NameCensus.

UK surname

Hambrook

An English habitational surname derived from a location name combining Old English "ham" meaning homestead and "broc" meaning brook or stream.

In the 1881 census there were 438 people recorded with the Hambrook surname, ranking it #7,465 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 397, ranked #11,941, down from #7,465 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Dover St James, Dover St Mary and Swingfield. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Dover, Shepway and Canterbury.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hambrook is 645 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 9.4%.

1881 census count

438

Ranked #7,465

Modern count

397

2016, ranked #11,941

Peak year

1911

645 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hambrook had 438 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,465 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 397 in 2016, ranked #11,941.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 645 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Hambrook surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hambrook surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hambrook 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 299 #7,675
1861 historical 313 #8,103
1881 historical 438 #7,465
1891 historical 498 #7,454
1901 historical 566 #7,384
1911 historical 645 #6,480
1997 modern 461 #9,886
1998 modern 487 #9,794
1999 modern 497 #9,698
2000 modern 489 #9,788
2001 modern 471 #9,895
2002 modern 494 #9,718
2003 modern 450 #10,293
2004 modern 431 #10,680
2005 modern 428 #10,619
2006 modern 412 #10,976
2007 modern 415 #11,047
2008 modern 415 #11,145
2009 modern 422 #11,221
2010 modern 419 #11,550
2011 modern 412 #11,593
2012 modern 409 #11,547
2013 modern 428 #11,304
2014 modern 426 #11,408
2015 modern 413 #11,622
2016 modern 397 #11,941

Geography

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Where Hambrooks are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Dover St James, Dover St Mary, Swingfield, Hawkinge, Folkestone and Elham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Dover, Shepway and Canterbury. 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 3
2 Dover St James, Dover St Mary Kent
3 Swingfield Kent
4 Hawkinge, Folkestone Kent
5 Elham Kent

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Dover 005 Dover
2 Shepway 006 Shepway
3 Shepway 005 Shepway
4 Shepway 014 Shepway
5 Canterbury 017 Canterbury

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hambrook

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hambrook

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Hambrook is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Hambrook is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Hambrook falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Hambrook 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 Hambrook, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Hambrook

The surname Hambrook is of English origin, and it is derived from the Old English words "ham," meaning a homestead or village, and "broc," meaning a brook or stream. This suggests that the name likely originated in a settlement located near a small river or stream.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Hambrook date back to the 13th century, with entries found in various county records and tax rolls from that period. One notable example is the appearance of the name in the Subsidy Rolls for Staffordshire in 1327, where a Richard de Hambrook is listed.

During the medieval era, the name was often spelled in various ways, such as Hambroc, Hambroke, and Hamebroc, reflecting the regional variations in pronunciation and spelling conventions at the time.

While no specific mentions of the surname Hambrook are found in the Domesday Book, which was completed in 1086, there are references to places that may have contributed to the formation of the surname, such as Hambleden in Buckinghamshire and Hambrook in Gloucestershire.

One of the earliest known individuals bearing the surname Hambrook was John Hambrook, who was born around 1520 in Worcestershire. He was a prominent landowner and served as a local magistrate in the region.

Another notable figure was Robert Hambrook (1570-1643), a clergyman who served as the rector of St. Mary's Church in Warwick from 1615 until his death.

In the 17th century, Thomas Hambrook (1624-1681) was a successful merchant and landowner in Bristol, where he served as a city alderman and sheriff.

During the 18th century, the Hambrook family established themselves as prominent industrialists in the Midlands region of England. One of the most prominent members was William Hambrook (1735-1811), who owned several foundries and was a leading figure in the iron industry.

In the 19th century, George Hambrook (1807-1879) was a renowned architect who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Royal Opera House and the Grosvenor Hotel.

While the name Hambrook is not among the most common surnames in English-speaking countries, it has a rich history deeply rooted in the villages and settlements of medieval England, where its bearers often played significant roles in their local communities.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hambrook families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hambrook 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. Kent leads with 262 Hambrooks recorded in 1881 and an index of 18.14x.

County Total Index
Kent 262 18.14x
Middlesex 76 1.80x
Surrey 48 2.33x
Essex 14 1.68x
Cheshire 10 1.07x
Sussex 8 1.12x
Lancashire 6 0.12x
Hampshire 5 0.58x
Nottinghamshire 3 0.53x
Hertfordshire 1 0.34x
Yorkshire 1 0.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Elham in Kent leads with 27 Hambrooks recorded in 1881 and an index of 1560.69x.

Place Total Index
Elham 27 1560.69x
Dover St Mary Virgin 23 164.52x
Shoreditch London 17 9.26x
Acrise 16 5000.00x
Charlton 13 135.56x
Lambeth 12 3.25x
Folkestone 10 35.69x
Hougham 10 116.41x
Alkham 9 1084.34x
Denton In Dover 9 4500.00x
Mile End Old Town London 9 9.99x
Newington 9 5.76x
Northbourne 9 652.17x
Staple 9 1200.00x
Bermondsey 8 6.35x
Milton In Milton 8 130.29x
Sholden 8 1428.57x
Westminster St John 8 15.52x
Willesden 8 20.05x
Clerkenwell London 7 7.00x
Deal 7 56.82x
Islington London 7 1.71x
Newington In Elham 7 853.66x
Northfleet 7 55.03x
Swingfield 7 1250.00x
Camberwell 6 2.22x
Grays Thurrock 6 77.22x
Greenwich 6 8.90x
St Pancras London 6 1.76x
West Ham 6 3.25x
Wickhambreux 6 857.14x
Boughton Under Blean 5 206.61x
Haslington 5 190.11x
St Giles In Fields London 5 24.07x
St Margarets At Cliffe 5 581.40x
Wingham 5 299.40x
Ash Next Sandwich 4 125.00x
Buckland In Dover 4 83.51x
Hove 4 12.77x
Rotherhithe 4 7.65x
Walmer 4 63.69x
Woolwich 4 7.50x
Broadwater 3 18.33x
Bromley London 3 3.22x
Canterbury St Andrew 3 491.80x
Gorton 3 6.35x
Hackington St Stephen 3 322.58x
Mouldsworth 3 1111.11x
Newark Upon Trent 3 14.63x
Reigate Foreign 3 13.43x
Beckenham 2 10.59x
Bridge 2 161.29x
Chartham 2 55.56x
Cheadle 2 11.20x
Chilcomb 2 454.55x
Faversham 2 14.52x
Freshwater 2 50.51x
Great Mongeham 2 294.12x
Hammersmith London 2 1.92x
Little Thurrock 2 298.51x
Margate St John Baptist 2 7.56x
Petham 2 200.00x
Preston Next Wingham 2 307.69x
Ramsgate 2 8.48x
Salford 2 1.35x
Sheldwich 2 217.39x
Thames Ditton 2 46.73x
Canterbury St Dunstan 1 40.16x
Canterbury St George 1 57.80x
Canterbury St Mildred 1 29.15x
Croydon 1 0.87x
East Grinstead 1 9.90x
Eastry 1 50.00x
Edenbridge 1 35.34x
Sittingbourne 1 8.76x
St Anne Soho London 1 4.14x
St Paul Covent Garden 1 23.58x
St Peters 1 14.97x
Watford 1 4.42x
West Derby 1 0.68x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 25
Sarah 15
Elizabeth 14
Eliza 10
Emily 10
Margaret 8
Annie 7
Ellen 6
Harriet 6
Jane 6
Ann 5
Edith 5
Frances 5
Ada 4
Anne 4
Caroline 4
Esther 4
Hannah 4
Harriett 4
Clara 3
Louisa 3
Louise 3
Maria 3
Rosa 3
Selina 3
Susan 3
Alice 2
Eleanor 2
Emma 2
Fanny 2
Florence 2
Harriot 2
Lucy 2
M.A. 2
Minnie 2
Susannah 2
Agnes 1
Charlotte 1
Codellia 1
Ethel 1
Evangeline 1
Eveline 1
Francis 1
Janetta 1
Julia 1
Kate 1
Keren 1
Kezia 1
Laurie 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 23
William 20
Henry 18
John 17
Thomas 9
Charles 8
Edward 8
Richard 8
Alfred 7
Frederick 7
Stephen 5
Albert 4
James 4
Arthur 3
Edwin 3
Frank 3
Fredk. 3
Harry 3
Nicholas 3
Walter 3
Archibald 2
Ernest 2
Francis 2
Herbert 2
Horace 2
Isaac 2
Joseph 2
Percy 2
Samuel 2
Willm. 2
Ashton 1
Chas. 1
Daniel 1
Dubouc 1
Ed. 1
Ed.Jas. 1
F.W. 1
Fred 1
Hazeldine 1
Hedley 1
Jno. 1
L. 1
Philip 1
Ralph 1
Reginald 1
Richd. 1
Robert 1
Saml.S. 1
Sidney 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Hambrook surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hambrook surname in 1881?

In 1881, 438 people were recorded with the Hambrook surname. That placed it at #7,465 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hambrook surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 397 in 2016. That gives Hambrook a modern rank of #11,941.

What does the Hambrook surname mean?

An English habitational surname derived from a location name combining Old English "ham" meaning homestead and "broc" meaning brook or stream.

What does the Hambrook map show?

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