NameCensus.

UK surname

Bryden

A locational surname derived from the place name Bryden or Bryding, originally referring to someone from there.

In the 1881 census there were 1,299 people recorded with the Bryden surname, ranking it #3,150 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,605, ranked #3,876, down from #3,150 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Dailly and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Carrick South, Annbank, Mossblown and Tarbolton - the Coalfields and Girvan Glendoune.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bryden is 1,700 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 23.6%.

1881 census count

1,299

Ranked #3,150

Modern count

1,605

2016, ranked #3,876

Peak year

1901

1,700 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bryden had 1,299 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,150 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,605 in 2016, ranked #3,876.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,700 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Bryden surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bryden surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bryden 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 818 #3,289
1861 historical 834 #3,307
1881 historical 1,299 #3,150
1891 historical 1,503 #2,930
1901 historical 1,700 #3,037
1911 historical 583 #6,986
1997 modern 1,508 #3,888
1998 modern 1,542 #3,953
1999 modern 1,563 #3,940
2000 modern 1,556 #3,944
2001 modern 1,508 #3,964
2002 modern 1,543 #3,979
2003 modern 1,497 #4,009
2004 modern 1,510 #3,973
2005 modern 1,478 #4,011
2006 modern 1,483 #4,003
2007 modern 1,496 #4,008
2008 modern 1,494 #4,045
2009 modern 1,504 #4,110
2010 modern 1,555 #4,069
2011 modern 1,573 #3,975
2012 modern 1,540 #3,988
2013 modern 1,590 #3,940
2014 modern 1,618 #3,901
2015 modern 1,613 #3,876
2016 modern 1,605 #3,876

Geography

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Where Brydens are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Carrick South, Annbank, Mossblown and Tarbolton - the Coalfields, Girvan Glendoune, Gretna and Doon Valley North. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Dailly Ayr
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Dumfries Dumfries
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Carrick South South Ayrshire
2 Annbank, Mossblown and Tarbolton - the Coalfields South Ayrshire
3 Girvan Glendoune South Ayrshire
4 Gretna Dumfries and Galloway
5 Doon Valley North East Ayrshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bryden

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bryden

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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Bryden is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Bryden is most concentrated in decile 1 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Bryden falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Bryden

The surname BRYDEN is of Scottish origin, derived from the Old English words "bry" and "denu," meaning "settlement at the hill ridge." This name can be traced back to the 12th century and was initially concentrated in the Lowlands of Scotland, particularly in the regions of Lanarkshire and Renfrewshire.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name BRYDEN can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a record of Scottish nobles who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. The name appears in various spellings, such as Brydyn, Bryden, and Brydyne.

The BRYDEN name has also been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was Sir John Bryden, a Scottish knight who fought in the Wars of Scottish Independence in the late 13th and early 14th centuries.

In the 16th century, John Bryden, a Scottish merchant and landowner, was a prominent figure in the city of Glasgow. He was known for his philanthropic efforts and contributed to the establishment of educational institutions in the region.

Another notable BRYDEN was Robert Bryden, a Scottish philosopher and educator who lived in the 18th century. He served as a professor at the University of Edinburgh and was widely respected for his work in the field of moral philosophy.

During the 19th century, the BRYDEN name gained prominence in the literary world. James Bryden, a Scottish poet and author, was born in 1818 and published several collections of poetry and essays celebrating the Scottish landscape and culture.

In the realm of science, Sir William Bryden, a Scottish physicist and engineer born in 1849, made significant contributions to the development of electrical engineering and the design of early electric motors and generators.

The surname BRYDEN has also been associated with various place names in Scotland, such as Brydekirk, a village in Dumfriesshire, and Bryden Castle, a historic castle located in the Scottish Borders region. These place names further reinforce the connection between the BRYDEN name and its Scottish heritage.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bryden families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bryden 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. Ayrshire leads with 240 Brydens recorded in 1881 and an index of 26.01x.

County Total Index
Ayrshire 240 26.01x
Dumfriesshire 173 63.52x
Lanarkshire 147 3.69x
Lancashire 94 0.64x
Midlothian 88 5.33x
Durham 55 1.50x
Kirkcudbrightshire 55 30.81x
Yorkshire 39 0.32x
Wigtownshire 36 21.99x
Middlesex 32 0.26x
Perthshire 28 5.06x
Peeblesshire 23 39.66x
Northumberland 21 1.14x
Fife 18 2.47x
Cumberland 17 1.60x
Stirlingshire 16 3.52x
Cheshire 15 0.55x
Devon 14 0.55x
Hampshire 14 0.55x
Renfrewshire 14 1.47x
Roxburghshire 14 6.27x
Oxfordshire 13 1.71x
Dunbartonshire 9 2.72x
Ross-shire 8 2.36x
Nottinghamshire 7 0.42x
Sutherland 7 7.38x
Westmorland 7 2.58x
Surrey 6 0.10x
East Lothian 5 3.06x
Worcestershire 5 0.31x
Kent 4 0.10x
Warwickshire 4 0.13x
Aberdeenshire 3 0.26x
Argyllshire 3 0.87x
Selkirkshire 3 2.69x
Buckinghamshire 2 0.27x
Dorset 2 0.25x
Essex 2 0.08x
Hertfordshire 2 0.24x
Kincardineshire 2 1.33x
Somerset 2 0.10x
Staffordshire 2 0.05x
Berwickshire 1 0.67x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.13x
Carmarthenshire 1 0.19x
Denbighshire 1 0.21x
Derbyshire 1 0.05x
Inverness-shire 1 0.27x
Kinross-shire 1 3.21x
Lincolnshire 1 0.05x
Royal Navy 1 0.68x
Rutland 1 1.10x
Shetland 1 0.79x
Sussex 1 0.05x
Wiltshire 1 0.09x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Dailly in Ayrshire leads with 67 Brydens recorded in 1881 and an index of 712.01x.

Place Total Index
Dailly 67 712.01x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 53 7.98x
Barony 52 5.15x
Dalmellington 39 143.75x
Glasgow 34 4.80x
Lochmaben 32 268.01x
Govan 31 3.14x
Torthorwald 27 645.93x
Dalry 18 431.65x
Glenholm 18 1818.18x
Kilmarnock 18 16.39x
Coylton 17 129.87x
Moffat 17 136.77x
Kirkmahoe 15 284.09x
Ardrossan 13 40.70x
Kirkbean 13 377.91x
Kirkoswald 13 172.64x
Penninghame 13 77.84x
Ballantrae 12 196.72x
Falkirk 12 11.27x
Tranmere 12 12.00x
Ayr 11 25.26x
Bournmoor 11 190.97x
Gildersome 11 74.88x
Westoe 11 5.29x
Ashton Under Lyne 10 3.13x
Dreghorn 10 59.84x
Toxteth Park 10 2.02x
Westgate 10 8.80x
Bothwell 9 8.32x
Closeburn 9 141.73x
Edinburgh St Stephens 9 27.68x
Liverpool 9 1.01x
St Pancras London 9 0.91x
Walton On Hill 9 11.36x
Auckinleck 8 28.00x
Dalton 8 327.87x
Dryfesdale 8 63.75x
Kirkcolm 8 101.91x
Salford 8 1.86x
Slyne With Hest 8 625.00x
Tinwald 8 220.39x
Willington 8 37.74x
Bulwell 7 19.37x
Crook Billy Row 7 14.90x
Dunfermline 7 6.24x
Durrisdeer 7 149.89x
Everton 7 1.50x
Hutton 7 203.49x
Lairg 7 121.32x
Little Dunkeld 7 74.55x
Melrose 7 36.25x
Monkton Prestwick 7 77.95x
Perth West Church 7 26.66x
Plashetts Tynehead 7 376.34x
Stockley 7 150.54x
Troqueer 7 29.89x
Whitehaven 7 12.37x
Almondbury 6 10.16x
Dalziel 6 13.99x
Fodderty 6 70.09x
Ratho 6 77.92x
Row 6 14.00x
Rutherglen 6 10.26x
St Helens 6 32.66x
Uffculme 6 78.43x
Woodstock 6 125.52x
East Greenock 5 5.54x
Edinburgh St Georges 5 14.59x
Kings Norton 5 3.46x
Kirkcaldy 5 13.81x
Kirkmichael 5 138.89x
Lockwood 5 11.37x
Long Marton 5 165.02x
Old Luce 5 48.40x
Oldham 5 1.06x
Oxford St Clement 5 26.01x
Scone 5 50.86x
St Quivox 5 16.03x
West Greenock 5 2.92x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 22
Elizabeth 19
Sarah 15
Jane 12
Ellen 7
Hannah 7
Margaret 7
Ann 6
Emily 5
Emma 5
Annie 4
Isabella 4
Eliza 3
Florence 3
Janet 3
Agnes 2
Catherine 2
Dorothy 2
Edith 2
Eliz. 2
Ellinor 2
Fanny 2
Frances 2
Helen 2
Jessie 2
Judith 2
Louisa 2
Lucy 2
Maria 2
Alice 1
Amy 1
Anna 1
Batty 1
Betty 1
Caroline 1
Catharine 1
Dorethy 1
Elizth. 1
Ethel 1
Gertrude 1
Grace 1
Hellen 1
Ida 1
Jannet 1
June 1
Kate 1
Lilly 1
Lydia 1
Maggie 1
Tamar 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 29
William 25
James 19
Thomas 17
Robert 12
George 7
Joseph 7
Alexander 3
Charles 3
David 3
Richard 3
Samuel 3
Adam 2
Albert 2
Alfred 2
Archibald 2
Arthur 2
Francis 2
Frederick 2
Harry 2
Herbert 2
Walter 2
Wm. 2
Amos 1
Andrew 1
Chas. 1
Elisher 1
Fenton 1
Fred 1
Fredk. 1
Geo. 1
Gilbert 1
Hedley 1
Jameson 1
Jas. 1
Jonathon 1
Leonard 1
Lewis 1
Malcome 1
Mark 1
Nicholas 1
Nichols 1
Patrik 1
Paul 1
Phillip 1
Richd. 1
Robt. 1
Ross 1
Tom 1
Wallace 1

FAQ

Bryden surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bryden surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,299 people were recorded with the Bryden surname. That placed it at #3,150 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bryden surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,605 in 2016. That gives Bryden a modern rank of #3,876.

What does the Bryden surname mean?

A locational surname derived from the place name Bryden or Bryding, originally referring to someone from there.

What does the Bryden map show?

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