Bradbury
A masculine name derived from an Old English place name meaning "broad burnt clearing".
Name Census estimates that about 3 living Americans carry the first name Bradbury. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Bradbury today is around 83 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Bradbury births was 1949 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Bradbury. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Bradbury is about 83 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Bradburys were born before 1953.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Bradbury. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
3
~ 1 in 114,251,446 Americans
Peak year
1949
5 babies that year
Average age
83
years old
1949 SSA rank
#3,747
Tracked since 1949
Popularity
Bradbury: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Bradbury by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Bradbury during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1940s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Bradbury
The name Bradbury is of English origin, derived from the Old English words "brad" meaning broad and "bury" meaning a fortified town or manor. It likely emerged as a surname during the Middle Ages, referring to someone who lived in or near a broad fortified town or manor.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Bradbury dates back to the Domesday Book, a manuscript record of landholders in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The book mentions several individuals with the surname Bradbury, indicating the name's existence in medieval England.
Throughout history, there have been notable individuals who bore the name Bradbury. One such figure was Thomas Bradbury (1677-1759), an English Congregational minister and author who played a significant role in the nonconformist movement in England during the 18th century.
Another prominent figure was John Bradbury (1768-1823), a British explorer and naturalist who accompanied the famous Lewis and Clark Expedition to explore the western territories of the United States. His detailed observations and collections contributed greatly to the understanding of the flora and fauna of the American West.
In the literary world, Ray Bradbury (1920-2012) was a celebrated American author renowned for his influential works of science fiction and fantasy, including the classic novel "Fahrenheit 451" and the short story collection "The Martian Chronicles." His works explored themes of censorship, technology, and the human condition, cementing his place as one of the most influential writers of the 20th century.
Another noteworthy individual was William Bradbury (1816-1868), an American composer and musician who played a significant role in the development of American church music. He composed numerous hymns and gospel songs, contributing to the rich musical heritage of the United States.
Finally, Sir Malcolm Bradbury (1932-2000) was a British author and academic, best known for his satirical novels such as "The History Man" and "Rates of Exchange." He also served as a professor of American studies and wrote extensively on literature and culture, leaving a lasting impact on the literary landscape of the 20th century.
People
Bradbury + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Bradbury as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with B
Other first names starting with B with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Bradbury: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Bradbury?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 3 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Bradbury going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 114,251,446 US residents.
Is Bradbury a common name?
We classify Bradbury as "Very Rare". It ranks above 4.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Bradbury most popular?
The single biggest year for Bradbury was 1949, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Bradbury is about 83 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Bradbury in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Bradbury a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Bradbury in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Bradbury still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Bradbury in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Bradbury can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people have the name Bradbury?
Find out how many people have the name Bradbury on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.