UK surname
An occupational surname referring to a beer brewer or maker of ale.
In the 1881 census there were 24 people recorded with the Brower surname, ranking it #30,215 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 79, ranked #33,100, down from #30,215 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to St Leonard Shoreditch, London parishes and St Philip and Jacob. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Brower is 548 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 229.2%.
1881 census count
24
Ranked #30,215
Modern count
79
2016, ranked #33,100
Peak year
1861
548 bearers
Map years
4
1851 to 1911
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Brower surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Brower surname density by area, 1911 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 123 | #14,886 |
| 1861 | historical | 548 | #4,805 |
| 1881 | historical | 24 | #30,215 |
| 1891 | historical | 337 | #10,133 |
| 1901 | historical | 70 | #26,383 |
| 1911 | historical | 133 | #19,214 |
| 1997 | modern | 96 | #27,490 |
| 1998 | modern | 87 | #29,240 |
| 1999 | modern | 94 | #28,593 |
| 2000 | modern | 91 | #28,952 |
| 2001 | modern | 84 | #29,508 |
| 2002 | modern | 80 | #30,387 |
| 2003 | modern | 77 | #30,762 |
| 2004 | modern | 77 | #31,024 |
| 2005 | modern | 76 | #31,267 |
| 2006 | modern | 73 | #31,954 |
| 2007 | modern | 70 | #32,580 |
| 2008 | modern | 70 | #32,856 |
| 2009 | modern | 75 | #32,733 |
| 2010 | modern | 85 | #32,185 |
| 2011 | modern | 84 | #32,237 |
| 2012 | modern | 78 | #33,044 |
| 2013 | modern | 80 | #33,058 |
| 2014 | modern | 82 | #32,992 |
| 2015 | modern | 79 | #33,127 |
| 2016 | modern | 79 | #33,100 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around St Leonard Shoreditch, London parishes, St Philip and Jacob, St Pancras and Preston. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | St Leonard Shoreditch | London (East Districts) |
| 2 | London parishes | London 3 |
| 3 | St Philip and Jacob | Gloucestershire |
| 4 | St Pancras | London (North Districts) |
| 5 | Preston | Lancashire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Brower surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Brower, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Brower surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Brower household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Brower is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Brower is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Brower, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname BROWER is of Dutch origin, derived from the occupational term "brouwer" meaning "brewer" in Dutch. It likely emerged in the Netherlands during the medieval period when the brewing industry was a prominent trade.
The earliest recorded instances of the name can be traced back to the 16th century in Dutch records and documents. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Pieter Brouwer, a brewer born in Amsterdam in 1565.
As the Dutch settled in various parts of the world, the name spread to other regions, particularly in North America. One notable individual with this surname was Adriaen Brouwer, a renowned Dutch Golden Age painter known for his genre scenes and tavern depictions, born in Oudenaarde in 1605 and died in Antwerp in 1638.
In the 17th century, the BROWER name appeared in Dutch colonial records in New Netherland, the Dutch settlement that later became New York. Jan Brouwer, born in 1620 in Leiden, Netherlands, was among the early Dutch settlers in New Amsterdam (now New York City).
Another notable figure was Hendrick Brouwer, a Dutch naval officer and explorer who led an expedition to the East Indies in 1611-1612. He is credited with discovering the Brouwer Strait, a narrow waterway separating the islands of Bali and Java in modern-day Indonesia.
In the 19th century, Jozef Brouwers, a Belgian writer and poet, was a significant literary figure born in Leuven in 1828 and died in Brussels in 1901. His works explored themes of Flemish identity and the struggles of the working class.
The name BROWER has also been associated with various places and locations throughout history. For instance, the Brouwersdam, a dam and causeway in the Netherlands, was named after the local Brouwer family who owned land in the area.
While the name has its roots in the Netherlands, it has since spread to other countries and regions due to migration and immigration patterns. However, its origins can be traced back to the Dutch occupational term "brouwer," reflecting the historical significance of the brewing trade in the region.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Brower surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 10 Browers recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.27x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Middlesex | 10 | 4.27x |
| Yorkshire | 4 | 1.73x |
| Warwickshire | 3 | 5.08x |
| Lancashire | 2 | 0.72x |
| Sussex | 2 | 5.07x |
| Durham | 1 | 1.44x |
| Monmouthshire | 1 | 5.91x |
| Norfolk | 1 | 2.78x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Islington London in Middlesex leads with 4 Browers recorded in 1881 and an index of 17.64x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Islington London | 4 | 17.64x |
| Bethnal Green London | 3 | 29.50x |
| Bulkington | 3 | 2307.69x |
| Burniston | 2 | 6666.67x |
| Preston | 2 | 26.92x |
| Preston | 2 | 289.86x |
| Sheffield | 2 | 27.10x |
| Abergavenny | 1 | 158.73x |
| Hillingdon | 1 | 133.33x |
| Mile End Old Town London | 1 | 20.08x |
| Paddington London | 1 | 11.63x |
| Sunderland | 1 | 81.30x |
| Thorpe Next Norwich | 1 | 263.16x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Brower surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Brower surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Brower households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| General Labourer | 2 |
| (Domt Servt) | 1 |
| Cook | 1 |
| Felt Maker | 1 |
| Fur Trimmer | 1 |
| General Carter | 1 |
| General Labourer Wife | 1 |
| House Maid Dom Serv | 1 |
| Labourer | 1 |
| Laundress | 1 |
| None | 1 |
| Railway Signal Labr (M T) | 1 |
| Scholar | 1 |
| Scholar Grandson | 1 |
| Servant | 1 |
| Student Of Theology | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 24 people were recorded with the Brower surname. That placed it at #30,215 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 79 in 2016. That gives Brower a modern rank of #33,100.
An occupational surname referring to a beer brewer or maker of ale.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Brower bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.