NameCensus.

UK surname

Brownrigg

A locational surname derived from a place name meaning 'brown ridge'.

In the 1881 census there were 376 people recorded with the Brownrigg surname, ranking it #8,326 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 444, ranked #10,905, down from #8,326 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Carlisle St Cuthbert, Hull Holy Trinity and Toxteth Park. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Eden, Allerdale and Carlisle.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Brownrigg is 501 in 2007. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 18.1%.

1881 census count

376

Ranked #8,326

Modern count

444

2016, ranked #10,905

Peak year

2007

501 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Brownrigg had 376 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,326 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 444 in 2016, ranked #10,905.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 418 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Brownrigg surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Brownrigg surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Brownrigg 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 264 #8,419
1861 historical 261 #9,481
1881 historical 376 #8,326
1891 historical 415 #8,610
1901 historical 418 #9,200
1911 historical 417 #9,022
1997 modern 459 #9,920
1998 modern 490 #9,749
1999 modern 484 #9,917
2000 modern 493 #9,736
2001 modern 470 #9,906
2002 modern 468 #10,117
2003 modern 464 #10,003
2004 modern 485 #9,716
2005 modern 480 #9,718
2006 modern 497 #9,518
2007 modern 501 #9,552
2008 modern 486 #9,852
2009 modern 486 #10,069
2010 modern 489 #10,228
2011 modern 466 #10,495
2012 modern 422 #11,223
2013 modern 434 #11,158
2014 modern 448 #10,946
2015 modern 442 #10,977
2016 modern 444 #10,905

Geography

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Where Brownriggs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Carlisle St Cuthbert, Hull Holy Trinity, Toxteth Park, Greystoke and West Derby. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Eden, Allerdale, Carlisle, Wolverhampton and Wiltshire. 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 Carlisle St Cuthbert Cumberland
2 Hull Holy Trinity Yorkshire, East Riding
3 Toxteth Park Lancashire
4 Greystoke Cumberland
5 West Derby Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Eden 007 Eden
2 Allerdale 002 Allerdale
3 Carlisle 007 Carlisle
4 Wolverhampton 023 Wolverhampton
5 Wiltshire 021 Wiltshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Brownrigg

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Brownrigg

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Brownrigg surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Brownrigg 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 comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Brownrigg 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

Brownrigg is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Brownrigg

The surname Brownrigg is of English origin, derived from the Old English words "brun" meaning brown and "hrycg" meaning ridge. It was originally a topographic name given to someone who lived near or on a brown ridge.

The earliest recorded instances of the Brownrigg surname date back to the 13th century. One of the earliest known bearers was Adam de Brounrigg, mentioned in the Assize Rolls of Northumberland in 1279.

In the 16th century, the Brownrigg family held a prominent position in the county of Cumberland, now part of modern-day Cumbria. They owned lands and estates in the area, and several members of the family served as local officials and dignitaries.

One notable figure was Lancelot Brownrigg (c. 1550-1633), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Westmorland in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. He played a role in the trials of the Gunpowder Plot conspirators in 1605.

Another prominent individual was Dr. Ralph Brownrigg (1592-1659), a physician and author who wrote several medical treatises, including "The Book of Natures" and "The Life of the Famous Antiquary, Sir William Dugdale."

In the 18th century, Sir Robert Brownrigg (1712-1788) was a British naval officer and colonial administrator. He served as the Governor of British Leeward Islands from 1762 to 1768 and played a role in the British capture of Guadeloupe during the Seven Years' War.

The Brownrigg name has also been associated with various place names in the north of England, including Brownrigg Fell in Cumbria and Brownrigg Hill in Northumberland. These locations likely took their names from the Brownrigg family or the descriptive meaning of the surname.

Throughout history, variations in the spelling of the Brownrigg surname have been observed, including Brounrigg, Brownridge, and Brownridge. However, the Brownrigg spelling has remained the most common form over time.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Brownrigg families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Brownrigg 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. Cumberland leads with 84 Brownriggs recorded in 1881 and an index of 25.85x.

County Total Index
Cumberland 84 25.85x
Lancashire 77 1.72x
Westmorland 49 59.06x
Yorkshire 49 1.31x
Middlesex 19 0.50x
Dumfriesshire 18 21.59x
Durham 17 1.51x
Surrey 11 0.60x
Channel Islands 7 6.26x
Hampshire 7 0.90x
Kent 7 0.54x
Kirkcudbrightshire 7 12.81x
Cambridgeshire 6 2.51x
Lanarkshire 5 0.41x
Northumberland 5 0.89x
Royal Navy 3 6.67x
Berkshire 2 0.71x
Cheshire 2 0.24x
Devon 2 0.25x
Lincolnshire 2 0.33x
Staffordshire 2 0.16x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.44x
Gloucestershire 1 0.14x
Hertfordshire 1 0.38x
Isle of Man 1 1.43x
Sussex 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. West Derby in Lancashire leads with 15 Brownriggs recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.45x.

Place Total Index
West Derby 15 11.45x
Everton 13 9.11x
Kirkdale 11 14.60x
Sculcoates 11 18.55x
Staffield 10 3125.00x
Crosscanonby 9 83.72x
Darlington 9 20.76x
Skelsmergh 9 1875.00x
Kendal 8 52.67x
Toxteth Park 8 5.27x
Pannal 7 194.99x
Sedbergh 7 507.25x
St Brelade 7 243.06x
Underbarrow Bradley 7 1166.67x
Beverley St Nicholas 6 195.44x
Gateshead 6 7.14x
Holy Trinity 6 6.67x
Holywood 6 431.65x
Keswick 6 144.58x
Liverpool 6 2.21x
Milton In Gravesend 6 31.07x
Portsea 6 3.96x
Whitbeck 6 2500.00x
Whitehaven 6 34.64x
Battersea 5 3.60x
Blantyre 5 39.34x
Cliburn 5 1388.89x
Clitheroe 5 37.94x
Haltwhistle 5 183.15x
Lazonby 5 595.24x
Moffat 5 131.23x
Patterdale 5 543.48x
Rickergate 5 72.67x
St Bees 5 333.33x
Threlkeld 5 925.93x
Watermillock 5 833.33x
Barrow In Furness 4 6.57x
Bootle Cum Linacre 4 11.25x
Guildford St Nicholas 4 123.08x
Kirkpatrick Durham 4 235.29x
St Cuthbert W O Carleton 4 449.44x
St Marythe Less 4 275.86x
Uldale 4 1212.12x
Ashford 3 100.67x
Irongray 3 297.03x
Kensington London 3 1.43x
Kirkpatrick Fleming 3 157.89x
Long Sleddale 3 1666.67x
Preston 3 2.50x
Royal Navy 3 7.80x
Shelley 3 136.99x
St Cuthbert Within 3 79.58x
St George Bloomsbury 3 13.85x
St George Hanover Square 3 4.51x
Temple Sowerby 3 555.56x
Undermilbeck 3 109.49x
Workington 3 16.12x
Almondbury 2 11.06x
Beverley St Mary 2 36.63x
Childer Thornton 2 250.00x
Clifton 2 392.16x
Harrow 2 34.66x
Huddersfield 2 3.67x
Hulme 2 2.14x
Kirkheaton 2 32.95x
Penrith 2 16.65x
Sanquhar 2 68.26x
St Andrewthe Great 2 64.72x
Thornton In Fylde 2 20.41x
White Waltham 2 188.68x
Willesden 2 5.62x
Above Derwent 1 82.64x
Clifford Cum Boston 1 29.76x
Egremont 1 12.90x
Ilfracombe 1 12.36x
Matterdale 1 222.22x
Maughold 1 18.48x
Stanwell 1 35.84x
Stoke 1 11.52x
Troutbeck 1 172.41x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 25
Jane 15
Elizabeth 14
Ann 10
Sarah 9
Ellen 7
Eleanor 6
Margaret 6
Ada 3
Agnes 3
Alice 3
Edith 3
Emily 3
Louisa 3
Annie 2
Dorothy 2
Eliza 2
Emma 2
Evelyn 2
Hannah 2
Isabella 2
Maggie 2
Sophia 2
Anne 1
Barbra 1
Beatrice 1
Betsy 1
Caroline 1
Catherine 1
Charlotte 1
Constance 1
Dorothea 1
Eliz.S. 1
Elizth. 1
Esther 1
Ethel 1
G.A. 1
Grace 1
Harriet 1
Harriett 1
Helen 1
Hester 1
Hilda 1
Janet 1
John 1
Julia 1
Katherine 1
Kathleen 1
Kathline 1
Winnifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 32
William 19
Joseph 13
Robert 13
Henry 10
Thomas 10
George 8
Isaac 8
James 8
Alfred 3
Arthur 3
Edmund 3
Mark 3
Richard 3
Thos. 3
Charles 2
Albert 1
Anthony 1
Chas.E. 1
Cornelius 1
Denis 1
Douglas 1
E. 1
Easlie 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
G.V. 1
Gerald 1
H. 1
Harry 1
Head 1
Herbert 1
Hutchinson 1
J.W. 1
Jackson 1
Jno. 1
Joshua 1
Marcus 1
Metcalfe 1
Norman 1
Percy 1
Peter 1
Rose 1
Rowlandson 1
Sam 1
Walter 1
Watson 1
Willoughby 1
Wm.J. 1

FAQ

Brownrigg surname: questions and answers

How common was the Brownrigg surname in 1881?

In 1881, 376 people were recorded with the Brownrigg surname. That placed it at #8,326 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Brownrigg surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 444 in 2016. That gives Brownrigg a modern rank of #10,905.

What does the Brownrigg surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place name meaning 'brown ridge'.

What does the Brownrigg map show?

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