NameCensus.

UK surname

Hayter

A surname derived from an occupational title for a hedge-trimmer or hedge-cutter.

In the 1881 census there were 2,199 people recorded with the Hayter surname, ranking it #2,016 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,340, ranked #2,789, down from #2,016 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Gillingham and Salisbury St Edmund. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Dorset, North Dorset and New Forest.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hayter is 2,925 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 6.4%.

1881 census count

2,199

Ranked #2,016

Modern count

2,340

2016, ranked #2,789

Peak year

1911

2,925 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hayter had 2,199 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,016 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,340 in 2016, ranked #2,789.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,925 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Hayter surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hayter surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hayter 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 1,568 #1,835
1861 historical 1,176 #2,406
1881 historical 2,199 #2,016
1891 historical 2,231 #2,091
1901 historical 2,767 #2,010
1911 historical 2,925 #1,780
1997 modern 2,571 #2,469
1998 modern 2,637 #2,493
1999 modern 2,641 #2,501
2000 modern 2,576 #2,546
2001 modern 2,518 #2,547
2002 modern 2,575 #2,547
2003 modern 2,515 #2,553
2004 modern 2,513 #2,557
2005 modern 2,415 #2,620
2006 modern 2,365 #2,662
2007 modern 2,388 #2,668
2008 modern 2,397 #2,673
2009 modern 2,410 #2,721
2010 modern 2,457 #2,734
2011 modern 2,396 #2,760
2012 modern 2,338 #2,773
2013 modern 2,411 #2,746
2014 modern 2,411 #2,753
2015 modern 2,364 #2,778
2016 modern 2,340 #2,789

Geography

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Where Hayters are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Gillingham, Salisbury St Edmund 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 East Dorset, North Dorset, New Forest and Southampton. 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 Gillingham Dorset
3 London parishes London 3
4 Salisbury St Edmund Wiltshire
5 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Dorset 005 East Dorset
2 North Dorset 003 North Dorset
3 East Dorset 002 East Dorset
4 New Forest 004 New Forest
5 Southampton 032 Southampton

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hayter

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hayter

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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Hayter surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Hayter household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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, Hayter 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

Hayter 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

Hayter falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Hayter

The surname HAYTER is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "hætan," which means "to call" or "to name." It first appeared in the late 11th century after the Norman Conquest of England in 1066.

The name was initially used as an occupational surname for a crier, messenger, or town crier whose job was to make public announcements or proclamations. It was also associated with the position of a herald or a town crier who would announce important news or events.

HAYTER is believed to have originated in the counties of Kent, Sussex, and Hampshire in southern England, where many early records of the name can be found. In the Domesday Book of 1086, a record of land ownership commissioned by William the Conqueror, the name appears as "Haitur" and "Haitere."

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was William le Haitere, who was recorded in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1191. Another early record is that of Henry le Haytere, found in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1296.

In the 13th century, the name was also associated with the village of Hayter in Somerset, which may have influenced its spelling and distribution. The place name "Hayter" is believed to have derived from the Old English words "hæg" meaning "hedge" and "tun" meaning "farm" or "settlement."

Notable individuals with the surname HAYTER include:

1. Sir George Hayter (1792-1871), an English painter and portrait artist who was appointed Principal Painter to Queen Victoria. 2. John Hayter (1756-1818), an English miniature painter and engraver who was appointed Miniature Painter to the Princesses. 3. Thomas Hayter (1702-1761), an English clergyman and author who wrote several religious works. 4. Charles Hayter (1761-1835), an English painter and engraver known for his landscapes and portraits. 5. John Hayter (1811-1894), an English architect and surveyor who designed several churches and public buildings in London.

The HAYTER surname has a rich history dating back to the Norman Conquest and has been associated with various occupations, including town criers, heralds, and artists throughout the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hayter families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hayter 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 534 Hayters recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.08x.

County Total Index
Hampshire 534 12.08x
Wiltshire 381 19.98x
Middlesex 293 1.36x
Dorset 246 17.39x
Surrey 200 1.90x
Kent 119 1.62x
Somerset 91 2.62x
Lancashire 46 0.18x
Devon 37 0.82x
Gloucestershire 26 0.61x
Glamorgan 25 0.67x
Sussex 23 0.63x
Berkshire 20 1.24x
Yorkshire 20 0.09x
Angus 17 0.85x
Warwickshire 15 0.28x
Cheshire 12 0.25x
Norfolk 11 0.33x
Rutland 9 5.69x
Durham 8 0.12x
Hertfordshire 8 0.54x
Buckinghamshire 7 0.54x
Royal Navy 7 2.72x
Bedfordshire 6 0.54x
Lincolnshire 6 0.17x
Monmouthshire 6 0.39x
Oxfordshire 6 0.45x
Essex 5 0.12x
Northumberland 5 0.16x
Nottinghamshire 5 0.17x
Channel Islands 4 0.63x
Northamptonshire 4 0.20x
Carmarthenshire 3 0.33x
Leicestershire 2 0.08x
Cornwall 1 0.04x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.15x
Suffolk 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. Southampton St Mary in Hampshire leads with 51 Hayters recorded in 1881 and an index of 18.35x.

Place Total Index
Southampton St Mary 51 18.35x
Whiteparish 51 628.08x
Gillingham 45 185.03x
Downton 37 148.30x
Holdenhurst 35 30.20x
Paddington London 31 3.91x
Croydon 30 5.14x
Kensington London 29 2.42x
St Marylebone London 28 2.43x
Milford 27 209.14x
Portsea 27 3.12x
Islington London 24 1.15x
Lymington 24 73.89x
Southampton All Sts 24 31.65x
Hampstead London 23 6.85x
Millbrook 23 20.67x
Kington Magna 21 612.24x
Salisbury St Edmund 20 65.36x
Shaftesbury St James 20 270.64x
Warminster 20 47.87x
Alverstoke 19 11.88x
Bedminster 19 5.83x
Cranborne 19 111.05x
Fisherton Anger 18 51.01x
Lambeth 18 0.96x
Wimborne Minster 17 74.30x
Carisbrooke 16 26.08x
Christchurch 16 16.70x
Cranbrook 16 51.35x
Hackney London 15 1.24x
Over Wallop 15 374.06x
St Pancras London 15 0.86x
Battersea 14 1.76x
Ibsley 14 782.12x
Birmingham 13 0.72x
Dundee 13 1.74x
Eling 12 26.81x
Ringwood 12 42.45x
Wimborne 12 70.09x
Burley 11 234.54x
Greenwich 11 3.21x
St George Hanover Square 11 2.90x
Titchfield 11 33.03x
Tollard Royal 11 531.40x
Winterbourne Stoke 11 497.74x
Aldershot 10 6.76x
Barnes 10 22.51x
Donhead St Mary 10 103.20x
Harbridge 10 363.64x
Hastings St Leonards 10 18.72x
Lewisham 10 2.55x
Newington 10 1.26x
Putney 10 10.18x
Reading St Giles 10 6.30x
Salisbury St Martin 10 50.40x
South Newton 10 200.80x
St Luke London 10 2.89x
Woodford 10 307.69x
Britford 9 71.49x
Chelsea London 9 1.39x
Chettle 9 937.50x
Chiswick 9 7.64x
Frome 9 10.84x
Kingston On Thames 9 3.57x
Shaftesbury St Peter 9 136.36x
St Mary Kalendar 9 97.83x
Swallowcliffe 9 418.60x
Wardour 9 161.00x
Westminster St James 9 4.06x
Wimbledon 9 7.63x
Devizes St John 8 55.87x
Durnford 8 241.69x
Gillingham 8 5.28x
Hammersmith London 8 1.51x
Longparish 8 160.32x
Milford 8 78.35x
Mortlake 8 17.09x
Portchester 8 139.86x
South Stoneham 8 8.35x
Yeovil 8 11.35x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 123
Elizabeth 84
Sarah 72
Emily 52
Ellen 50
Jane 37
Emma 36
Alice 35
Ann 35
Eliza 32
Fanny 31
Annie 28
Caroline 23
Louisa 22
Florence 20
Harriet 18
Hannah 17
Maria 17
Ada 15
Kate 15
Martha 15
Charlotte 14
Edith 13
Lucy 11
Agnes 10
Margaret 10
Anne 8
Bessie 8
Harriett 8
Lydia 8
Susan 8
Ethel 7
Sophia 7
Frances 6
Jemima 6
Julia 6
Catherine 5
Georgina 5
Laura 5
Rose 5
Clara 4
Eleanor 4
Lilian 4
Lilly 4
Lily 4
Matilda 4
Nellie 4
Anna 3
Elizth. 3
Maud 3

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 126
George 125
John 85
Henry 75
Charles 60
James 55
Thomas 43
Frank 35
Edward 33
Frederick 33
Alfred 27
Harry 24
Albert 22
Arthur 22
Walter 22
Samuel 17
Robert 16
Edwin 12
Joseph 11
Ernest 9
Richard 9
Tom 9
Francis 8
Herbert 8
Stephen 8
Wm. 8
Benjamin 7
Fred 7
Sidney 7
Fredrick 5
Alexander 4
Josiah 4
David 3
Eli 3
Fredk. 3
Isaac 3
Owen 3
Percy 3
Sydney 3
C. 2
Chas. 2
Christopher 2
Elias 2
Hubert 2
Jno. 2
Job 2
Leonard 2
Meshack 2
Sam 2
Stanley 2

FAQ

Hayter surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hayter surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,199 people were recorded with the Hayter surname. That placed it at #2,016 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hayter surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,340 in 2016. That gives Hayter a modern rank of #2,789.

What does the Hayter surname mean?

A surname derived from an occupational title for a hedge-trimmer or hedge-cutter.

What does the Hayter map show?

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