NameCensus.

UK surname

Hair

An occupational surname referring to someone who made or sold hair goods, such as wigs or hairnets.

In the 1881 census there were 1,173 people recorded with the Hair surname, ranking it #3,433 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,422, ranked #4,292, down from #3,433 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Gateshead and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Inverkip and Wemyss Bay, North Tyneside and Wiltshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hair is 1,427 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 21.2%.

1881 census count

1,173

Ranked #3,433

Modern count

1,422

2016, ranked #4,292

Peak year

2014

1,427 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hair had 1,173 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,433 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,422 in 2016, ranked #4,292.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,386 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Hair surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hair surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hair 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 925 #2,986
1861 historical 907 #3,052
1881 historical 1,173 #3,433
1891 historical 1,240 #3,486
1901 historical 1,386 #3,631
1911 historical 659 #6,373
1997 modern 1,363 #4,223
1998 modern 1,401 #4,276
1999 modern 1,414 #4,267
2000 modern 1,395 #4,293
2001 modern 1,365 #4,290
2002 modern 1,412 #4,269
2003 modern 1,347 #4,355
2004 modern 1,360 #4,329
2005 modern 1,354 #4,304
2006 modern 1,339 #4,345
2007 modern 1,352 #4,349
2008 modern 1,336 #4,406
2009 modern 1,344 #4,479
2010 modern 1,393 #4,416
2011 modern 1,388 #4,389
2012 modern 1,381 #4,348
2013 modern 1,401 #4,370
2014 modern 1,427 #4,334
2015 modern 1,421 #4,307
2016 modern 1,422 #4,292

Geography

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Where Hairs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Gateshead, Edinburgh, Tynemouth (Chirton, Preston, Murton, Whitley, Monkseaton), Earsdon (Earsdon) and Greenock. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Inverkip and Wemyss Bay, North Tyneside, Wiltshire, Mauchline Rural and Sunderland. 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 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Gateshead Durham
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Tynemouth (Chirton, Preston, Murton, Whitley, Monkseaton), Earsdon (Earsdon) Northumberland
5 Greenock Renfrew

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Inverkip and Wemyss Bay Inverclyde
2 North Tyneside 004 North Tyneside
3 Wiltshire 025 Wiltshire
4 Mauchline Rural East Ayrshire
5 Sunderland 008 Sunderland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hair

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hair

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Hair, 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 Hair surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Hair 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

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Hair is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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 residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Hair 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

Hair falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Hair

The surname HAIR is an English surname that originated in the Middle Ages, derived from the Old English word "haer," meaning "hair" or "head of hair." It was likely originally a descriptive nickname given to someone with distinctive hair or a hairstyle.

The name can be traced back to the 13th century, with early records showing variations such as Haire, Hayre, and Heyre. One of the earliest recorded references to the name is found in the Hundredorum Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1273, which mentions a person named William le Heyr.

During the medieval period, the HAIR surname was particularly prevalent in the counties of Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, and Somerset in England. Some early bearers of the name were likely associated with the wool trade, as distinguishing physical features were often used as identifiers for tradespeople.

In the 16th century, the HAIR surname appeared in various historical records, including the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1554, which mentioned a John Hayre. The Subsidy Rolls for Sussex in 1593 also listed a William Hayre.

Notable individuals with the HAIR surname throughout history include:

1. Sir John Hair (1639-1718), a Scottish merchant and landowner who served as Lord Provost of Edinburgh from 1700 to 1703. 2. James Hair (1776-1838), a Scottish minister and author who wrote several works on theology and church history. 3. Robert Hair (1811-1876), a Scottish-born Australian politician who served as a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council. 4. Thomas Hair (1789-1852), an English landscape painter known for his depictions of rural scenes and coastal views. 5. Margaret Hair (1846-1927), a Scottish suffragist and campaigner for women's rights, who was actively involved in the movement for women's suffrage in Scotland.

While the HAIR surname has connections to various places across England and Scotland, it is believed to have originated as a descriptive nickname rather than being derived from a specific place name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hair families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hair 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. Lanarkshire leads with 206 Hairs recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.59x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 206 5.59x
Renfrewshire 128 14.50x
Ayrshire 111 13.02x
Northumberland 83 4.90x
Durham 73 2.15x
Yorkshire 64 0.57x
Dumfriesshire 52 20.66x
Middlesex 45 0.39x
Midlothian 36 2.36x
Leicestershire 29 2.30x
Lancashire 28 0.21x
Derbyshire 26 1.46x
Staffordshire 24 0.62x
Hampshire 22 0.94x
Lincolnshire 22 1.21x
Cumberland 21 2.14x
West Lothian 21 12.24x
Essex 20 0.89x
Wigtownshire 16 10.58x
Selkirkshire 15 14.55x
Berwickshire 13 9.42x
Surrey 11 0.20x
Sussex 11 0.57x
Fife 9 1.33x
Warwickshire 9 0.31x
Kirkcudbrightshire 8 4.85x
East Lothian 7 4.64x
Kent 7 0.18x
Denbighshire 6 1.39x
Shropshire 6 0.61x
Devon 4 0.17x
Norfolk 4 0.23x
Argyllshire 3 0.95x
Dunbartonshire 3 0.98x
Monmouthshire 3 0.36x
Aberdeenshire 2 0.19x
Anglesey 2 0.99x
Buteshire 2 2.90x
Clackmannanshire 2 2.13x
Northamptonshire 2 0.19x
Perthshire 2 0.39x
Royal Navy 2 1.47x
Angus 1 0.09x
Bedfordshire 1 0.17x
Berkshire 1 0.12x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.15x
Cheshire 1 0.04x
Gloucestershire 1 0.04x
Kincardineshire 1 0.72x
Stirlingshire 1 0.24x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Govan in Lanarkshire leads with 55 Hairs recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.04x.

Place Total Index
Govan 55 6.04x
Barony 51 5.47x
Abbey 43 31.92x
West Greenock 39 24.61x
Glasgow 38 5.81x
Lesmahagow 26 66.72x
Sculcoates 24 13.41x
Holy Trinity 21 7.73x
Tynemouth 21 23.13x
Dumfries 19 76.52x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 19 3.09x
Paisley Low Church 16 57.25x
Barton St Peter 15 179.64x
Whitburn 15 60.51x
Sorn 14 83.58x
Islington London 13 1.18x
Melrose 13 50.12x
Ulgham 13 460.99x
Darlaston 12 22.58x
Elswick 12 8.87x
Muirkirk 12 59.94x
New Monkland 12 11.02x
Paisley High Church 12 17.07x
Sanquhar 12 135.59x
Seals 12 269.66x
Westoe 12 6.24x
Dunse 11 84.10x
Kilmarnock 10 9.85x
Newton On Ayr 10 39.15x
West Ham 10 2.01x
Whithorn 10 86.73x
Funtington 9 207.85x
Leicester St Margaret 9 2.92x
Manchester 9 1.48x
Mauchline 9 91.84x
Shotton 9 107.40x
Westgate 9 8.57x
Dalry 8 19.94x
Heworth 8 11.98x
Melbourne 8 65.63x
Port Glasgow 8 18.74x
Toxteth Park 8 1.75x
Whitley 8 145.99x
Alverstoke 7 8.28x
Castle Gresley 7 228.01x
Church Gresley 7 24.67x
Nether Seal 7 315.32x
Rutherglen 7 12.95x
Ryhope 7 29.75x
Tinwald 7 208.33x
Aston 6 0.76x
Bathgate 6 16.11x
Cardington 6 266.67x
Ceres 6 73.98x
Cleator 6 14.70x
Dalkeith 6 19.93x
Dalrymple 6 112.36x
Dirleton 6 101.35x
Gresford Gwersyllt 6 44.94x
Hamilton 6 5.84x
Hampstead London 6 3.38x
Riccarton 6 46.66x
Riccarton Hurlford 6 40.11x
Soothill 6 14.71x
St Andrew Holborn London 6 12.16x
St Helens 6 35.34x
Whitley Monkseaton 6 1428.57x
Ardrossan 5 16.94x
Battersea 5 1.19x
Bishopwearmouth 5 1.72x
Bramley In Bramley 5 11.57x
Gorbals 5 22.86x
Irvine 5 21.11x
Moffat 5 43.52x
Sorbie 5 75.64x
Stockton On Tees 5 3.06x
Walsall Foreign 5 2.52x
Falsgrave 4 24.04x
Harrington 4 33.78x
Washington 4 28.15x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 30
Jane 24
Elizabeth 18
Sarah 17
Ann 13
Ellen 10
Agnes 9
Annie 8
Hannah 8
Isabella 8
Eliza 6
Margaret 6
Dorothy 5
Fanny 5
Martha 5
Susan 5
Alice 4
Catherine 4
Frances 4
Maria 4
Emily 3
Lizzie 3
Charlotte 2
Christiana 2
Eleanor 2
Emma 2
Harriett 2
Janet 2
Kate 2
Louisa 2
Lucy 2
Anne 1
Bessie 1
Blanche 1
Caroline 1
Elizebeth 1
Elizth. 1
Emly 1
Esther 1
Ethel 1
Feina 1
Helen 1
Henrietta 1
Irene 1
Irving 1
Isabell 1
Jessie 1
Josephine 1
Julia 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 41
William 36
George 17
James 16
Charles 15
Robert 13
Thomas 13
Joseph 8
Edward 7
Henry 6
Walter 5
Alfred 4
Andrew 4
Arthur 4
Archibald 3
Frederick 3
Hugh 3
Thos. 3
Wm. 3
Albert 2
Alexander 2
Amos 2
Barthw. 2
Francis 2
Gilbert 2
Harry 2
J.W. 2
Sidney 2
Barnabas 1
Barthew. 1
Bartholomew 1
C.W. 1
Ephrain 1
Ergen 1
Ernest 1
Felix 1
Frank 1
Fredick 1
Fredrick 1
Isaac 1
J.Wm. 1
Jeremiah 1
Jno. 1
Jno.Geo. 1
Joshua 1
Leonard 1
Lewis 1
Mathias 1
Matthias 1
Neil 1

FAQ

Hair surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hair surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,173 people were recorded with the Hair surname. That placed it at #3,433 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hair surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,422 in 2016. That gives Hair a modern rank of #4,292.

What does the Hair surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to someone who made or sold hair goods, such as wigs or hairnets.

What does the Hair map show?

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