NameCensus.

UK surname

Hambelton

A locational surname derived from a place name referring to a hamlet or small town.

In the 1881 census there were 31 people recorded with the Hambelton surname, ranking it #29,218 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 112, ranked #28,844, up from #29,218 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Medway, Joppa and Croydon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hambelton is 134 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 261.3%.

1881 census count

31

Ranked #29,218

Modern count

112

2016, ranked #28,844

Peak year

1999

134 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hambelton had 31 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #29,218 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 112 in 2016, ranked #28,844.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 85 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Hambelton surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hambelton surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hambelton 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 54 #23,577
1861 historical 54 #27,127
1881 historical 31 #29,218
1891 historical 51 #30,158
1901 historical 55 #28,064
1911 historical 85 #24,322
1997 modern 130 #23,021
1998 modern 133 #23,308
1999 modern 134 #23,378
2000 modern 120 #24,950
2001 modern 114 #25,344
2002 modern 117 #25,494
2003 modern 120 #24,909
2004 modern 118 #25,317
2005 modern 112 #26,114
2006 modern 112 #26,415
2007 modern 113 #26,641
2008 modern 112 #27,061
2009 modern 113 #27,520
2010 modern 118 #27,404
2011 modern 111 #28,294
2012 modern 111 #28,332
2013 modern 118 #27,686
2014 modern 115 #28,439
2015 modern 113 #28,645
2016 modern 112 #28,844

Geography

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Where Hambeltons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Medway, Joppa, Croydon, Gravesham and Shepway. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Medway 030 Medway
2 Joppa City of Edinburgh
3 Croydon 034 Croydon
4 Gravesham 005 Gravesham
5 Shepway 008 Shepway

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hambelton

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

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hambelton

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

Hambelton is most concentrated in decile 9 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Hambelton falls in decile 9 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Hambelton is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Hambelton, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Hambelton

The surname HAMBELTON is of English origin, originating from the county of Yorkshire in the north of England during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English words "ham" meaning a homestead or village, and "belt" meaning a belt or strip of land, indicating that the name likely referred to someone who lived near a belt-shaped piece of land or a hamlet situated in a belt-shaped area.

The earliest recorded mention of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Hamelton" and "Hambleton," referring to various settlements in Yorkshire. This suggests that the name was already in use by the late 11th century.

In the 13th century, the name appears in various historical records as "Hambelton," "Hamylton," and "Hamulton." One notable bearer of the name was John de Hambelton, who was recorded as a landowner in Yorkshire in 1273.

During the 14th and 15th centuries, the name remained concentrated in Yorkshire, with several references to individuals bearing the surname in local records and tax rolls. One notable figure was William Hambelton, a wealthy merchant and alderman in the city of York, who lived from approximately 1380 to 1445.

In the 16th century, the name began to spread to other parts of England, with bearers of the surname appearing in records in counties such as Lancashire and Nottinghamshire. A prominent individual from this period was Sir Thomas Hambelton (1516-1587), a member of the English gentry and a supporter of Queen Elizabeth I.

Other notable individuals with the surname HAMBELTON throughout history include:

1. Robert Hambelton (1624-1698), an English clergyman and author. 2. Edward Hambelton (1702-1774), a British naval officer who served during the War of the Austrian Succession and the Seven Years' War. 3. Elizabeth Hambelton (1786-1857), a philanthropist and advocate for women's education in Yorkshire. 4. James Hambelton (1819-1892), a British explorer and naturalist who made significant contributions to the study of African wildlife. 5. Harriet Hambelton (1867-1943), a suffragette and activist for women's rights in England.

While the surname HAMBELTON is not as common today as it once was, it remains a part of the rich tapestry of English surnames, with its roots firmly planted in the history and geography of Yorkshire.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hambelton families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hambelton 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. Somerset leads with 13 Hambeltons recorded in 1881 and an index of 26.71x.

County Total Index
Somerset 13 26.71x
Surrey 8 5.43x
Oxfordshire 5 26.78x
Lancashire 3 0.84x
Cambridgeshire 1 5.22x
Worcestershire 1 2.53x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Midsomer Norton in Somerset leads with 9 Hambeltons recorded in 1881 and an index of 1956.52x.

Place Total Index
Midsomer Norton 9 1956.52x
Tooting Graveney 8 1951.22x
Rotherfield Greys 5 2500.00x
Radstock 4 1250.00x
Manchester 3 18.59x
Upwell 1 714.29x
Yardley 1 99.01x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Alice 3
Ann 2
Mary 2
Annie 1
Edith 1
Eliza 1
Elizabeth 1
Elizth. 1
Florence 1
Jessie 1
Judith 1
Olive 1

Top male names

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

Top occupations

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 Hambelton households.

FAQ

Hambelton surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hambelton surname in 1881?

In 1881, 31 people were recorded with the Hambelton surname. That placed it at #29,218 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hambelton surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 112 in 2016. That gives Hambelton a modern rank of #28,844.

What does the Hambelton surname mean?

A locational surname derived from a place name referring to a hamlet or small town.

What does the Hambelton map show?

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