NameCensus.

UK surname

Hands

A surname derived from the Old English "handa" meaning hands, possibly referring to a skilled craftsman.

In the 1881 census there were 3,005 people recorded with the Hands surname, ranking it #1,490 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,336, ranked #2,038, down from #1,490 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Kings Norton, London parishes and Coventry Holy Trinity (incl. Radford), Coventry St Michael, Wyken. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Redditch, Stratford-on-Avon and Cotswold.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hands is 3,973 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 11.0%.

1881 census count

3,005

Ranked #1,490

Modern count

3,336

2016, ranked #2,038

Peak year

1911

3,973 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hands had 3,005 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,490 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,336 in 2016, ranked #2,038.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,973 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Hands surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hands surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hands 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 1,857 #1,556
1861 historical 2,041 #1,418
1881 historical 3,005 #1,490
1891 historical 3,220 #1,478
1901 historical 3,770 #1,492
1911 historical 3,973 #1,288
1997 modern 3,541 #1,828
1998 modern 3,623 #1,864
1999 modern 3,608 #1,886
2000 modern 3,579 #1,896
2001 modern 3,487 #1,899
2002 modern 3,560 #1,907
2003 modern 3,474 #1,908
2004 modern 3,459 #1,913
2005 modern 3,421 #1,899
2006 modern 3,420 #1,903
2007 modern 3,402 #1,930
2008 modern 3,419 #1,940
2009 modern 3,495 #1,945
2010 modern 3,543 #1,964
2011 modern 3,479 #1,970
2012 modern 3,361 #2,009
2013 modern 3,408 #2,013
2014 modern 3,449 #2,006
2015 modern 3,410 #2,005
2016 modern 3,336 #2,038

Geography

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Where Hands' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Kings Norton, London parishes, Coventry Holy Trinity (incl. Radford), Coventry St Michael, Wyken and Birmingham Town: Birmingham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Redditch, Stratford-on-Avon and Cotswold. 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 Kings Norton Worcestershire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Coventry Holy Trinity (incl. Radford), Coventry St Michael, Wyken Warwickshire
4 London parishes London 2
5 Birmingham Town: Birmingham Warwickshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Redditch 008 Redditch
2 Stratford-on-Avon 006 Stratford-on-Avon
3 Cotswold 001 Cotswold
4 Stratford-on-Avon 012 Stratford-on-Avon
5 Stratford-on-Avon 014 Stratford-on-Avon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hands

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hands

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

Hands 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

Hands falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Hands is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Hands

The surname Hands is of English origin, and it can be traced back to the medieval period, around the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "hand," which referred to the physical hand, and it was likely used as a descriptive name for someone with notable hands or as a nickname for a person's occupation or trade involving the use of their hands.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Hands can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire, a census-like record compiled in 1273, which lists a person named Willelmus Hande. This early spelling variation highlights the evolution of the name over time.

In the 14th century, the surname Hands appeared in various other records, such as the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379, which included the name Johannes Hande. This suggests that the name was prevalent in different regions of England during that period.

Interestingly, the Hands surname is also associated with place names, particularly in the county of Derbyshire. The village of Handsworth, recorded as Hondeswurthe in the Domesday Book of 1086, is believed to be derived from the Old English words "honda" and "worth," meaning "the homestead or estate of a man named Honda."

One notable figure with the surname Hands was John Hands (1590-1662), an English lawyer and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Reigate in 1640. Another individual of historical significance was Sir William Hands (1616-1672), an English politician and landowner who was knighted in 1660.

In the 18th century, the Hands surname gained prominence with the birth of Sir Sampson Hands (1722-1799), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the American Revolutionary War. He was knighted in 1793 for his distinguished service.

Another notable bearer of the Hands surname was Elizabeth Hands (1746-1815), an English author and translator who was known for her works on education and literature.

Finally, one cannot overlook the contribution of James Hands (1837-1921), a British engineer and inventor who is credited with developing the first successful metal-cased pencil, known as the "Hands Pencil," which revolutionized the writing instrument industry.

While the Hands surname may have evolved from modest beginnings as a descriptive or occupational name, it has left an indelible mark on various fields throughout history, including law, politics, military service, literature, and innovation.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hands families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hands 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. Warwickshire leads with 1,119 Hands' recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.15x.

County Total Index
Warwickshire 1,119 15.15x
Middlesex 329 1.12x
Worcestershire 171 4.47x
Staffordshire 150 1.52x
Gloucestershire 138 2.40x
Lancashire 124 0.36x
Surrey 95 0.67x
Durham 92 1.06x
Leicestershire 82 2.52x
Oxfordshire 82 4.53x
Kent 71 0.71x
Yorkshire 68 0.23x
Nottinghamshire 54 1.37x
Northamptonshire 46 1.67x
Berkshire 37 1.68x
Derbyshire 34 0.74x
Essex 34 0.59x
Buckinghamshire 30 1.69x
Monmouthshire 28 1.32x
Northumberland 20 0.46x
Lincolnshire 19 0.41x
Bedfordshire 17 1.12x
Cheshire 13 0.20x
Hampshire 13 0.22x
Shropshire 13 0.51x
Lanarkshire 11 0.12x
Norfolk 11 0.24x
Herefordshire 10 0.83x
Inverness-shire 9 1.03x
Sussex 9 0.18x
Carmarthenshire 8 0.65x
East Lothian 8 2.06x
Suffolk 8 0.22x
Devon 7 0.11x
Flintshire 6 0.76x
Rutland 6 2.79x
Midlothian 5 0.13x
Glamorgan 4 0.08x
Brecknockshire 3 0.51x
Channel Islands 2 0.23x
Clackmannanshire 2 0.83x
Cumberland 2 0.08x
Huntingdonshire 2 0.34x
Montgomeryshire 2 0.30x
Wiltshire 2 0.08x
Angus 1 0.04x
Denbighshire 1 0.09x
Dorset 1 0.05x
Dunbartonshire 1 0.13x
Hertfordshire 1 0.05x
Royal Navy 1 0.29x
Somerset 1 0.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Birmingham in Warwickshire leads with 360 Hands' recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.62x.

Place Total Index
Birmingham 360 14.62x
Aston 331 16.27x
Islington London 62 2.18x
Kings Norton 54 15.74x
Coventry St Michael 53 22.33x
Hackney London 45 2.74x
Harborne 33 10.41x
Wolverhampton 31 4.08x
Cheltenham 29 6.54x
Chipping Campden 29 155.08x
Warrington 28 6.79x
Ilmington 26 326.63x
Edgbaston 25 10.91x
Gateshead 24 3.68x
Burbage 22 129.72x
Redditch 22 28.37x
Bilton 21 123.31x
Rugby 21 21.01x
Burton Upon Trent 20 8.65x
Sutton Bonnington 20 198.22x
Winlaton 20 23.92x
Bethnal Green London 18 1.41x
Handsworth 18 7.39x
Hartshill 18 326.68x
Shorthampton 18 818.18x
West Ham 18 1.41x
Coventry Holy Trinity 17 7.71x
Rowington 17 204.33x
Shoreditch London 17 1.34x
Stella 17 227.58x
Bishopwearmouth 16 2.14x
Hulme 16 2.20x
Lambeth 16 0.63x
Nuneaton 16 18.70x
Shenington 15 388.60x
St Pancras London 15 0.64x
Camberwell 14 0.75x
Chilvers Coton 14 46.08x
Chipping Norton 14 33.48x
Deptford St Paul 14 1.82x
St Andrew Holborn London 14 11.04x
Stoneleigh 14 114.19x
Clerkenwell London 13 1.88x
Eccleston In Prescot 13 7.45x
Newington 13 1.20x
Toxteth Park 13 1.10x
Bromsgrove 12 9.32x
Cherrington 12 481.93x
Feckenham 12 27.41x
Kensington London 12 0.74x
Orston 12 246.91x
Snowshill 12 468.75x
St George Hanover Square 12 2.33x
St Marylebone London 12 0.77x
Wappenbury 12 519.48x
Weston Subedge 12 350.88x
Barrow Upon Soar 11 41.01x
Battersea 11 1.02x
Bedwellty 11 2.94x
Napton On Hill 11 123.87x
Paddington London 11 1.02x
Southam 11 61.28x
Beckenham 10 7.65x
Bristol St Michael 10 20.30x
Leicester St Margaret 10 1.26x
Nottingham St Mary 10 0.98x
St Luke London 10 2.13x
Staverton 10 259.74x
West Derby 10 0.98x
Yardley 10 10.22x
Great Grimsby 9 3.03x
Mile End Old Town London 9 1.44x
Oxford St Ebbe 9 16.90x
Portree 9 27.80x
St Martin In Fields 9 5.13x
Walsall Foreign 9 1.76x
West Bromwich 9 1.59x
Llangendeirne 8 34.95x
Manchester 8 0.51x
Westminster St John 8 2.24x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 202
Elizabeth 127
Sarah 106
Emma 58
Ann 56
Eliza 56
Jane 54
Ellen 51
Emily 37
Caroline 32
Annie 31
Hannah 30
Alice 29
Florence 28
Clara 24
Kate 22
Ada 21
Rose 20
Catherine 18
Fanny 18
Louisa 18
Charlotte 16
Maria 16
Edith 15
Lucy 14
Margaret 13
Anne 12
Martha 12
Matilda 12
Rebecca 11
Susan 11
Amelia 9
Elizth. 9
Frances 9
Harriet 9
Lizzie 9
Selina 9
Helen 8
Julia 8
Sophia 8
Amy 7
Eleanor 7
Harriett 7
Agnes 6
Gertrude 6
Lydia 6
Minnie 6
Esther 5
Grace 5
Nelly 5

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 211
John 139
Thomas 126
George 113
Henry 90
Joseph 80
James 75
Charles 63
Alfred 38
Arthur 34
Frederick 31
Albert 23
Walter 23
Samuel 21
Edward 20
Harry 19
Richard 17
Frank 15
Edwin 13
Ernest 12
Stephen 12
Benjamin 11
Robert 11
Isaac 9
Wm. 8
Geo. 6
Herbert 6
Chas. 5
Fredk. 5
Peter 5
Thos. 5
Daniel 4
David 4
Ebenezer 4
Edmund 4
Francis 4
Fredrick 4
Josiah 4
Sidney 4
Sydney 4
Willm. 4
Eli 3
Harold 3
Horace 3
Joshua 3
Laurence 3
Lawrence 3
Moses 3
Reginald 3
Levi 2

FAQ

Hands surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hands surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3,005 people were recorded with the Hands surname. That placed it at #1,490 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hands surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,336 in 2016. That gives Hands a modern rank of #2,038.

What does the Hands surname mean?

A surname derived from the Old English "handa" meaning hands, possibly referring to a skilled craftsman.

What does the Hands map show?

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