NameCensus.

UK surname

Hampson

From a place called Hamston or Hammston, derived from the Old English words "ham" meaning homestead and "tun" meaning enclosure or settlement.

In the 1881 census there were 5,411 people recorded with the Hampson surname, ranking it #821 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 6,662, ranked #1,013, down from #821 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Radcliffe, Manchester and Liverpool. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wigan, Gretna and Manchester.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hampson is 7,421 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 23.1%.

1881 census count

5,411

Ranked #821

Modern count

6,662

2016, ranked #1,013

Peak year

1911

7,421 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hampson had 5,411 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #821 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 6,662 in 2016, ranked #1,013.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 7,421 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Hampson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hampson surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Hampson 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 3,692 #770
1861 historical 4,479 #631
1881 historical 5,411 #821
1891 historical 6,223 #746
1901 historical 6,871 #806
1911 historical 7,421 #699
1997 modern 6,841 #952
1998 modern 7,013 #964
1999 modern 7,107 #961
2000 modern 6,990 #973
2001 modern 6,902 #961
2002 modern 7,023 #962
2003 modern 6,834 #965
2004 modern 6,872 #961
2005 modern 6,735 #969
2006 modern 6,620 #992
2007 modern 6,633 #998
2008 modern 6,643 #1,001
2009 modern 6,784 #1,002
2010 modern 6,904 #1,005
2011 modern 6,726 #1,014
2012 modern 6,607 #1,011
2013 modern 6,753 #1,012
2014 modern 6,798 #1,011
2015 modern 6,704 #1,011
2016 modern 6,662 #1,013

Geography

Back to top

Where Hampsons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Radcliffe, Manchester, Liverpool, Leigh and Bolton-le-Moors. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wigan, Gretna and Manchester. 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 Radcliffe Lancashire
2 Manchester Lancashire
3 Liverpool Lancashire
4 Leigh Lancashire
5 Bolton-le-Moors Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wigan 037 Wigan
2 Wigan 018 Wigan
3 Gretna Dumfries and Galloway
4 Wigan 028 Wigan
5 Manchester 053 Manchester

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Hampson

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Hampson

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Hampson surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Hampson household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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, Hampson 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

Hampson is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Hampson 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 Hampson 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 Hampson, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Hampson

The surname Hampson is of English origin, deriving from the medieval given name Hammon or Hamon, a diminutive form of the Old German name Haimo. This name ultimately stems from the Germanic word "haim," meaning home or dwelling.

Hampson is believed to have originated in the northern English counties of Lancashire and Yorkshire during the 12th and 13th centuries. It was initially spelled in various ways, such as Hamondsone, Hammondson, and Hamundson, before evolving into its modern form.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Curia Regis Rolls of 1201, which mention a Roger Hamund. The Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1166 also reference a Hamundus de Torneton.

In the 13th century, the Hampson surname was associated with several landholdings in Lancashire, including Hampson Hall in Longridge and Hampson Fold in Billinge. These place names likely influenced the spelling and spread of the surname.

Notable people with the Hampson surname include:

1. Robert Hampson (c.1462-1508), an English priest and academic who served as the Chancellor of Oxford University.

2. Thomas Hampson (born 1955), an American operatic baritone known for his performances in operas by composers like Mozart, Verdi, and Mahler.

3. Sir George Francis Hampson (1860-1936), a British entomologist and civil servant who made significant contributions to the study of moths.

4. William Hampson (1785-1857), an English engineer and inventor, best known for his contributions to the development of the spinning mule for cotton spinning.

5. John Hampson (1760-1817), an English clergyman and biographer who wrote the first comprehensive biography of the poet John Dryden.

While the Hampson surname has spread globally due to migration and intermarriage, its roots can be traced back to the northern counties of England, where it emerged as a patronymic name derived from the Old German personal name Haimo.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Hampson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hampson 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. Lancashire leads with 3,476 Hampsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.56x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 3,476 5.56x
Cheshire 628 5.40x
Yorkshire 222 0.43x
Staffordshire 206 1.16x
Derbyshire 188 2.28x
Middlesex 92 0.17x
Surrey 92 0.36x
Shropshire 66 1.45x
Leicestershire 55 0.94x
Nottinghamshire 45 0.63x
Warwickshire 31 0.23x
Kent 29 0.16x
Cumberland 28 0.62x
Gloucestershire 28 0.27x
Flintshire 25 1.77x
Denbighshire 21 1.06x
Durham 18 0.11x
Hampshire 17 0.16x
Lanarkshire 16 0.09x
Montgomeryshire 12 0.99x
Northumberland 11 0.14x
Somerset 11 0.13x
Sussex 10 0.11x
Renfrewshire 9 0.22x
Hertfordshire 7 0.19x
Selkirkshire 7 1.47x
Glamorgan 6 0.07x
Royal Navy 6 0.96x
Lincolnshire 5 0.06x
Worcestershire 5 0.07x
Cambridgeshire 4 0.12x
Northamptonshire 4 0.08x
West Lothian 4 0.50x
Merionethshire 2 0.21x
Pembrokeshire 2 0.12x
Angus 1 0.02x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.03x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.05x
Devon 1 0.01x
Essex 1 0.01x
Isle of Man 1 0.10x
Rutland 1 0.26x
Suffolk 1 0.02x
Westmorland 1 0.09x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Manchester in Lancashire leads with 156 Hampsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.55x.

Place Total Index
Manchester 156 5.55x
Ashton Under Lyne 155 11.35x
Salford 125 6.80x
Great Bolton 114 13.78x
West Derby 106 5.80x
Radcliffe 105 34.87x
Barton Upon Irwell 99 21.05x
Atherton 98 43.10x
Pilkington 97 40.87x
Little Bolton 92 11.45x
Glossop Dale 79 20.47x
Liverpool 79 2.08x
Stretford 78 22.69x
Bedford 76 58.16x
Hulme 74 5.67x
Werneth 74 203.30x
Hindley 66 24.78x
Chorlton On Medlock 63 6.35x
Oldham 62 3.07x
Farnworth 56 14.96x
Wigan 56 6.41x
Worsley 54 14.02x
Dukinfield 53 9.87x
Tyldesley Cum Shakerley 52 28.91x
Westleigh 51 35.95x
Sale 46 32.26x
Everton 45 2.26x
Westhoughton 45 26.99x
Preston 44 2.63x
Blackrod 43 55.38x
Wednesbury 43 9.68x
Heaton Norris 42 11.81x
Lambeth 42 0.91x
Pendleton In Salford 41 5.51x
Macclesfield 40 7.74x
Pemberton 40 16.06x
Aspull 38 25.86x
Middle Hulton 38 102.70x
Pennington In Leigh 38 31.70x
West Bromwich 37 3.64x
Runcorn 36 13.44x
Newton 35 7.27x
Toxteth Park 34 1.61x
Horwich 33 48.43x
Stockport 31 5.18x
Ardwick 28 4.97x
Openshaw 28 9.57x
Beswick 27 16.90x
Bradford 27 9.23x
Cheadle 25 11.26x
Cheetham 25 5.37x
Halliwell 25 11.00x
Moss Side 25 7.61x
Astley 24 49.80x
Blackburn 24 1.44x
Normanton 24 15.31x
Huddersfield 23 3.03x
Little Hulton 23 22.24x
Orrell 23 29.61x
Gorton 22 3.75x
Southwark St George Martyr 22 2.08x
Wigton 22 32.37x
Kirkdale 21 2.00x
North Meols 21 3.43x
Castleton 20 3.21x
Droylsden 20 9.81x
Stoke Upon Trent 20 1.06x
Hartington Upper 19 48.32x
Lymm 19 22.49x
Marple 19 23.82x
Over Darwen 19 3.81x
Tranmere 19 4.45x
Monks Coppenhall 18 4.10x
Bootle Cum Linacre 17 3.43x
Bury 17 2.38x
Didsbury 17 20.49x
Hurdsfield 17 23.77x
St Martin 17 33.43x
Harborne 16 2.81x
Rumworth 16 17.92x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 448
Elizabeth 231
Sarah 220
Alice 137
Ann 123
Jane 113
Ellen 105
Margaret 98
Hannah 89
Annie 78
Martha 74
Eliza 69
Emma 52
Clara 34
Emily 33
Harriet 28
Maria 27
Edith 26
Catherine 24
Florence 23
Ada 21
Charlotte 21
Esther 20
Elizth. 19
Agnes 18
Betsy 17
Betty 17
Frances 17
Louisa 17
Isabella 14
Eleanor 13
Nancy 13
Amelia 12
Fanny 12
Susan 11
Gertrude 10
Lucy 10
Matilda 10
Rachel 10
Amy 9
Anne 9
Caroline 9
Harriett 9
Jessie 9
Lydia 9
Susannah 9
Julia 8
Maud 8
Ruth 8
Minnie 7

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 438
William 315
James 253
Thomas 231
Joseph 134
George 110
Robert 76
Henry 71
Richard 70
Charles 61
Samuel 57
Peter 48
Edward 41
Frederick 33
Arthur 32
Frank 29
Alfred 28
Harry 25
Walter 23
Albert 22
Wm. 21
Herbert 19
Isaac 18
Ernest 16
Daniel 15
Edwin 14
David 12
Thos. 12
Fred 11
Robt. 10
Adam 9
Chas. 8
Nathan 8
Aaron 7
Abraham 7
Ralph 7
Francis 6
Matthew 6
Moses 6
Benjamin 5
Christopher 5
Harold 5
Jonathan 5
Joshua 5
Mathew 5
Squire 5
Tom 5
Ellis 4
Geo. 4
Hugh 4

FAQ

Hampson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hampson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 5,411 people were recorded with the Hampson surname. That placed it at #821 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hampson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 6,662 in 2016. That gives Hampson a modern rank of #1,013.

What does the Hampson surname mean?

From a place called Hamston or Hammston, derived from the Old English words "ham" meaning homestead and "tun" meaning enclosure or settlement.

What does the Hampson map show?

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