NameCensus.

UK surname

Hatcher

An occupational surname referring to a maker or seller of hatches, gates, or grates.

In the 1881 census there were 1,755 people recorded with the Hatcher surname, ranking it #2,463 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,522, ranked #2,620, down from #2,463 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and Newchurch. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Dorset, Tunbridge Wells and Ashford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hatcher is 2,697 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 43.7%.

1881 census count

1,755

Ranked #2,463

Modern count

2,522

2016, ranked #2,620

Peak year

1911

2,697 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hatcher had 1,755 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,463 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,522 in 2016, ranked #2,620.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,697 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Hatcher surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hatcher surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hatcher 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 1,155 #2,443
1861 historical 1,665 #1,720
1881 historical 1,755 #2,463
1891 historical 2,296 #2,041
1901 historical 2,504 #2,187
1911 historical 2,697 #1,921
1997 modern 2,545 #2,487
1998 modern 2,608 #2,509
1999 modern 2,595 #2,537
2000 modern 2,551 #2,571
2001 modern 2,518 #2,547
2002 modern 2,559 #2,559
2003 modern 2,487 #2,579
2004 modern 2,485 #2,583
2005 modern 2,424 #2,609
2006 modern 2,426 #2,610
2007 modern 2,449 #2,612
2008 modern 2,450 #2,631
2009 modern 2,490 #2,654
2010 modern 2,587 #2,628
2011 modern 2,538 #2,633
2012 modern 2,522 #2,606
2013 modern 2,558 #2,615
2014 modern 2,546 #2,637
2015 modern 2,543 #2,612
2016 modern 2,522 #2,620

Geography

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Where Hatchers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, Newchurch and Portsmouth, Portsea. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to North Dorset, Tunbridge Wells, Ashford, Wyre and The Vale of Glamorgan. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 London parishes London 1
3 Newchurch Hampshire
4 London parishes London 3
5 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Dorset 004 North Dorset
2 Tunbridge Wells 013 Tunbridge Wells
3 Ashford 005 Ashford
4 Wyre 001 Wyre
5 The Vale of Glamorgan 012 Vale of Glamorgan

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hatcher

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hatcher

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Hatcher is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Hatcher is most concentrated in decile 3 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Hatcher 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 Hatcher is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Hatcher

The surname Hatcher originated in England during the late medieval period, deriving from the Old English word "hæcce," which referred to a gate or hatch. This name was likely initially given as an occupational surname to someone who worked as a gatekeeper or hatch-tender, responsible for opening and closing gates or hatches.

The earliest known record of the name Hatcher dates back to the 13th century, with a reference to a William le Hacher in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1273. This early spelling variation highlights the name's evolution from its Old English roots.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in various spellings, such as Hacher, Hatcher, and Hatchere, reflecting the lack of standardized spelling during that time. One notable individual from this era was John Hatcher, a prominent English historian and scholar who lived from 1312 to 1378.

The Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of landholdings and population in England compiled in 1086, does not contain any direct references to the surname Hatcher. However, it does mention several place names that may have influenced the surname's development, such as Hatfield and Hatcham.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Hatcher surname became more widespread across England, particularly in the counties of Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, and Wiltshire. One notable individual from this period was John Hatcher, an English theologian and author born in 1558, who wrote several religious works.

In the 18th century, the Hatcher name gained further prominence with the birth of Henry Hatcher in 1725. He was a renowned British architect responsible for designing several notable buildings, including the Radcliffe Observatory in Oxford.

Another notable figure with this surname was William Hatcher, a British naval officer born in 1776. He served in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars and was honored for his bravery and leadership in various battles.

As the centuries progressed, the Hatcher surname continued to spread across England and into other parts of the world, including North America and Australia, where it was carried by British immigrants and settlers.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hatcher families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hatcher 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. Hampshire leads with 330 Hatchers recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.39x.

County Total Index
Hampshire 330 9.39x
Dorset 247 21.95x
Kent 241 4.12x
Middlesex 227 1.32x
Surrey 131 1.57x
Somerset 98 3.55x
Suffolk 95 4.55x
Sussex 95 3.29x
Wiltshire 65 4.29x
Essex 52 1.54x
Gloucestershire 45 1.34x
Devon 30 0.84x
Warwickshire 17 0.39x
Yorkshire 16 0.09x
Durham 11 0.22x
Glamorgan 8 0.27x
Lancashire 8 0.04x
Berkshire 7 0.54x
Royal Navy 5 2.45x
Channel Islands 3 0.59x
Midlothian 3 0.13x
Northamptonshire 3 0.19x
Northumberland 3 0.12x
Buckinghamshire 2 0.19x
Cornwall 2 0.10x
Huntingdonshire 2 0.59x
Norfolk 2 0.08x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.09x
Oxfordshire 2 0.19x
Worcestershire 2 0.09x
Bedfordshire 1 0.11x
Herefordshire 1 0.14x
Lincolnshire 1 0.04x
Monmouthshire 1 0.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Marnhull in Dorset leads with 91 Hatchers recorded in 1881 and an index of 1111.11x.

Place Total Index
Marnhull 91 1111.11x
Portsea 51 7.40x
Islington London 33 1.99x
Southampton St Mary 29 13.12x
St Pancras London 28 2.03x
Lambeth 27 1.81x
Alderbury 25 351.12x
Cranbrook 20 80.71x
Broadwater 19 28.65x
Shepton Mallet 19 61.35x
Blythburgh 18 372.67x
Brenenden 18 239.04x
West Ham 18 2.41x
Brading 17 36.39x
Battersea 16 2.54x
Brighton 16 2.74x
Kingston By Sea 16 347.83x
Longstock 16 625.00x
Kensington London 15 1.57x
Stalbridge 15 140.19x
Shoreditch London 14 1.88x
Bermondsey 13 2.55x
St Marylebone London 13 1.42x
Arreton 12 106.48x
Birmingham 12 0.83x
Holdenhurst 12 13.02x
Lockerley 12 340.91x
Parham 12 458.02x
Ventnor 12 35.90x
Walthamstow 12 9.85x
Walton Le Soken 12 149.07x
Willesden 12 7.42x
Blandford Forum 11 49.53x
Wandsworth 11 6.66x
Broughton 10 188.32x
Dawlish 10 37.55x
Debenham 10 144.30x
Haselbury Plucknett 10 287.36x
Hinton St Mary 10 574.71x
Lewisham 10 3.21x
Provost Stour 10 442.48x
Ryde 10 13.24x
St George Hanover Square 10 3.31x
Staplehurst 10 104.06x
Thornford 10 413.22x
Bow London 9 4.12x
Broomfield 9 957.45x
East Tytherley 9 405.41x
Fulham London 9 3.62x
Hackney London 9 0.94x
Marden 9 65.60x
Monxton 9 569.62x
Tenterden 9 43.63x
Weeke 9 84.51x
Wells St Cuthbert 9 47.77x
Westham 9 152.80x
Wyke Regis 9 55.73x
Beckenham 8 10.46x
Bedminster 8 3.08x
Bethnal Green London 8 1.07x
Capel St Mary 8 238.81x
Downton 8 40.30x
Gillingham 8 41.37x
Goodnestone In Eastry 8 338.98x
Greenwich 8 2.93x
Harwich St Nicholas 8 30.59x
Ickham Well 8 238.81x
Ipswich St Clement 8 15.07x
Kings Somborne 8 108.55x
Millbrook 8 9.04x
Motcombe 8 96.62x
Otley 8 214.48x
Portchester 8 175.82x
Preston 8 195.12x
Salisbury St Edmund 8 32.87x
Shaftesbury St Peter 8 152.38x
St Maurice Winchester 8 54.76x
Stockbridge 8 156.25x
Thames Ditton 8 46.08x
Wimbledon 8 8.53x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 101
Elizabeth 73
Ellen 48
Sarah 45
Eliza 34
Alice 32
Emily 31
Jane 30
Ann 29
Annie 25
Emma 24
Fanny 23
Florence 20
Harriet 15
Louisa 15
Maria 15
Charlotte 14
Kate 12
Martha 12
Susan 11
Agnes 10
Lucy 10
Anne 9
Edith 8
Ada 7
Amelia 7
Amy 7
Harriett 7
Rose 7
Bessie 6
Caroline 6
Clara 6
Isabella 6
Sophia 6
Julia 5
Anna 4
Beatrice 4
Catherine 4
Eleanor 4
Ethel 4
Eva 4
Frances 4
Gertrude 4
Hannah 4
Lydia 4
Rosa 4
Ruth 4
Margaret 3
Maud 3
Minnie 3

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 106
George 97
John 71
Charles 58
James 55
Henry 41
Thomas 40
Alfred 32
Walter 31
Arthur 21
Edward 21
Harry 16
Joseph 16
Frederick 15
Robert 15
Albert 14
Frank 14
Edwin 12
Ernest 11
Richard 8
Samuel 8
Stephen 8
Daniel 6
Herbert 6
Sidney 6
Eli 4
Jacob 4
Tom 4
Enos 3
Fredrick 3
Wm. 3
Charley 2
Chas. 2
Clement 2
Edgar 2
Edmund 2
Emanuel 2
Francis 2
Harold 2
Horace 2
Hubert 2
Hugh 2
Isaac 2
Jno. 2
Job 2
Jonathan 2
Louis 2
Mark 2
Sydney 2
Willm. 2

FAQ

Hatcher surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hatcher surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,755 people were recorded with the Hatcher surname. That placed it at #2,463 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hatcher surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,522 in 2016. That gives Hatcher a modern rank of #2,620.

What does the Hatcher surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to a maker or seller of hatches, gates, or grates.

What does the Hatcher map show?

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