NameCensus.

UK surname

Brush

An occupational surname referring to someone who made or sold brushes or lived near a thicket or bush.

In the 1881 census there were 274 people recorded with the Brush surname, ranking it #10,362 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 274, ranked #15,759, down from #10,362 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Battersea and Lambeth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Maldon, Birmingham and Cornwall.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Brush is 318 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 0.0%.

1881 census count

274

Ranked #10,362

Modern count

274

2016, ranked #15,759

Peak year

1901

318 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Brush had 274 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,362 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 274 in 2016, ranked #15,759.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 318 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Brush surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Brush surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Brush 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 187 #10,978
1861 historical 291 #8,653
1881 historical 274 #10,362
1891 historical 266 #12,169
1901 historical 318 #11,187
1911 historical 315 #11,050
1997 modern 276 #14,290
1998 modern 275 #14,715
1999 modern 272 #14,912
2000 modern 282 #14,532
2001 modern 272 #14,654
2002 modern 268 #15,081
2003 modern 268 #14,897
2004 modern 275 #14,717
2005 modern 263 #15,139
2006 modern 261 #15,289
2007 modern 265 #15,295
2008 modern 268 #15,311
2009 modern 271 #15,511
2010 modern 270 #15,896
2011 modern 272 #15,653
2012 modern 275 #15,459
2013 modern 278 #15,618
2014 modern 279 #15,661
2015 modern 279 #15,527
2016 modern 274 #15,759

Geography

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Where Brushs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Battersea, Lambeth, Gulval and St Giles Camberwell. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Maldon, Birmingham, Cornwall and Lewisham. 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 3
2 Battersea London (South Districts)
3 Lambeth London (South Districts)
4 Gulval Cornwall
5 St Giles Camberwell London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Maldon 006 Maldon
2 Birmingham 126 Birmingham
3 Cornwall 059 Cornwall
4 Cornwall 066 Cornwall
5 Lewisham 023 Lewisham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Brush

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Brush

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Brush is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Brush is most concentrated in decile 3 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Brush falls in decile 5 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Brush 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 Brush, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Brush

The surname Brush is of English origin, derived from the Old English word 'brysc' or 'brisc', which means 'brush' or 'bushes'. It is an occupational name, initially given to someone who worked with brushwood or made brushes for a living.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Brush can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire, England, from the year 1198, where a person named Robert le Bruschere is mentioned. The surname also appears in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1273, with the spelling 'le Bruscher'.

During the medieval period, the surname Brush was particularly prevalent in the counties of Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, and Berkshire. It is believed that the name may have originated from these areas, where the brush-making trade was likely prominent.

In the 16th century, the surname Brush was recorded in various forms, such as Brussher, Bruschere, and Bruscher, reflecting the variations in spelling and pronunciation that were common during that time.

Notable individuals with the surname Brush include John Brush (1826-1888), an American industrialist and inventor who co-founded the Brush Electric Company, and Gordon Brush (1912-2001), an American artist known for his abstract expressionist paintings.

In the 17th century, the surname Brush appeared in the parish records of Clavering, Essex, where a family with that name resided for several generations. One notable member of this family was Craven Brush (1654-1733), a wealthy landowner and justice of the peace.

Another prominent individual with the surname Brush was Charles Francis Brush (1849-1929), an American inventor and entrepreneur best known for developing the arc light and the Brush dynamo, which were instrumental in the early days of electric lighting.

The Brush surname can also be traced back to the village of Brush in Buckinghamshire, England, which may have contributed to the name's origin and dissemination.

Over time, the surname Brush has spread across various parts of England and beyond, with families bearing this name found in other parts of the United Kingdom, as well as in countries like the United States, Canada, and Australia.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Brush families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Brush 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. Surrey leads with 72 Brushs recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.53x.

County Total Index
Surrey 72 5.53x
Middlesex 46 1.72x
Worcestershire 29 8.31x
Warwickshire 19 2.82x
Herefordshire 17 15.51x
Devon 12 2.16x
Lanarkshire 10 1.16x
Cornwall 9 2.97x
Gloucestershire 9 1.72x
Monmouthshire 9 4.66x
Wiltshire 9 3.81x
Angus 7 2.83x
Lancashire 7 0.22x
Staffordshire 6 0.67x
West Lothian 5 12.42x
Durham 4 0.50x
Ayrshire 1 0.50x
Cheshire 1 0.17x
Kent 1 0.11x
Somerset 1 0.23x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Camberwell in Surrey leads with 29 Brushs recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.99x.

Place Total Index
Camberwell 29 16.99x
Lambeth 22 9.44x
Birmingham 12 5.34x
Stoke Damerel 12 30.82x
Ripple 10 1515.15x
Battersea 9 9.15x
Islington London 9 3.47x
Swindon 9 49.10x
Clifton 8 30.19x
Chelsea London 7 8.69x
Lugwardine 7 1014.49x
St Luke London 7 16.33x
Aston 6 3.23x
Gulval 6 307.69x
Kings Norton 6 19.17x
St Giles In Fields London 6 45.77x
St Woollos 6 27.83x
West Bromwich 6 11.62x
Worcester St Peter 6 90.77x
Barony 5 2.29x
Clifford 5 684.93x
Dundee 5 5.41x
Kensington London 5 3.36x
Uphall 5 112.87x
Glasgow 4 2.61x
Penge 4 23.43x
Ruislip 4 300.75x
Southwark St George Martyr 4 7.44x
Warley Wigorn 4 360.36x
Bishopwearmouth 3 4.40x
Fulham London 3 7.74x
Llanvihangel Crucorney 3 731.71x
Manchester 3 2.10x
Uny Lelant 3 182.93x
Weston Under Penyard 3 389.61x
Liff Benvie 2 5.32x
Rotherhithe 2 6.06x
West Derby 2 2.16x
Beckenham 1 8.39x
Chipstead 1 169.49x
Clapham 1 2.99x
Edgbaston 1 4.78x
Fownhope 1 104.17x
Gloucester St Mary Lode 1 81.30x
Govan 1 0.47x
Great Malvern 1 13.74x
Hammersmith London 1 1.52x
Liverpool 1 0.52x
Moss Side 1 5.99x
Newton On Ayr 1 16.69x
Paddington London 1 1.02x
Sale 1 13.81x
St George Hanover Square 1 2.12x
St George In East London 1 3.98x
Sunderland 1 7.12x
Tarrington 1 217.39x
Tottenham 1 2.35x
Worcester Blockhouse 1 52.08x
Worcester St John 1 23.98x
Yeovil 1 11.44x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 14
Elizabeth 8
Sarah 8
Eliza 6
Emma 6
Harriet 6
Louisa 5
Ann 4
Emily 4
Florence 4
Jane 4
Annie 3
Caroline 3
Elizth. 3
Maria 3
Alice 2
Catherine 2
Charlotte 2
Clara 2
Ellen 2
Hannah 2
Julia 2
Agness 1
Alicia 1
Amelia 1
Anne 1
Bertha 1
Bessie 1
Constance 1
E. 1
Eleanor 1
Fanny 1
Frances 1
Hamer 1
Hariet 1
Kate 1
Lizzy 1
Lydia 1
M.A. 1
Mannie 1
Minnie 1
Pricilla 1
Rose 1
Sophia 1
Thomas 1
Wilhelmina 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 21
James 13
George 12
Charles 11
Thomas 11
Henry 10
John 8
Alfred 4
Arthur 3
Richard 3
Cornelius 2
Daniel 2
Edward 2
Edwin 2
Ernest 2
Frederick 2
Geo. 2
Walter 2
Willm. 2
Albert 1
Benjamin 1
Charley 1
Ethelbert 1
Ezekiel 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Horace 1
Isac 1
Jas. 1
Joseph 1
M. 1
Matthew 1
Oswald 1
Robert 1
S. 1
Sidney 1
Sydney 1

FAQ

Brush surname: questions and answers

How common was the Brush surname in 1881?

In 1881, 274 people were recorded with the Brush surname. That placed it at #10,362 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Brush surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 274 in 2016. That gives Brush a modern rank of #15,759.

What does the Brush surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to someone who made or sold brushes or lived near a thicket or bush.

What does the Brush map show?

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