NameCensus.

UK surname

Hathaway

From an English place name meaning "a path across a heath," referring to someone who lived near such a path.

In the 1881 census there were 1,553 people recorded with the Hathaway surname, ranking it #2,714 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,808, ranked #2,405, up from #2,714 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Bedwelty and Walsall. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cotswold, Stratford-on-Avon and Tamworth.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hathaway is 2,881 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 80.8%.

1881 census count

1,553

Ranked #2,714

Modern count

2,808

2016, ranked #2,405

Peak year

1999

2,881 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hathaway had 1,553 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,714 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,808 in 2016, ranked #2,405.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,337 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Hathaway surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hathaway surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Hathaway 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 926 #2,983
1861 historical 838 #3,292
1881 historical 1,553 #2,714
1891 historical 1,666 #2,693
1901 historical 2,077 #2,583
1911 historical 2,337 #2,183
1997 modern 2,690 #2,375
1998 modern 2,825 #2,364
1999 modern 2,881 #2,345
2000 modern 2,851 #2,358
2001 modern 2,805 #2,345
2002 modern 2,876 #2,339
2003 modern 2,783 #2,358
2004 modern 2,813 #2,342
2005 modern 2,752 #2,356
2006 modern 2,757 #2,352
2007 modern 2,776 #2,363
2008 modern 2,790 #2,364
2009 modern 2,801 #2,409
2010 modern 2,823 #2,433
2011 modern 2,817 #2,411
2012 modern 2,808 #2,379
2013 modern 2,826 #2,403
2014 modern 2,841 #2,402
2015 modern 2,810 #2,407
2016 modern 2,808 #2,405

Geography

Back to top

Where Hathaways are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Bedwelty and Walsall. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cotswold, Stratford-on-Avon, Tamworth and Leeds. 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 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 Bedwelty Monmouthshire
4 Walsall Staffordshire
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cotswold 002 Cotswold
2 Stratford-on-Avon 012 Stratford-on-Avon
3 Tamworth 007 Tamworth
4 Stratford-on-Avon 011 Stratford-on-Avon
5 Leeds 092 Leeds

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Hathaway

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Hathaway

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

Hathaway is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Hathaway falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Hathaway 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 Hathaway, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Hathaway

The surname Hathaway is of English origin, derived from the Old English words "haeth" meaning a heathland or heather, and "weg" meaning a way or path. It is a locational surname, referring to someone who lived near a heath or heather-covered path or road.

The earliest recorded instance of the surname dates back to the late 12th century, appearing as "de Hathewey" in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1195. This suggests that the name originated in the county of Gloucestershire, where heathlands were abundant.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, a place called "Hathawuda" is mentioned, which is believed to be the modern-day village of Hathaway in Gloucestershire. This further reinforces the connection between the surname and the region.

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was William Hathaway, who was born around 1260 in Gloucestershire. He was mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of 1327 as a taxpayer in the village of Hathaway.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the surname Hathaway was found in various records across England, with variations in spelling such as Hathawey, Hathwey, and Hathaway. Notable individuals from this period include:

1. John Hathaway (c. 1540-1620), an English merchant and explorer who traveled to the West Indies and Central America. 2. Anne Hathaway (1556-1623), the wife of William Shakespeare, the renowned English playwright and poet.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, the name spread across England and to other parts of the world through migration and colonization. Some notable bearers of the surname during this time include:

1. Henry Hathaway (1798-1885), an English-born American businessman and politician who served as a U.S. Representative from Illinois. 2. George Hathaway (1825-1899), an English-born Australian businessman and politician who served as a member of the Legislative Council of South Australia. 3. Nathaniel Hathaway (1868-1939), an American architect who designed several notable buildings in St. Louis, Missouri.

Throughout its history, the surname Hathaway has been associated with various occupations, from merchants and explorers to politicians and architects, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and achievements of those who bore this name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Hathaway families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hathaway 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. Gloucestershire leads with 250 Hathaways recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.41x.

County Total Index
Gloucestershire 250 8.41x
Middlesex 191 1.26x
Warwickshire 165 4.32x
Oxfordshire 157 16.77x
Staffordshire 138 2.70x
Surrey 106 1.44x
Worcestershire 85 4.29x
Berkshire 68 5.98x
Lancashire 53 0.29x
Hampshire 47 1.51x
Buckinghamshire 31 3.38x
Somerset 29 1.19x
Monmouthshire 28 2.56x
Essex 23 0.77x
Wiltshire 22 1.64x
Kent 20 0.39x
Glamorgan 19 0.72x
Hertfordshire 19 1.82x
Yorkshire 17 0.11x
Durham 15 0.33x
Derbyshire 12 0.51x
Dorset 10 1.01x
Herefordshire 7 1.13x
Radnorshire 7 5.72x
Suffolk 7 0.38x
Lanarkshire 5 0.10x
Shropshire 5 0.38x
Stirlingshire 4 0.72x
Caernarfonshire 3 0.49x
Sussex 3 0.12x
Carmarthenshire 2 0.31x
Leicestershire 2 0.12x
Royal Navy 2 1.11x
Devon 1 0.03x
Norfolk 1 0.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Birmingham in Warwickshire leads with 63 Hathaways recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.94x.

Place Total Index
Birmingham 63 4.94x
Aston 53 5.03x
Walsall Foreign 33 12.48x
Hammersmith London 31 8.30x
Lambeth 31 2.35x
Lower Swell 29 1374.41x
Camberwell 22 2.27x
Tewkesbury 22 82.93x
Dudley 20 8.31x
Rushall 20 66.42x
St Pancras London 20 1.64x
Wycombe 19 27.81x
Alderminster 18 705.88x
West Ham 18 2.72x
Wendlebury 17 1976.74x
Reading St Mary 16 17.56x
Maugersbury 15 526.32x
Sunninghill 14 88.72x
Willenhall 14 14.61x
Bedminster 13 5.67x
Islington London 13 0.88x
Moreton In Marsh 13 174.50x
Headington 12 82.59x
Kensington London 12 1.42x
Neithrop 12 38.14x
St George Hanover Square 12 4.49x
Oxford St Ebbe 11 39.93x
Bermondsey 10 2.22x
Brightwell 10 311.53x
Clerkenwell London 10 2.79x
Gorton 10 5.91x
Hackney London 10 1.18x
Langley Burrell 10 179.53x
Shapwick 10 438.60x
St Albans St Peter 10 28.37x
Stow On The Wold 10 151.29x
Battersea 9 1.61x
Bethnal Green London 9 1.37x
Cheltenham 9 3.92x
Clase 9 9.17x
Harborne 9 5.49x
Llantillio Crossenny 9 260.12x
Newington 9 1.61x
Peopleton 9 633.80x
Stretton On Foss 9 447.76x
Tipton 9 5.74x
Bentley 8 219.18x
Froyle 8 202.02x
Great Rissington 8 372.09x
Lydney 8 52.12x
Old Windsor 8 60.74x
Swansea Higher 8 29.10x
Austrey 7 370.37x
Banbury 7 37.33x
Bensington 7 117.25x
Bledington 7 368.42x
Cam 7 76.75x
Churcham 7 264.15x
Cowley 7 23.96x
Curbridge 7 223.64x
Everton 7 1.22x
Eynsham 7 118.04x
Filkins 7 230.26x
Hewelsfield 7 334.93x
Mattingley 7 265.15x
Newington 7 16.92x
Oxford St Thomas 7 16.02x
Penkridge 7 53.03x
Shipston On Stour 7 77.69x
Shoreditch London 7 1.07x
St Albans 7 32.70x
St Marylebone London 7 0.86x
Watlington 7 73.07x
West Auckland 7 42.45x
West Bromwich 7 2.39x
West Dean 7 14.50x
Whitechapel London 7 4.68x
Winson 7 833.33x
Broughton 6 714.29x
Hereford St Peter 6 36.14x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 94
George 70
John 64
Thomas 58
Henry 49
James 35
Charles 31
Joseph 29
Albert 19
Frederick 19
Alfred 18
Arthur 16
Walter 14
Samuel 13
Edward 12
Edwin 11
Harry 11
Francis 7
Richard 7
Daniel 6
Frank 6
Sidney 6
Andrew 5
David 5
Ernest 5
Fred 5
Robert 5
Herbert 4
Lewis 4
Chas. 3
Geo. 3
Isaac 3
Mark 3
Ralph 3
Thos. 3
Tom 3
A. 2
Alexander 2
Brigham 2
Dennis 2
Earnest 2
Fredk. 2
Job 2
Josiah 2
Oliver 2
Raymond 2
Simeon 2
Wilfred 2
Wm. 2
Edwd. 1

FAQ

Hathaway surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hathaway surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,553 people were recorded with the Hathaway surname. That placed it at #2,714 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hathaway surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,808 in 2016. That gives Hathaway a modern rank of #2,405.

What does the Hathaway surname mean?

From an English place name meaning "a path across a heath," referring to someone who lived near such a path.

What does the Hathaway map show?

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