NameCensus.

UK surname

Hazel

From a place name derived from the hazelnut tree or a nickname for someone with hazel-colored eyes.

In the 1881 census there were 958 people recorded with the Hazel surname, ranking it #4,044 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,286, ranked #4,660, down from #4,044 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Stretham and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include York, Kingston upon Hull and Sandwell.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hazel is 1,350 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 34.2%.

1881 census count

958

Ranked #4,044

Modern count

1,286

2016, ranked #4,660

Peak year

2010

1,350 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hazel had 958 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,044 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,286 in 2016, ranked #4,660.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,129 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Hazel surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hazel surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hazel 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 521 #4,814
1861 historical 421 #6,096
1881 historical 958 #4,044
1891 historical 856 #4,786
1901 historical 1,129 #4,295
1911 historical 1,012 #4,498
1997 modern 1,320 #4,342
1998 modern 1,325 #4,477
1999 modern 1,325 #4,520
2000 modern 1,289 #4,614
2001 modern 1,271 #4,571
2002 modern 1,302 #4,561
2003 modern 1,262 #4,609
2004 modern 1,269 #4,583
2005 modern 1,258 #4,570
2006 modern 1,257 #4,578
2007 modern 1,272 #4,565
2008 modern 1,287 #4,552
2009 modern 1,322 #4,540
2010 modern 1,350 #4,539
2011 modern 1,342 #4,515
2012 modern 1,302 #4,571
2013 modern 1,319 #4,597
2014 modern 1,304 #4,668
2015 modern 1,284 #4,681
2016 modern 1,286 #4,660

Geography

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Where Hazels are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to York, Kingston upon Hull, Sandwell, Central Bedfordshire and Amber Valley. 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 Stretham Cambridgeshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Pancras London (North Districts)
5 Gateshead Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 York 009 York
2 Kingston upon Hull 010 Kingston upon Hull, City of
3 Sandwell 009 Sandwell
4 Central Bedfordshire 019 Central Bedfordshire
5 Amber Valley 001 Amber Valley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hazel

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hazel

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Hazel surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Hazel household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Hazel 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

Hazel is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Hazel falls in decile 1 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.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Hazel

The surname "HAZEL" has its origins in England, dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "hæsel," which refers to the hazel tree or hazel bush. This name was likely given as a surname to individuals who lived near a prominent hazel tree or hazel grove.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname "HAZEL" can be found in documents from the 13th century. One notable example is the mention of a William Hasel in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1221. The name also appeared in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1273, where a John Hasell is listed.

Some variations of the spelling include Hasell, Heasel, and Heasill, which can be found in medieval records from different regions of England. Interestingly, the surname "HAZEL" may have also been influenced by the French word "noiselle," meaning "hazelnut," indicating a possible connection with immigrants from France.

The surname "HAZEL" is also associated with various place names in England, such as Hazelwood, Hazelbury, and Hazelgrove, which further reinforces its connection to the hazel tree or hazel bushes in the area.

One notable individual with the surname "HAZEL" was Sir Edward Hazel (1530-1589), an English politician and member of Parliament during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. Another prominent figure was John Hazel (1585-1651), an English Puritan clergyman and author.

In the 18th century, William Hazel (1722-1770) was a renowned English painter known for his portraits and landscapes. During the same period, Henry Hazel (1745-1818) was a prominent English architect who designed several notable buildings in Bath and Bristol.

Another individual with the surname "HAZEL" was William Hazel Jr. (1788-1862), an English civil engineer who played a significant role in the construction of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway, one of the earliest public railways in the world.

While the surname "HAZEL" has its roots in England, it has since spread to various parts of the world, with notable individuals bearing this name in different countries and cultures.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hazel families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hazel 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 112 Hazels recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.20x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 112 1.20x
Norfolk 87 6.05x
Berkshire 64 9.11x
Surrey 64 1.40x
Buckinghamshire 61 10.79x
Warwickshire 57 2.42x
Cambridgeshire 45 7.59x
Staffordshire 36 1.14x
Wiltshire 32 3.87x
Kent 31 0.97x
Somerset 30 1.99x
Yorkshire 29 0.31x
Oxfordshire 28 4.85x
Lancashire 27 0.24x
Durham 24 0.86x
Hampshire 21 1.10x
Suffolk 21 1.84x
Dorset 20 3.26x
Ayrshire 15 2.14x
Essex 14 0.76x
Monmouthshire 14 2.07x
Angus 12 1.38x
Huntingdonshire 11 5.92x
Lanarkshire 10 0.33x
Fife 9 1.63x
Aberdeenshire 8 0.92x
Glamorgan 8 0.49x
Argyllshire 7 2.69x
Derbyshire 7 0.48x
Gloucestershire 7 0.38x
Lincolnshire 7 0.47x
Hertfordshire 6 0.93x
Brecknockshire 5 2.67x
Cheshire 5 0.24x
Worcestershire 5 0.41x
Devon 3 0.15x
Northumberland 3 0.22x
Bedfordshire 2 0.41x
Perthshire 2 0.48x
Sussex 2 0.13x
Channel Islands 1 0.36x
Cumberland 1 0.12x
Herefordshire 1 0.26x
Isle of Man 1 0.58x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.08x
Renfrewshire 1 0.14x
Shropshire 1 0.12x
Stirlingshire 1 0.29x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Great Faringdon in Berkshire leads with 28 Hazels recorded in 1881 and an index of 277.50x.

Place Total Index
Great Faringdon 28 277.50x
Aston 19 2.92x
Penn 18 511.36x
Hillesden 16 2253.52x
Westwood 15 872.09x
Wycombe 15 35.58x
St Pancras London 14 1.86x
West Bromwich 14 7.74x
Portsea 12 3.19x
Whitechapel London 12 13.01x
North Leigh 11 523.81x
Somersham 11 243.90x
Tonbridge 11 9.56x
Wilburton 11 650.89x
Alderbury 10 257.73x
Glasgow 10 1.86x
Hempnall 10 354.61x
Lambeth 10 1.23x
Westoe 10 6.34x
Burston 9 681.82x
Camberwell 9 1.51x
Chard 9 49.34x
Dorchester Holy Trinity 9 181.09x
Handsworth 9 11.56x
Shustoke 9 428.57x
Aberdeen Old Machar 8 4.42x
Dalmellington 8 38.85x
Hillingdon 8 26.82x
Islington London 8 0.88x
Kidlington 8 178.97x
Manchester 8 1.60x
Stalham 8 290.91x
Thompson 8 695.65x
Weasenham St Peter 8 930.23x
Birmingham 7 0.89x
Bradfield 7 267.18x
Clapham 7 5.99x
Dunoon Kilmun 7 34.47x
Fulham London 7 5.16x
Hognaston 7 786.52x
Normanton 7 25.13x
Rugby 7 21.93x
Swansea Town 7 5.24x
Wells St Cuthbert Out 7 57.71x
Willingham 7 138.34x
Allesley 6 193.55x
Barton Turf 6 535.71x
Bermondsey 6 2.15x
Horningsea 6 454.55x
Mile End Old Town London 6 3.01x
Risby 6 425.53x
Snodland 6 66.30x
Sotwell 6 952.38x
Stanwell 6 86.71x
Upholland 6 42.19x
Waterbeach 6 124.22x
West Lexham 6 1395.35x
Woolwich 6 5.09x
Wyke Regis 6 68.10x
Abbotshall 5 24.17x
Bromley London 5 2.43x
Burnham 5 69.35x
Coupar Angus 5 60.98x
Croydon 5 1.98x
Dorking 5 16.33x
Gateshead 5 2.40x
Hackney London 5 0.95x
Hartlepool 5 12.64x
Holy Trinity 5 2.24x
Lakenheath 5 83.06x
Llanelly 5 22.34x
Maxstoke 5 649.35x
Sheffield 5 1.69x
St Woollos 5 6.63x
Stretham 5 117.92x
Wednesbury 5 6.34x
Welford 5 165.56x
Yardley 5 15.99x
Yatton 5 85.32x
Southwark Christchurch 4 9.13x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 57
Sarah 40
Elizabeth 31
Eliza 18
Emma 17
Jane 17
Ann 14
Hannah 13
Alice 9
Emily 8
Harriet 8
Louisa 8
Lucy 8
Annie 7
Edith 7
Ellen 7
Harriett 7
Maria 7
Martha 7
Anne 6
Fanny 6
Lydia 5
Ada 4
Amy 4
Caroline 4
Elizth. 4
Eva 4
Florence 4
Kate 4
Laura 4
Rebecca 4
Catherine 3
Esther 3
Julia 3
Minnie 3
Rose 3
Susan 3
Anna 2
Charlotte 2
Clara 2
Lillian 2
M. 2
Margaret 2
Phoebe 2
Sophia 2
Susanna 2
Celia 1
Elizh. 1
Elz. 1
William 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 65
George 45
John 45
Charles 31
James 31
Thomas 25
Henry 19
Albert 13
Joseph 13
Robert 13
Arthur 10
Alfred 8
Ernest 7
Walter 7
Benjamin 6
Harry 6
Richard 6
Edward 5
Frank 5
Frederick 5
Samuel 5
David 4
Fred 4
Archibald 3
Herbert 3
Jonathan 3
Sidney 3
Willm. 3
Wm. 3
Edwin 2
Josiah 2
Mark 2
Percy 2
Philip 2
Stephen 2
Aurthur 1
Christopher 1
Cornelius 1
Francis 1
Fredick. 1
Fredk. 1
Fredk.G. 1
Geore 1
Jacob 1
Jane 1
Jethro 1
Jno. 1
Job 1
Lewis 1
Wm.Thos. 1

FAQ

Hazel surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hazel surname in 1881?

In 1881, 958 people were recorded with the Hazel surname. That placed it at #4,044 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hazel surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,286 in 2016. That gives Hazel a modern rank of #4,660.

What does the Hazel surname mean?

From a place name derived from the hazelnut tree or a nickname for someone with hazel-colored eyes.

What does the Hazel map show?

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