NameCensus.

UK surname

Hance

Derived from a medieval nickname for a person who was skilled with a lance or spear.

In the 1881 census there were 376 people recorded with the Hance surname, ranking it #8,326 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 515, ranked #9,793, down from #8,326 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Dinton with Ford, Upton, Aston Mollins, and Moreton) and Chelmsford, Broomfield, Writtle, Widford, Chignal St James, Chignal Smealy. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Chiltern, Basingstoke and Deane and Barnsley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hance is 640 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 37.0%.

1881 census count

376

Ranked #8,326

Modern count

515

2016, ranked #9,793

Peak year

1911

640 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hance had 376 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,326 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 515 in 2016, ranked #9,793.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 640 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Hance surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hance surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hance 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 275 #8,150
1861 historical 273 #9,134
1881 historical 376 #8,326
1891 historical 400 #8,878
1901 historical 558 #7,458
1911 historical 640 #6,517
1997 modern 547 #8,694
1998 modern 543 #9,010
1999 modern 542 #9,079
2000 modern 551 #8,930
2001 modern 526 #9,112
2002 modern 522 #9,349
2003 modern 521 #9,217
2004 modern 523 #9,214
2005 modern 499 #9,457
2006 modern 504 #9,432
2007 modern 496 #9,626
2008 modern 490 #9,794
2009 modern 521 #9,554
2010 modern 531 #9,615
2011 modern 512 #9,777
2012 modern 503 #9,819
2013 modern 516 #9,783
2014 modern 512 #9,911
2015 modern 513 #9,836
2016 modern 515 #9,793

Geography

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Where Hances are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Dinton with Ford, Upton, Aston Mollins, and Moreton), Chelmsford, Broomfield, Writtle, Widford, Chignal St James, Chignal Smealy and Chesham (incl. Chartridge, Billington & Latimers with Waterside. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Chiltern, Basingstoke and Deane, Barnsley and Kingston upon Hull. 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 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 Dinton with Ford, Upton, Aston Mollins, and Moreton) Buckinghamshire
4 Chelmsford, Broomfield, Writtle, Widford, Chignal St James, Chignal Smealy Essex
5 Chesham (incl. Chartridge, Billington & Latimers with Waterside Buckinghamshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Chiltern 001 Chiltern
2 Chiltern 005 Chiltern
3 Basingstoke and Deane 010 Basingstoke and Deane
4 Barnsley 024 Barnsley
5 Kingston upon Hull 021 Kingston upon Hull, City of

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hance

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hance

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Hance surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Hance household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Hance is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Hance is most concentrated in decile 3 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Hance falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Hance

The surname Hance originated in England during the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English personal name 'Hans', a shortened form of Johannes, which was the medieval English form of the name John. This name ultimately traces its roots back to the Hebrew name Yohanan, meaning "Yahweh is gracious".

In its earliest recorded forms, the surname appeared as Hance, Hanse, and Haunce in various parts of England, particularly in the counties of Norfolk, Suffolk, and Lincolnshire. These spellings were likely influenced by regional dialects and accents of the time.

One of the earliest known references to the name can be found in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, which record a person named William Hance residing in Norfolk. The surname also appears in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire, dated 1315, where a Robert Hance is mentioned.

During the 14th century, the name Hance was associated with several notable individuals. John Hance, a wealthy merchant from Norwich, was recorded as a benefactor of the city's Blackfriars monastery in 1369. Around the same time, a Thomas Hance served as a bailiff in the town of Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, in 1375.

In the 15th century, the surname Hance gained prominence with the rise of a family of that name in the county of Lincolnshire. Sir John Hance (c. 1420-1487), a prominent landowner and knight, was appointed Sheriff of Lincolnshire in 1472 and served as a Member of Parliament for the county in 1478.

Another notable figure was William Hance (1499-1551), a scholar and theologian who attended Oxford University and later became the Archdeacon of Winchester. He is remembered for his writings on religious reforms during the English Reformation.

The surname Hance has also been associated with several place names throughout England, such as Hance Hill in Kent and Hance Meadow in Wiltshire. These place names likely derived from individuals bearing the surname who once owned or resided in those areas.

Other notable individuals with the surname Hance include Robert Hance (1572-1635), a successful merchant and alderman in the city of London, and Elizabeth Hance (1634-1709), a Quaker writer and preacher from Hertfordshire.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hance families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hance 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. Essex leads with 81 Hances recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.22x.

County Total Index
Essex 81 11.22x
Middlesex 67 1.83x
Surrey 64 3.59x
Buckinghamshire 62 28.04x
Yorkshire 48 1.32x
Hampshire 8 1.07x
Lancashire 8 0.18x
Hertfordshire 7 2.78x
Kent 6 0.48x
Devon 5 0.66x
Derbyshire 4 0.70x
Staffordshire 4 0.32x
Ayrshire 2 0.73x
Gloucestershire 2 0.28x
Lincolnshire 2 0.34x
Midlothian 2 0.41x
Somerset 1 0.17x
Sussex 1 0.16x
Warwickshire 1 0.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Chelmsford in Essex leads with 31 Hances recorded in 1881 and an index of 250.20x.

Place Total Index
Chelmsford 31 250.20x
Clapham 24 52.48x
Chesham 15 184.05x
Stone 12 697.67x
Streatham 12 44.22x
Great Missenden 11 404.41x
Lambeth 11 3.45x
Lockngtn In Kilnwck 10 1562.50x
Camberwell 9 3.85x
Springfield 9 284.81x
Alverstoke 7 25.79x
Amersham 7 222.93x
Chelsea London 7 6.35x
Cheshunt 7 79.46x
Havering 7 1250.00x
Isleworth 7 43.05x
Maldon St Peter 7 190.22x
St Marylebone London 7 3.58x
Fulham London 6 11.31x
Rayne 6 1176.47x
Shipley 6 31.90x
Skerne 6 2727.27x
Stapleford Abbots 6 967.74x
Wendover 6 252.10x
Bradfield 5 35.79x
Dawlish 5 88.03x
Kensington London 5 2.46x
West Ham 5 3.14x
Westminster St James 5 13.30x
Chapel En Le Frith 4 76.48x
Dinton 4 459.77x
Hammersmith London 4 4.44x
Handsworth 4 13.14x
Harrow On The Hill 4 54.72x
Holme On Wolds 4 1904.76x
Mortlake 4 50.38x
St Pancras London 4 1.36x
Toxteth Park 4 2.72x
Westminster St Margaret 4 22.68x
Aylesbury 3 30.61x
Bethersden 3 236.22x
Beverley St Mary 3 56.71x
Bury 3 6.05x
Doncaster 3 11.33x
Great Driffield 3 40.32x
Heston 3 24.69x
Paddington London 3 2.23x
Steeple 3 454.55x
Arthington 2 357.14x
Battersea 2 1.49x
Bristol St Mary Redcliff 2 30.63x
Chiswick 2 10.01x
Greenwich 2 3.43x
Holy Trinity 2 2.29x
Horton 2 185.19x
Leigh 2 79.68x
Loughton 2 56.02x
St Luke London 2 3.41x
Alcester 1 32.89x
Barrowby 1 99.01x
Bedminster 1 1.81x
Broadwater 1 7.07x
Bromley London 1 1.24x
Dunton 1 1000.00x
Frimley 1 19.69x
Hampstead London 1 1.76x
Heybridge 1 47.62x
Hockley 1 128.21x
Lee 1 666.67x
Leith North 1 106.38x
Liverpool 1 0.38x
Maidstone 1 2.69x
Maldon All Sts 1 69.93x
Maybole 1 11.99x
Mile End Old Town London 1 1.28x
Molescroft 1 454.55x
Penge 1 4.28x
Portsmouth 1 5.79x
Skirbeck 1 30.49x
Ulrome 1 400.00x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 24
George 21
John 16
James 15
Thomas 12
Robert 11
Edward 9
Charles 6
Henry 6
Joseph 6
Albert 5
Arthur 5
Frederick 4
Alfred 3
Herbert 3
Philip 3
Samuel 3
Alfd. 2
Frank 2
Harry 2
Percy 2
Walter 2
Able 1
Affd. 1
Algernon 1
Archer 1
Augustus 1
Edgar 1
Edmund 1
Edw. 1
Ephraim 1
Ernest 1
Frances 1
Francis 1
Fredrick 1
Herbet 1
Jeremiah 1
Jerimiah 1
Jesse 1
Jessie 1
Martyn 1
Mathew 1
Michael 1
Michal 1
Montague 1
Nelson 1
Richard 1
Willm. 1

FAQ

Hance surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hance surname in 1881?

In 1881, 376 people were recorded with the Hance surname. That placed it at #8,326 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hance surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 515 in 2016. That gives Hance a modern rank of #9,793.

What does the Hance surname mean?

Derived from a medieval nickname for a person who was skilled with a lance or spear.

What does the Hance map show?

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