UK surname

Hacking

A surname derived from the Old English "hæcc," meaning a gate or rack for catching fish.

In the 1881 census there were 1,419 people recorded with the Hacking surname, ranking it #2,927 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,066, ranked #5,482, down from #2,927 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, Whalley and Blackburn. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Pendle, Hyndburn and Blackburn with Darwen.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hacking is 1,711 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 24.9%.

1881 census count

1,419

Ranked #2,927

Modern count

1,066

2016, ranked #5,482

Peak year

1911

1,711 bearers

Map years

1851 to 2016

Key insights

• Hacking had 1,419 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,927 surname in that year.
• The latest modern count shown here is 1,066 in 2016, ranked #5,482.
• Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,711 in 1911.
• The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Map

Hacking surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hacking surname density by area, 1881 census.

Year

Loading map

Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Hacking 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	940	#2,951
1861	historical	1,034	#2,712
1881	historical	1,419	#2,927
1891	historical	1,524	#2,900
1901	historical	1,621	#3,185
1911	historical	1,711	#2,862
1997	modern	1,128	#4,965
1998	modern	1,151	#5,053
1999	modern	1,147	#5,122
2000	modern	1,098	#5,275
2001	modern	1,069	#5,291
2002	modern	1,125	#5,192
2003	modern	1,096	#5,197
2004	modern	1,083	#5,266
2005	modern	1,045	#5,356
2006	modern	1,052	#5,330
2007	modern	1,066	#5,316
2008	modern	1,061	#5,369
2009	modern	1,074	#5,429
2010	modern	1,079	#5,521
2011	modern	1,085	#5,441
2012	modern	1,050	#5,494
2013	modern	1,060	#5,551
2014	modern	1,075	#5,523
2015	modern	1,071	#5,471
2016	modern	1,066	#5,482

Geography

Where Hackings are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, Whalley and Blackburn. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Pendle, Hyndburn, Blackburn with Darwen and Knowsley. 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	Rochdale	Lancashire
2	Whalley	Lancashire
3	Blackburn	Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank	Area	District
1	Pendle 010	Pendle
2	Hyndburn 003	Hyndburn
3	Blackburn with Darwen 009	Blackburn with Darwen
4	Hyndburn 001	Hyndburn
5	Knowsley 008	Knowsley

Forenames

First names often paired with Hacking

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

Historical female names

Mary Elizabeth Alice Sarah Margaret Ellen Jane Ann Annie Martha

Historical male names

John James William Thomas Robert Richard George Joseph Edward Henry

Recent female names

Margaret Sarah Elizabeth Louise Linda Susan Joanne Emma Barbara Mary

Recent male names

John James David Paul Peter Michael Andrew Christopher Daniel Thomas

Modern profile

Neighbourhood profile for Hacking

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Hacking, 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 Hacking surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Hacking 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

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Hacking 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

Hacking is most concentrated in decile 2 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.

Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Hacking falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Hacking 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.

Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate: White - British

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

Origin

Meaning and origin of Hacking

The surname Hacking is of English origin, and it is believed to have originated in the county of Yorkshire, England, during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "hæcc," which means a gate or entranceway, often referring to a gate or entrance to a field or pasture.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Hacking can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Hacchinga." This suggests that the name was already in use by the late 11th century in England. The name may have initially been a locational surname, referring to someone who lived near a gate or entranceway.

In the 13th century, there are records of individuals with the surname Hacking residing in the villages of Hacking and Whittingham, near Preston, Lancashire. These place names may have influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname over time.

One notable historical figure with the surname Hacking was William Hacking, who was born in Lancashire in 1597. He was a Puritan minister and is known for his writings on religious topics during the English Civil War period.

Another individual of note was Robert Hacking, born in Yorkshire in 1662. He was a renowned clockmaker and is credited with inventing the first reliable marine chronometer, which greatly aided in navigation at sea.

In the 18th century, John Hacking (1732-1810) was a prominent English industrialist and entrepreneur. He established several successful businesses in the textile industry and played a significant role in the Industrial Revolution.

Moving into the 19th century, Edward Hacking (1834-1912) was a British explorer and naturalist. He is known for his expeditions to South America, where he studied and documented various plant and animal species.

One of the most famous individuals with the surname Hacking was the English mathematician and computer scientist Alan Turing (1912-1954). While his surname was not originally Hacking, he was born Alan Mathison Turing and later adopted the surname Turing, which may have been influenced by the name Hacking.

The surname Hacking has a rich history and has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including ministers, inventors, industrialists, explorers, and renowned mathematicians. Its origins can be traced back to medieval England, where it was likely a locational surname referring to someone residing near a gate or entranceway.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Hacking families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hacking 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 1,304 Hackings recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.94x.

County	Total	Frequency	Index
Lancashire	1,304	0.04%	7.94x
Yorkshire	34	0.00%	0.25x
Middlesex	15	0.00%	0.11x
Channel Islands	12	0.01%	2.93x
Nottinghamshire	12	0.00%	0.64x
Devon	8	0.00%	0.28x
Kent	6	0.00%	0.13x
Renfrewshire	5	0.00%	0.47x
Oxfordshire	4	0.00%	0.47x
Cheshire	3	0.00%	0.10x
Dunbartonshire	2	0.00%	0.54x
Gloucestershire	2	0.00%	0.07x
Surrey	2	0.00%	0.03x
Warwickshire	2	0.00%	0.06x
Bedfordshire	1	0.00%	0.14x
Cambridgeshire	1	0.00%	0.11x
Denbighshire	1	0.00%	0.19x
Lincolnshire	1	0.00%	0.05x
Royal Navy	1	0.00%	0.61x
Staffordshire	1	0.00%	0.02x
Sussex	1	0.00%	0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Blackburn in Lancashire leads with 307 Hackings recorded in 1881 and an index of 70.30x.

Place	Total	Frequency	Index
Blackburn	307	0.33%	70.30x
Over Darwen	99	0.36%	75.51x
Accrington	70	0.22%	46.91x
Lower Darwen	58	1.27%	269.27x
Spotland	45	0.12%	24.66x
Clayton Le Moors	42	0.62%	131.87x
Padiham	33	0.39%	83.23x
Preston	32	0.03%	7.29x
Higher Booths	29	0.46%	98.01x
Newchurch	29	0.10%	21.60x
Prestwich	29	0.34%	70.82x
Livesey	28	0.46%	97.19x
Oswaldtwistle	28	0.23%	48.28x
Clitheroe	25	0.25%	51.75x
Turton	20	0.35%	74.40x
Great Little Marsden	19	0.12%	25.27x
Habergham Eaves	18	0.06%	12.00x
Barton Upon Irwell	16	0.06%	12.95x
Farnworth	16	0.08%	16.27x
Barnoldswick	15	0.37%	78.41x
Bury	15	0.04%	8.00x
Salford	15	0.01%	3.11x
Little Bolton	14	0.03%	6.63x
Wardleworth	14	0.07%	14.93x
Chorley	12	0.06%	13.03x
Rishton	12	0.30%	62.34x
St Helier	12	0.04%	8.99x
West Derby	12	0.01%	2.50x
Broughton In Salford	11	0.03%	7.33x
Layton With Warbreck	11	0.09%	18.26x
Everton	10	0.01%	1.91x
Colne	9	0.09%	18.40x
Heaton	9	0.62%	130.06x
Manchester	9	0.01%	1.22x
Stretford	9	0.05%	9.97x
Altham	8	2.03%	427.81x
Burnley	8	0.03%	5.79x
Great Bolton	8	0.02%	3.68x
Great Harwood	8	0.13%	26.96x
Kensington London	8	0.00%	1.04x
Northam	8	0.18%	38.11x
Walton Le Dale	8	0.09%	18.14x
Barrowford Booth	7	0.18%	38.55x
Church	7	0.14%	30.20x
Heyhouses	7	9.09%	1944.44x
North Meols	7	0.02%	4.36x
Nottingham St Mary	7	0.01%	1.45x
Pilkington	7	0.05%	11.23x
Tottington Higher End	7	0.18%	37.47x
Witton	7	0.16%	33.90x
Freckleton	6	0.53%	111.32x
Greenwich	6	0.01%	2.72x
Hulme	6	0.01%	1.75x
Huncoat	6	0.65%	136.36x
Kimberworth	6	0.04%	7.89x
Samlesbury	6	0.79%	166.21x
Withnell	6	0.28%	59.58x
Ardwick	5	0.02%	3.38x
Castleton	5	0.01%	3.05x
Chelsea London	5	0.01%	1.20x
Dilworth	5	0.24%	49.70x
Elton	5	0.04%	8.82x
Kearsley	5	0.07%	14.48x
West Greenock	5	0.01%	2.60x
Cowpe Lench Newhall Hey	4	0.11%	22.81x
Dunnockshaw	4	1.89%	400.00x
Enstone	4	0.36%	76.48x
Longton	4	0.27%	57.97x
Rusholme	4	0.04%	9.14x
Snenton	4	0.03%	5.46x
Tockholes	4	0.81%	171.67x
Upperthong	4	0.16%	34.31x
Walton On Hill	4	0.02%	4.50x
Heap	3	0.02%	3.45x
Lancaster	3	0.01%	3.07x
Gargrave	2	0.16%	32.73x
Royton	2	0.02%	3.98x
Spitalfields London	2	0.01%	1.92x
Wilnecote	2	0.09%	20.00x
Wuerdle Wardle	2	0.02%	4.01x

Top female names

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

Name	Count
Mary	107
Elizabeth	68
Alice	47
Sarah	46
Ellen	43
Margaret	39
Jane	31
Ann	23
Martha	21
Eliza	12
Annie	11
Catherine	11
Hannah	11
Nancy	11
Betsy	10
Edith	10
Emma	10
Isabella	10
Betty	9
Emily	7
Rachel	7
Susannah	7
Ada	6
Amelia	6
Anne	6
Clara	6
Elizth.	6
Esther	6
Miriam	5
Frances	4
Grace	4
Margret	4
May	4
Ruth	4
Sophia	4
Agnes	3
Charlotte	3
Eleanor	3
Eunice	3
Florence	3
Margt.	3
Maria	3
Rhoda	3
Susan	3
Anna	2
Constance	2
Dinah	2
Ethel	2
Lydia	2
Maggie	2

Top male names

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

Name	Count
John	119
James	100
William	79
Thomas	54
Robert	30
George	23
Richard	23
Henry	22
Joseph	21
Edward	13
Arthur	10
Albert	9
Alfred	9
Charles	8
Lawrence	7
Leonard	7
Peter	7
Samuel	7
Benjamin	6
Walter	6
Abraham	5
Edmund	4
Joshua	4
Elijah	3
Harold	3
Robt.	3
Andrew	2
Archibald	2
Caleb	2
David	2
Earnest	2
Ernest	2
Fred	2
Frederick	2
Harry	2
Herbert	2
Isiah	2
Jacob	2
Jno.	2
Laurence	2
Lawrance	2
Michael	2
Stephen	2
Thos.	2
Brooks	1
Burton	1
Emma	1
Emmanuel	1
Enoch	1
Wm.Hy.	1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Hacking households.

Occupation	Count
Scholar	254
Cotton Weaver	184
Cotton Winder	24
Stone Mason	24
Housekeeper	21
House Keeper	15
Cotton Operative	14
Coal Miner	10
Cotton Spinner	9
Labourer	9
Cotton Rover	6
Housewife	6
Lodging House Keeper	5
No Occupation	5
Charwoman	4
Confectioner	4
Cotton Loom Overlooker	4
Cotton Reeler	4
Cotton Warper	4
Dressmaker	4
General Labourer	4
Lab	4
Stone Quarry Man	4
(Scholar)	3
Carpenter	3
Cart Driver	3
Cotton Piecer	3
Cotton Weaver Wife	3
Cotton Winder Cotton Operative	3
Daur	3
Farmers Son	3
Grocer	3
Half Weaver	3
Heald Knitter	3
House Wife	3
Joiner	3
Machine Printer	3
Machinist	3
None	3
Pawnbroker	3
Retired Farmer	3
Servant	3
Shoe Maker	3
Worsted Weaver	3
Block Printer	2
Carter	2
Farm Servant	2
General Servant	2
Grocers Wife	2
Home Duties	2

FAQ

Hacking surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hacking surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,419 people were recorded with the Hacking surname. That placed it at #2,927 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hacking surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,066 in 2016. That gives Hacking a modern rank of #5,482.

What does the Hacking surname mean?