UK surname
A Germanic surname derived from the given name Johannes (John).
In the 1881 census there were 101 people recorded with the Hanns surname, ranking it #19,636 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 90, ranked #32,202, down from #19,636 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Upton with Chalvey, St Pancras and St George the Martyr. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hanns is 137 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 10.9%.
1881 census count
101
Ranked #19,636
Modern count
90
2016, ranked #32,202
Peak year
1891
137 bearers
Map years
4
1861 to 1911
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Hanns surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Hanns surname density by area, 1881 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 31 | #27,734 |
| 1861 | historical | 132 | #16,957 |
| 1881 | historical | 101 | #19,636 |
| 1891 | historical | 137 | #19,501 |
| 1901 | historical | 98 | #23,119 |
| 1911 | historical | 101 | #22,589 |
| 1997 | modern | 66 | #31,038 |
| 1998 | modern | 61 | #31,841 |
| 1999 | modern | 59 | #32,174 |
| 2000 | modern | 69 | #31,273 |
| 2001 | modern | 70 | #31,016 |
| 2002 | modern | 74 | #31,048 |
| 2003 | modern | 76 | #30,883 |
| 2004 | modern | 77 | #31,024 |
| 2005 | modern | 72 | #31,730 |
| 2006 | modern | 66 | #32,629 |
| 2007 | modern | 70 | #32,580 |
| 2008 | modern | 70 | #32,856 |
| 2009 | modern | 75 | #32,733 |
| 2010 | modern | 80 | #32,670 |
| 2011 | modern | 81 | #32,558 |
| 2012 | modern | 81 | #32,796 |
| 2013 | modern | 89 | #32,248 |
| 2014 | modern | 89 | #32,409 |
| 2015 | modern | 85 | #32,693 |
| 2016 | modern | 90 | #32,202 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Upton with Chalvey, St Pancras, St George the Martyr, Lyncombe and Widcombe and Lifton, Bratton Clovelly, Broadwood Widger. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Upton with Chalvey | Buckinghamshire |
| 2 | St Pancras | London (North Districts) |
| 3 | St George the Martyr | London (South Districts) |
| 4 | Lyncombe and Widcombe | Somerset |
| 5 | Lifton, Bratton Clovelly, Broadwood Widger | Devon |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Hanns surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Hanns, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Hanns surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Hanns household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Hanns is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Hanns is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Hanns, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname HANNS is of German origin, deriving from the medieval personal name Hans, which itself is a shortened form of the Germanic name Johannes, equivalent to the English John. The name Johannes is derived from the Hebrew name Yohanan, meaning "Yahweh is gracious."
The earliest recorded instances of the surname HANNS can be traced back to the 13th century in various regions of Germany, particularly in the areas around Bavaria and Saxony. In medieval records, the name often appeared with slight variations in spelling, such as Hanns, Hannss, or Hanse.
One notable historical reference to the surname HANNS can be found in the chronicles of the city of Nuremberg, where a certain Konrad Hanns is mentioned as a prominent citizen in the year 1438. Another early record comes from the town of Görlitz, where a man named Hans Hanns is listed as a merchant in the town's guild records dating back to 1482.
In the 16th century, the name HANNS gained prominence with the birth of Hans Hanns (1492-1549), a German painter and engraver from Nuremberg. He is known for his woodcut illustrations in various religious and literary works of the time, including the famous Nuremberg Chronicle published in 1493.
Another notable figure bearing the surname HANNS was Johann Hanns (1547-1612), a German theologian and author from Saxony. He served as a professor at the University of Wittenberg and was a prominent figure in the Lutheran reformation movement.
In the 17th century, the name HANNS was associated with the German explorer and cartographer Johann Baptist Hanns (1631-1687). He was born in Augsburg and is best known for his detailed maps of the Americas, which were widely used by European navigators and explorers at the time.
During the 19th century, the surname HANNS gained literary significance with the birth of German writer and playwright Friedrich Hanns (1815-1892). He was born in Berlin and is remembered for his satirical works, which often criticized the social and political conditions of his time.
As the surname HANNS spread throughout Germany and other parts of Europe, it also became associated with various place names and toponyms. For example, the village of Hannsdorf in Saxony is believed to have been named after a family or individual bearing the surname HANNS who settled in the area during the Middle Ages.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hanns surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Lancashire leads with 23 Hanns' recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.99x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Lancashire | 23 | 1.99x |
| Surrey | 22 | 4.63x |
| Middlesex | 17 | 1.74x |
| Devon | 7 | 3.45x |
| Gloucestershire | 6 | 3.14x |
| Durham | 4 | 1.38x |
| Hampshire | 4 | 2.00x |
| Oxfordshire | 4 | 6.64x |
| Berkshire | 3 | 4.10x |
| Cumberland | 3 | 3.57x |
| Cambridgeshire | 1 | 1.62x |
| Essex | 1 | 0.52x |
| Hertfordshire | 1 | 1.49x |
| Kent | 1 | 0.30x |
| Leicestershire | 1 | 0.92x |
| Somerset | 1 | 0.64x |
| Worcestershire | 1 | 0.79x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Southwark St George Martyr in Surrey leads with 10 Hanns' recorded in 1881 and an index of 50.94x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Southwark St George Martyr | 10 | 50.94x |
| Camberwell | 8 | 12.84x |
| Habergham Eaves | 8 | 75.61x |
| Bristol St Mary Redcliff | 6 | 344.83x |
| Mile End Old Town London | 6 | 28.90x |
| Salford | 6 | 17.63x |
| Shoreditch London | 6 | 14.19x |
| Hulme | 5 | 20.69x |
| Lifton | 5 | 1020.41x |
| Escomb | 4 | 300.75x |
| Everton | 4 | 10.84x |
| Rotherfield Greys | 4 | 625.00x |
| Southampton All Sts | 4 | 116.62x |
| Great Clifton | 3 | 909.09x |
| East West Challow | 2 | 1052.63x |
| Twickenham | 2 | 47.85x |
| Weybridge | 2 | 196.08x |
| Chipping Barnet | 1 | 84.75x |
| Crediton | 1 | 52.08x |
| East Hendred | 1 | 370.37x |
| Ely Holy Trinity St Mary | 1 | 37.17x |
| Kensington London | 1 | 1.84x |
| Lambeth | 1 | 1.18x |
| Leicester St Margaret | 1 | 3.79x |
| Midsomer Norton | 1 | 67.57x |
| Paddington London | 1 | 2.79x |
| Redditch | 1 | 38.76x |
| Richmond | 1 | 15.02x |
| St Giles In Fields London | 1 | 20.88x |
| Tonbridge | 1 | 8.33x |
| Walkhampton | 1 | 526.32x |
| West Ham | 1 | 2.35x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Hanns surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Hanns surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Hanns households.
FAQ
In 1881, 101 people were recorded with the Hanns surname. That placed it at #19,636 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 90 in 2016. That gives Hanns a modern rank of #32,202.
A Germanic surname derived from the given name Johannes (John).
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Hanns bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.