NameCensus.

UK surname

Halls

A topographic surname derived from Old English "heall" meaning hall or manor house.

In the 1881 census there were 2,380 people recorded with the Halls surname, ranking it #1,873 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,937, ranked #2,298, down from #1,873 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Colchester St Botolph, St Mary at the Walls, St Giles, St Mary Magdalen, Holy Trinity, St Runwald, a and Cambridge: St Andrew the Less, St Andrew the Great, Holy Trinity, St Benedict. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Walsall, Forest Heath and East Cambridgeshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Halls is 3,297 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 23.4%.

1881 census count

2,380

Ranked #1,873

Modern count

2,937

2016, ranked #2,298

Peak year

1911

3,297 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Halls had 2,380 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,873 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,937 in 2016, ranked #2,298.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,297 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Halls surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Halls surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Halls 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 1,941 #1,495
1861 historical 2,226 #1,324
1881 historical 2,380 #1,873
1891 historical 2,709 #1,750
1901 historical 3,068 #1,822
1911 historical 3,297 #1,583
1997 modern 2,964 #2,184
1998 modern 3,031 #2,222
1999 modern 3,045 #2,224
2000 modern 3,063 #2,200
2001 modern 2,975 #2,217
2002 modern 3,016 #2,229
2003 modern 2,935 #2,234
2004 modern 2,921 #2,251
2005 modern 2,838 #2,288
2006 modern 2,868 #2,265
2007 modern 2,874 #2,283
2008 modern 2,877 #2,299
2009 modern 2,929 #2,309
2010 modern 2,987 #2,311
2011 modern 2,937 #2,319
2012 modern 2,912 #2,298
2013 modern 2,962 #2,303
2014 modern 3,000 #2,289
2015 modern 2,956 #2,291
2016 modern 2,937 #2,298

Geography

Back to top

Where Halls' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Colchester St Botolph, St Mary at the Walls, St Giles, St Mary Magdalen, Holy Trinity, St Runwald, a, Cambridge: St Andrew the Less, St Andrew the Great, Holy Trinity, St Benedict 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 Walsall, Forest Heath, East Cambridgeshire, Babergh and Ipswich. 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 Colchester St Botolph, St Mary at the Walls, St Giles, St Mary Magdalen, Holy Trinity, St Runwald, a Essex
4 Cambridge: St Andrew the Less, St Andrew the Great, Holy Trinity, St Benedict Cambridgeshire
5 St Mary Islington London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Walsall 018 Walsall
2 Forest Heath 002 Forest Heath
3 East Cambridgeshire 003 East Cambridgeshire
4 Babergh 001 Babergh
5 Ipswich 006 Ipswich

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Halls

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Halls

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Halls is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Halls 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

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

Meaning and origin of Halls

The surname Halls is an English name that originated in the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word 'hall', which referred to a large dwelling or manor house. The name likely emerged as a toponymic surname, indicating that the original bearer lived near or worked in a hall.

Halls is closely related to other English surnames such as Hall, Halle, and Halles, which share the same root. The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which mentions individuals with the surnames Hall and Halle living in various parts of England.

One of the earliest notable individuals with the surname Halls was William Halls, a 13th-century English landowner and knight who held lands in Gloucestershire. Records from the 14th century mention a John Halls, a prominent merchant and alderman in the city of London.

In the 16th century, a family of Halls owned the manor of Shrawley in Worcestershire. Thomas Halls (1535-1603) was a member of this family and served as a Member of Parliament for Worcestershire.

During the English Civil War in the 17th century, Edward Halls (1605-1679) was a Puritan clergyman and writer who supported the Parliamentary cause against King Charles I.

In the 18th century, Samuel Halls (1743-1825) was a notable English engraver and printmaker, known for his intricate engravings of architectural subjects and landscapes.

Another prominent figure with the surname Halls was Sir William Halls (1800-1876), a British naval officer and explorer who served in the Royal Navy and played a significant role in the exploration of the Arctic regions.

The name Halls has also been associated with various place names in England, such as Hallsall in Lancashire and Hallsborough in Northamptonshire, which may have influenced the development of the surname in those regions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Halls families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Halls 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. Essex leads with 640 Halls' recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.03x.

County Total Index
Essex 640 14.03x
Middlesex 356 1.54x
Suffolk 356 12.65x
Norfolk 193 5.43x
Surrey 140 1.24x
Cambridgeshire 137 9.36x
Kent 101 1.28x
Cornwall 84 3.21x
Devon 75 1.56x
Yorkshire 45 0.20x
Sussex 32 0.82x
Leicestershire 30 1.17x
Hertfordshire 27 1.70x
Gloucestershire 22 0.49x
Glamorgan 15 0.37x
Staffordshire 13 0.17x
Ayrshire 11 0.64x
Hampshire 10 0.21x
Wiltshire 9 0.44x
Somerset 8 0.22x
Cheshire 7 0.14x
Lincolnshire 7 0.19x
Derbyshire 6 0.17x
Rutland 6 3.54x
Warwickshire 6 0.10x
Durham 4 0.06x
Huntingdonshire 4 0.87x
Dorset 3 0.20x
Midlothian 3 0.10x
Nottinghamshire 3 0.10x
Royal Navy 3 1.09x
Monmouthshire 2 0.12x
Worcestershire 2 0.07x
Bedfordshire 1 0.08x
Channel Islands 1 0.15x
Cumberland 1 0.05x
Flintshire 1 0.16x
Kirkcudbrightshire 1 0.30x
Lanarkshire 1 0.01x
Lancashire 1 0.00x
Oxfordshire 1 0.07x
Ross-shire 1 0.16x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Islington London in Middlesex leads with 40 Halls' recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.79x.

Place Total Index
Islington London 40 1.79x
Mile End Old Town London 36 7.32x
Ipswich St Clement 35 48.92x
Radwinter 34 508.98x
Lambeth 29 1.44x
Clerkenwell London 28 5.13x
Finchingfield 27 188.94x
Thurston 27 490.02x
Chelmsford 26 33.22x
Deptford St Paul 26 4.28x
Hempstead 26 521.04x
St Pancras London 26 1.40x
Barking 24 17.98x
Shoreditch London 23 2.30x
Sible Hedingham 23 150.92x
Fulbourn 22 157.14x
Hackney London 22 1.70x
Saffron Walden 20 41.49x
Southwark St George Martyr 20 4.30x
Camberwell 19 1.29x
Great Yarmouth 19 6.46x
Mildenhall 18 60.18x
Paddington London 18 2.12x
Croydon 17 2.72x
Helston 17 62.50x
Brighton 16 2.04x
Hampstead London 16 4.45x
Hornchurch 16 71.56x
West Ham 16 1.59x
Great Burstead 15 90.36x
Hampton London 15 39.48x
Hitcham 15 211.27x
Springfield 15 75.04x
White Colne 15 506.76x
Bromley London 14 2.75x
Mundon 14 546.88x
Attleborough 13 72.42x
Colchester St Martin 13 155.88x
Coton 13 505.84x
Ipswich St Peter 13 34.31x
Rayleigh 13 123.69x
St George Hanover Square 13 3.19x
Gloucester Barton St Mary 12 14.47x
Helion Bumpstead 12 195.12x
Newington 12 1.41x
Woolwich 12 4.12x
Duxford 11 179.74x
Exeter St Sidwell 11 9.98x
Great Hallingbury 11 221.33x
Haverhill 11 44.00x
Stetchworth 11 228.69x
Wivenhoe 11 60.74x
Beith 10 19.38x
Chester St Nicholas 10 307.69x
East Harling 10 118.62x
Haverhill 10 240.96x
Ipswich St Nicholas 10 64.52x
Newlyn 10 89.53x
North Hill 10 119.19x
Roudham 10 757.58x
St Marylebone London 10 0.81x
White Notley 10 273.97x
Barnstaple 9 11.92x
Bethnal Green London 9 0.90x
Colchester St James 9 48.68x
Eastchurch 9 115.68x
Kensington London 9 0.70x
Kingston On Thames 9 3.33x
Lakenheath 9 60.57x
Margaretting 9 216.35x
Northfleet 9 12.96x
Rockland All Sts 9 412.84x
St Andrewthe Less 9 5.38x
St Giles Cambridge 9 47.59x
Thorpe Morieux 9 273.56x
Toppesfield 9 132.16x
Tottenham 9 2.45x
West Dereham 9 202.25x
Grays Thurrock 8 18.87x
Panfield 8 313.73x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 134
Elizabeth 77
Sarah 76
Emma 56
Eliza 53
Alice 50
Ellen 43
Ann 38
Jane 35
Emily 34
Martha 25
Annie 24
Harriet 24
Caroline 22
Susan 21
Edith 18
Louisa 18
Charlotte 17
Hannah 17
Kate 16
Susannah 16
Florence 14
Lucy 14
Ada 12
Maria 12
Rebecca 12
Sophia 12
Anne 11
Clara 11
Fanny 11
Lydia 10
Beatrice 8
Esther 8
Harriett 8
Julia 8
Minnie 8
Anna 7
Rose 7
Amy 6
Ethel 6
Matilda 6
Maud 6
Eleanor 5
Jessie 5
Rosina 5
Agnes 4
Amelia 4
Flora 4
Louise 4
Rachel 4

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 160
John 114
George 87
James 86
Charles 70
Henry 55
Robert 45
Alfred 39
Arthur 39
Thomas 34
Frederick 33
Joseph 29
Walter 26
Herbert 22
Edward 19
Albert 18
Samuel 18
Harry 17
Frank 15
Richard 14
David 8
Jonathan 7
Ernest 6
Daniel 5
Fredrick 5
Sidney 5
Stephen 5
Wm. 5
Fred 4
Isaac 4
Jacob 4
Josiah 4
Percy 4
Peter 4
Thos. 4
Chas. 3
Earnest 3
Edwin 3
Elijah 3
Francis 3
Geo. 3
Job 3
Lewis 3
Robt. 3
Sydney 3
Alexander 2
Amos 2
F.C. 2
Oliver 2
Philip 2

FAQ

Halls surname: questions and answers

How common was the Halls surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,380 people were recorded with the Halls surname. That placed it at #1,873 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Halls surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,937 in 2016. That gives Halls a modern rank of #2,298.

What does the Halls surname mean?

A topographic surname derived from Old English "heall" meaning hall or manor house.

What does the Halls map show?

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