NameCensus.

UK surname

Hanger

An occupational surname referring to someone who made or sold clothes hangers or possibly lived near a hanging tree.

In the 1881 census there were 302 people recorded with the Hanger surname, ranking it #9,673 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 323, ranked #13,997, down from #9,673 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rushden, Kettering and Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Weymouth and Portland, Erewash and North Norfolk.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hanger is 369 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 7.0%.

1881 census count

302

Ranked #9,673

Modern count

323

2016, ranked #13,997

Peak year

1911

369 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hanger had 302 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,673 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 323 in 2016, ranked #13,997.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 369 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Hanger surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hanger surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hanger 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 193 #10,704
1861 historical 302 #8,393
1881 historical 302 #9,673
1891 historical 325 #10,426
1901 historical 324 #11,042
1911 historical 369 #9,867
1997 modern 315 #13,111
1998 modern 321 #13,275
1999 modern 336 #12,969
2000 modern 331 #13,045
2001 modern 324 #13,062
2002 modern 323 #13,325
2003 modern 331 #12,944
2004 modern 328 #13,058
2005 modern 326 #13,045
2006 modern 326 #13,128
2007 modern 323 #13,351
2008 modern 326 #13,374
2009 modern 324 #13,689
2010 modern 329 #13,818
2011 modern 321 #13,940
2012 modern 312 #14,131
2013 modern 321 #14,073
2014 modern 332 #13,807
2015 modern 319 #14,118
2016 modern 323 #13,997

Geography

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Where Hangers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rushden, Kettering, Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars, Melcombe Regis and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Weymouth and Portland, Erewash, North Norfolk and West Dorset. 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 Rushden Northamptonshire
2 Kettering Northamptonshire
3 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire
4 Melcombe Regis Dorset
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Weymouth and Portland 004 Weymouth and Portland
2 Erewash 007 Erewash
3 North Norfolk 014 North Norfolk
4 West Dorset 012 West Dorset
5 Weymouth and Portland 007 Weymouth and Portland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hanger

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hanger

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

Ageing Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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, Hanger 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

Hanger is most concentrated in decile 6 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Hanger falls in decile 3 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.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Hanger is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Hanger

The surname HANGER originated in England and is thought to have derived from the Old English words "hangere" or "hangra", meaning someone who hanged people or worked as a public executioner. The name dates back to the 13th century and was initially found in Yorkshire and other northern regions of England.

One of the earliest known records of the HANGER surname is from the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1297, where a William le Hangere is mentioned. The name also appears in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1279, referencing a John le Hangere. These early references suggest the occupation of an executioner or hangman was already well-established by the medieval period.

The HANGER surname is believed to have evolved from various place names, such as Hanger Hill in Worcestershire and Hanger in Hampshire. These locations likely derived their names from the Old English word "hangra", meaning a wooded slope or hanging wood. Some early spellings of the surname include Hanger, Hangere, Hangere, and Hangier.

One notable individual with the HANGER surname was Sir Ralph Hanger (c. 1564-1643), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Taunton in the early 17th century. Another historical figure was William Hanger (1738-1789), a British army officer who gained notoriety for his eccentric behavior and extravagant lifestyle.

Other prominent individuals with the HANGER surname include George Hanger (1751-1824), an English writer and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Gloucestershire, and John Hanger (1819-1892), an English architect known for designing several churches and public buildings in the Victorian era.

In the United States, one of the earliest recorded instances of the HANGER surname dates back to the 17th century, with the arrival of Thomas Hanger in Virginia in 1635. The name has since spread across various regions of the country, with notable individuals such as Colonel Henry Hanger (1786-1857), a military officer who served in the War of 1812.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hanger families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hanger 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. Northamptonshire leads with 65 Hangers recorded in 1881 and an index of 23.46x.

County Total Index
Northamptonshire 65 23.46x
Yorkshire 35 1.20x
Devon 29 4.73x
Leicestershire 28 8.57x
Kent 25 2.49x
Dorset 23 11.90x
Middlesex 18 0.61x
Surrey 17 1.18x
Hampshire 12 1.99x
Lancashire 9 0.26x
Oxfordshire 7 3.85x
Cambridgeshire 6 3.22x
Somerset 6 1.27x
Cornwall 5 1.50x
Huntingdonshire 3 5.13x
Lincolnshire 3 0.64x
Essex 2 0.34x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.50x
Bedfordshire 1 0.66x
Cheshire 1 0.15x
Gloucestershire 1 0.17x
Orkney 1 3.09x
Royal Navy 1 2.85x
Sussex 1 0.20x
Warwickshire 1 0.13x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Kettering in Northamptonshire leads with 29 Hangers recorded in 1881 and an index of 258.70x.

Place Total Index
Kettering 29 258.70x
Melcombe Regis 21 262.17x
Rushden 20 539.08x
Leicester St Margaret 16 20.09x
Deal 13 151.69x
Holdenhurst 10 63.13x
Lambeth 9 3.50x
Widnes 9 35.70x
Sculcoates 8 17.29x
Hackney London 7 4.24x
Market Harborough 7 472.97x
Nether Hallam 7 17.73x
Oxford St Clement 7 152.51x
Stoke Damerel 7 16.31x
Twywell 6 1176.47x
Chulmleigh 5 357.14x
St Clement 5 143.68x
Tenterden 5 141.24x
Withycombe Rawleigh 5 156.74x
Barnsley 4 13.28x
Cheddar 4 167.36x
Leicester St Mary 4 15.16x
Maidstone 4 13.36x
Sutton 4 120.12x
Westminster St Margaret 4 28.15x
Whittlesey St Mary St 4 61.35x
Winkleigh 4 325.20x
Bideford 3 45.66x
Cottingham 3 47.69x
East Stonehouse 3 24.83x
Holy Trinity 3 4.27x
Leighton 3 882.35x
Southwark St George Martyr 3 5.06x
Wellingborough 3 21.54x
Wimbledon 3 18.61x
Bourn 2 52.63x
Croydon 2 2.51x
Drypool 2 44.74x
Kensington London 2 1.22x
Newark Upon Trent 2 14.02x
Shoreditch London 2 1.57x
Southcoates 2 12.34x
St Andrewthe Less 2 9.38x
Walthamstow 2 9.56x
West Coker 2 206.19x
Alton 1 21.98x
Blisworth 1 93.46x
Brampton Bierlow 1 26.74x
Bromley 1 6.53x
Burwash 1 43.48x
Chartham 1 40.00x
Daventry 1 25.51x
Dishley Cum Thorpacre 1 476.19x
Dolton 1 131.58x
Folkestone 1 5.13x
Fordington 1 24.04x
Grafton Underwood 1 357.14x
Hampstead London 1 2.18x
Harrington 1 476.19x
Kirkwall St Ola 1 20.62x
Little Bowden 1 103.09x
Monkleigh 1 185.19x
Mottram St Andrew 1 270.27x
Paddington London 1 0.92x
Peterborough 1 4.99x
Poplar London 1 1.80x
Portsea 1 0.85x
Raunds 1 35.46x
Royal Navy 1 3.33x
Shuttington 1 476.19x
Spalding 1 10.70x
Stow On The Wold 1 78.13x
Weymouth 1 27.32x
Whitby 1 10.16x
Woburn 1 75.76x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 20
John 16
George 13
Charles 12
Henry 8
Thomas 8
James 6
Harry 5
Frederick 4
Alfred 3
Arthur 3
Edward 3
Joseph 3
Ralph 3
Robert 3
Albert 2
David 2
Francis 2
Frank 2
Richard 2
Samuel 2
Wm. 2
Edwin 1
Ernest 1
Fred 1
Frederic 1
Fredk. 1
Gabriel 1
Jennet 1
Jno.B. 1
Leonard 1
Mathew 1
Percival 1
Reginald 1
Soloman 1
Tho. 1
Thos. 1

FAQ

Hanger surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hanger surname in 1881?

In 1881, 302 people were recorded with the Hanger surname. That placed it at #9,673 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hanger surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 323 in 2016. That gives Hanger a modern rank of #13,997.

What does the Hanger surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to someone who made or sold clothes hangers or possibly lived near a hanging tree.

What does the Hanger map show?

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