NameCensus.

UK surname

Hail

Derived from a Middle English topographic name for someone who lived at the end of a hall.

In the 1881 census there were 196 people recorded with the Hail surname, ranking it #13,006 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 204, ranked #19,320, down from #13,006 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Worcester St John Bedwardine, Kenswick and St Leonard Shoreditch. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include County Durham, Newport and Wormit and Copeland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hail is 284 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 4.1%.

1881 census count

196

Ranked #13,006

Modern count

204

2016, ranked #19,320

Peak year

1861

284 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hail had 196 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #13,006 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 204 in 2016, ranked #19,320.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 284 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Hail surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hail surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Hail 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 258 #8,568
1861 historical 284 #8,845
1881 historical 196 #13,006
1891 historical 269 #12,060
1901 historical 212 #14,611
1911 historical 152 #17,712
1997 modern 180 #18,812
1998 modern 176 #19,584
1999 modern 195 #18,517
2000 modern 179 #19,494
2001 modern 179 #19,215
2002 modern 184 #19,275
2003 modern 176 #19,623
2004 modern 176 #19,731
2005 modern 182 #19,259
2006 modern 180 #19,526
2007 modern 183 #19,553
2008 modern 182 #19,800
2009 modern 188 #19,797
2010 modern 186 #20,379
2011 modern 179 #20,732
2012 modern 186 #20,141
2013 modern 187 #20,436
2014 modern 194 #20,097
2015 modern 193 #20,056
2016 modern 204 #19,320

Geography

Back to top

Where Hails are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos), Worcester St John Bedwardine, Kenswick, St Leonard Shoreditch, East Dean, Little Dean, Flaxley, Abinghall, Weston-under-Penyard (Ross, Herefordshire), Lea (Ross, H and Longhope. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to County Durham, Newport and Wormit, Copeland and Irvine Castlepark South. 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 Ystradyfodwg (incl. Rhigos) Glamorganshire
2 Worcester St John Bedwardine, Kenswick Worcestershire
3 St Leonard Shoreditch London (East Districts)
4 East Dean, Little Dean, Flaxley, Abinghall, Weston-under-Penyard (Ross, Herefordshire), Lea (Ross, H Gloucestershire
5 Longhope Gloucestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 County Durham 045 County Durham
2 Newport and Wormit Fife
3 Copeland 007 Copeland
4 Copeland 006 Copeland
5 Irvine Castlepark South North Ayrshire

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Hail

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Hail

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Hail surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Hail household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Hail is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Hail is most concentrated in decile 1 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Hail 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Hail

The surname Hail is of Anglo-Saxon origin, deriving from the Old English word "hægl" or "haegel," which means "hail" or "frozen rain." This name likely originated as a descriptive nickname for someone who lived in an area prone to hailstorms or was born during a particularly severe hailstorm.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Hail can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Hagel" or "Haigle." This suggests that the name was already in use during the 11th century in England.

Throughout the Middle Ages, the surname underwent various spelling variations, including Hayle, Haile, Hail, and Haill. These variations were common due to the lack of standardized spelling conventions during that time period.

In the 13th century, records show a John de Hayle residing in Gloucestershire, England. This could potentially be one of the earliest known bearers of the surname Hail or a variant spelling.

During the 16th century, the Hail surname was particularly prevalent in the counties of Norfolk and Suffolk in eastern England. Notable individuals from this era include William Hail, a merchant from Norwich, born around 1520, and John Hail, a landowner in Suffolk, born in the late 1500s.

In the 17th century, the Hail surname spread to other parts of England and Scotland. One prominent figure was Sir John Hail, a Scottish politician and judge who lived from 1609 to 1679.

Moving into the 18th century, the Hail surname continued to be found across Britain and began appearing in records in North America as well. Notable individuals from this time period include Samuel Hail, a British-born merchant who settled in Boston, Massachusetts, in the early 1700s, and Jonathan Hail, a farmer and soldier from Virginia, born in 1745.

As the surname spread across the English-speaking world, various place names and geographic features were named after individuals with the Hail surname. For example, Hail County in Texas, established in 1876, was named after Lieutenant John M. Hail, a soldier in the Texas Revolution.

Throughout its history, the surname Hail has been borne by several notable individuals, including Sir William Hail (1655-1736), an English politician and member of parliament; John Hail (1734-1806), an American soldier and frontier settler; and Robert Hail (1799-1873), a Scottish-born businessman and philanthropist in Canada.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Hail families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hail 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. Gloucestershire leads with 52 Hails recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.23x.

County Total Index
Gloucestershire 52 14.23x
Middlesex 31 1.66x
Ayrshire 11 7.89x
Stirlingshire 11 16.01x
Cumberland 10 6.23x
Surrey 10 1.10x
Glamorgan 8 2.47x
Worcestershire 8 3.29x
Kent 7 1.10x
Lincolnshire 6 2.01x
Devon 5 1.29x
Hertfordshire 4 3.12x
Dorset 3 2.45x
Lanarkshire 3 0.50x
Durham 2 0.36x
Lancashire 2 0.09x
Somerset 2 0.67x
Suffolk 2 0.88x
Sussex 2 0.64x
Warwickshire 2 0.43x
Berkshire 1 0.72x
Cheshire 1 0.24x
Cornwall 1 0.47x
Hampshire 1 0.26x
Inverness-shire 1 1.80x
Monmouthshire 1 0.74x
Northamptonshire 1 0.57x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.40x
Renfrewshire 1 0.69x
Wigtownshire 1 4.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Westbury On Severn East in Gloucestershire leads with 19 Hails recorded in 1881 and an index of 230.02x.

Place Total Index
Westbury On Severn East 19 230.02x
Kilwinning 11 244.44x
Slamannan 11 292.55x
Taynton 11 2972.97x
Shoreditch London 10 12.38x
Worcester St Peter 8 173.91x
Aikton 6 1176.47x
Appleby 6 1714.29x
Lambeth 6 3.69x
St Pancras London 6 4.00x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 5 14.53x
Llantrisant 5 61.12x
Longhope 5 806.45x
Tenterden 5 223.21x
Ugborough 5 531.91x
Bristol St Augustine 4 67.80x
Haile 4 2105.26x
Huntley 4 1481.48x
Rickmansworth 4 112.99x
St George Bloomsbury 4 37.42x
Hampstead London 3 10.34x
Mile End Old Town London 3 7.57x
Brighton 2 3.16x
Folkestone 2 16.22x
Govan 2 1.34x
Isleworth 2 24.15x
Kessingland 2 256.41x
Laverton 2 2500.00x
Newington 2 2.91x
Roath 2 13.58x
Wimborne Minster 2 101.01x
Aston 1 0.77x
Birmingham 1 0.64x
Bishop Auckland 1 13.44x
Bristol St James St Paul 1 8.21x
Camberwell 1 0.84x
Cardiff St Mary 1 5.60x
Daviot Dunlichity 1 125.00x
East Markham 1 208.33x
Edmonton 1 6.66x
Elton In Congleton 1 285.71x
Epsom 1 22.62x
Glasgow 1 0.93x
Hackney London 1 0.96x
Heworth 1 9.16x
Kirkcolm 1 84.03x
Lochwinnoch 1 46.51x
Minster 1 344.83x
Newent 1 53.76x
Newport 1 15.58x
Newton In Makerfield 1 14.77x
Portsmouth 1 11.38x
St George In East London 1 5.71x
Stapleton 1 14.43x
Stretford 1 8.22x
Westbury On Trym 1 8.08x
Whittlebury 1 312.50x
Winkfield 1 43.10x
Witchampton 1 322.58x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 17
Elizabeth 10
Eliza 8
Sarah 5
Ann 4
Emma 4
Maud 3
Alice 2
Annie 2
Florence 2
Harriet 2
Adelaide 1
C.L. 1
Cathn.E. 1
Ellen 1
Eunice 1
Febe 1
Gertrude 1
Hannah 1
Helen 1
Janet 1
Jessie 1
Julia 1
Kate 1
Laura 1
Lois 1
Louisa 1
Lucy 1
Margaret 1
Martha 1
Maryann 1
Phobe 1
Rebeca 1
Susan 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Thomas 9
William 8
John 7
Charles 6
George 6
Henry 5
Frederick 3
Tom 3
Albert 2
Alfred 2
Arthur 2
Edward 2
Edwin 2
James 2
Joseph 2
Robert 2
Adolphe 1
C. 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Harold 1
Hubert 1
Isaac 1
Israel 1
Jno.H. 1
Micheal 1
Philip 1
Reuben 1
Thos. 1
W. 1
Walter 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Hail surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hail surname in 1881?

In 1881, 196 people were recorded with the Hail surname. That placed it at #13,006 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hail surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 204 in 2016. That gives Hail a modern rank of #19,320.

What does the Hail surname mean?

Derived from a Middle English topographic name for someone who lived at the end of a hall.

What does the Hail map show?

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