UK surname
Grace or favor bestowed by God.
In the 1881 census there were 79 people recorded with the Hanny surname, ranking it #22,357 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 31, ranked #35,942, down from #22,357 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Shrewsbury St Alkmond, St Julian, St Mary (pt), Meole Brace and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hanny is 249 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 60.8%.
1881 census count
79
Ranked #22,357
Modern count
31
2016, ranked #35,942
Peak year
1861
249 bearers
Map years
1
1861 to 1861
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Hanny surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Hanny surname density by area, 1861 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 | 98 | #17,383 |
| 1861 | historical | 249 | #9,904 |
| 1881 | historical | 79 | #22,357 |
| 1891 | historical | 81 | #26,632 |
| 1901 | historical | 46 | #29,047 |
| 1911 | historical | 48 | #28,006 |
| 1997 | modern | 35 | #34,174 |
| 1998 | modern | 41 | #33,747 |
| 1999 | modern | 35 | #34,418 |
| 2000 | modern | 37 | #34,217 |
| 2001 | modern | 39 | #33,923 |
| 2002 | modern | 40 | #34,133 |
| 2003 | modern | 43 | #33,951 |
| 2004 | modern | 42 | #34,222 |
| 2005 | modern | 39 | #34,652 |
| 2006 | modern | 39 | #34,932 |
| 2007 | modern | 38 | #35,153 |
| 2008 | modern | 38 | #35,262 |
| 2009 | modern | 41 | #35,221 |
| 2010 | modern | 42 | #35,294 |
| 2011 | modern | 46 | #35,047 |
| 2012 | modern | 42 | #35,269 |
| 2013 | modern | 38 | #35,534 |
| 2014 | modern | 32 | #35,896 |
| 2015 | modern | 32 | #35,876 |
| 2016 | modern | 31 | #35,942 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Shrewsbury St Alkmond, St Julian, St Mary (pt), Meole Brace, Manchester, Wells St Cuthbert In and Out and Liverpool. 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 | London parishes | London 1 |
| 2 | Shrewsbury St Alkmond, St Julian, St Mary (pt), Meole Brace | Shropshire |
| 3 | Manchester | Lancashire |
| 4 | Wells St Cuthbert In and Out | Somerset |
| 5 | Liverpool | Lancashire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Hanny 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 Hanny, 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 Hanny surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Hanny 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, Hanny 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 Hanny is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Hanny, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Hanny originates from Germany, with its roots traceable back to the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the medieval German word "Hanne," which was a diminutive form of the name "Johannes" or "Johann." The name was predominantly found in the regions of Bavaria and Swabia.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Hanny can be found in the Kirchenbücher (church records) of Ellwangen, Württemberg, which mentions a Hans Hanny in 1564. These church records were vital sources of information for genealogical research in the pre-census era.
The Hanny surname also appears in several historical documents from the 17th and 18th centuries. For instance, the Einwohner-Verzeichnisse (resident registers) of Bamberg, Bavaria, lists a Leonhard Hanny in 1688. Additionally, the Ortssippenbücher (village lineage books) of Steinheim, Baden-Württemberg, record a Johannes Hanny born in 1723.
Notably, the name Hanny has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One such figure is Johann Georg Hanny (1766-1834), a German composer and organist who served as the Kapellmeister (music director) at the court of Meiningen.
Another prominent bearer of the Hanny surname was Carl Hanny (1786-1853), a German astronomer who discovered several comets and asteroids, including the periodic comet 7P/Pons-Gambart in 1819.
The Hanny name also holds significance in the field of literature. Wilhelm Hanny (1838-1920) was a German writer and poet who is best known for his collection of poems titled "Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen" (Songs of a Wandering Journeyman).
Furthermore, the Hanny surname has been associated with notable individuals in other fields, such as Johannes Hanny (1866-1941), a German architect who designed several churches and public buildings in Bavaria.
Lastly, it is worth mentioning Friedrich Hanny (1908-1994), a German physicist and scientist who made significant contributions to the development of nuclear energy and played a crucial role in the construction of Germany's first nuclear reactor.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hanny 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. Middlesex leads with 13 Hannys recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.65x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Middlesex | 13 | 1.65x |
| Lancashire | 11 | 1.17x |
| Durham | 9 | 3.83x |
| Lanarkshire | 7 | 2.74x |
| Somerset | 7 | 5.50x |
| Yorkshire | 7 | 0.89x |
| Monmouthshire | 4 | 7.00x |
| Northumberland | 4 | 3.40x |
| Wigtownshire | 4 | 38.13x |
| Wiltshire | 3 | 4.29x |
| Channel Islands | 2 | 8.54x |
| Surrey | 2 | 0.52x |
| Angus | 1 | 1.37x |
| Dumfriesshire | 1 | 5.73x |
| Gloucestershire | 1 | 0.65x |
| Midlothian | 1 | 0.95x |
| Suffolk | 1 | 1.04x |
| Sussex | 1 | 0.75x |
| Warwickshire | 1 | 0.50x |
| West Lothian | 1 | 8.40x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Westoe in Durham leads with 9 Hannys recorded in 1881 and an index of 67.57x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Westoe | 9 | 67.57x |
| Wells St Cuthbert Out | 7 | 686.27x |
| Horton In Bradford | 6 | 49.10x |
| Islington London | 6 | 7.84x |
| Barrow In Furness | 4 | 31.37x |
| Bothwell | 4 | 57.72x |
| Liverpool | 4 | 7.03x |
| Risca | 4 | 370.37x |
| Barony | 3 | 4.64x |
| Hackney London | 3 | 6.77x |
| Kirkcowan | 3 | 857.14x |
| Amble | 2 | 377.36x |
| Bromley London | 2 | 11.51x |
| Longbenton | 2 | 40.16x |
| Moss Side | 2 | 40.57x |
| St Helier | 2 | 26.25x |
| Swindon | 2 | 36.90x |
| Bathgate | 1 | 38.76x |
| Birmingham | 1 | 1.51x |
| Bradford On Avon | 1 | 44.64x |
| Bristol St Nicholas | 1 | 357.14x |
| Dundee | 1 | 3.66x |
| Eye | 1 | 161.29x |
| Inveresk | 1 | 34.84x |
| Kirkcolm | 1 | 200.00x |
| Limehouse London | 1 | 11.53x |
| Manchester | 1 | 2.37x |
| Morton | 1 | 172.41x |
| Newington | 1 | 3.43x |
| Paddington London | 1 | 3.44x |
| Rotherhithe | 1 | 10.25x |
| Sheffield | 1 | 4.01x |
| Subdeanery | 1 | 99.01x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Hanny 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 Hanny 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 Hanny households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 9 |
| Annuitant | 3 |
| Masons Lab | 2 |
| Agricultural Labourer | 1 |
| Bank Manager | 1 |
| Clerk Apprentice | 1 |
| Companion (Dom) | 1 |
| Cook Dom | 1 |
| Dock Lab. | 1 |
| Formerly Shoemaker | 1 |
| Gas Fitter | 1 |
| Gen Lab | 1 |
| General Labourer | 1 |
| Lab Quarry (Stone) | 1 |
| Labourer | 1 |
| Mason | 1 |
| Moulders Labourer (E & M) | 1 |
| No Occupation | 1 |
| Paper Mill Cutting Rags | 1 |
| Printer | 1 |
| Quarry Lab (Stone) | 1 |
| Sea R N Naval Reserve | 1 |
| Servant | 1 |
| Soldier | 1 |
| Steelworks Labourer | 1 |
| Stillroom Maid | 1 |
| Stone Quarry Man | 1 |
| Ticket Writer | 1 |
| Victualler Retired | 1 |
| Waiter (Inn) | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 79 people were recorded with the Hanny surname. That placed it at #22,357 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 31 in 2016. That gives Hanny a modern rank of #35,942.
Grace or favor bestowed by God.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Hanny 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.