NameCensus.

UK surname

Brown

An English occupational surname referring to a person with brown hair or skin, or someone who worked with brown dye.

In the 1881 census there were 197,359 people recorded with the Brown surname, ranking it #4 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 260,944, also still ranked #4.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Govan Combination and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Northumberland, Leeds and County Durham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Brown is 269,045 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 32.2%.

1881 census count

197,359

Ranked #4

Modern count

260,944

2016, ranked #4

Peak year

2010

269,045 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Brown had 197,359 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 260,944 in 2016, ranked #4.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 243,915 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Brown surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Brown surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Brown 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 133,633 #4
1861 historical 145,119 #4
1881 historical 197,359 #4
1891 historical 216,777 #4
1901 historical 243,915 #4
1911 historical 215,227 #6
1997 modern 258,468 #4
1998 modern 267,156 #4
1999 modern 268,396 #4
2000 modern 266,976 #4
2001 modern 259,562 #4
2002 modern 264,647 #4
2003 modern 257,912 #4
2004 modern 257,515 #4
2005 modern 253,506 #4
2006 modern 253,669 #4
2007 modern 255,728 #4
2008 modern 256,718 #4
2009 modern 262,914 #4
2010 modern 269,045 #4
2011 modern 264,224 #4
2012 modern 257,878 #4
2013 modern 262,626 #4
2014 modern 264,693 #4
2015 modern 262,060 #4
2016 modern 260,944 #4

Geography

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Where Browns are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Govan Combination, Gateshead and Edinburgh. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Northumberland, Leeds, County Durham and Great Yarmouth. 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 London parishes London 1
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Gateshead Durham
4 London parishes London 3
5 Edinburgh Edinburgh

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Northumberland 003 Northumberland
2 Leeds 110 Leeds
3 County Durham 008 County Durham
4 County Durham 059 County Durham
5 Great Yarmouth 003 Great Yarmouth

Forenames

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First names often paired with Brown

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Brown

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Brown, 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 Brown surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Brown 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, Brown 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

Brown is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Brown

The surname BROWN is an English name that originated in the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old English word "brun," which means "brown" or "dark-haired." The name likely referred to someone with a dark complexion or brown hair, distinguishing them from those with lighter features.

BROWN is among the most common surnames in the English-speaking world, reflecting its early and widespread adoption. The earliest known record of the name dates back to the late 12th century, appearing in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire in 1195 as "Willelmus Brune."

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as "le Brun," "le Brone," and "le Brune," reflecting its French influence. It was also recorded in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, a census-like survey conducted during the reign of King Edward I.

The name BROWN gained further prominence in the 14th century, with notable figures like John Brown, a 14th-century English writer and Augustinian friar from Suffolk. Another notable bearer was Sir Thomas Brown, a 15th-century English knight and landowner from Norfolk, who lived from around 1400 to 1460.

In the 16th century, the surname was well-established across England, as evidenced by its appearance in parish records and historical documents. One notable bearer was William Brown, a 16th-century English churchman and theologian who served as the Dean of Windsor from 1559 to 1584.

The 17th century saw the rise of several prominent individuals with the surname BROWN. Robert Brown, an English botanist and paleobotanist born in 1773, made significant contributions to plant taxonomy and the study of plant cells. His discoveries include documenting the nucleus and naming it, as well as coining the term "Brownian motion."

Another notable figure was Charles Brockden Brown, an American novelist and historian born in 1771. He is considered one of the earliest professional authors in the United States and is often credited as the founder of the American Gothic literary movement.

In the 19th century, John Brown, an American abolitionist born in 1800, gained notoriety for his radical efforts to abolish slavery. His raid on the federal armory at Harpers Ferry, Virginia, in 1859, was a pivotal event leading to the American Civil War.

The surname BROWN has persisted as a prominent name throughout history, reflecting its deep roots in English society and its widespread adoption across the English-speaking world.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Brown families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Brown 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. Middlesex leads with 19,073 Browns recorded in 1881 and an index of 0.99x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 19,073 0.99x
Lancashire 17,335 0.76x
Yorkshire 17,221 0.90x
Lanarkshire 11,819 1.90x
Durham 9,553 1.67x
Surrey 8,794 0.94x
Kent 5,840 0.89x
Northumberland 5,360 1.87x
Midlothian 5,302 2.06x
Staffordshire 4,553 0.70x
Essex 4,013 1.06x
Lincolnshire 3,955 1.28x
Warwickshire 3,863 0.80x
Hampshire 3,777 0.96x
Nottinghamshire 3,672 1.41x
Ayrshire 3,374 2.34x
Cheshire 3,130 0.74x
Gloucestershire 3,122 0.83x
Norfolk 3,041 1.03x
Derbyshire 3,035 1.01x
Leicestershire 2,663 1.25x
Fife 2,660 2.33x
Suffolk 2,560 1.09x
Sussex 2,459 0.76x
Angus 2,401 1.35x
Somerset 2,309 0.74x
Renfrewshire 2,307 1.55x
Devon 2,213 0.55x
Northamptonshire 2,112 1.17x
Cumberland 2,054 1.24x
Aberdeenshire 1,965 1.10x
Berkshire 1,674 1.16x
Wiltshire 1,652 0.97x
Worcestershire 1,529 0.61x
Cambridgeshire 1,519 1.25x
Dorset 1,505 1.19x
Shropshire 1,475 0.89x
Bedfordshire 1,419 1.42x
Stirlingshire 1,401 1.97x
Hertfordshire 1,372 1.03x
Glamorgan 1,353 0.40x
Perthshire 1,211 1.40x
Cornwall 1,136 0.52x
Buckinghamshire 1,001 0.86x
Monmouthshire 978 0.70x
Dumfriesshire 881 2.07x
Oxfordshire 857 0.72x
Argyllshire 829 1.55x
Dunbartonshire 746 1.44x
West Lothian 701 2.42x
Roxburghshire 654 1.87x
Herefordshire 550 0.70x
Berwickshire 543 2.33x
East Lothian 502 1.97x
Kirkcudbrightshire 491 1.76x
Selkirkshire 477 2.74x
Huntingdonshire 422 1.10x
Pembrokeshire 376 0.61x
Montgomeryshire 343 0.78x
Wigtownshire 342 1.34x
Kincardineshire 277 1.18x
Channel Islands 270 0.47x
Peeblesshire 270 2.98x
Westmorland 269 0.64x
Orkney 250 1.18x
Banffshire 247 0.62x
Morayshire 224 0.75x
Rutland 222 1.57x
Royal Navy 212 0.92x
Buteshire 211 1.81x
Shetland 209 1.06x
Clackmannanshire 179 1.13x
Carmarthenshire 133 0.16x
Denbighshire 129 0.18x
Flintshire 121 0.23x
Isle of Man 95 0.27x
Brecknockshire 94 0.24x
Inverness-shire 91 0.16x
Radnorshire 80 0.51x
Caernarfonshire 71 0.09x
Anglesey 65 0.19x
Kinross-shire 63 1.29x
Caithness 39 0.15x
Sutherland 29 0.20x
Ross-shire 27 0.05x
Merionethshire 23 0.07x
Nairnshire 17 0.29x
Cardiganshire 16 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Barony in Lanarkshire leads with 2,620 Browns recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.66x.

Place Total Index
Barony 2,620 1.66x
Govan 2,601 1.69x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 2,031 1.96x
Glasgow 1,806 1.63x
Islington London 1,743 0.93x
Lambeth 1,496 0.89x
St Pancras London 1,436 0.93x
Birmingham 1,354 0.84x
Camberwell 1,198 0.97x
Liverpool 1,166 0.84x
Hackney London 1,152 1.07x
Leeds 1,126 1.04x
Aston 1,065 0.80x
St Marylebone London 991 0.96x
Nottingham St Mary 968 1.44x
Shoreditch London 926 1.11x
Dundee 914 1.37x
Kensington London 895 0.84x
Bethnal Green London 878 1.05x
West Ham 825 0.98x
Newington 779 1.10x
Bishopwearmouth 748 1.52x
Manchester 747 0.73x
Toxteth Park 715 0.92x
Gateshead 712 1.66x
Mile End Old Town London 682 1.66x
Battersea 679 0.96x
South Leith 642 2.21x
Everton 638 0.88x
Holy Trinity 627 1.37x
Leicester St Margaret 591 1.14x
Westoe 588 1.81x
Preston 585 0.96x
Brighton 572 0.87x
Kilmarnock 563 3.28x
Portsea 558 0.72x
Salford 557 0.83x
Paddington London 552 0.78x
West Derby 528 0.79x
St George Hanover Square 527 1.55x
Bromley London 519 1.23x
Chelsea London 504 0.87x
Bermondsey 497 0.87x
West Greenock 497 1.86x
Bradford 493 1.07x
Stoke Upon Trent 482 0.70x
Deptford St Paul 479 0.95x
Sheffield 476 0.78x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 457 1.37x
Clerkenwell London 451 0.99x
Croydon 445 0.85x
Poplar London 438 1.21x
Hammersmith London 426 0.90x
Hulme 425 0.89x
Lesmahagow 424 6.44x
Blackburn 420 0.69x
Great Yarmouth 400 1.63x
Southwark St George Martyr 396 1.02x
Westgate 394 2.22x
Tottenham 392 1.28x
Fulham London 387 1.39x
Old Monkland 386 1.56x
Wigan 386 1.21x
Kirkdale 385 1.00x
Aberdeen Old Machar 374 1.00x
Oldham 373 0.51x
Wolverhampton 369 0.74x
Stockton On Tees 367 1.33x
New Monkland 366 1.99x
Elswick 364 1.59x
Lewisham 363 1.04x
Hamilton 362 2.08x
Sculcoates 356 1.18x
Hunslet 351 1.18x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 342 1.38x
Middlesbrough 342 1.38x
Southampton St Mary 338 1.36x
Dunfermline 334 1.91x
Brightside Bierlow 326 0.87x
Ecclesall Bierlow 324 0.83x
Abbey 320 1.41x
Great Grimsby 320 1.64x
Rutherglen 318 3.48x
Liff Benvie 315 1.16x
St George In East London 301 1.66x
Greenwich 300 0.98x
Basford 294 2.46x
Luton 290 1.68x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 10,717
Elizabeth 6,454
Sarah 5,424
Jane 3,351
Ann 3,153
Eliza 2,419
Alice 2,345
Annie 2,330
Ellen 2,295
Emma 2,184
Margaret 2,058
Emily 1,821
Hannah 1,580
Martha 1,313
Louisa 1,037
Harriet 978
Charlotte 896
Edith 856
Ada 844
Maria 843
Fanny 840
Catherine 832
Florence 800
Caroline 788
Isabella 773
Kate 694
Clara 673
Frances 599
Lucy 595
Agnes 587
Susan 552
Anne 549
Harriett 464
Amelia 448
Esther 396
Jessie 396
Rose 382
Rebecca 375
Matilda 330
Eleanor 326
Sophia 311
Minnie 305
Julia 304
Amy 297
Susannah 295
Elizth. 287
Ethel 263
Gertrude 229
Ruth 224
Lydia 221

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 10,027
John 9,628
George 5,920
Thomas 5,504
James 4,988
Henry 3,319
Charles 3,111
Joseph 2,679
Robert 2,254
Edward 1,681
Alfred 1,515
Arthur 1,465
Samuel 1,275
Richard 1,266
Frederick 1,254
Walter 1,145
Albert 914
Harry 839
David 646
Frank 585
Ernest 554
Herbert 508
Edwin 490
Wm. 476
Benjamin 468
Francis 438
Thos. 357
Daniel 312
Peter 299
Isaac 284
Tom 275
Alexander 259
Fred 256
Andrew 226
Stephen 226
Matthew 219
Geo. 215
Michael 188
Fredrick 181
Christopher 159
Chas. 156
Fredk. 155
Edmund 146
Percy 139
Ralph 139
Sidney 135
Mark 122
Patrick 120
Hugh 119
Abraham 118

Top occupations

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 Brown households.

FAQ

Brown surname: questions and answers

How common was the Brown surname in 1881?

In 1881, 197,359 people were recorded with the Brown surname. That placed it at #4 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Brown surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 260,944 in 2016. That gives Brown a modern rank of #4.

What does the Brown surname mean?

An English occupational surname referring to a person with brown hair or skin, or someone who worked with brown dye.

What does the Brown map show?

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