NameCensus.

UK surname

Burbidge

A locational surname originating from a place in Lancashire, England.

In the 1881 census there were 1,018 people recorded with the Burbidge surname, ranking it #3,848 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,795, ranked #3,514, up from #3,848 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Trowbridge, London parishes and Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Purbeck, Harborough and High Peak.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Burbidge is 1,927 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 76.3%.

1881 census count

1,018

Ranked #3,848

Modern count

1,795

2016, ranked #3,514

Peak year

2002

1,927 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Burbidge had 1,018 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,848 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,795 in 2016, ranked #3,514.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,630 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Burbidge surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Burbidge surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Burbidge 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 996 #2,809
1861 historical 680 #3,951
1881 historical 1,018 #3,848
1891 historical 1,234 #3,499
1901 historical 1,630 #3,171
1911 historical 1,483 #3,247
1997 modern 1,741 #3,429
1998 modern 1,849 #3,378
1999 modern 1,851 #3,394
2000 modern 1,857 #3,368
2001 modern 1,898 #3,241
2002 modern 1,927 #3,272
2003 modern 1,815 #3,374
2004 modern 1,805 #3,386
2005 modern 1,765 #3,431
2006 modern 1,756 #3,447
2007 modern 1,780 #3,443
2008 modern 1,761 #3,502
2009 modern 1,789 #3,522
2010 modern 1,828 #3,521
2011 modern 1,833 #3,474
2012 modern 1,812 #3,457
2013 modern 1,825 #3,491
2014 modern 1,833 #3,500
2015 modern 1,812 #3,506
2016 modern 1,795 #3,514

Geography

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Where Burbidges are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Trowbridge, London parishes, Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars and Coventry Holy Trinity (incl. Radford), Coventry St Michael, Wyken. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Purbeck, Harborough, High Peak and Wiltshire. 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 Trowbridge Wiltshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire
5 Coventry Holy Trinity (incl. Radford), Coventry St Michael, Wyken Warwickshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Purbeck 002 Purbeck
2 Purbeck 001 Purbeck
3 Harborough 007 Harborough
4 High Peak 013 High Peak
5 Wiltshire 022 Wiltshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Burbidge

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Burbidge

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

Rural Amenity

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Burbidge 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

Burbidge is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Burbidge falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Burbidge

The surname Burbidge originated in England during the late medieval period. It is believed to be a locational name derived from the Old English words 'burh' meaning a fortified town or borough, and 'brycg' meaning bridge, likely referring to a settlement near a bridge in a fortified town.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Burbidge can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Worcestershire from 1275, where it appears as 'Burbrigg'. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 also mention a 'Thomas de Burbrigg' in Shropshire.

The Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of landholdings compiled in 1086 by order of William the Conqueror, does not directly mention the surname Burbidge, but it does list several places with similar names, such as 'Burgebrige' in Wiltshire and 'Burbache' in Staffordshire, which may have been the origins of the surname.

In the 16th century, the name was often spelled as 'Burbydge' or 'Burbridge'. One notable figure from this era was Richard Burbidge, a merchant and alderman in the city of Bristol, who lived from around 1530 to 1592.

Another prominent individual with the surname Burbidge was Sir Henry Burbidge, a 17th-century English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Shoreham, Sussex, from 1640 to 1644. He was born in 1593 and died in 1663.

In the 18th century, the name appears in various records as 'Burbidge', 'Burbridge', or 'Burbrydge'. One notable figure from this time was Thomas Burbidge, an English clergyman and author who lived from 1694 to 1768.

In the 19th century, the surname Burbidge was more firmly established in its current spelling. One notable bearer of the name was Frederick William Burbidge, a British botanist and explorer who lived from 1847 to 1905. He is known for his expeditions to Borneo and Sumatra, and for introducing numerous plant species to cultivation in Britain.

Another 19th-century figure with the surname Burbidge was Edward Burbidge, a British artist and book illustrator who was born in 1839 and died in 1916. He is particularly known for his illustrations in books by Charles Kingsley and Lewis Carroll.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Burbidge families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Burbidge 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. Wiltshire leads with 170 Burbidges recorded in 1881 and an index of 19.34x.

County Total Index
Wiltshire 170 19.34x
Warwickshire 131 5.23x
Northamptonshire 92 9.84x
Leicestershire 91 8.26x
Hampshire 63 3.09x
Kent 60 1.77x
Middlesex 57 0.57x
Surrey 47 0.97x
Dorset 44 6.74x
Nottinghamshire 28 2.09x
Gloucestershire 20 1.03x
Lancashire 20 0.17x
Buckinghamshire 17 2.83x
Rutland 17 23.29x
Derbyshire 15 0.96x
Glamorgan 15 0.87x
Essex 14 0.71x
Lincolnshire 14 0.88x
Yorkshire 13 0.13x
Somerset 12 0.75x
Worcestershire 12 0.92x
Huntingdonshire 10 5.07x
Oxfordshire 10 1.63x
Devon 9 0.44x
Bedfordshire 5 0.97x
Cambridgeshire 5 0.79x
Staffordshire 5 0.15x
Lanarkshire 4 0.12x
Norfolk 4 0.26x
Sussex 4 0.24x
Berkshire 3 0.40x
Ayrshire 2 0.27x
Royal Navy 2 1.69x
Shropshire 2 0.23x
Cheshire 1 0.05x
Hertfordshire 1 0.15x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Potterne Worton in Wiltshire leads with 37 Burbidges recorded in 1881 and an index of 3189.66x.

Place Total Index
Potterne Worton 37 3189.66x
Portsea 33 8.26x
Leicester St Margaret 28 10.42x
Aston 26 3.77x
Melksham 21 137.61x
Steeple Ashton 18 759.49x
Worksop 15 37.75x
Coventry St Michael 13 16.14x
Leicester All Sts 13 60.07x
Battersea 12 3.28x
Birmingham 12 1.44x
Bradford On Avon 12 42.64x
Great Hinton 12 2105.26x
Potterne 12 304.57x
Camberwell 11 1.73x
Islington London 11 1.14x
Kibworth Beauchamp 11 287.96x
Lytchett Minster 11 380.62x
West Ham 11 2.54x
Everton 10 2.66x
Higham 10 218.34x
Leamington Priors 10 16.21x
Nottingham St Mary 10 2.89x
Shoreditch London 10 2.32x
Bristol St Michael 9 53.86x
East Knoyle 9 301.00x
Lenham 9 132.94x
Rugby 9 26.54x
Thornhaugh 9 1084.34x
Benefield 8 496.89x
Cadoxton 8 769.23x
Charing 8 174.29x
Clifton 8 8.12x
Derby St Peter 8 16.14x
Edith Weston 8 672.27x
Shaftesbury St James 8 234.60x
Stoke Damerel 8 5.52x
Allesley 7 212.12x
Backwell 7 213.41x
Belgrave 7 28.15x
Charwelton 7 1129.03x
Chelsea London 7 2.34x
Chipping Norton 7 49.33x
Coventry Holy Trinity 7 9.35x
Foleshill 7 26.55x
Gayton 7 357.14x
Husbands Bosworth 7 247.35x
Leicester St Mary 7 7.86x
Newport Pagnell 7 55.69x
Priors Marston 7 357.14x
St Lawrence 7 30.02x
Barnwell St Andrew 6 689.66x
Bramley 6 392.16x
Byfield 6 222.22x
Chitterne St Mary 6 895.52x
Christchurch 6 13.58x
Great Weldon 6 594.06x
Greenwich 6 3.79x
Kingston On Thames 6 5.16x
Marton 6 472.44x
Overton 6 122.95x
Tibshelf 6 78.53x
Whittlebury 6 357.14x
Wyke Regis 6 64.10x
Amesbury 5 130.21x
Claines 5 14.03x
Edington 5 157.73x
Hanslope 5 92.59x
Ketton 5 131.58x
Melcombe Regis 5 18.49x
Oundle 5 47.85x
Peterborough 5 7.39x
Trowbridge 5 12.87x
Yardley 5 15.06x
Bowling 4 4.10x
Hampreston 4 84.39x
Maryhill 4 6.36x
Sheffield 4 1.28x
Southwark St John 4 13.16x
St Pancras London 4 0.50x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 80
John 73
George 34
Thomas 32
Henry 26
James 25
Alfred 24
Charles 24
Arthur 12
Samuel 10
Edward 9
Joseph 9
Frank 8
Walter 8
Ernest 7
Frederick 7
Albert 6
Andrew 6
Fred 6
Benjamin 5
Edwin 5
Richard 5
Francis 4
Herbert 4
Isaac 4
Robert 4
Sidney 4
Clement 3
David 2
Harry 2
Richd. 2
Stephen 2
Tom 2
Amos 1
Austin 1
Cecil 1
Chas. 1
Elias 1
Elkannah 1
Emanuel 1
Enoch 1
Enos 1
Ezra 1
Ferderick 1
Harris 1
Heny 1
Hezekiah 1
Howard 1
Jas. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Burbidge surname: questions and answers

How common was the Burbidge surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,018 people were recorded with the Burbidge surname. That placed it at #3,848 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Burbidge surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,795 in 2016. That gives Burbidge a modern rank of #3,514.

What does the Burbidge surname mean?

A locational surname originating from a place in Lancashire, England.

What does the Burbidge map show?

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