NameCensus.

UK surname

Brownfield

A descriptive surname referring to someone who lived or worked on land with dark, fertile soil.

In the 1881 census there were 107 people recorded with the Brownfield surname, ranking it #18,982 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 154, ranked #23,293, down from #18,982 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Minster, London parishes and Paul. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Stoke-on-Trent and Cornwall.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Brownfield is 197 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 43.9%.

1881 census count

107

Ranked #18,982

Modern count

154

2016, ranked #23,293

Peak year

1911

197 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Brownfield had 107 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #18,982 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 154 in 2016, ranked #23,293.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 197 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Brownfield surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Brownfield surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Brownfield 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 90 #18,317
1861 historical 145 #15,715
1881 historical 107 #18,982
1891 historical 188 #15,609
1901 historical 180 #16,171
1911 historical 197 #15,101
1997 modern 104 #26,351
1998 modern 157 #21,058
1999 modern 148 #22,020
2000 modern 142 #22,544
2001 modern 146 #21,857
2002 modern 155 #21,431
2003 modern 147 #21,977
2004 modern 142 #22,573
2005 modern 137 #23,110
2006 modern 140 #22,948
2007 modern 144 #22,804
2008 modern 153 #22,132
2009 modern 158 #22,168
2010 modern 161 #22,385
2011 modern 157 #22,574
2012 modern 153 #22,963
2013 modern 150 #23,653
2014 modern 151 #23,745
2015 modern 151 #23,613
2016 modern 154 #23,293

Geography

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Where Brownfields are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Minster, London parishes, Paul, West Derby and Gravesend, Milton next Gravesend. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Stoke-on-Trent and Cornwall. 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 Minster Kent
2 London parishes London 3
3 Paul Cornwall
4 West Derby Lancashire
5 Gravesend, Milton next Gravesend Kent

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Stoke-on-Trent 032 Stoke-on-Trent
2 Cornwall 067 Cornwall
3 Cornwall 070 Cornwall
4 Stoke-on-Trent 020 Stoke-on-Trent
5 Stoke-on-Trent 021 Stoke-on-Trent

Forenames

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First names often paired with Brownfield

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Brownfield

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Brownfield is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Brownfield is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Brownfield falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Brownfield is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Brownfield

The surname Brownfield is of English origin, derived from a geographic location or place name. The name can be traced back to the late 12th century in the county of Yorkshire, England. It is believed to have originated from the Old English words "brun" meaning brown or dark and "feld" meaning field or open land.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Brownfield can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire, dated 1195. These ancient tax records list a "Willelmus de Brunfeld" as a landowner in the region. This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who owned or resided near a brownfield, likely a plot of land with a distinct brown or dark soil.

The Brownfield surname is also mentioned in the Valor Ecclesiasticus, a survey of ecclesiastical revenues conducted in 1535 during the reign of Henry VIII. This document lists a "Thomas Brownfield" as a clerk in the diocese of York, indicating that the name had spread beyond its initial geographic origin.

In the 17th century, the Brownfield name appeared in various parish records across northern England, particularly in Yorkshire and Lancashire. Notable individuals from this era include John Brownfield (1602-1669), a clergyman and author who served as the Rector of Kirton in Lincolnshire.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, the Brownfield surname continued to be prominent in England. One notable figure was William Brownfield (1767-1842), a mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the field of celestial mechanics.

As the British Empire expanded, the Brownfield name traveled to other parts of the world. In the 19th century, several individuals bearing this surname immigrated to North America and other British colonies. For example, Joseph Brownfield (1815-1898) was a pioneering settler in Ontario, Canada, who established a successful farming community in the region.

Other notable individuals with the Brownfield surname include:

1. Robert Brownfield (1898-1968), an American journalist and author known for his work on civil rights and social justice issues. 2. Margaret Brownfield (1920-2008), a British actress and television presenter who had a long and successful career in the entertainment industry. 3. Edward Brownfield (1942-2020), an American jurist who served as a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. 4. Richard Brownfield (born 1954), a career diplomat and former Ambassador of the United States to Venezuela and Colombia. 5. David Brownfield (born 1967), a British entrepreneur and technology executive who co-founded several successful software companies.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Brownfield families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Brownfield 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. Kent leads with 36 Brownfields recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.11x.

County Total Index
Kent 36 10.11x
Staffordshire 23 6.53x
Middlesex 14 1.34x
Cornwall 13 11.00x
Lancashire 11 0.89x
Surrey 6 1.18x
Norfolk 2 1.25x
Sussex 2 1.14x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Milton In Gravesend in Kent leads with 24 Brownfields recorded in 1881 and an index of 449.44x.

Place Total Index
Milton In Gravesend 24 449.44x
Paul 10 465.12x
Stoke Upon Trent 10 26.77x
West Derby 8 22.08x
Bromley London 7 30.49x
Islington London 6 5.93x
Minster In Sheppey 6 101.69x
Rotherhithe 6 46.55x
Barlaston 5 1724.14x
Burslem 4 39.64x
Wolstanton 4 37.38x
Madron Penzance 3 69.77x
Deptford St Paul 2 7.28x
Meopham 2 454.55x
New Shoreham 2 190.48x
Norwich St Saviour 2 357.14x
Toxteth Park 2 4.77x
Dover St Mary Virgin 1 28.99x
Manchester 1 1.80x
Paddington London 1 2.61x
Woolwich 1 7.60x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 6
Ann 4
Mary 4
Ada 3
Annie 3
Emma 3
Jane 3
Eliza 2
Elizth. 2
Ellen 2
Emily 2
Alice 1
Anne 1
Audrey 1
Beatrice 1
Charlotte 1
Clarissa 1
Edith 1
Emilie 1
Florence 1
Freda 1
Hannah 1
Harriet 1
Lavinia 1
Martha 1
Sarah 1
Selina 1
Sophia 1
Thoresa 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Brownfield surname: questions and answers

How common was the Brownfield surname in 1881?

In 1881, 107 people were recorded with the Brownfield surname. That placed it at #18,982 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Brownfield surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 154 in 2016. That gives Brownfield a modern rank of #23,293.

What does the Brownfield surname mean?

A descriptive surname referring to someone who lived or worked on land with dark, fertile soil.

What does the Brownfield map show?

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