NameCensus.

UK surname

Bryers

A variant of the English surname meaning one who is a brewer of ale.

In the 1881 census there were 234 people recorded with the Bryers surname, ranking it #11,607 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 250, ranked #16,792, down from #11,607 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to North Meols, West Derby and Ormskirk. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Thornliebank and Woodfarm, Darnley East and Wiltshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bryers is 312 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 6.8%.

1881 census count

234

Ranked #11,607

Modern count

250

2016, ranked #16,792

Peak year

1901

312 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bryers had 234 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,607 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 250 in 2016, ranked #16,792.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 312 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Bryers surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bryers surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bryers 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 118 #15,362
1861 historical 139 #16,263
1881 historical 234 #11,607
1891 historical 230 #13,494
1901 historical 312 #11,339
1911 historical 272 #12,205
1997 modern 266 #14,658
1998 modern 268 #14,978
1999 modern 280 #14,630
2000 modern 272 #14,868
2001 modern 263 #14,999
2002 modern 257 #15,523
2003 modern 262 #15,150
2004 modern 258 #15,386
2005 modern 255 #15,437
2006 modern 252 #15,642
2007 modern 264 #15,344
2008 modern 254 #15,903
2009 modern 250 #16,421
2010 modern 264 #16,163
2011 modern 254 #16,458
2012 modern 249 #16,572
2013 modern 260 #16,350
2014 modern 253 #16,774
2015 modern 252 #16,705
2016 modern 250 #16,792

Geography

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Where Bryers' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around North Meols, West Derby, Ormskirk, St Matthew Bethnal Green and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Thornliebank and Woodfarm, Darnley East, Wiltshire, South Lakeland and Warrington. 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 North Meols Lancashire
2 West Derby Lancashire
3 Ormskirk Lancashire
4 St Matthew Bethnal Green London (East Districts)
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Thornliebank and Woodfarm East Renfrewshire
2 Darnley East Glasgow City
3 Wiltshire 040 Wiltshire
4 South Lakeland 006 South Lakeland
5 Warrington 019 Warrington

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bryers

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bryers

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Bryers surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Bryers household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Bryers is most associated with areas classed as Senior Professionals, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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 very central neighbourhoods house residents whose ages are more skewed towards older age cohorts than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Few households have young children. Rates of illness are low. Indian ethnicity is rare compared to the Supergroup mean. Property under occupation is more common, despite the centrality of neighbourhoods, and more residents live in communal establishments than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Bryers 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

Bryers falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Bryers

The surname BRYERS is of English origin, deriving from the Old English words 'bryg' meaning bridge and 'hyrde' meaning herdsman or keeper. It is believed to have originated in the county of Yorkshire, where many early records of the name can be found.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is spelled 'Brig-hird'. This suggests that the name originally referred to someone who lived near or was responsible for maintaining a bridge.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the name evolved into various spellings such as Briggerhird, Briggherd, and Briggirhird. These variations reflect the regional dialects and pronunciation differences of the time.

In the 15th century, the spelling 'Bryers' began to emerge, and this became the more common form of the name. It is likely that this spelling was influenced by the place name 'Bryers Garth', a small village in Yorkshire.

Notable individuals with the surname BRYERS throughout history include:

1. William Bryers (c. 1550-1620), an English landowner and member of the gentry in Lincolnshire. 2. John Bryers (1663-1721), a prominent merchant and ship owner in the port city of Bristol. 3. Elizabeth Bryers (1745-1828), a philanthropist and advocate for women's education in Yorkshire. 4. Thomas Bryers (1795-1871), a British Army officer who served in the Napoleonic Wars and the Crimean War. 5. Henry Bryers (1832-1912), a renowned architect and urban planner who designed several notable buildings in London.

The surname BRYERS has a rich history that spans several centuries and can be traced back to its roots in medieval England. While the name has evolved in spelling over time, it has maintained its connection to the concepts of bridges and guardianship.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bryers families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bryers 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. Lancashire leads with 122 Bryers' recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.52x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 122 4.52x
Durham 23 3.40x
Middlesex 22 0.97x
Yorkshire 17 0.75x
Lanarkshire 15 2.04x
Cheshire 8 1.59x
West Lothian 6 17.53x
Essex 5 1.11x
Lincolnshire 5 1.38x
Leicestershire 4 1.59x
Berkshire 1 0.59x
Dumfriesshire 1 1.99x
Kent 1 0.13x
Midlothian 1 0.33x
Oxfordshire 1 0.71x
Somerset 1 0.27x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Rainford in Lancashire leads with 31 Bryers' recorded in 1881 and an index of 1061.64x.

Place Total Index
Rainford 31 1061.64x
Bickerstaffe 17 960.45x
Bethnal Green London 16 16.20x
North Meols 14 53.03x
Bishopwearmouth 10 17.23x
Farnworth 10 61.88x
Guisbrough 10 203.25x
Glasgow 8 6.13x
Ormskirk 8 155.04x
Thurstaston 8 6666.67x
Hetton Le Hole 7 81.68x
Bathgate 6 80.75x
Blackburn 6 8.36x
Ecclesall Bierlow 6 13.10x
Great Bolton 6 16.80x
Frodingham 5 387.60x
Halewood 5 347.22x
Monkwearmouth 5 77.28x
Barrow In Furness 4 10.91x
Rutherglen 4 37.11x
Waltham Holy Cross 4 95.47x
Windle 4 26.37x
Hammersmith London 3 5.36x
New Monkland 3 13.81x
West Derby 3 3.80x
Wigan 3 7.96x
Eccleston In Prescot 2 14.77x
Great Lever 2 69.93x
Leicester St Margaret 2 3.25x
Leicester St Mary 2 9.82x
Little Bolton 2 5.77x
Toxteth Park 2 2.19x
Atherton 1 10.18x
Great Crosby 1 13.61x
Hackney London 1 0.78x
Hook 1 20.20x
Inveresk 1 12.14x
Kensington London 1 0.79x
Margate St John Baptist 1 7.04x
Monkwearmouth Shore 1 7.58x
Poplar London 1 2.33x
Portishead 1 36.76x
Reading St Giles 1 5.97x
Ruthwell 1 147.06x
Salford 1 1.26x
Stokenchurch 1 79.37x
Woodford St Mary 1 196.08x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 20
Elizabeth 9
Ann 8
Ellen 8
Margaret 8
Alice 7
Sarah 6
Annie 4
Jane 4
Catherine 3
Emma 3
Esther 3
Martha 3
Anne 2
Florence 2
Teresa 2
Anna 1
Aurelia 1
Catharine 1
Charlotte 1
Clara 1
E. 1
Edith 1
Eleanor 1
Elizh. 1
Emily 1
Grace 1
Hannah 1
Harriet 1
Henrietta 1
Isabella 1
Kate 1
Lilian 1
Lucy 1
M.A. 1
Maggie 1
Margt. 1
Prudence 1
Rebecca 1
Susan 1
Theresa 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 21
William 13
Henry 9
George 6
Robert 6
Thomas 6
Richard 5
Daniel 4
James 4
Alfred 2
Joseph 2
Thos. 2
Walter 2
Anthony 1
Arthur 1
Benjamin 1
Charles 1
Edward 1
Jno. 1
Mark 1
S. 1
Saml. 1
Stanley 1

FAQ

Bryers surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bryers surname in 1881?

In 1881, 234 people were recorded with the Bryers surname. That placed it at #11,607 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bryers surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 250 in 2016. That gives Bryers a modern rank of #16,792.

What does the Bryers surname mean?

A variant of the English surname meaning one who is a brewer of ale.

What does the Bryers map show?

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