NameCensus.

UK surname

Hawes

A topographic surname referring to someone who lived by or tended a hawse, an enclosure for catching or keeping animals.

In the 1881 census there were 3,713 people recorded with the Hawes surname, ranking it #1,232 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 5,524, ranked #1,215, up from #1,232 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Oakley, Shabbington, London parishes and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Mid Suffolk, South Norfolk and Wycombe.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hawes is 6,138 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 48.8%.

1881 census count

3,713

Ranked #1,232

Modern count

5,524

2016, ranked #1,215

Peak year

1998

6,138 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hawes had 3,713 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,232 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 5,524 in 2016, ranked #1,215.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 5,763 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Hawes surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hawes surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hawes 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 1,989 #1,456
1861 historical 1,991 #1,460
1881 historical 3,713 #1,232
1891 historical 3,803 #1,266
1901 historical 5,088 #1,105
1911 historical 5,763 #909
1997 modern 5,855 #1,117
1998 modern 6,138 #1,107
1999 modern 6,110 #1,122
2000 modern 6,113 #1,117
2001 modern 5,982 #1,110
2002 modern 6,057 #1,124
2003 modern 5,926 #1,117
2004 modern 5,910 #1,120
2005 modern 5,750 #1,134
2006 modern 5,707 #1,140
2007 modern 5,666 #1,153
2008 modern 5,646 #1,161
2009 modern 5,803 #1,155
2010 modern 5,797 #1,185
2011 modern 5,702 #1,190
2012 modern 5,623 #1,182
2013 modern 5,747 #1,175
2014 modern 5,729 #1,191
2015 modern 5,635 #1,195
2016 modern 5,524 #1,215

Geography

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Where Hawes' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Oakley, Shabbington, London parishes, St Pancras and St John Hackney. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Mid Suffolk, South Norfolk and Wycombe. 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 Oakley, Shabbington Oxfordshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Pancras London (North Districts)
5 St John Hackney London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Mid Suffolk 001 Mid Suffolk
2 South Norfolk 015 South Norfolk
3 Wycombe 003 Wycombe
4 Mid Suffolk 010 Mid Suffolk
5 Mid Suffolk 006 Mid Suffolk

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hawes

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hawes

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Hawes is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, 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

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

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

Hawes is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Hawes falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Hawes

The surname Hawes originated in England and is thought to have derived from the Old English word 'haw', meaning a hedge, or from the plural form 'hawes', which refers to small plots of land enclosed by hedges. It is believed to have been initially used as a topographic name for someone who lived near a hedge or hedged enclosure.

The earliest known record of the name appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as 'Hawa' and 'Hawe'. This suggests that the name was already in use by the time of the Norman Conquest in 1066.

During the Middle Ages, the name was often spelled in various ways, including 'Hawe', 'Hawys', 'Hause', and 'Haws'. These variations reflect the regional dialects and the lack of standardized spelling at the time.

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was Sir John Hawes, a 14th-century English knight who fought in the Hundred Years' War. He was born around 1330 and served under King Edward III.

In the 16th century, Stephen Hawes (c. 1475 - 1523) was a notable English poet and playwright. He is best known for his allegorical works, such as 'The Pastime of Pleasure' and 'The Example of Virtue'.

Another notable figure was Sir James Hawes (1594 - 1661), an English politician and Member of Parliament during the reign of Charles I. He played a significant role in the English Civil War, initially supporting the Royalist cause before switching sides to the Parliamentarians.

In the 18th century, William Hawes (1736 - 1808) was a renowned English painter and engraver. He is particularly known for his portraits and historical paintings, which were highly acclaimed during his lifetime.

In the 19th century, Benjamin Hawes (1797 - 1862) was an English architect and civil engineer who designed several notable buildings, including the Euston Arch in London.

Throughout history, the surname Hawes has also been associated with various place names in England, such as Hawes in North Yorkshire and Hawes in Derbyshire, which may have contributed to the name's origin and widespread use.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hawes families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hawes 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. Middlesex leads with 821 Hawes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.28x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 821 2.28x
Norfolk 352 6.35x
Buckinghamshire 337 15.47x
Suffolk 336 7.66x
Surrey 336 1.91x
Kent 235 1.91x
Essex 151 2.12x
Yorkshire 112 0.31x
Cambridgeshire 101 4.43x
Oxfordshire 92 4.13x
Sussex 85 1.40x
Hertfordshire 81 3.26x
Lancashire 74 0.17x
Northamptonshire 65 1.92x
Cornwall 60 1.47x
Durham 56 0.52x
Lincolnshire 39 0.68x
Berkshire 38 1.40x
Glamorgan 37 0.59x
Bedfordshire 32 1.72x
Leicestershire 31 0.78x
Warwickshire 30 0.33x
Dorset 29 1.23x
Hampshire 21 0.28x
Somerset 21 0.36x
Derbyshire 16 0.28x
Nottinghamshire 16 0.33x
Wiltshire 11 0.35x
Worcestershire 11 0.23x
Huntingdonshire 10 1.40x
Staffordshire 10 0.08x
Devon 8 0.11x
Herefordshire 7 0.47x
Shropshire 7 0.22x
Midlothian 5 0.10x
Gloucestershire 3 0.04x
Northumberland 3 0.06x
Royal Navy 3 0.70x
Brecknockshire 2 0.28x
Pembrokeshire 2 0.17x
Westmorland 2 0.25x
Wigtownshire 2 0.42x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.03x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.07x
Lanarkshire 1 0.01x
Monmouthshire 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. Islington London in Middlesex leads with 113 Hawes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.24x.

Place Total Index
Islington London 113 3.24x
St Pancras London 92 3.17x
Hackney London 83 4.11x
Oakley 59 1136.80x
Lambeth 57 1.81x
Kensington London 49 2.45x
West Ham 42 2.67x
Shoreditch London 41 2.62x
Chelsea London 40 3.68x
Wicken 37 354.07x
Camberwell 36 1.56x
St Marylebone London 36 1.87x
West Wycombe 36 121.83x
Wycombe 34 20.94x
Uny Lelant 31 140.59x
Newington 30 2.25x
Southwark St George Martyr 30 4.14x
Bermondsey 29 2.70x
Madron Penzance 28 18.87x
Tottenham 27 4.70x
Princes Risborough 26 89.10x
Wooburn 26 86.61x
Great Yarmouth 25 5.45x
Chesham 24 29.89x
Heigham 24 8.07x
Clase 23 9.86x
Paddington London 23 1.74x
Great Marlow 22 37.42x
St George Hanover Square 22 3.47x
Brill 20 125.23x
Dartford 20 15.91x
Ditchingham 20 150.83x
Bexley 19 17.48x
St Luke London 19 3.29x
Whitechapel London 19 5.35x
Battersea 18 1.36x
Brighton 18 1.47x
Gussage All Sts 18 348.84x
Hampstead London 18 3.21x
Hughenden 18 80.94x
Plumstead 18 4.39x
Wandsworth 18 5.19x
Willesden 18 5.30x
Woodbridge 18 32.08x
Athelington 17 1075.95x
Great Gaddesden 17 146.17x
Woodford 17 90.19x
Bethnal Green London 16 1.02x
Bishopwearmouth 16 1.74x
Caddington 16 58.57x
Hammersmith London 16 1.80x
Mile End Old Town London 16 2.09x
Leeds 15 0.74x
Bungay Holy Trinity 14 62.17x
Dorchester 14 112.00x
Flamstead 14 61.19x
Ipswich St Margaret 14 9.40x
Minster In Sheppey 14 6.87x
Woodham Ferris 14 168.07x
Worminghall 14 374.33x
Bow London 13 2.83x
Reading St Mary 13 6.00x
Walsham Le Willows 13 88.74x
Weston By Welland 13 490.57x
Witcham 13 273.68x
Woolwich 13 2.86x
Cookham 12 14.23x
Gorleston 12 10.76x
Middlesbrough 12 2.58x
Norton 12 130.43x
Thorpe Next Norwich 12 20.43x
Bromley London 11 1.39x
Charlton On Otmoor 11 168.97x
Chislehurst 11 16.68x
Hemel Hempstead 11 9.83x
Hendon 11 8.48x
Weybridge 11 29.20x
Cliffe 10 36.05x
Ipswich St Clement 10 8.96x
Walcot 10 3.24x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 208
Elizabeth 143
Sarah 118
Alice 80
Ann 67
Emma 60
Eliza 59
Jane 58
Emily 56
Annie 52
Ellen 51
Charlotte 36
Maria 35
Caroline 30
Florence 27
Hannah 27
Harriet 27
Martha 27
Susan 26
Louisa 22
Fanny 20
Edith 19
Lucy 19
Kate 18
Ada 16
Agnes 16
Clara 16
Harriett 15
Catherine 14
Minnie 14
Laura 12
Rebecca 12
Margaret 11
Sophia 11
Anna 10
Ethel 9
Matilda 9
Rose 9
Amelia 8
Anne 8
Beatrice 8
Frances 8
Julia 8
Susannah 8
Lizzie 7
Maud 7
Rachel 7
Esther 6
Jessie 6
Gertrude 5

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 218
John 162
George 148
James 130
Henry 98
Thomas 98
Charles 88
Robert 64
Frederick 57
Arthur 50
Joseph 47
Samuel 39
Alfred 38
Walter 36
Edward 35
Albert 32
Richard 26
David 25
Harry 25
Herbert 23
Ernest 22
Frank 18
Benjamin 15
Edwin 15
Francis 15
Daniel 10
Jesse 10
Amos 7
Isaac 7
Fredrick 6
Percy 6
Stephen 6
Sydney 6
Wm. 6
Edmund 5
Fred 5
Geo. 5
Gilbert 5
Jonathan 5
Owen 5
Robt. 5
Thos. 5
Edgar 4
Frederic 4
Jabez 4
Philip 4
Cecil 3
Fredk. 3
Horace 3
Reginald 3

FAQ

Hawes surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hawes surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3,713 people were recorded with the Hawes surname. That placed it at #1,232 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hawes surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 5,524 in 2016. That gives Hawes a modern rank of #1,215.

What does the Hawes surname mean?

A topographic surname referring to someone who lived by or tended a hawse, an enclosure for catching or keeping animals.

What does the Hawes map show?

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