NameCensus.

UK surname

Hassett

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic Ó hOisín, meaning "descendant of Oisín," a diminutive of the word "os" (deer).

In the 1881 census there were 181 people recorded with the Hassett surname, ranking it #13,690 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 781, ranked #7,060, up from #13,690 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lincoln St Botolph, London parishes and Cardiff St John and St Mary. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rochdale, Stratford-on-Avon and Daventry.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hassett is 845 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 331.5%.

1881 census count

181

Ranked #13,690

Modern count

781

2016, ranked #7,060

Peak year

2010

845 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hassett had 181 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #13,690 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 781 in 2016, ranked #7,060.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 291 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Hassett surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hassett surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Hassett 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 69 #21,148
1861 historical 77 #23,975
1881 historical 181 #13,690
1891 historical 251 #12,729
1901 historical 291 #11,893
1911 historical 288 #11,757
1997 modern 767 #6,758
1998 modern 813 #6,673
1999 modern 802 #6,775
2000 modern 807 #6,721
2001 modern 789 #6,715
2002 modern 838 #6,535
2003 modern 821 #6,510
2004 modern 803 #6,652
2005 modern 773 #6,792
2006 modern 776 #6,796
2007 modern 801 #6,679
2008 modern 794 #6,797
2009 modern 822 #6,726
2010 modern 845 #6,727
2011 modern 819 #6,809
2012 modern 782 #6,984
2013 modern 787 #7,058
2014 modern 788 #7,094
2015 modern 787 #7,026
2016 modern 781 #7,060

Geography

Back to top

Where Hassetts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lincoln St Botolph, London parishes, Cardiff St John and St Mary and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Rochdale, Stratford-on-Avon, Daventry, South Derbyshire and Lincoln. 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 Lincoln St Botolph Lincolnshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Cardiff St John and St Mary Glamorganshire
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rochdale 009 Rochdale
2 Stratford-on-Avon 011 Stratford-on-Avon
3 Daventry 007 Daventry
4 South Derbyshire 011 South Derbyshire
5 Lincoln 004 Lincoln

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Hassett

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Hassett

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Hassett is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Hassett is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Hassett falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Hassett is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Hassett

The surname Hassett is of Irish origin, and it is believed to have originated in County Kerry, Ireland, in the 16th century. The name is derived from the Gaelic word "aisead," which means "a green sedgy field or meadow."

Hassett is a variant spelling of the Old Irish surname "O'Hoisin," which was anglicized to various forms, including Hassett, Hossey, and Hossett. The earliest recorded instance of the name Hassett dates back to 1601, when it appeared in the Fiants of Elizabeth I.

In the 17th century, the Hassett family was among the prominent landowners in County Kerry, and their name was frequently mentioned in historical records related to land disputes and legal transactions. One notable individual from this period was John Hassett, who was involved in the Irish Rebellion of 1641 and was later pardoned by the English authorities.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, the Hassett name became more widespread across Ireland, particularly in counties Kerry, Cork, and Limerick. Several Hassett families were recorded in the Landed Estates of Ireland, indicating their status as landowners and influential members of their local communities.

One of the most renowned figures with the surname Hassett was John Michael Hassett (1868-1923), an Irish nationalist and Member of Parliament who played a significant role in the Irish Home Rule movement. Another notable individual was John Joseph Hassett (1836-1888), an Irish-born American prelate who served as the first Bishop of Brownsville, Texas.

Other individuals of note with the surname Hassett include:

1. James Hassett (1877-1943), an American politician and lawyer who served as the 40th Lieutenant Governor of New York. 2. John J. Hassett (1910-1995), an American lawyer and politician who served as the 53rd United States Secretary of the Navy. 3. John D. Hassett (1839-1918), an Irish-born American businessman and politician who served as the 24th Mayor of Buffalo, New York. 4. Edward Hassett (1870-1941), an Irish-born American prelate who served as the Bishop of Richmond, Virginia. 5. Anne Hassett (1917-1996), an American actress best known for her roles in several films noir during the 1940s and 1950s.

While the surname Hassett has its roots in Ireland, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through Irish immigration to countries like the United States, Canada, and Australia.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Hassett families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hassett 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. Lancashire leads with 43 Hassetts recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.03x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 43 2.03x
Middlesex 40 2.24x
Surrey 20 2.30x
Glamorgan 11 3.54x
Yorkshire 10 0.57x
Warwickshire 8 1.78x
Durham 7 1.32x
Kent 7 1.15x
Essex 6 1.70x
Somerset 6 2.09x
Staffordshire 6 1.00x
Hampshire 5 1.37x
Gloucestershire 4 1.14x
Devon 3 0.81x
Hertfordshire 2 1.63x
Channel Islands 1 1.89x
Cheshire 1 0.25x
Derbyshire 1 0.36x
Dorset 1 0.85x
Northumberland 1 0.38x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Everton in Lancashire leads with 15 Hassetts recorded in 1881 and an index of 22.22x.

Place Total Index
Everton 15 22.22x
Ashton In Makerfield 10 165.84x
Liverpool 10 7.77x
Birmingham 8 5.33x
Rotherhithe 8 36.28x
Fulham London 7 27.04x
Stockton On Tees 7 27.34x
Bermondsey 6 11.29x
Brightside Bierlow 6 17.30x
Cannock 6 57.09x
Cardiff St Mary 6 35.05x
Great Bolton 6 21.39x
Islington London 6 3.47x
St Marylebone London 6 6.30x
Chelsea London 5 9.30x
Eglwysilan 5 92.76x
Isleworth 5 62.97x
Westminster St John 5 23.00x
Colchester St Giles 4 114.94x
Portsea 4 5.58x
Chew Magna 3 297.03x
Clifton 3 16.95x
Greenwich 3 10.56x
Lyncombe Widcombe 3 39.89x
Wandsworth 3 17.46x
Kirkdale 2 5.61x
Poplar London 2 5.94x
Ripon 2 48.78x
Standon 2 157.48x
Beckenham 1 12.56x
Bethnal Green London 1 1.29x
Chelmsford 1 16.53x
Cheltenham 1 3.70x
Clapham 1 4.48x
Derby St Werburgh 1 6.20x
Devonport 1 23.42x
Eastham 1 188.68x
Gillingham 1 7.96x
Hackney London 1 1.00x
Herne 1 37.04x
Leeds 1 1.00x
Leyton Low 1 13.97x
Milton In Gravesend 1 10.95x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 1 6.31x
Plymouth St Andrew 1 3.49x
Portland 1 15.87x
Richmond 1 8.20x
Selby 1 27.03x
St Anne 1 106.38x
St George Hanover Square 1 3.18x
St Mary Kalendar 1 131.58x
St Pancras London 1 0.70x
Stoke 1 24.39x
Stoke Damerel 1 3.85x

Top female names

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

FAQ

Hassett surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hassett surname in 1881?

In 1881, 181 people were recorded with the Hassett surname. That placed it at #13,690 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hassett surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 781 in 2016. That gives Hassett a modern rank of #7,060.

What does the Hassett surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic Ó hOisín, meaning "descendant of Oisín," a diminutive of the word "os" (deer).

What does the Hassett map show?

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