NameCensus.

UK surname

Brymer

Likely an English habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "dweller near the brambly field or meadow."

In the 1881 census there were 166 people recorded with the Brymer surname, ranking it #14,496 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 185, ranked #20,652, down from #14,496 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Gateshead and Arbroath and St. Vigeans. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Herefordshire, Brechin West and Carnoustie West.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Brymer is 203 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 11.4%.

1881 census count

166

Ranked #14,496

Modern count

185

2016, ranked #20,652

Peak year

1901

203 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Brymer had 166 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,496 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 185 in 2016, ranked #20,652.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 203 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Brymer surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Brymer surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Brymer 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 69 #21,148
1861 historical 95 #21,768
1881 historical 166 #14,496
1891 historical 192 #15,383
1901 historical 203 #14,969
1911 historical 104 #22,209
1997 modern 168 #19,642
1998 modern 179 #19,372
1999 modern 177 #19,670
2000 modern 182 #19,300
2001 modern 174 #19,562
2002 modern 182 #19,411
2003 modern 174 #19,760
2004 modern 172 #20,008
2005 modern 172 #19,908
2006 modern 175 #19,850
2007 modern 184 #19,485
2008 modern 186 #19,524
2009 modern 189 #19,727
2010 modern 177 #21,034
2011 modern 182 #20,495
2012 modern 171 #21,303
2013 modern 177 #21,170
2014 modern 183 #20,880
2015 modern 182 #20,856
2016 modern 185 #20,652

Geography

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Where Brymers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Gateshead, Arbroath and St. Vigeans, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry and Walcott, Charlcome. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Herefordshire, Brechin West, Carnoustie West, Friockheim and County Durham. 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 Gateshead Durham
3 Arbroath and St. Vigeans Forfar
4 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
5 Walcott, Charlcome Somerset

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Herefordshire 020 Herefordshire, County of
2 Brechin West Angus
3 Carnoustie West Angus
4 Friockheim Angus
5 County Durham 021 County Durham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Brymer

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Brymer

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Brymer surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Brymer household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Brymer is most associated with areas classed as Inner London Working Professionals, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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 primarily Inner London neighbourhoods are more densely populated than the Supergroup average. Residents have a younger over-all age profile than the Supergroup as a whole, and are less likely to be owner occupiers. Full time employment is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup and multiple car ownership is uncommon. Chinese and non-EU-born European migrants are less in evidence than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Brymer is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Brymer

The surname Brymer is of English origin, believed to have emerged in the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English words "bryg" and "mere," which together mean "bridge pool" or "lake by the bridge." This suggests that the name may have originated from a location or a topographical feature, as was common with many English surnames.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Brymer can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire in 1297, where it was spelled "Brimere." This spelling variation highlights the fluid nature of surnames in that era, as they often evolved and changed over time.

In the 14th century, the Brymer name appeared in various historical records, such as the Inquisitiones Post Mortem and the Court Rolls of Wiltshire. These documents provide valuable insights into the lives and activities of individuals bearing this surname during that period.

A notable figure in the annals of the Brymer name was John Brymer, a merchant and alderman who lived in the city of London in the late 15th century. He was mentioned in several records, including the Plea Rolls of the Court of Common Pleas in 1478.

The Brymers were also present in the English countryside, as evidenced by the inclusion of the name in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1524. This record lists several individuals with the surname Brymer, suggesting that the name had spread to different regions of the country by that time.

In the 17th century, the Brymer family established roots in the county of Somerset. William Brymer, born in 1612, was a prominent landowner and farmer in the village of Bruton. His descendants continued to reside in the area for several generations, contributing to the local community and economy.

Another notable figure was Sir Thomas Brymer, a military officer who served in the British Army during the Napoleonic Wars. Born in 1784, he distinguished himself in several campaigns and was awarded the prestigious Order of the Bath for his bravery and leadership.

Throughout its history, the surname Brymer has been associated with various occupations and social classes, reflecting the diverse backgrounds of those who bore this name. While its origins can be traced back to medieval England, the Brymer name has since spread across the globe, carried by individuals and families who have left their mark on the tapestry of human history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Brymer families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Brymer 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. Angus leads with 74 Brymers recorded in 1881 and an index of 49.33x.

County Total Index
Angus 74 49.33x
Durham 15 3.11x
Stirlingshire 13 21.77x
Surrey 13 1.65x
Northumberland 12 4.98x
Caernarfonshire 6 9.16x
Lancashire 6 0.31x
Dorset 4 3.76x
Essex 4 1.25x
Fife 4 4.17x
Kent 3 0.54x
Lincolnshire 3 1.16x
Middlesex 3 0.19x
Somerset 3 1.15x
Merionethshire 2 6.75x
Monmouthshire 1 0.85x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Dundee in Angus leads with 49 Brymers recorded in 1881 and an index of 87.50x.

Place Total Index
Dundee 49 87.50x
Stirling 13 172.64x
Whickham 10 225.73x
Elswick 8 41.60x
Lambeth 8 5.67x
Forfar 7 86.21x
Liff Benvie 7 30.74x
Urmston 6 480.00x
Battersea 5 8.39x
Westoe 5 18.31x
Balmerino 4 1081.08x
West Ham 4 5.67x
Dolbemaen 3 1153.85x
Grantham 3 89.02x
Lewisham 3 10.18x
Llanberis 3 177.51x
Montrose 3 33.00x
Puddletown 3 461.54x
St Marylebone London 3 3.47x
Byker 2 16.79x
Festiniog 2 32.00x
Kirriemuir 2 54.05x
North Shields 2 41.58x
Tealing 2 476.19x
Arbroath 1 20.12x
Auchterhouse 1 270.27x
Bathwick 1 34.72x
Charlton Mackrell 1 625.00x
Child Okeford 1 212.77x
Mains 1 78.74x
Tannadice 1 142.86x
Usk 1 103.09x
Walcot 1 7.20x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 9
William 7
George 5
James 3
Robert 3
Thomas 3
Adam 1
Arthur 1
Cecil 1
David 1
Ernest 1
F.A. 1
Forster 1
Geoe. 1
Herbert 1
Malcolm 1
Mathew 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Brymer surname: questions and answers

How common was the Brymer surname in 1881?

In 1881, 166 people were recorded with the Brymer surname. That placed it at #14,496 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Brymer surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 185 in 2016. That gives Brymer a modern rank of #20,652.

What does the Brymer surname mean?

Likely an English habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "dweller near the brambly field or meadow."

What does the Brymer map show?

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