NameCensus.

UK surname

Hayball

An old English occupational surname related to haymaking or hay trading.

In the 1881 census there were 230 people recorded with the Hayball surname, ranking it #11,748 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 271, ranked #15,874, down from #11,748 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Chard and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include West Dorset, Wiltshire and East Devon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hayball is 368 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 17.8%.

1881 census count

230

Ranked #11,748

Modern count

271

2016, ranked #15,874

Peak year

1911

368 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hayball had 230 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,748 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 271 in 2016, ranked #15,874.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 368 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Hayball surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hayball surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hayball 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 153 #12,721
1861 historical 178 #13,202
1881 historical 230 #11,748
1891 historical 340 #10,062
1901 historical 351 #10,415
1911 historical 368 #9,886
1997 modern 323 #12,888
1998 modern 309 #13,612
1999 modern 314 #13,556
2000 modern 318 #13,415
2001 modern 307 #13,539
2002 modern 299 #14,017
2003 modern 288 #14,192
2004 modern 284 #14,377
2005 modern 276 #14,579
2006 modern 282 #14,459
2007 modern 271 #15,042
2008 modern 279 #14,860
2009 modern 282 #15,059
2010 modern 296 #14,877
2011 modern 282 #15,233
2012 modern 272 #15,586
2013 modern 282 #15,441
2014 modern 285 #15,416
2015 modern 271 #15,881
2016 modern 271 #15,874

Geography

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Where Hayballs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Chard, London parishes, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and Sheffield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to West Dorset, Wiltshire and East Devon. 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 Chard Somerset
3 London parishes London 3
4 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
5 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 West Dorset 003 West Dorset
2 West Dorset 005 West Dorset
3 Wiltshire 047 Wiltshire
4 West Dorset 007 West Dorset
5 East Devon 002 East Devon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hayball

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hayball

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Hayball is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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 located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Hayball 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

Hayball 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 Hayball 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 Hayball, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Hayball

The surname HAYBALL originated in England, tracing its roots back to the Middle Ages. It likely emerged as an occupational name, derived from the Old English words "heg" meaning hedge and "ball" referring to a rounded object or shape, possibly alluding to someone who crafted or worked with hedgeballs or other similar objects used in fortifications or as weapons.

The earliest recorded instances of the HAYBALL name can be found in various medieval records from counties like Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire. One of the earliest documented references appears in the Pipe Rolls of Buckinghamshire from 1230, where a William Hayball is mentioned as a landowner.

While the HAYBALL name does not appear in the famous Domesday Book of 1086, it is believed to have originated around the same time period, possibly in the rural areas of central and southern England, where the occupation of hedge-related craftsmanship was common.

Over the centuries, the name has been recorded with various spellings, such as Hayboll, Haiball, and Haighball, reflecting the regional variations and evolving orthography of the time.

Notable individuals with the HAYBALL surname include John Hayball (1552-1629), an English priest and theologian who served as the Rector of St. Mary's Church in Ipswich. There was also William Hayball (1635-1708), a prominent merchant and landowner in Gloucestershire.

Another historical figure was Robert Hayball (1704-1782), a renowned clockmaker from London, whose intricate timepieces were highly sought after by the aristocracy of the time. In the 19th century, Edward Hayball (1825-1892) made a name for himself as a successful businessman and philanthropist in Birmingham.

One of the most notable bearers of the HAYBALL name was Sir Arthur Hayball (1876-1947), a British military officer who served with distinction in both World Wars and was awarded the Distinguished Service Order for his bravery and leadership.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hayball families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hayball 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. Somerset leads with 76 Hayballs recorded in 1881 and an index of 20.95x.

County Total Index
Somerset 76 20.95x
Dorset 31 20.96x
Devon 22 4.69x
Middlesex 19 0.84x
Gloucestershire 17 3.85x
Nottinghamshire 14 4.61x
Yorkshire 11 0.49x
Surrey 9 0.82x
Glamorgan 7 1.78x
Wiltshire 6 3.01x
Essex 4 0.90x
Hampshire 4 0.87x
Kent 4 0.52x
Leicestershire 3 1.20x
Lincolnshire 2 0.56x
Royal Navy 1 3.72x
Sussex 1 0.26x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Chard in Somerset leads with 57 Hayballs recorded in 1881 and an index of 1298.41x.

Place Total Index
Chard 57 1298.41x
Bridport 20 657.89x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 11 26.44x
Ilminster 9 355.73x
Isleworth 9 89.82x
Tiverton 8 99.01x
Lenton 7 97.90x
Penlline 7 2916.67x
Taunton St Mary 7 105.11x
Combpyne 6 6000.00x
Symondsbury 6 638.30x
Trowbridge 6 68.10x
Ecclesall Bierlow 5 11.01x
Hackney London 5 3.96x
Marshwood 5 1923.08x
Snenton 5 41.91x
East Stonehouse 4 43.29x
Lambeth 4 2.04x
Lewisham 4 9.76x
Sheffield 4 5.63x
West Ham 4 4.07x
Westminster St John 4 14.58x
Lymington 3 88.50x
Newington 3 3.60x
Tilton 3 1500.00x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 2 9.62x
Bristol St James In 2 30.77x
Bristol St James St Paul 2 13.57x
Plymouth St Andrew 2 5.54x
Radford 2 12.96x
St Peterat Gowts Lincoln 2 39.45x
Westbury On Trym 2 13.36x
Bedminster 1 2.93x
Burrington 1 166.67x
Chertsey 1 14.10x
Donyatt 1 344.83x
Hove 1 6.00x
Islington London 1 0.46x
Monkleigh 1 238.10x
Portsmouth 1 9.41x
Royal Navy 1 4.36x
Southwark St George Martyr 1 2.21x
Westonsuper Mare 1 135.14x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 15
Elizabeth 6
Sarah 6
Alice 5
Ann 4
Jane 4
Bessie 3
Ellen 3
Emily 3
Emma 3
Amelia 2
Annie 2
Esther 2
Florence 2
Harriett 2
Infant 2
Kate 2
Lily 2
Louisa 2
Rhoda 2
Rosa 2
Alma 1
Augusta 1
Barbara 1
Blanche 1
Caroline 1
Charlotte 1
Clara 1
Eda 1
Eliza 1
Elsie 1
Ethel 1
Francis 1
Georgina 1
Hannah 1
Harriet 1
Honor 1
Joan 1
Johanna 1
Katie 1
Lilly 1
Lydia 1
Martha 1
Matilda 1
Merina 1
Pheobeam 1
Rachel 1
Rose 1
Rosia 1
Violety 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 7
John 7
Walter 7
William 7
Frederick 6
Henry 6
James 6
Albert 5
Arthur 4
Charles 4
Edwin 4
Ernest 4
Thomas 4
Fred 3
Joseph 3
Eli 2
Elias 2
Isaac 2
Robert 2
Simeon 2
Tom 2
Abel 1
Alfred 1
Alice 1
Benjeman 1
Chas. 1
Clifford 1
Daniel 1
Earnest 1
Ebenzer 1
Emanuel 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Fredk.P. 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
Infant 1
Joel 1
Levi 1
Mark 1
Mathias 1
Peter 1
Robt. 1
Ruben 1
Saml. 1
Samuel 1
Sidney 1
Thos. 1
Wm 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Hayball surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hayball surname in 1881?

In 1881, 230 people were recorded with the Hayball surname. That placed it at #11,748 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hayball surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 271 in 2016. That gives Hayball a modern rank of #15,874.

What does the Hayball surname mean?

An old English occupational surname related to haymaking or hay trading.

What does the Hayball map show?

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