NameCensus.

UK surname

Hanchett

An Old English surname referring to someone from Handsacre or another geographic location with a similar name.

In the 1881 census there were 94 people recorded with the Hanchett surname, ranking it #20,467 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 88, ranked #32,396, down from #20,467 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Newport, London parishes and St Marylebone. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Gloucester, Basingstoke and Deane and Brighton and Hove.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hanchett is 140 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 6.4%.

1881 census count

94

Ranked #20,467

Modern count

88

2016, ranked #32,396

Peak year

1901

140 bearers

Map years

3

1901 to 1998

Key insights

  • Hanchett had 94 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #20,467 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 88 in 2016, ranked #32,396.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 140 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy Industrial and Coastal Communities.

Hanchett surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hanchett surname density by area, 1998 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Hanchett 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 75 #20,268
1861 historical 72 #24,643
1881 historical 94 #20,467
1891 historical 96 #24,559
1901 historical 140 #18,795
1911 historical 134 #19,131
1997 modern 101 #26,774
1998 modern 106 #26,689
1999 modern 107 #26,754
2000 modern 103 #27,280
2001 modern 103 #26,927
2002 modern 99 #28,082
2003 modern 97 #28,217
2004 modern 98 #28,297
2005 modern 89 #29,683
2006 modern 91 #29,725
2007 modern 90 #30,228
2008 modern 88 #30,857
2009 modern 84 #31,842
2010 modern 89 #31,745
2011 modern 85 #32,127
2012 modern 94 #31,258
2013 modern 94 #31,656
2014 modern 93 #32,025
2015 modern 93 #31,972
2016 modern 88 #32,396

Geography

Back to top

Where Hanchetts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Newport, London parishes, St Marylebone, Wendens Ambo and Great and Little Totham, Goldhanger, Heybridge, Tolleshunt Major, Tolleshunt Knights, Tolleshunt Dar. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Gloucester, Basingstoke and Deane, Brighton and Hove, Thanet and Ladywell. 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 Newport Essex
2 London parishes London 3
3 St Marylebone London (North Districts)
4 Wendens Ambo Essex
5 Great and Little Totham, Goldhanger, Heybridge, Tolleshunt Major, Tolleshunt Knights, Tolleshunt Dar Essex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Gloucester 009 Gloucester
2 Basingstoke and Deane 019 Basingstoke and Deane
3 Brighton and Hove 033 Brighton and Hove
4 Thanet 016 Thanet
5 Ladywell West Lothian

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Hanchett

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Hanchett

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

Legacy Industrial and Coastal Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Single-person households are common in these neighbourhoods, and these residents are typically divorced rather than never married. A high proportion of residents were born outside the UK in the EU. There are many young adults, some with young children, but relatively few residents are of normal retirement age or over. Although levels of identification with ethnic minorities are in line with the Supergroup average, individuals identifying with Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is more common than average. High long-term disability rates are observed, and unpaid care is more common than in the rest of the Group. The predominant housing types are terraced houses and flats, which are typically part of the social rented sector. This Group is commonly found in coastal areas and (present-day or former) industrial 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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Hanchett 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

Hanchett 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

Hanchett falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Hanchett is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Hanchett

The surname Hanchett is of English origin and can be traced back to the 12th century. It is believed to have originated from a locational name, likely referring to someone who lived near a hatch or gate. The earliest known spelling of the name was 'Hanchet', found in the Pipe Rolls of Staffordshire in 1195.

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was William Hanchet, who was mentioned in the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1268. This document recorded the transfer of land or property ownership during the reign of King Henry III.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in various records with different spellings, such as 'Haunchet' and 'Haunchett'. It is possible that these variations were influenced by regional accents or scribal errors common during that time.

The Hanchett family was particularly prominent in the county of Derbyshire, where they held lands and estates. Sir Roger Hanchett (1538-1612) was a notable figure who served as a Member of Parliament for Derbyshire during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

Another notable bearer of the name was John Hanchett (1590-1653), a Puritan minister who served as the rector of Boxted in Essex. He was known for his strict adherence to Puritan principles and authored several religious works.

In the 17th century, the Hanchett family had established branches in other parts of England, including Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. Richard Hanchett (1629-1701), a merchant from York, left a substantial estate upon his death, which was documented in the York Wills and Inventories records.

During the 18th century, the Hanchett surname spread further across England, with notable individuals such as Thomas Hanchett (1745-1825), a prominent landowner and industrialist from Warwickshire. His son, William Hanchett (1778-1842), followed in his father's footsteps and became a successful businessman.

The name Hanchett also found its way to the American colonies, where several individuals bearing this surname were among the early settlers. One such person was Samuel Hanchett (1620-1688), who arrived in Massachusetts from England in the 1640s and became a founding settler of Suffield, Connecticut.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Hanchett families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hanchett 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 47 Hanchetts recorded in 1881 and an index of 25.97x.

County Total Index
Essex 47 25.97x
Middlesex 17 1.85x
Hertfordshire 10 15.83x
Suffolk 9 8.06x
Yorkshire 7 0.77x
Kent 2 0.64x
Norfolk 2 1.42x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Arkesden in Essex leads with 15 Hanchetts recorded in 1881 and an index of 11538.46x.

Place Total Index
Arkesden 15 11538.46x
St Marylebone London 9 18.39x
Wendens Ambo 9 7500.00x
St Albans St Peter 8 375.59x
Saddleworth 7 99.86x
St Martin In Fields 6 109.29x
Bury St Edmunds St Mary 4 190.48x
Elmdon 4 2105.26x
Newport 4 1290.32x
Romford 4 139.86x
Langley 3 2307.69x
Stanstead 3 2500.00x
Belchamp St Paul 2 909.09x
Clavering 2 606.06x
Eaton St Andrew 2 512.82x
Halling 2 487.80x
Stansfield 2 1538.46x
Waltham Holy Cross 2 118.34x
Bishop Stortford 1 47.39x
Chelsea London 1 3.62x
Great Yeldham 1 526.32x
Hampstead London 1 7.00x
Nazeing 1 434.78x
Reed 1 1666.67x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 5
Mary 4
Sarah 4
Emma 3
Alice 2
Fanny 2
Rebekah 2
Agnes 1
Ann 1
Charlotte 1
Clara 1
Derendah 1
Edith 1
Elinor 1
Eliza 1
Elizth. 1
Emily 1
Ethel 1
Florence 1
Frances 1
Gertrude 1
Kate 1
Louisa 1
Lucenn 1
Lydia 1
Margaret 1
Martha 1
Matilda 1
Maude 1
Metilda 1
Rebecca 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 5
John 5
William 5
Richard 4
Charles 3
Frederick 2
Samuel 2
Arthur 1
Aubrey 1
Ben 1
Benjamin 1
Bronte 1
David 1
E.A. 1
Edward 1
Ernest 1
Evan 1
Gordon 1
Harcourt 1
Harry 1
Henery 1
Herichel 1
Horace 1
James 1
Nathan 1
Sam 1
Simon 1
Stephen 1

FAQ

Hanchett surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hanchett surname in 1881?

In 1881, 94 people were recorded with the Hanchett surname. That placed it at #20,467 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hanchett surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 88 in 2016. That gives Hanchett a modern rank of #32,396.

What does the Hanchett surname mean?

An Old English surname referring to someone from Handsacre or another geographic location with a similar name.

What does the Hanchett map show?

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