabella 3
Sarah 3
Annie 2
Charlotte 2
Eliza 2
Emily 2
Harriet 2
Jane 2
Jannet 2
Margaret 2
Agnes 1
Alic 1
Alice 1
Ann 1
Anne 1
Asabella 1
Betsy 1
Drews 1
Edith 1
Elisabeth 1
Elizth. 1
Emma 1
Eva 1
Fanny 1
Henry 1
Jennet 1
Jessie 1
Jula 1
Louisa 1
Lucy 1
Mar 1
Matilda 1
Rebecca 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 10
John 10
William 5
Frederick 4
David 3
Samuel 3
Thomas 3
Benjamin 2
Charles 2
Daniel 2
James 2
Joseph 2
Albert 1
Alfred 1
Arthur 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
G. 1
Goerge 1
Harry 1
Henry 1
Hiram 1
Ira 1
Jas. 1
Morris 1
Moses 1
Richard 1
Thos.W. 1
Tyson 1

FAQ

Brow surname: questions and answers

How common was the Brow surname in 1881?

In 1881, 175 people were recorded with the Brow surname. That placed it at #13,982 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Brow surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 146 in 2016. That gives Brow a modern rank of #24,173.

What does the Brow surname mean?

A topographic surname denoting someone who lived on or near a hill.

What does the Brow map show?

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