NameCensus.

UK surname

Hales

Derived from a place name meaning "nooks" or "retreats" in Old English, or "hero" in Old Germanic.

In the 1881 census there were 4,292 people recorded with the Hales surname, ranking it #1,044 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 5,345, ranked #1,260, down from #1,044 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Pancras and Kettering. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Herefordshire, East Devon and Swale.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hales is 5,854 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 24.5%.

1881 census count

4,292

Ranked #1,044

Modern count

5,345

2016, ranked #1,260

Peak year

1911

5,854 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hales had 4,292 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,044 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 5,345 in 2016, ranked #1,260.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 5,854 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Hales surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hales surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hales 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 2,620 #1,129
1861 historical 2,849 #1,025
1881 historical 4,292 #1,044
1891 historical 4,624 #1,011
1901 historical 5,254 #1,072
1911 historical 5,854 #887
1997 modern 5,505 #1,186
1998 modern 5,703 #1,190
1999 modern 5,750 #1,188
2000 modern 5,677 #1,200
2001 modern 5,522 #1,205
2002 modern 5,537 #1,228
2003 modern 5,417 #1,228
2004 modern 5,456 #1,213
2005 modern 5,365 #1,215
2006 modern 5,311 #1,231
2007 modern 5,338 #1,229
2008 modern 5,344 #1,240
2009 modern 5,436 #1,248
2010 modern 5,581 #1,242
2011 modern 5,510 #1,240
2012 modern 5,405 #1,239
2013 modern 5,499 #1,238
2014 modern 5,498 #1,240
2015 modern 5,403 #1,252
2016 modern 5,345 #1,260

Geography

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Where Hales' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Pancras, Kettering and St Mary Islington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Herefordshire, East Devon, Swale, Cheshire West and Chester and Mid Suffolk. 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 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 St Pancras London (North Districts)
4 Kettering Northamptonshire
5 St Mary Islington London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Herefordshire 008 Herefordshire, County of
2 East Devon 010 East Devon
3 Swale 008 Swale
4 Cheshire West and Chester 045 Cheshire West and Chester
5 Mid Suffolk 005 Mid Suffolk

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hales

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hales

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Hales is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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 located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Hales is most concentrated in decile 5 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Hales 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 Hales 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 Hales, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Hales

The surname Hales has its origins in England and dates back to the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "hale," meaning a nook, remote valley, or secluded place. This suggests that the name may have been originally given to someone who lived in a sheltered or isolated location.

One of the earliest records of the name Hales can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which mentions several places with variations of the name, such as Hales in Norfolk and Hales in Shropshire. These place names likely gave rise to the surname as people began to adopt the names of the areas they lived in or came from.

In the 13th century, the name appears in various records, including the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which mentions individuals with the name Hales in counties like Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire. During this time, the name was often spelled differently, with variations such as Hale, Hayles, and Halys.

One notable figure from history bearing the surname Hales was John Hales (1516-1572), a prominent English jurist and writer who served as a judge and member of Parliament during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. Another was Sir Edward Hales (1576-1654), a renowned English theologian and scholar who played a significant role in the English Reformation.

In the 17th century, the name gained further prominence with the birth of Sir John Hales (1584-1656), an English theologian and scholar who was a member of the renowned Tew Circle and a vocal opponent of religious intolerance. Around the same time, John Hales (1639-1711), an English scientist and inventor, made important contributions to the development of ventilation systems and pneumatic machinery.

Another noteworthy figure was Alexander Hales (1737-1803), an English clergyman and scientist who conducted groundbreaking experiments on plant physiology and is considered one of the pioneers of plant biology. His work on the movement of sap in plants and the role of air in plant growth laid the foundation for modern plant physiology.

The surname Hales has a rich history that spans several centuries and is firmly rooted in its English origins. Despite various spelling variations over time, the name has endured and continues to be associated with notable individuals from various fields, reflecting the diverse contributions made by those who have borne this surname throughout history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hales families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hales 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. Middlesex leads with 763 Hales' recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.82x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 763 1.82x
Kent 380 2.66x
Staffordshire 333 2.35x
Surrey 269 1.32x
Essex 264 3.19x
Lancashire 218 0.44x
Warwickshire 194 1.83x
Northamptonshire 184 4.67x
Norfolk 168 2.61x
Yorkshire 149 0.36x
Lincolnshire 129 1.92x
Shropshire 127 3.51x
Suffolk 113 2.21x
Leicestershire 74 1.59x
Cheshire 67 0.72x
Hertfordshire 66 2.28x
Cambridgeshire 60 2.26x
Hampshire 60 0.70x
Somerset 54 0.80x
Nottinghamshire 52 0.92x
Worcestershire 48 0.88x
Rutland 46 14.94x
Gloucestershire 45 0.55x
Sussex 45 0.64x
Derbyshire 41 0.62x
Cumberland 39 1.08x
Durham 36 0.29x
Bedfordshire 35 1.61x
Herefordshire 30 1.75x
Huntingdonshire 27 3.24x
Northumberland 26 0.42x
Buckinghamshire 19 0.75x
Monmouthshire 17 0.56x
Cornwall 15 0.32x
Wiltshire 14 0.38x
Devon 12 0.14x
Glamorgan 12 0.16x
Berkshire 11 0.35x
Oxfordshire 9 0.35x
Angus 8 0.21x
Royal Navy 8 1.60x
Denbighshire 6 0.38x
Flintshire 6 0.53x
Lanarkshire 6 0.04x
Dorset 3 0.11x
Isle of Man 3 0.39x
Cardiganshire 2 0.20x
Brecknockshire 1 0.12x
Dunbartonshire 1 0.09x
Merionethshire 1 0.13x
Montgomeryshire 1 0.10x
Wigtownshire 1 0.18x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Pancras London in Middlesex leads with 105 Hales' recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.11x.

Place Total Index
St Pancras London 105 3.11x
Islington London 85 2.09x
Bethnal Green London 74 4.06x
Aston 71 2.44x
Lambeth 54 1.48x
Stoke Upon Trent 54 3.60x
Kettering 45 28.21x
Stockbury 45 505.05x
Wolverhampton 45 4.14x
Hackney London 43 1.83x
Newington 37 2.39x
Birmingham 36 1.02x
Shoreditch London 36 1.98x
Liverpool 32 1.06x
Lowestoft 31 12.85x
St Marylebone London 31 1.38x
West Ham 31 1.70x
Rainham 29 73.77x
St George Hanover Square 29 3.93x
Kensington London 28 1.20x
Great Yarmouth 26 4.87x
Eye 25 132.70x
Manchester 25 1.12x
Chatham 24 6.10x
Southwark St George Martyr 24 2.84x
St Luke London 24 3.57x
West Bromwich 24 2.96x
Portsea 23 1.37x
Belton 22 245.54x
Bermondsey 22 1.76x
Ellesmere 22 35.38x
Castor 20 119.19x
Edith Weston 20 398.41x
Everton 19 1.20x
Hulme 19 1.83x
Brighton 18 1.26x
Leicester St Margaret 18 1.59x
Maidstone 18 4.22x
Newington In Milton 18 120.72x
Walsall Foreign 18 2.46x
Sandwith 17 319.55x
St George In East London 17 4.31x
Clapham 16 3.05x
Hammersmith London 16 1.55x
Hampstead London 16 2.45x
Lyncombe Widcombe 16 9.05x
Sculcoates 16 2.43x
Mile End Old Town London 15 1.68x
Nottingham St Mary 15 1.03x
Sheffield 15 1.13x
Spitalfields London 15 4.76x
Tottenham 15 2.25x
Bunwell 14 113.27x
Burslem 14 3.45x
Deptford St Paul 14 1.27x
Derby St Peter 14 6.70x
Macclesfield 14 3.40x
Melchbourne 14 445.86x
Navenby 14 101.82x
Paddington London 14 0.91x
Peterborough 14 4.90x
Stockton 14 141.99x
Toxteth Park 14 0.83x
Wimbledon 14 6.10x
Bristol St George 13 3.42x
Cannock 13 5.26x
Chelsea London 13 1.03x
Croydon 13 1.15x
Great Barr 13 80.30x
Newark Upon Trent 13 6.40x
Swinford 13 224.91x
West Derby 13 0.89x
Wrockwardine 13 16.32x
Clerkenwell London 12 1.21x
East Barnet 12 20.94x
Halstead 12 12.43x
Northfleet 12 9.52x
Prees 12 27.20x
Snenton 12 5.40x
Wisbech St Peter 12 9.01x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 272
Sarah 167
Elizabeth 157
Jane 89
Eliza 80
Ann 76
Ellen 75
Alice 72
Emma 64
Annie 52
Emily 51
Louisa 41
Martha 39
Harriet 35
Hannah 34
Edith 33
Fanny 30
Caroline 29
Maria 28
Ada 26
Catherine 24
Florence 24
Charlotte 23
Lucy 23
Margaret 22
Clara 20
Harriett 19
Susan 18
Agnes 16
Anne 15
Esther 15
Amelia 14
Matilda 12
Rebecca 12
Susannah 12
Frances 11
Kate 11
Rose 11
Gertrude 10
Julia 10
Eleanor 9
Elizth. 9
Amy 8
Jessie 8
Laura 8
Ruth 8
Sophia 8
Lydia 7
Maud 7
Susanna 7

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 279
John 213
George 185
Thomas 137
James 117
Henry 94
Charles 87
Edward 66
Joseph 63
Alfred 62
Arthur 56
Robert 52
Samuel 49
Walter 44
Frederick 41
Richard 38
Albert 31
Harry 28
Herbert 22
Ernest 20
Frank 18
Wm. 17
Peter 12
Stephen 12
Francis 11
David 10
Isaac 10
Edwin 9
Fredk. 9
Willm. 9
Fredrick 8
Benjamin 7
Fred 7
Geo. 7
Lewis 7
Philip 7
Daniel 6
Ralph 6
Sidney 6
Edmund 5
Matthew 5
Phillip 5
Henery 4
Lawrence 4
Tom 4
Adam 3
Charlie 3
Hy. 3
J. 3
Richd. 3

FAQ

Hales surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hales surname in 1881?

In 1881, 4,292 people were recorded with the Hales surname. That placed it at #1,044 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hales surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 5,345 in 2016. That gives Hales a modern rank of #1,260.

What does the Hales surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "nooks" or "retreats" in Old English, or "hero" in Old Germanic.

What does the Hales map show?

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