NameCensus.

UK surname

Halifax

An English surname derived from the town name Halifax in West Yorkshire.

In the 1881 census there were 259 people recorded with the Halifax surname, ranking it #10,808 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 296, ranked #14,882, down from #10,808 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Hopton, London parishes and Doncaster. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Holland, Scarborough and Doncaster.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Halifax is 338 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 14.3%.

1881 census count

259

Ranked #10,808

Modern count

296

2016, ranked #14,882

Peak year

1901

338 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Halifax had 259 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,808 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 296 in 2016, ranked #14,882.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 338 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Halifax surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Halifax surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Halifax 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 132 #14,174
1861 historical 120 #18,255
1881 historical 259 #10,808
1891 historical 304 #11,005
1901 historical 338 #10,709
1911 historical 292 #11,674
1997 modern 312 #13,182
1998 modern 306 #13,720
1999 modern 307 #13,757
2000 modern 305 #13,769
2001 modern 301 #13,700
2002 modern 318 #13,475
2003 modern 302 #13,752
2004 modern 304 #13,783
2005 modern 311 #13,490
2006 modern 295 #14,053
2007 modern 314 #13,618
2008 modern 310 #13,834
2009 modern 324 #13,689
2010 modern 325 #13,946
2011 modern 321 #13,940
2012 modern 297 #14,607
2013 modern 308 #14,482
2014 modern 303 #14,733
2015 modern 299 #14,796
2016 modern 296 #14,882

Geography

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Where Halifax' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Hopton, London parishes, Doncaster, Sheffield and Mansfield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Holland, Scarborough and Doncaster. 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 Hopton Suffolk
2 London parishes London 3
3 Doncaster Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Mansfield Nottinghamshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Holland 006 South Holland
2 Scarborough 014 Scarborough
3 Doncaster 035 Doncaster
4 South Holland 009 South Holland
5 South Holland 007 South Holland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Halifax

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Halifax

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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Halifax surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Halifax household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Halifax 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

Halifax is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Halifax

The surname Halifax has its origins in England, tracing back to the town of Halifax in West Yorkshire. The name is derived from the Old English words "halig" meaning holy and "feax" meaning hair or locks, referring to the holy locks of hair from the head of a Saxon virgin martyr.

Halifax as a place name first appeared in the Domesday Book of 1086 as "Halifac". The town's name likely stems from its historical association with St. John the Baptist, whose head was believed to have been preserved there by the church.

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the surname Halifax was William de Halifax, mentioned in the Assize Rolls of Yorkshire in 1297. The name also appeared in various 14th and 15th-century records, including the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire in 1379, where it was spelled as "Halyfax".

In the 16th century, notable individuals with the surname Halifax included Sir Robert Halifax (c. 1500-1570), an English politician and landowner from Yorkshire. Another was Savile Halifax (1633-1695), an English writer and Member of Parliament.

In the 17th century, George Savile, 1st Marquess of Halifax (1633-1695), was a prominent English writer, statesman, and politician. He served as Lord Privy Seal and played a significant role in the Glorious Revolution of 1688.

During the 18th century, Anne Halifax (1734-1800) was a notable English actress and playwright, known for her performances in London theaters and her works for the stage.

In the 19th century, Charles Wood, 1st Viscount Halifax (1800-1885), was a British politician and churchman who served as President of the English Church Union and was a leading figure in the Anglo-Catholic movement.

Throughout history, the surname Halifax has been associated with various places, including the town of Halifax in West Yorkshire, as well as Halifax County in Nova Scotia, Canada, and the city of Halifax, Nova Scotia, both of which were named after the Earl of Halifax, a British statesman and President of the Board of Trade in the 18th century.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Halifax families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Halifax 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. Yorkshire leads with 47 Halifax' recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.88x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 47 1.88x
Suffolk 37 12.02x
Middlesex 36 1.42x
Lincolnshire 34 8.42x
Lancashire 18 0.60x
Bedfordshire 12 9.17x
Derbyshire 12 3.03x
Essex 11 2.21x
Warwickshire 11 1.73x
Cumberland 6 2.76x
Devon 6 1.14x
Norfolk 5 1.29x
Staffordshire 5 0.59x
Surrey 4 0.32x
Nottinghamshire 3 0.88x
Oxfordshire 3 1.92x
Hampshire 2 0.39x
Kent 2 0.23x
Berkshire 1 0.53x
Cheshire 1 0.18x
Huntingdonshire 1 1.99x
Midlothian 1 0.30x
Sussex 1 0.23x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Doncaster in Yorkshire leads with 19 Halifax' recorded in 1881 and an index of 103.88x.

Place Total Index
Doncaster 19 103.88x
Gedney 13 787.88x
Kensington London 13 9.26x
Coal Aston 12 1764.71x
Hopton 12 1578.95x
Conisbrough 9 382.98x
Aston 8 4.56x
Clerkenwell London 8 13.42x
Fleet 8 695.65x
West Ham 8 7.27x
Pakefield 7 921.05x
Wangford 7 1206.90x
Clayton Le Moors 6 103.09x
Holbeach 6 133.33x
Holy Trinity 6 9.96x
Bedford St Paul 5 55.74x
Newchurch 5 20.39x
Sebergham 5 1041.67x
Barrow In Furness 4 9.81x
Bow London 4 12.44x
Luton 4 17.66x
South Pool 4 1176.47x
Wandsworth 4 16.45x
Beccles 3 60.61x
Great Yarmouth 3 9.32x
Islington London 3 1.23x
Keelby 3 468.75x
Longdon 3 254.24x
Oxford St Giles 3 40.32x
Polesworth 3 99.01x
Sculcoates 3 7.56x
Bromley London 2 3.60x
Darsham 2 526.32x
Dunstable 2 49.75x
Harborne 2 7.32x
Heveningham 2 740.74x
Holy Trinity 2 181.82x
Hook 2 36.30x
Hulme 2 3.20x
St Marylebone London 2 1.48x
Walthamstow 2 11.14x
Warsop 2 222.22x
Acton 1 6.75x
Barham 1 243.90x
Blaxton 1 526.32x
Brampton 1 384.62x
Brightside Bierlow 1 2.04x
Burgh By Sands 1 142.86x
Crowfield 1 322.58x
Denton 1 1666.67x
Dunsby 1 526.32x
East Ham 1 10.80x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 1 0.73x
Flitwick 1 140.85x
Gate Fulford 1 17.09x
Great Crosby 1 12.24x
Great Grimsby 1 3.90x
Hatfield In Thorne 1 64.10x
Herringfleet 1 500.00x
Hyde 1 6.08x
Kirk Ella 1 333.33x
Nether Hallam 1 2.95x
Plumstead 1 3.48x
Portsea 1 0.99x
Portsmouth 1 8.39x
Ratcliffe London 1 7.17x
Reading St Mary 1 6.58x
Redenhall 1 66.23x
Snenton 1 7.47x
St Maryle Wigford 1 31.85x
St Pancras London 1 0.49x
Starston 1 227.27x
Sutton St Mary 1 26.18x
Thorne 1 32.15x
Wadworth 1 204.08x
Westminster St Margaret 1 8.20x
Wivelsfield 1 60.24x
Woolwich 1 3.14x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 12
Mary 10
Emma 7
Sarah 7
Ann 6
Annie 6
Eliza 6
Jane 6
Alice 4
Emily 4
Frances 4
Louisa 4
Ellen 3
Harriet 3
Martha 3
Anne 2
Charlotte 2
Elizth 2
Florence 2
Isabella 2
Lizzie 2
Lucy 2
Margaret 2
Margret 2
Maria 2
Rachel 2
Agnes 1
Allsie 1
Amelia 1
Annei 1
Barbara 1
Eda 1
Ellin 1
Elmira 1
Emelia 1
Esther 1
Ethel 1
Fanny 1
Gertrude 1
Hariott 1
Harriett 1
Harriott 1
Jessie 1
Kate 1
Katie 1
Laura 1
Lydia 1
Mathilda 1
Rebecca 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 28
William 13
George 9
Charles 7
Henry 7
Joseph 7
Thomas 7
Frederick 4
Alfred 3
Harry 3
James 3
Samuel 3
Arthur 2
Ernest 2
Fredrick 2
Herbert 2
Robert 2
Walter 2
A. 1
A.P. 1
Albert 1
Benjamin 1
Christopher 1
David 1
Edward 1
Edwin 1
Ezra 1
Fred. 1
Gerald 1
Jno. 1
Melborne 1
Oliver 1
Philip 1
Samual 1
Wilfred 1

FAQ

Halifax surname: questions and answers

How common was the Halifax surname in 1881?

In 1881, 259 people were recorded with the Halifax surname. That placed it at #10,808 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Halifax surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 296 in 2016. That gives Halifax a modern rank of #14,882.

What does the Halifax surname mean?

An English surname derived from the town name Halifax in West Yorkshire.

What does the Halifax map show?

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