NameCensus.

UK surname

Hamby

Derived from a place name meaning "homestead with a water meadow" in Old English.

In the 1881 census there were 103 people recorded with the Hamby surname, ranking it #19,410 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 219, ranked #18,422, up from #19,410 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ellough, Silkstone and Batley. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Barnsley, Kingston upon Hull and Salford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hamby is 220 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 112.6%.

1881 census count

103

Ranked #19,410

Modern count

219

2016, ranked #18,422

Peak year

2010

220 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hamby had 103 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #19,410 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 219 in 2016, ranked #18,422.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 189 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Small Town Suburbia.

Hamby surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hamby surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hamby 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 123 #14,886
1861 historical 183 #12,903
1881 historical 103 #19,410
1891 historical 189 #15,547
1901 historical 189 #15,684
1911 historical 184 #15,742
1997 modern 187 #18,398
1998 modern 200 #18,114
1999 modern 198 #18,343
2000 modern 190 #18,806
2001 modern 188 #18,652
2002 modern 181 #19,463
2003 modern 187 #18,856
2004 modern 190 #18,792
2005 modern 185 #19,051
2006 modern 202 #18,160
2007 modern 205 #18,194
2008 modern 201 #18,584
2009 modern 211 #18,377
2010 modern 220 #18,265
2011 modern 205 #18,965
2012 modern 196 #19,463
2013 modern 208 #19,041
2014 modern 213 #18,883
2015 modern 220 #18,346
2016 modern 219 #18,422

Geography

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Where Hambys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ellough, Silkstone, Batley, Ipswich St Clement and Warren House and Ipswich St Mary Stoke. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Barnsley, Kingston upon Hull, Salford, Newark and Sherwood and Kirklees. 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 Ellough Suffolk
2 Silkstone Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Batley Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Ipswich St Clement and Warren House Suffolk
5 Ipswich St Mary Stoke Suffolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Barnsley 019 Barnsley
2 Kingston upon Hull 006 Kingston upon Hull, City of
3 Salford 017 Salford
4 Newark and Sherwood 012 Newark and Sherwood
5 Kirklees 055 Kirklees

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hamby

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hamby

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Small Town Suburbia

Nationally, the Hamby surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Small Town Suburbia, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Hamby 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 is predominantly comprised of married couples with no resident dependent children, living in areas characterised neither by under-occupancy nor overcrowding throughout the UK in or adjacent to small towns. White ethnic groups and affiliation with Christianity predominates. Housing tends to be predominantly semi-detached or detached and workers are employed principally in managerial and professional occupations, with semi-skilled occupations also in evidence. These areas of the Supergroup are of higher population density.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Hamby is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Hamby is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Hamby 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 Hamby is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Hamby

The surname Hamby is of English origin, with roots tracing back to the medieval period. It is believed to have originated in the county of Gloucestershire, derived from the Old English words "ham" meaning a village or homestead, and "bie" meaning a dwelling or habitation.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Hambi." This entry suggests that the name was already established in England during the Norman Conquest.

The name Hamby is also thought to have connections to various place names in Gloucestershire, such as Hambrook and Hambury. These locations likely played a role in the surname's development, as it was common for people to adopt surnames based on the places they lived or came from.

One notable figure bearing the Hamby surname was William Hamby, a member of the English Parliament who lived in the late 16th century (c. 1550-1610). He represented the borough of Grantham and played a role in the political affairs of his time.

In the 17th century, John Hamby (c. 1630-1695) was a renowned English poet and satirist, known for his biting wit and criticism of literary figures of his era. His work "The Battle of the Frogs and Mice" was a popular parody of the classical epic tradition.

Moving into the 18th century, we find Elizabeth Hamby (1711-1781), an English painter and engraver who gained recognition for her portraits and landscapes. She was a member of the Society of Artists in London and exhibited her work regularly.

Another notable bearer of the Hamby surname was Sir Thomas Hamby (1770-1848), a British military officer who served in the Napoleonic Wars. He distinguished himself in several battles, including the Battle of Waterloo, and rose to the rank of Lieutenant-General.

In the 19th century, Henry Hamby (1825-1891) was a prominent English architect known for his Gothic Revival designs. He was responsible for the construction of several churches and public buildings, including the iconic St. Pancras Railway Station in London.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hamby families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hamby 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 44 Hambys recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.38x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 44 4.38x
Suffolk 31 25.09x
Leicestershire 8 7.11x
Surrey 6 1.21x
Lancashire 5 0.42x
Staffordshire 3 0.88x
Cornwall 1 0.87x
Durham 1 0.33x
Gloucestershire 1 0.50x
Hampshire 1 0.48x
Kent 1 0.29x
Royal Navy 1 8.27x
Somerset 1 0.61x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Dodworth in Yorkshire leads with 15 Hambys recorded in 1881 and an index of 1442.31x.

Place Total Index
Dodworth 15 1442.31x
Ipswich St Margaret 10 238.66x
Altofts 9 810.81x
Billesdon 8 2758.62x
Ipswich St Clement 8 254.78x
Ipswich St Helen 6 410.96x
Lambeth 6 6.78x
Mirfield 6 108.70x
Ellough 5 10000.00x
Habergham Eaves 5 45.45x
Beverley St Martin 4 238.10x
Halifax 4 27.10x
Havercroft Cum Cold 4 2352.94x
Handsworth 3 35.55x
Churwell 2 289.86x
Bungay Holy Trinity 1 158.73x
Cheltenham 1 6.51x
Darenth 1 188.68x
Ipswich St Peter 1 60.24x
Linkinhorne 1 125.00x
Meare 1 204.08x
Milton 1 192.31x
Royal Navy 1 9.68x
Seaham 1 90.91x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 7
Annie 2
Clara 2
Eliza 2
Elizabeth 2
Emma 2
Hannah 2
Kate 2
Leah 2
Martha 2
Ada 1
Agnes 1
Caroline 1
Celila 1
Charlotte 1
Eleanor 1
Emily 1
Ethel 1
Frances 1
Gertrude 1
Grace 1
Harriet 1
Henrietta 1
Jesse 1
Lily 1
Louisa 1
Margaret 1
Matilda 1
Minnie 1
Rachael 1
Rose 1
Rosebella 1
Ruth 1
Sar. 1
Sarah 1
Sophia 1
Susan 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 5
William 5
James 3
Thomas 3
Alfred 2
Francis 2
Frederick 2
John 2
Joseph 2
Richard 2
Wm. 2
Arthur 1
Charles 1
Chas. 1
Clement 1
Crowther 1
Edward 1
Edwd.Craig 1
Enoch 1
Fredrick 1
Henry 1
Herbert 1
Howard 1
Kier 1
Matthew 1
Percy 1
Philip 1
Robert 1
Samuel 1
Saul 1
Titus 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Hamby surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hamby surname in 1881?

In 1881, 103 people were recorded with the Hamby surname. That placed it at #19,410 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hamby surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 219 in 2016. That gives Hamby a modern rank of #18,422.

What does the Hamby surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "homestead with a water meadow" in Old English.

What does the Hamby map show?

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