UK surname
A topographic surname indicating a person lived on a slope or hill.
In the 1881 census there were 103 people recorded with the Halt surname, ranking it #19,410 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 12, ranked #37,385, down from #19,410 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, St Pancras and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Halt is 815 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 88.3%.
1881 census count
103
Ranked #19,410
Modern count
12
2016, ranked #37,385
Peak year
1861
815 bearers
Map years
6
1851 to 1911
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Halt surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Halt surname density by area, 1881 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 359 | #6,583 |
| 1861 | historical | 815 | #3,376 |
| 1881 | historical | 103 | #19,410 |
| 1891 | historical | 640 | #6,055 |
| 1901 | historical | 271 | #12,462 |
| 1911 | historical | 153 | #17,633 |
| 1997 | modern | 6 | #37,704 |
| 1998 | modern | 9 | #37,189 |
| 1999 | modern | 12 | #36,806 |
| 2000 | modern | 9 | #37,119 |
| 2001 | modern | 4 | #37,862 |
| 2002 | modern | 4 | #37,921 |
| 2003 | modern | 4 | #37,951 |
| 2004 | modern | 5 | #37,830 |
| 2005 | modern | 4 | #38,078 |
| 2006 | modern | 3 | #38,334 |
| 2007 | modern | 4 | #38,169 |
| 2008 | modern | 8 | #37,597 |
| 2009 | modern | 10 | #37,446 |
| 2010 | modern | 13 | #37,215 |
| 2011 | modern | 15 | #37,030 |
| 2012 | modern | 11 | #37,394 |
| 2013 | modern | 9 | #37,653 |
| 2014 | modern | 11 | #37,462 |
| 2015 | modern | 11 | #37,467 |
| 2016 | modern | 12 | #37,385 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, St Pancras, Manchester, London parishes and Bolton-le-Moors. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rochdale | Lancashire |
| 2 | St Pancras | London (North Districts) |
| 3 | Manchester | Lancashire |
| 4 | London parishes | London 2 |
| 5 | Bolton-le-Moors | Lancashire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Halt surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Halt, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Halt surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Halt household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Halt is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Halt is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Halt, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Halt is of English origin, first appearing in records dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "healtan," meaning "to limp" or "to walk lamely." This suggests that the name may have originally been a descriptive nickname given to someone with a noticeable limp or disability.
The earliest known record of the name Halt can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1273, which mentions a person named William Halt. The name also appears in the Sussex Subsidy Rolls of 1296, listing a Robert Halt from the village of Westfield.
During the medieval period, the name Halt was predominantly found in the southern counties of England, particularly in Sussex, Kent, and Surrey. This may indicate that the name originated in these regions before spreading to other parts of the country.
One notable historical figure bearing the surname Halt was John Halt, a merchant and alderman in the city of London during the 15th century. Records show that he served as an alderman for the Broad Street Ward between 1437 and 1461.
Another individual of note was William Halt, a yeoman farmer who lived in the village of Hartfield, Sussex, in the early 16th century. He is mentioned in various land records and legal documents from the time, indicating his status as a landowner and member of the local community.
In the 17th century, the name Halt can be found in the parish records of several villages in Kent, including Wrotham and Maidstone. One such example is Thomas Halt, who was baptized in Wrotham in 1628.
The 18th century saw the name Halt spread to other parts of England, with records showing individuals bearing the name in counties such as Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire. A notable example from this period is James Halt, a farmer from the village of Brigstock in Northamptonshire, who was born in 1742.
Moving into the 19th century, the surname Halt continued to be found across various regions of England. One notable figure from this time was Samuel Halt, a respected schoolmaster who taught in the village of Barton-upon-Humber in Lincolnshire. He was born in 1815 and is recorded in several educational records and local directories.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Halt surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Lancashire leads with 20 Halts recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.69x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Lancashire | 20 | 1.69x |
| Middlesex | 15 | 1.51x |
| Surrey | 10 | 2.06x |
| Buckinghamshire | 7 | 11.64x |
| Staffordshire | 7 | 2.08x |
| Yorkshire | 7 | 0.71x |
| Shropshire | 6 | 6.98x |
| Wiltshire | 5 | 5.68x |
| Hertfordshire | 4 | 5.83x |
| Oxfordshire | 4 | 6.51x |
| Warwickshire | 4 | 1.59x |
| Cambridgeshire | 2 | 3.17x |
| Cumberland | 2 | 2.34x |
| Berkshire | 1 | 1.34x |
| Caernarfonshire | 1 | 2.49x |
| Essex | 1 | 0.51x |
| Lanarkshire | 1 | 0.31x |
| Norfolk | 1 | 0.65x |
| Nottinghamshire | 1 | 0.75x |
| Somerset | 1 | 0.62x |
| Suffolk | 1 | 0.83x |
| Sussex | 1 | 0.60x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Colne in Lancashire leads with 7 Halts recorded in 1881 and an index of 198.86x.
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Halt surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
| Name | Count |
|---|---|
| Mary | 7 |
| Sarah | 6 |
| Elizabeth | 3 |
| Anne | 2 |
| Annie | 2 |
| Emma | 2 |
| Harriett | 2 |
| Helen | 2 |
| Louisa | 2 |
| Agness | 1 |
| Ann | 1 |
| Augustus | 1 |
| Dora | 1 |
| Edith | 1 |
| Eliza | 1 |
| Ellen | 1 |
| Emily | 1 |
| Florence | 1 |
| Florey | 1 |
| Harriet | 1 |
| Hellen | 1 |
| Isabella | 1 |
| Jane | 1 |
| Kate | 1 |
| Malida | 1 |
| Margaret | 1 |
| Merretta | 1 |
| Minnie | 1 |
| Phoebe | 1 |
| Richard | 1 |
| Susannah | 1 |
| Thomas | 1 |
| Thomasina | 1 |
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Halt surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Halt households.
FAQ
In 1881, 103 people were recorded with the Halt surname. That placed it at #19,410 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 12 in 2016. That gives Halt a modern rank of #37,385.
A topographic surname indicating a person lived on a slope or hill.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Halt bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.