NameCensus.

UK surname

Hampshire

A locational surname indicating a person who was from or resided near Hampshire, England.

In the 1881 census there were 1,696 people recorded with the Hampshire surname, ranking it #2,538 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,206, ranked #2,941, down from #2,538 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Thornhill and Wakefield. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Selby, Waverley and Barnsley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hampshire is 2,411 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 30.1%.

1881 census count

1,696

Ranked #2,538

Modern count

2,206

2016, ranked #2,941

Peak year

2002

2,411 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hampshire had 1,696 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,538 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,206 in 2016, ranked #2,941.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,274 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Hampshire surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hampshire surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hampshire 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 984 #2,837
1861 historical 1,207 #2,350
1881 historical 1,696 #2,538
1891 historical 1,941 #2,373
1901 historical 2,041 #2,626
1911 historical 2,274 #2,225
1997 modern 2,275 #2,728
1998 modern 2,386 #2,715
1999 modern 2,376 #2,749
2000 modern 2,372 #2,732
2001 modern 2,328 #2,728
2002 modern 2,411 #2,703
2003 modern 2,356 #2,699
2004 modern 2,301 #2,748
2005 modern 2,228 #2,801
2006 modern 2,196 #2,843
2007 modern 2,178 #2,882
2008 modern 2,180 #2,906
2009 modern 2,236 #2,909
2010 modern 2,281 #2,918
2011 modern 2,257 #2,913
2012 modern 2,219 #2,897
2013 modern 2,256 #2,900
2014 modern 2,257 #2,916
2015 modern 2,224 #2,919
2016 modern 2,206 #2,941

Geography

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Where Hampshires are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Thornhill, Wakefield, Almondbury and Sheffield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Selby, Waverley, Barnsley and IZ21. 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 Thornhill Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Wakefield Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Almondbury Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Selby 003 Selby
2 Selby 005 Selby
3 Waverley 005 Waverley
4 Barnsley 024 Barnsley
5 IZ21 East Lothian

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hampshire

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hampshire

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

Hampshire 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

Hampshire falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Hampshire

The surname Hampshire originated in England, with its roots dating back to the Anglo-Saxon period. It is a locational name, derived from the county of Hampshire in southern England. The name Hampshire itself is composed of two Old English words, "hamm" meaning a dry or enclosed place, and "scir" meaning a shire or county.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Hantescire." This document, commissioned by William the Conqueror, served as a comprehensive survey of land ownership and taxation in England.

During the Middle Ages, the surname Hampshire was most prevalent in the county from which it originated. The earliest known bearer of the name was William de Hampshire, who was recorded in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1198.

In the 13th century, the surname appears in various spellings, such as "Hamptesire" and "Hampchire," reflecting the variations in pronunciation and spelling common during that period.

Notable individuals with the surname Hampshire include Sir William Hampshire (1619-1680), an English politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for Hampshire during the English Civil War. Another notable figure was John Hampshire (1761-1829), a British naval officer who served in the American Revolutionary War and the Napoleonic Wars.

In the 16th and 17th centuries, the surname Hampshire was also found among English settlers in the American colonies. One such individual was Thomas Hampshire (1598-1667), who arrived in Virginia in 1635 and became a prominent landowner and member of the Virginia House of Burgesses.

Other notable bearers of the surname include William Hampshire (1741-1808), a British soldier and explorer who served in the British Army during the American Revolutionary War, and Mary Hampshire (1820-1892), an English writer and activist who campaigned for women's rights and social reform.

Throughout its history, the surname Hampshire has maintained a strong association with its geographic origins in southern England, reflecting the importance of place names in the development of many English surnames.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hampshire families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hampshire 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 885 Hampshires recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.39x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 885 5.39x
Surrey 149 1.85x
Kent 143 2.53x
Lancashire 123 0.63x
Middlesex 82 0.50x
Sussex 76 2.72x
Derbyshire 61 2.35x
Essex 33 1.01x
Cheshire 27 0.74x
Warwickshire 23 0.55x
Wiltshire 12 0.82x
Somerset 10 0.38x
Devon 9 0.26x
Worcestershire 9 0.42x
Staffordshire 8 0.14x
Buckinghamshire 7 0.70x
Lincolnshire 7 0.26x
Monmouthshire 5 0.42x
Hampshire 4 0.12x
Northamptonshire 4 0.26x
Caernarfonshire 3 0.45x
Berkshire 2 0.16x
Durham 2 0.04x
Glamorgan 2 0.07x
Leicestershire 2 0.11x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.09x
Shropshire 2 0.14x
Denbighshire 1 0.16x
Dorset 1 0.09x
Gloucestershire 1 0.03x
Royal Navy 1 0.51x
Suffolk 1 0.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stanley Cum Wrenthorpe in Yorkshire leads with 74 Hampshires recorded in 1881 and an index of 97.10x.

Place Total Index
Stanley Cum Wrenthorpe 74 97.10x
Leeds 48 5.18x
Thornhill 42 87.76x
Glossop Dale 39 32.13x
Ashton Under Lyne 35 8.15x
Pulborough 32 312.20x
Worsbrough 31 64.50x
Upperthong 28 200.72x
Huddersfield 27 11.30x
Lenham 26 230.70x
Wooldale 26 93.46x
Wakefield 25 19.85x
Almondbury 24 30.26x
Shitlington 24 141.43x
Aston 21 1.83x
Oldham 21 3.31x
West Ham 21 2.91x
Ossett Cum Gawthorpe 20 34.13x
Lewisham 18 5.98x
Dewsbury 17 10.10x
Mirfield 16 17.77x
Sittingbourne 16 35.87x
Wortley In Bramley 16 12.32x
Albury 15 203.80x
Horbury 15 52.26x
Quarndon 15 477.71x
Barnsley 14 8.27x
Emley 14 191.00x
Wonersh 14 139.17x
Alverthorpe Cum Thornes 13 21.82x
Gillingham 13 11.16x
Sheffield 13 2.49x
Bethnal Green London 12 1.67x
Crofton 12 296.30x
Liversedge 12 16.43x
Mile End Old Town London 12 3.41x
Saddleworth 12 9.48x
Haslemere 11 172.96x
Horton In Bradford 11 4.29x
Liverpool 11 0.92x
Armley 10 13.82x
Burley In Wharfdale 10 69.06x
Chirton 10 518.13x
Failsworth 10 22.25x
Faversham 10 18.57x
Flockton 10 149.48x
Greenwich 10 3.79x
Holbeck 10 9.20x
Sculcoates 10 3.85x
Skelmanthorpe 10 56.47x
St Marylebone London 10 1.13x
West Horsley 10 294.99x
Castleford 9 15.07x
Cottingham 9 25.46x
Cumberworth 9 107.78x
Dunsfold 9 205.48x
Gorton 9 4.87x
Lower Whitley 9 405.41x
Oulton Cum Woodlesford 9 67.62x
Soothill 9 15.19x
Thorganby Cum West 9 391.30x
Thurlstone 9 55.62x
Wisborough Green 9 95.95x
Camberwell 8 0.76x
Cranleigh 8 67.80x
Ilkley 8 29.84x
Ingatestone 8 152.38x
Islington London 8 0.50x
Middlesbrough 8 3.75x
Rishworth 8 126.98x
Sandal Magna 8 32.98x
Tormoham 8 5.49x
Wath On Dearne 8 24.44x
Barkisland 7 58.77x
Ecclesall Bierlow 7 2.10x
Heckmondwike 7 13.27x
Selsey 7 136.19x
Southwark St George Martyr 7 2.10x
St Botolph Lincoln 7 36.78x
Tottenham 7 2.66x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 120
Sarah 75
Elizabeth 55
Ann 38
Emma 37
Hannah 33
Eliza 30
Jane 29
Alice 27
Ellen 25
Martha 24
Harriet 21
Annie 19
Emily 19
Charlotte 15
Florence 13
Ada 11
Fanny 11
Caroline 10
Louisa 10
Catherine 9
Clara 8
Ruth 8
Edith 7
Frances 7
Kate 7
Maria 7
Lucy 6
Lydia 6
Margaret 6
Amelia 5
Anne 5
Agnes 4
Bertha 4
Ethel 4
Matilda 4
Anna 3
Esther 3
Harriett 3
Lily 3
Susannah 3
Allice 2
Amy 2
Elizth. 2
Isabella 2
J.E. 2
Jemima 2
Laura 2
M. 2
Marian 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 97
William 85
George 78
James 55
Thomas 48
Charles 43
Henry 38
Joseph 31
Alfred 21
Harry 21
Samuel 17
Albert 15
Arthur 15
Edward 12
Walter 11
Fred 10
Herbert 10
Edwin 9
Richard 9
Robert 9
David 8
Frederick 8
Ernest 7
Frank 7
Joe 6
Matthew 6
Michael 6
Willie 6
Wm. 6
Percy 5
Allen 4
Eli 4
Geo. 4
Sam 4
Stephen 4
Tom 4
Benjamin 3
Edwd. 3
Mark 3
Thos. 3
Wilfred 3
Abraham 2
Alexander 2
Beng 2
Daniel 2
Earnest 2
Friend 2
Moses 2
Robt. 2
Sydney 2

FAQ

Hampshire surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hampshire surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,696 people were recorded with the Hampshire surname. That placed it at #2,538 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hampshire surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,206 in 2016. That gives Hampshire a modern rank of #2,941.

What does the Hampshire surname mean?

A locational surname indicating a person who was from or resided near Hampshire, England.

What does the Hampshire map show?

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