NameCensus.

UK surname

Hammill

A Scottish habitational surname referring to someone from the lands of Hamildoun in Lanarkshire.

In the 1881 census there were 310 people recorded with the Hammill surname, ranking it #9,488 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 554, ranked #9,230, up from #9,488 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, London parishes and Glasgow. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cornwall, Leeds and Wyre.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hammill is 595 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 78.7%.

1881 census count

310

Ranked #9,488

Modern count

554

2016, ranked #9,230

Peak year

2010

595 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hammill had 310 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,488 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 554 in 2016, ranked #9,230.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 497 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Hammill surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hammill surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hammill 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 136 #13,892
1861 historical 214 #11,365
1881 historical 310 #9,488
1891 historical 374 #9,343
1901 historical 497 #8,090
1911 historical 418 #9,006
1997 modern 552 #8,634
1998 modern 567 #8,715
1999 modern 576 #8,673
2000 modern 565 #8,761
2001 modern 554 #8,762
2002 modern 561 #8,845
2003 modern 562 #8,700
2004 modern 550 #8,865
2005 modern 541 #8,900
2006 modern 558 #8,723
2007 modern 566 #8,713
2008 modern 571 #8,720
2009 modern 585 #8,747
2010 modern 595 #8,844
2011 modern 584 #8,868
2012 modern 568 #8,958
2013 modern 573 #9,034
2014 modern 561 #9,242
2015 modern 558 #9,193
2016 modern 554 #9,230

Geography

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Where Hammills are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, London parishes, Glasgow, Methley and Rothwell. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cornwall, Leeds and Wyre. 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 Rochdale Lancashire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Glasgow Lanark
4 Methley Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Rothwell Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cornwall 073 Cornwall
2 Leeds 090 Leeds
3 Wyre 001 Wyre
4 Leeds 092 Leeds
5 Leeds 101 Leeds

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hammill

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hammill

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Hammill is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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 located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Hammill is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Hammill falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Hammill is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Hammill

The surname Hammill is believed to have originated in England, specifically in the county of Yorkshire, during the Anglo-Saxon period. It is derived from the Old English words "ham," meaning a homestead or village, and "hyll," meaning a hill. Thus, the name likely referred to someone who lived near a hill or in a village situated on a hill.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Hamelhill." This entry suggests that the name was already established by the time of the Norman Conquest in 1066.

During the Middle Ages, the name was frequently spelled in various ways, such as Hamyll, Hamylle, and Hamelhill, reflecting the evolution of spelling conventions over time. It is also possible that the name has connections to specific place names, such as Hamhill in Somerset or Hammill in Derbyshire.

Notable figures with the surname Hammill include:

1. John Hammill (c. 1480-1555), an English priest and courtier who served as the chaplain to Henry VIII and was later appointed as the first Master of the Savoy Hospital in London.

2. Robert Hammill (1736-1804), a Scottish-born merchant and politician who served as the Mayor of New York City from 1799 to 1800.

3. William Hammill (1818-1892), a Scottish-born Canadian businessman and politician who was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario in 1867.

4. Edward Hammill (1844-1928), an American entrepreneur and philanthropist who founded the Hammill Paper Company and was known for his charitable contributions to educational institutions in Erie, Pennsylvania.

5. Howard Hammill (1892-1972), an American educator and psychologist who co-founded the Hammill Institute on Disabilities and developed several widely-used diagnostic tests for learning disabilities.

The surname Hammill has a rich history dating back to the Anglo-Saxon period and has been associated with various regions in England, as well as notable individuals across different fields, including religion, politics, business, and education.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hammill families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hammill 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 81 Hammills recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.70x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 81 2.70x
Cornwall 58 16.94x
Lancashire 55 1.53x
Lanarkshire 48 4.91x
Dunbartonshire 19 23.38x
Middlesex 11 0.36x
Durham 8 0.89x
Cumberland 6 2.30x
Renfrewshire 6 2.56x
Hertfordshire 5 2.40x
Hampshire 3 0.48x
Stirlingshire 3 2.69x
Kirkcudbrightshire 2 4.57x
Somerset 2 0.41x
Gloucestershire 1 0.17x
Kent 1 0.10x
Northumberland 1 0.22x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Leeds in Yorkshire leads with 18 Hammills recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.64x.

Place Total Index
Leeds 18 10.64x
Hunslet 16 34.24x
Spotland 15 37.60x
Glasgow 14 8.06x
Illogan 14 154.53x
Methley 13 308.06x
Phillack 13 294.12x
Old Kilpatrick 12 125.00x
Wigan 12 23.93x
Barony 11 4.44x
Camborne 9 63.78x
Govan 8 3.31x
Liverpool 8 3.67x
Barrow In Furness 7 14.34x
Cumbernauld 7 157.30x
Sithney 7 202.31x
Blantyre 6 58.94x
New Monkland 6 20.75x
Windle 6 29.72x
Bradford 5 6.89x
Bushey 5 100.81x
Lofthouse Cum Carlton 5 136.99x
Skelton In Guisbrough 5 61.65x
Southwick 5 58.69x
West Derby 5 4.76x
Crosscanonby 4 46.46x
Eastwood 4 27.72x
Marazion 4 975.61x
Normanton 4 44.44x
Rothwell 4 66.12x
St Marylebone London 4 2.48x
Whitwood 4 93.90x
Crowan 3 110.70x
Featherstone 3 89.02x
Gateshead 3 4.45x
Gwennap 3 46.44x
Madron Penzance 3 24.10x
St George Bloomsbury 3 17.29x
Strathblane 3 215.83x
Bothwell 2 7.54x
St Thomas Winchester 2 45.66x
Twynholm 2 285.71x
Workington 2 13.41x
Bathwick 1 18.55x
Bishopdale 1 1111.11x
Bridgewater 1 7.57x
Doncaster 1 4.57x
Hougham 1 16.29x
Islington London 1 0.34x
Kempley 1 344.83x
Kirkdale 1 1.66x
Maryhill 1 5.22x
Nether Hallam 1 2.47x
North Shields 1 11.14x
Oldham 1 0.86x
Paddington London 1 0.90x
Paisley Middle Church 1 7.33x
Portsmouth 1 7.01x
Potter Newton 1 18.90x
St Enoder 1 86.21x
St Pancras London 1 0.41x
St Stephen In Brannel 1 32.05x
West Greenock 1 2.38x
Westminster St James 1 3.22x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 19
Ann 8
Elizabeth 8
Jane 6
Margaret 6
Sarah 5
Agnes 4
Emma 4
Ada 3
Annie 3
Emily 3
Beatrice 2
Catherine 2
Edith 2
Ellen 2
Hannah 2
Harriet 2
Maria 2
Nancy 2
Ruth 2
Agness 1
Amelia 1
Amy 1
Caroline 1
Clara 1
Eliz. 1
Eliza 1
Elizh. 1
Evelyn 1
Florence 1
Frances 1
Grace 1
Hester 1
Jessie 1
Julia 1
Kate 1
Lucy 1
M. 1
Margarett 1
Martha 1
Matilda 1
Minnie 1
Rosina 1
Susan 1
Susannah 1
Treasy 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 17
William 12
James 10
Thomas 8
Joseph 7
Peter 5
Alfred 3
Bernard 3
Charles 3
Frederick 3
Richard 3
Samuel 3
Walter 3
Albert 2
Ernest 2
Eugene 2
Henry 2
Herbert 2
Martin 2
Owen 2
Patrick 2
Archibald 1
Arthur 1
Barnerd 1
David 1
Edward 1
Frances 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Geo.Hy.W. 1
George 1
Hugh 1
Hy. 1
L. 1
Lonsdale 1
Marshall 1
Michael 1
Norman 1
Richd. 1
Thos. 1
Tunstell 1
Tynle 1

FAQ

Hammill surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hammill surname in 1881?

In 1881, 310 people were recorded with the Hammill surname. That placed it at #9,488 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hammill surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 554 in 2016. That gives Hammill a modern rank of #9,230.

What does the Hammill surname mean?

A Scottish habitational surname referring to someone from the lands of Hamildoun in Lanarkshire.

What does the Hammill map show?

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