NameCensus.

UK surname

Brownsell

In the 1881 census there were 161 people recorded with the Brownsell surname, ranking it #14,801 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 249, ranked #16,847, down from #14,801 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Kings Langley and Rickmansworth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Three Rivers, Bridgend and Torbay.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Brownsell is 316 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 54.7%.

1881 census count

161

Ranked #14,801

Modern count

249

2016, ranked #16,847

Peak year

1998

316 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Brownsell had 161 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,801 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 249 in 2016, ranked #16,847.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 315 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Brownsell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Brownsell surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Brownsell 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 81 #19,457
1861 historical 122 #18,036
1881 historical 161 #14,801
1891 historical 260 #12,367
1901 historical 278 #12,252
1911 historical 315 #11,050
1997 modern 311 #13,217
1998 modern 316 #13,424
1999 modern 305 #13,808
2000 modern 298 #13,981
2001 modern 293 #13,933
2002 modern 306 #13,835
2003 modern 307 #13,614
2004 modern 305 #13,752
2005 modern 292 #14,072
2006 modern 279 #14,577
2007 modern 280 #14,694
2008 modern 278 #14,901
2009 modern 281 #15,098
2010 modern 293 #14,974
2011 modern 287 #15,044
2012 modern 269 #15,706
2013 modern 264 #16,191
2014 modern 257 #16,598
2015 modern 262 #16,278
2016 modern 249 #16,847

Geography

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Where Brownsells are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Kings Langley, Rickmansworth, Hanslope and Manchester. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Three Rivers, Bridgend and Torbay. 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 Kings Langley Hertfordshire
3 Rickmansworth Hertfordshire
4 Hanslope Buckinghamshire
5 Manchester Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Three Rivers 007 Three Rivers
2 Three Rivers 003 Three Rivers
3 Bridgend 008 Bridgend
4 Torbay 008 Torbay
5 Torbay 004 Torbay

Forenames

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First names often paired with Brownsell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Brownsell

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Brownsell surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Brownsell household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Brownsell is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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

These residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Brownsell 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

Brownsell falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Brownsell is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

1881 census detail

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Brownsell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Brownsell 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. Hertfordshire leads with 60 Brownsells recorded in 1881 and an index of 55.43x.

County Total Index
Hertfordshire 60 55.43x
Norfolk 22 9.11x
Somerset 15 5.93x
Middlesex 13 0.83x
Kent 12 2.24x
Dorset 10 9.70x
Oxfordshire 7 7.22x
Devon 6 1.84x
Glamorgan 4 1.46x
Warwickshire 3 0.76x
Hampshire 2 0.62x
Suffolk 2 1.05x
Buckinghamshire 1 1.05x
Essex 1 0.32x
Royal Navy 1 5.34x
Sussex 1 0.38x
Yorkshire 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Kings Langley in Hertfordshire leads with 28 Brownsells recorded in 1881 and an index of 3544.30x.

Place Total Index
Kings Langley 28 3544.30x
Datchworth 17 5000.00x
Briston 11 2391.30x
Chardstock 8 1126.76x
Bovingdon 7 1228.07x
Beckenham 6 85.71x
Exeter St Sidwell 6 80.11x
Heathfield 6 12000.00x
Reepham With Kerdiston 6 2142.86x
Albury Tiddington 5 4545.45x
Deptford St Paul 5 12.10x
Kensington London 5 5.73x
Fitzhead 4 2857.14x
Margam 4 131.15x
Thurning 4 4000.00x
Islington London 3 1.97x
St Giles In Fields London 3 38.96x
Bruisyard 2 1538.46x
Edgbaston 2 16.29x
Hatfield 2 91.32x
Hemel Hempstead 2 40.98x
Wheathampstead 2 160.00x
Bathwick 1 35.71x
Birmingham 1 0.76x
Bridport 1 47.17x
Broughton 1 204.08x
Charlton Next Woolwich 1 17.89x
Chetnole 1 769.23x
Drypool 1 42.02x
East Dereham 1 32.79x
Farnborough 1 29.59x
Halse 1 454.55x
Hastings St Leonards 1 25.71x
Headington 1 66.23x
Ilminster 1 56.50x
Iver 1 81.97x
Leyton 1 18.73x
Lyncombe Widcombe 1 15.11x
Norton Fitzwarren 1 277.78x
Royal Navy 1 6.25x
St Marylebone London 1 1.19x
St Pancras London 1 0.79x
Watford 1 11.92x
Watton 1 227.27x
Woodstock 1 163.93x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 12
John 10
Robert 7
George 6
Thomas 6
Albert 3
Alfred 3
Arthur 3
Charles 2
Daniel 2
Edward 2
Frederick 2
Herbert 2
Robt. 2
Abraham 1
Dan 1
David 1
Edwin 1
Ezra 1
Fredk. 1
Henry 1
Horace 1
Isaac 1
James 1
Joe 1
Peter 1
Philip 1
Samuel 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Brownsell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Brownsell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 161 people were recorded with the Brownsell surname. That placed it at #14,801 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Brownsell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 249 in 2016. That gives Brownsell a modern rank of #16,847.

What does the Brownsell map show?

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