NameCensus.

UK surname

Browell

A locational surname possibly derived from Bromwell in Gloucestershire.

In the 1881 census there were 390 people recorded with the Browell surname, ranking it #8,104 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 300, ranked #14,738, down from #8,104 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Gateshead and Tynemouth (Chirton, Preston, Murton, Whitley, Monkseaton), Earsdon (Earsdon). In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Tyneside, Northumberland and Sunderland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Browell is 512 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 23.1%.

1881 census count

390

Ranked #8,104

Modern count

300

2016, ranked #14,738

Peak year

1911

512 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Browell had 390 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,104 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 300 in 2016, ranked #14,738.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 512 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Small Town Suburbia.

Browell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Browell surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Browell 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 267 #8,342
1861 historical 331 #7,706
1881 historical 390 #8,104
1891 historical 467 #7,846
1901 historical 480 #8,301
1911 historical 512 #7,699
1997 modern 369 #11,690
1998 modern 367 #12,121
1999 modern 375 #12,004
2000 modern 363 #12,237
2001 modern 351 #12,349
2002 modern 353 #12,512
2003 modern 334 #12,847
2004 modern 337 #12,818
2005 modern 329 #12,966
2006 modern 315 #13,440
2007 modern 316 #13,566
2008 modern 310 #13,834
2009 modern 310 #14,113
2010 modern 324 #13,979
2011 modern 315 #14,131
2012 modern 317 #13,960
2013 modern 309 #14,451
2014 modern 314 #14,371
2015 modern 306 #14,536
2016 modern 300 #14,738

Geography

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Where Browells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Gateshead, Tynemouth (Chirton, Preston, Murton, Whitley, Monkseaton), Earsdon (Earsdon), Newburn and Bishop Wearmouth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Tyneside, Northumberland and Sunderland. 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 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
2 Gateshead Durham
3 Tynemouth (Chirton, Preston, Murton, Whitley, Monkseaton), Earsdon (Earsdon) Northumberland
4 Newburn Northumberland
5 Bishop Wearmouth Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Tyneside 027 North Tyneside
2 Northumberland 004 Northumberland
3 Northumberland 019 Northumberland
4 Sunderland 021 Sunderland
5 Sunderland 014 Sunderland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Browell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Browell

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Browell, 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 Browell surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Small Town Suburbia, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Browell 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, Browell 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

Browell is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Browell

The surname Browell is of English origin, with roots tracing back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to have originated from the Old English words "bro" and "well," which combined to form "browell," meaning a small spring or stream. The earliest records of this name date back to the late 12th century, with variations in spelling such as Broewelle and Browealle appearing in ancient documents.

One of the earliest known references to this surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire from the year 1195, where a certain William de Browell is mentioned as a landowner. This suggests that the name may have originated in the county of Lincolnshire, where several settlements with names containing the word "well" or "browell" existed during that period.

In the 14th century, the Browell surname appeared in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire, indicating its presence in the northern regions of England. One notable bearer of this name was John Browell, a prominent merchant from York who lived between 1380 and 1446. His legacy is documented in various trade records and local archives from that era.

The Domesday Book, a remarkable medieval census commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, does not contain any direct references to the surname Browell. However, it does mention several place names containing the word "well," such as Caldewelle and Bradewell, which may have influenced the formation of this surname in later centuries.

During the Tudor period, the Browell name gained prominence with the birth of Sir Thomas Browell (1525-1595), a respected courtier and diplomat who served under Queen Elizabeth I. He played a crucial role in negotiating treaties and fostering diplomatic relations with other European nations.

Another notable figure was John Browell (1685-1758), a renowned English architect who designed several notable buildings in London, including St. Mary's Church in Islington and the Baroque-style Browell House, which stood as a testament to his architectural prowess until its demolition in the 19th century.

As the centuries progressed, the Browell surname continued to spread across various regions of England, with some bearers migrating to other parts of the British Isles and eventually to the American colonies. Notable individuals include James Browell (1788-1868), a pioneering settler in Ontario, Canada, and William Browell (1810-1892), a respected educator and school administrator in New York City.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Browell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Browell 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. Durham leads with 175 Browells recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.46x.

County Total Index
Durham 175 15.46x
Northumberland 155 27.38x
Middlesex 10 0.26x
Staffordshire 10 0.78x
Cumberland 7 2.14x
Kent 7 0.54x
Yorkshire 7 0.19x
Surrey 6 0.32x
Sussex 4 0.62x
Derbyshire 3 0.50x
Hampshire 2 0.26x
Northamptonshire 2 0.56x
Lincolnshire 1 0.16x
Worcestershire 1 0.20x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bishopwearmouth in Durham leads with 33 Browells recorded in 1881 and an index of 33.97x.

Place Total Index
Bishopwearmouth 33 33.97x
Wallbottle 20 1666.67x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 14 41.41x
East Rainton 12 547.95x
Tynemouth 11 36.29x
Bedlington 10 52.91x
Cornsay 10 327.87x
Throckley 10 641.03x
Walsall Foreign 10 15.08x
Ford 9 265.49x
Warkworth 9 989.01x
Bitchfield 8 26666.67x
Cowpen 8 61.40x
Thirlwall 8 1038.96x
Thockrington 8 5333.33x
Boldon 7 173.70x
Chopwell 7 333.33x
Crook Billy Row 7 48.31x
Dawdon 7 50.29x
High Bolton 7 1944.44x
Kyo 7 131.33x
Melkridge 7 1750.00x
Pegswood 7 551.18x
Seaton Delaval 7 140.85x
Winlaton 7 64.46x
Gateshead 6 7.08x
Heworth 6 612.24x
Iveston 6 115.16x
Monkwearmouth Shore 6 27.16x
Newburn 6 370.37x
Westoe 6 9.35x
Byers Green 5 156.74x
Feltham 5 131.58x
Hart 5 181.16x
Lambeth 5 1.51x
Wallsend 5 27.86x
Ashford 4 31.65x
Cowfold 4 294.12x
Hexham 4 45.66x
Tunstall 4 71.05x
Benfieldside 3 40.32x
Bradbury 3 1200.00x
Elswick 3 6.64x
Litchurch 3 12.52x
Newcastle On Tyne St 3 10.22x
Ryton Woodside 3 212.77x
Stocksfield Hall 3 2000.00x
Stockton On Tees 3 5.50x
Tonbridge 3 6.41x
Whickham 3 28.82x
Brancepeth 2 97.09x
East Bedfont 2 105.82x
Framwellgate 2 29.81x
Lanchester 2 96.15x
Millbrook 2 10.18x
Plawsworth 2 162.60x
St Pancras London 2 0.65x
Witton Gilbert 2 44.74x
Auckland St Andrew 1 33.44x
Chirton 1 7.81x
Conside Knitsley 1 11.36x
Duddington 1 212.77x
Great Whittington 1 344.83x
Kensington London 1 0.47x
Kings Norton 1 2.24x
Mickley 1 55.87x
Northallerton 1 20.79x
Northampton Priory St 1 4.66x
Penge 1 4.12x
Ryton 1 25.13x
St Peterin Eastgate 1 53.19x
Sunderland 1 5.00x
Whitburn 1 37.88x
Whittonstall 1 500.00x
Winston 1 232.56x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 34
Elizabeth 25
Jane 19
Margaret 18
Hannah 9
Sarah 9
Ann 8
Isabella 8
Eleanor 5
Ada 4
Ellen 4
Alice 3
Annie 3
Charlotte 3
Dorothy 3
E. 3
Elenor 3
Emily 3
Anne 2
C. 2
Catharine 2
Edith 2
Ethel 2
Fanny 2
Florence 2
Frances 2
J. 2
Kate 2
Mercy 2
Amelia 1
Barbara 1
Catherine 1
Charlott 1
Clara 1
Eliz.Hannah 1
Eliza 1
Elizbt. 1
F. 1
Francis 1
Gertrude 1
H. 1
Harriett 1
Helena 1
Louisa 1
Lucy 1
M. 1
Marg.Jane 1
Margaret. 1
Matilda 1
Ruth 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 32
William 31
George 16
Robert 14
Thomas 13
James 11
Joseph 9
Charles 7
Henry 7
Edward 6
Richard 4
Thos. 2
Alfred 1
Allen 1
Benjamin 1
Charlton 1
David 1
Ed.Th. 1
Edw. 1
Elias 1
Fred 1
G. 1
Geo. 1
Gilbert 1
Jefferay 1
Jerimah 1
Jno. 1
Jos. 1
Joshua 1
Langton 1
Mark 1
Mary 1
Matthew 1
R. 1
Samuel 1
Septimus 1
Thos.R. 1
W. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Browell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Browell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 390 people were recorded with the Browell surname. That placed it at #8,104 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Browell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 300 in 2016. That gives Browell a modern rank of #14,738.

What does the Browell surname mean?

A locational surname possibly derived from Bromwell in Gloucestershire.

What does the Browell map show?

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