NameCensus.

UK surname

Hawthorne

A locational surname referring to someone who lived near a hedge of hawthorn shrubs.

In the 1881 census there were 693 people recorded with the Hawthorne surname, ranking it #5,229 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,472, ranked #2,666, up from #5,229 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, Tipton otherwise Tibington and Wolstanton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Dudley, Petersburn and Caerphilly.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hawthorne is 2,547 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 256.7%.

1881 census count

693

Ranked #5,229

Modern count

2,472

2016, ranked #2,666

Peak year

2010

2,547 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hawthorne had 693 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,229 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,472 in 2016, ranked #2,666.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,429 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Hawthorne surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hawthorne surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hawthorne 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 213 #9,934
1861 historical 338 #7,541
1881 historical 693 #5,229
1891 historical 974 #4,246
1901 historical 1,429 #3,559
1911 historical 1,280 #3,716
1997 modern 2,272 #2,733
1998 modern 2,418 #2,683
1999 modern 2,450 #2,677
2000 modern 2,451 #2,665
2001 modern 2,386 #2,676
2002 modern 2,461 #2,659
2003 modern 2,434 #2,622
2004 modern 2,422 #2,639
2005 modern 2,406 #2,625
2006 modern 2,375 #2,652
2007 modern 2,427 #2,632
2008 modern 2,493 #2,588
2009 modern 2,542 #2,608
2010 modern 2,547 #2,656
2011 modern 2,509 #2,666
2012 modern 2,402 #2,705
2013 modern 2,438 #2,721
2014 modern 2,475 #2,710
2015 modern 2,462 #2,695
2016 modern 2,472 #2,666

Geography

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Where Hawthornes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, Tipton otherwise Tibington, Wolstanton, London parishes and Kettering. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Dudley, Petersburn, Caerphilly and Sunderland. 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 Wolverhampton Staffordshire
2 Tipton otherwise Tibington Staffordshire
3 Wolstanton Staffordshire
4 London parishes London 3
5 Kettering Northamptonshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Dudley 006 Dudley
2 Dudley 020 Dudley
3 Petersburn North Lanarkshire
4 Caerphilly 019 Caerphilly
5 Sunderland 032 Sunderland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hawthorne

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hawthorne

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Hawthorne, 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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Hawthorne surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Hawthorne household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Hawthorne is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Hawthorne is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Hawthorne falls in decile 2 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Hawthorne

The surname Hawthorne is of English origin, derived from the Old English words "hæg" meaning hedge and "thorn" meaning a thorny tree or bush. This suggests that the name originally referred to someone who lived near a hawthorn hedge or bush. It is found recorded as early as the 13th century in various spellings such as Hathorne, Haughthorne, and Hawthorn.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was William de Hawethorn, who was mentioned in the Assize Rolls of Staffordshire in 1282. Another early record is that of John Hauthorne, listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire in 1379. The Hawthorne surname is also found in the famous Domesday Book of 1086, although the exact spelling varies.

The name Hawthorne has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One of the most famous is Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804-1864), the renowned American novelist and short story writer known for works such as "The Scarlet Letter" and "The House of the Seven Gables." He was born in Salem, Massachusetts, and his ancestors had settled in the area in the 17th century.

Another notable bearer of the name was William Hawthorne (1742-1809), an English-born American soldier who fought in the American Revolutionary War. He served as an officer in the Continental Army and was present at several key battles, including the Battle of Saratoga.

In the 19th century, John Caldwell Calhoun Hawthorne (1825-1899) was an American lawyer and politician who served as a United States Representative from Missouri. He was also a member of the Confederate Congress during the American Civil War.

The name Hawthorne has also been associated with several places in England, including the village of Hawthorn in County Durham, and the town of Hawthorn in Wiltshire. These place names likely originated from the same Old English roots as the surname, referring to areas where hawthorn bushes grew abundantly.

More recently, Robert Hawthorne (1909-1994) was an American actor and singer who appeared in numerous films and television shows during the mid-20th century. He was known for his roles in westerns and often played characters with the surname Hawthorne.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hawthorne families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hawthorne 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. Staffordshire leads with 176 Hawthornes recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.66x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 176 7.66x
Lancashire 97 1.20x
Warwickshire 66 3.84x
Worcestershire 54 6.07x
Middlesex 43 0.63x
Lanarkshire 37 1.68x
Surrey 36 1.09x
Yorkshire 33 0.49x
Berkshire 23 4.50x
Cheshire 23 1.53x
Durham 13 0.64x
Kent 12 0.52x
Nottinghamshire 12 1.31x
Renfrewshire 10 1.90x
Lincolnshire 8 0.73x
Sussex 8 0.70x
Dumfriesshire 7 4.65x
Hampshire 5 0.36x
Bedfordshire 4 1.13x
Leicestershire 4 0.53x
Northamptonshire 4 0.62x
Shropshire 4 0.68x
Devon 3 0.21x
Isle of Man 3 2.37x
Derbyshire 2 0.19x
Dorset 2 0.45x
Essex 2 0.15x
Royal Navy 2 2.46x
Hertfordshire 1 0.21x
Kirkcudbrightshire 1 1.01x
Northumberland 1 0.10x
Somerset 1 0.09x
Wigtownshire 1 1.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stoke Upon Trent in Staffordshire leads with 35 Hawthornes recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.36x.

Place Total Index
Stoke Upon Trent 35 14.36x
Kidderminster Borough 25 48.04x
Wolstanton 22 31.52x
Aston 21 4.44x
Kingswinford 18 21.57x
Camberwell 16 3.68x
Coventry Holy Trinity 16 31.21x
Birmingham 15 2.62x
Feckenham 14 137.52x
Govan 13 2.39x
Habergham Eaves 12 16.25x
Hulme 11 6.52x
Norton In Moors 11 90.39x
Manchester 10 2.75x
Sedgley 10 11.71x
Ardwick 9 12.35x
Sunninghill 9 126.94x
Burslem 8 12.15x
Darlington 8 10.23x
Everton 8 3.11x
Hoyland Nether 8 48.34x
Oldbury 8 18.29x
Paddington London 8 3.20x
St Marylebone London 8 2.20x
Stafford St Mary 8 24.59x
Tipton 8 11.37x
Wednesfield 8 23.65x
Winkfield 8 94.34x
Cambusnethan 7 14.31x
Great Grimsby 7 10.13x
Islington London 7 1.06x
Moffat 7 102.04x
Monks Coppenhall 7 12.34x
Old Monkland 7 8.01x
Audley 6 26.39x
Barony 6 1.08x
Clewer 6 28.65x
Liverpool 6 1.22x
Nottingham St Mary 6 2.53x
Plumstead 6 7.75x
Salford 6 2.52x
Snenton 6 16.64x
Wolstanton Chatterly 6 254.24x
Wolstanton Chesterton 6 51.06x
York St Lawrence 6 85.23x
Coventry St Michael 5 9.06x
Dukinfield 5 7.20x
Essington 5 165.02x
Great Crosby 5 22.70x
Hackney London 5 1.31x
Heworth 5 12.53x
Newcastle Under Lyme 5 12.29x
Willenhall 5 11.61x
Woking 5 25.00x
Wombourn 5 117.10x
Bedford St Peter 4 43.67x
Burnley 4 5.88x
Clerkenwell London 4 2.49x
Glasgow 4 1.02x
Hyde 4 9.02x
Kirkdale 4 2.94x
Martley 4 156.86x
Neilston 4 15.10x
Newton In Ashton Under 4 26.97x
Padiham 4 20.49x
Richmond 4 8.60x
Warrington 4 4.18x
Wellington 4 12.10x
West Greenock 4 4.22x
Whitwood 4 41.75x
Wolstanton Knutton 4 28.51x
Brighton 3 1.30x
Broughton In Salford 3 4.06x
Edgbaston 3 5.63x
Holy Trinity 3 1.85x
Lambeth 3 0.51x
Northampton Priory St 3 7.81x
St George Hanover Square 3 2.50x
Stoke Damerel 3 3.02x
Wortley In Bramley 3 5.61x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 42
John 29
James 19
George 16
Thomas 16
Henry 15
Joseph 11
Alfred 10
Charles 9
Samuel 9
Robert 8
Daniel 6
Harry 6
Alexander 5
Thos. 5
Walter 5
Albert 4
Edward 4
Richard 4
Wm. 4
Arthur 3
Herbert 3
Hugh 3
Jno. 3
Moses 3
Robt. 3
Archibald 2
Chas. 2
David 2
Edwin 2
Ernest 2
Frank 2
Frederick 2
Fredk. 2
Isaac 2
Lionel 2
Peter 2
Stephen 2
Augustus 1
Chas 1
Christoper 1
Eli 1
F. 1
Francis 1
Franklin 1
Fred 1
Frederic 1
Jabez 1
Jas. 1
Jno.A. 1

FAQ

Hawthorne surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hawthorne surname in 1881?

In 1881, 693 people were recorded with the Hawthorne surname. That placed it at #5,229 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hawthorne surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,472 in 2016. That gives Hawthorne a modern rank of #2,666.

What does the Hawthorne surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone who lived near a hedge of hawthorn shrubs.

What does the Hawthorne map show?

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