NameCensus.

UK surname

Burbridge

A locational surname referring to someone who lived near a bridge.

In the 1881 census there were 1,030 people recorded with the Burbridge surname, ranking it #3,815 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 909, ranked #6,259, down from #3,815 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Worcester St John Bedwardine, Kenswick, London parishes and Beckenham. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Burnley, Sandwell and Tonbridge and Malling.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Burbridge is 1,467 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 11.7%.

1881 census count

1,030

Ranked #3,815

Modern count

909

2016, ranked #6,259

Peak year

1911

1,467 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Burbridge had 1,030 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,815 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 909 in 2016, ranked #6,259.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,467 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Burbridge surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Burbridge surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Burbridge 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 449 #5,493
1861 historical 679 #3,954
1881 historical 1,030 #3,815
1891 historical 1,115 #3,807
1901 historical 1,083 #4,464
1911 historical 1,467 #3,288
1997 modern 1,113 #5,016
1998 modern 1,158 #5,025
1999 modern 1,144 #5,133
2000 modern 1,122 #5,186
2001 modern 998 #5,591
2002 modern 997 #5,702
2003 modern 1,011 #5,543
2004 modern 996 #5,619
2005 modern 971 #5,667
2006 modern 971 #5,686
2007 modern 989 #5,657
2008 modern 1,003 #5,639
2009 modern 1,032 #5,629
2010 modern 1,051 #5,645
2011 modern 1,036 #5,655
2012 modern 937 #6,051
2013 modern 953 #6,065
2014 modern 947 #6,143
2015 modern 934 #6,155
2016 modern 909 #6,259

Geography

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Where Burbridges are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Worcester St John Bedwardine, Kenswick, London parishes, Beckenham, Tottenham and Bromley. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Burnley, Sandwell, Tonbridge and Malling, North Tyneside and South Somerset. 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 Worcester St John Bedwardine, Kenswick Worcestershire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Beckenham Kent
4 Tottenham Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
5 Bromley Kent

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Burnley 004 Burnley
2 Sandwell 015 Sandwell
3 Tonbridge and Malling 013 Tonbridge and Malling
4 North Tyneside 029 North Tyneside
5 South Somerset 009 South Somerset

Forenames

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First names often paired with Burbridge

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Burbridge

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

Ageing Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Burbridge is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Burbridge 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

Burbridge falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Burbridge is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Burbridge, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Burbridge

The surname Burbridge originated in England during the medieval period. It is a locational name derived from a place called Burbage or Burbridge, which were small villages or hamlets found in various parts of the country, including Leicestershire, Wiltshire, and Derbyshire.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Leicestershire from the year 1176, where it appears as "de Burebach." This early spelling suggests that the name may have been derived from the Old English words "burg" (fortified place) and "bæcc" (stream or brook), indicating that the original place name referred to a fortified settlement near a stream.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the name appeared in various forms, including Burbrig, Burbrigg, and Burbrugg, reflecting the different ways it was spelled and pronounced in different regions. These variations can be found in various historical records, such as the Hundred Rolls of Huntingdonshire (1273) and the Court Rolls of Wiltshire (1333).

One notable bearer of the name was Sir John Burbridge (c. 1495-1548), a wealthy merchant and Member of Parliament for the City of London during the reign of Henry VIII. He was involved in the lucrative cloth trade and served as a member of the Worshipful Company of Drapers.

Another prominent figure was William Burbridge (1588-1668), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Master of Christ's College, Cambridge from 1635 to 1668. He was a staunch Puritan and played a role in the religious and political upheavals of the English Civil War.

In the 18th century, John Burbridge (1708-1773) was a successful attorney and landowner in Gloucestershire. He was instrumental in the construction of the Stroudwater Navigation, an important canal system that facilitated the transportation of goods in the region.

During the 19th century, Thomas Burbridge (1823-1885) was a notable English architect who designed several churches and public buildings in the Gothic Revival style. Some of his works can still be seen in various towns and cities across the Midlands region.

Finally, one of the more recent bearers of the name was Frederick Burbridge (1888-1964), a British aviation pioneer and engineer who worked on the development of early aircraft and contributed to the advancement of aeronautical technology in the early 20th century.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Burbridge families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Burbridge 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. Kent leads with 272 Burbridges recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.90x.

County Total Index
Kent 272 7.90x
Middlesex 183 1.81x
Surrey 70 1.42x
Lancashire 46 0.38x
Yorkshire 40 0.40x
Worcestershire 39 2.96x
Hampshire 38 1.84x
Northamptonshire 38 4.01x
Staffordshire 33 0.97x
Huntingdonshire 31 15.48x
Warwickshire 31 1.22x
Essex 22 1.10x
Wiltshire 22 2.47x
Dorset 21 3.17x
Berkshire 19 2.51x
Cambridgeshire 19 2.97x
Lincolnshire 18 1.12x
Leicestershire 17 1.52x
Derbyshire 12 0.76x
Sussex 12 0.71x
Bedfordshire 10 1.91x
Lanarkshire 10 0.31x
Suffolk 7 0.57x
Gloucestershire 4 0.20x
Oxfordshire 4 0.64x
Somerset 4 0.25x
Buckinghamshire 3 0.49x
Royal Navy 3 2.50x
Devon 2 0.10x
Hertfordshire 1 0.14x
Morayshire 1 0.64x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.07x
Rutland 1 1.35x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bromley in Kent leads with 33 Burbridges recorded in 1881 and an index of 62.92x.

Place Total Index
Bromley 33 62.92x
Tottenham 31 19.30x
Aston 19 2.71x
Boughton Malherbe 18 1168.83x
Camberwell 18 2.79x
Lewisham 16 8.72x
St George Hanover Square 15 8.44x
West Ham 15 3.41x
Woolwich 15 11.80x
Charlton 14 61.24x
Hackney London 14 2.48x
Hulme 14 5.60x
St Pancras London 14 1.72x
Benwick 13 462.63x
Islington London 13 1.33x
Lenham 13 189.23x
Warboys 12 207.25x
West Bromwich 12 6.16x
Lambeth 11 1.25x
Worcester St Peter 11 44.12x
Chelsea London 10 3.29x
Ewell Lydden 10 373.13x
Reading St Mary 10 16.49x
Ashford 9 26.86x
Bradpole 9 166.05x
Byfield 9 328.47x
Clerkenwell London 9 3.78x
Huntingdon St John 9 155.17x
Milton In Gravesend 9 17.44x
Plumstead 9 7.85x
Portsea 9 2.22x
Barnes 8 38.50x
Dover St Mary Virgin 8 24.02x
Folkestone 8 11.99x
Leicester St Margaret 8 2.93x
Brighton 7 2.04x
Canterbury St Mary N 7 301.72x
East Knoyle 7 231.02x
Greasbrough 7 53.03x
Hemingford Grey 7 228.01x
Kensington London 7 1.25x
Marden 7 86.74x
Mile End Old Town London 7 3.26x
Padiham 7 24.20x
Rampisham 7 700.00x
Ramsgate 7 12.46x
Sevington 7 1750.00x
Smarden 7 178.12x
Staines 7 43.83x
Sudbury St Peter 7 104.01x
Whittlebury 7 409.36x
Battersea 6 1.62x
Boarhunt 6 606.06x
Brampton Bierlow 6 46.88x
Burton Upon Trent 6 7.53x
Eccleston In Prescot 6 9.99x
Fulham London 6 4.10x
Kings Norton 6 5.08x
Oldham 6 1.55x
Shoreditch London 6 1.37x
St Marylebone London 6 1.11x
Stoke 6 304.57x
Tanworth 6 89.29x
Tonbridge 6 4.83x
Ulcombe 6 265.49x
Widnes 6 6.95x
Beckenham 5 11.11x
Christchurch 5 11.15x
Eastling 5 301.20x
Hammersmith London 5 2.01x
Hampstead London 5 3.18x
Irchester 5 84.89x
Leicester St Mary 5 5.53x
Rowde 5 121.36x
Stoke Upon Trent 5 1.38x
Upchurch 5 128.87x
Walsall Foreign 5 2.84x
Wanstead 5 14.34x
Whiston 5 103.95x
Whittington 5 22.88x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 56
John 52
George 48
Charles 35
Thomas 33
Henry 27
James 27
Edward 13
Walter 13
Albert 12
Alfred 11
Joseph 10
Arthur 9
Ernest 7
Frederick 7
Edwin 6
Harry 6
Samuel 6
Frank 5
Robert 5
Wm. 5
Anthony 4
Richard 4
Benjamin 3
Daniel 3
Herbert 3
Isaac 3
Jesse 3
Percy 3
Peter 3
Thos. 3
Tom 3
Alexander 2
Andrew 2
Chas. 2
Defs 2
Francis 2
Geo. 2
Horace 2
Benj. 1
Benjaman 1
Cecil 1
Earnest 1
Edmund 1
Eli 1
Elias 1
Elie 1
Gilbert 1
Grant 1
Harold 1

FAQ

Burbridge surname: questions and answers

How common was the Burbridge surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,030 people were recorded with the Burbridge surname. That placed it at #3,815 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Burbridge surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 909 in 2016. That gives Burbridge a modern rank of #6,259.

What does the Burbridge surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone who lived near a bridge.

What does the Burbridge map show?

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