NameCensus.

UK surname

Head

An English occupational surname referring to someone who was the head of a group or community.

In the 1881 census there were 7,254 people recorded with the Head surname, ranking it #589 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 8,087, ranked #816, down from #589 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Pancras and Lambeth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Swindon, Breckland and West Berkshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Head is 9,804 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 11.5%.

1881 census count

7,254

Ranked #589

Modern count

8,087

2016, ranked #816

Peak year

1911

9,804 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Head had 7,254 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #589 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 8,087 in 2016, ranked #816.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 9,804 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Head surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Head surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Head 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 4,618 #601
1861 historical 5,679 #483
1881 historical 7,254 #589
1891 historical 7,521 #599
1901 historical 8,599 #617
1911 historical 9,804 #503
1997 modern 8,746 #722
1998 modern 8,988 #729
1999 modern 8,916 #746
2000 modern 8,826 #748
2001 modern 8,594 #750
2002 modern 8,658 #762
2003 modern 8,442 #765
2004 modern 8,398 #766
2005 modern 8,073 #794
2006 modern 8,115 #789
2007 modern 8,138 #794
2008 modern 8,093 #803
2009 modern 8,255 #806
2010 modern 8,317 #816
2011 modern 8,165 #818
2012 modern 8,068 #811
2013 modern 8,243 #805
2014 modern 8,291 #808
2015 modern 8,160 #814
2016 modern 8,087 #816

Geography

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Where Heads are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Pancras, Lambeth 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 Swindon, Breckland, West Berkshire, Babergh and Maidstone. 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 London parishes London 3
3 St Pancras London (North Districts)
4 Lambeth London (South Districts)
5 St John Hackney London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Swindon 001 Swindon
2 Breckland 005 Breckland
3 West Berkshire 018 West Berkshire
4 Babergh 007 Babergh
5 Maidstone 007 Maidstone

Forenames

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First names often paired with Head

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Head

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Head is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Head 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

Head falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Head

The surname Head is an English name that originated as a topographic name for someone who lived at the head or source of a stream or river, or at the end of a valley, hill or clearing. It is derived from the Old English word 'heafod', which means head.

Head is an ancient surname that can be traced back to the 12th century. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1191, where a Simon atte Heade is mentioned. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 also list a Robert atte Hede in Oxfordshire.

The surname Head is found in various early records and manuscripts, such as the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1296, which mention a William Heed. The Huntingdonshire Feet of Fines from 1304 also list a Robert del Hede.

The Domesday Book, a great survey of landowners commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, does not contain any direct references to the surname Head. However, it does mention several places with names that could have given rise to the surname, such as Hedborough in Nottinghamshire and Headon in Lincolnshire.

Some notable individuals with the surname Head throughout history include:

1. Sir Francis Head (1793-1875), a British army officer and author who served as Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada from 1835 to 1838.

2. Berten A. Head (1835-1901), an American soldier and politician who served as a Confederate general during the American Civil War.

3. Edith Head (1897-1981), an American costume designer who won a record eight Academy Awards for Best Costume Design.

4. Howard Head (1914-1991), an American inventor and entrepreneur who founded the Head Ski Company and revolutionized the design of skis and tennis rackets.

5. Murray Head (born 1946), an English actor and singer best known for his role as Bob Benson in the film "Sunday Bloody Sunday" and for recording the hit song "One Night in Bangkok" from the musical "Chess".

The surname Head has also been associated with various place names throughout England, such as Headley in Hampshire, Headington in Oxfordshire, and Headcorn in Kent, reflecting its topographic origins.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Head families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Head 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 1,157 Heads recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.63x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 1,157 1.63x
Surrey 754 2.18x
Kent 751 3.10x
Sussex 530 4.42x
Hampshire 413 2.83x
Yorkshire 364 0.52x
Devon 292 1.97x
Norfolk 267 2.44x
Wiltshire 240 3.82x
Berkshire 195 3.65x
Cumberland 182 2.97x
Staffordshire 166 0.69x
Lancashire 156 0.18x
Gloucestershire 151 1.08x
Somerset 148 1.29x
Suffolk 132 1.52x
Essex 124 0.88x
Hertfordshire 109 2.22x
Shropshire 109 1.77x
Bedfordshire 90 2.44x
Dorset 87 1.86x
Cornwall 76 0.94x
Durham 74 0.35x
Worcestershire 70 0.75x
Warwickshire 61 0.34x
Northamptonshire 59 0.88x
Huntingdonshire 56 3.97x
Glamorgan 46 0.37x
Lincolnshire 45 0.40x
Cambridgeshire 38 0.84x
Cheshire 38 0.24x
Westmorland 37 2.37x
Monmouthshire 36 0.70x
Channel Islands 30 1.42x
Nottinghamshire 30 0.31x
Northumberland 25 0.24x
Oxfordshire 25 0.57x
Herefordshire 24 0.82x
Buckinghamshire 18 0.42x
Renfrewshire 18 0.33x
Leicestershire 15 0.19x
Derbyshire 12 0.11x
Angus 11 0.17x
Royal Navy 10 1.18x
Midlothian 5 0.05x
Lanarkshire 3 0.01x
Banffshire 2 0.14x
Pembrokeshire 2 0.09x
Argyllshire 1 0.05x
Ayrshire 1 0.02x
Carmarthenshire 1 0.03x
Fife 1 0.02x
Peeblesshire 1 0.30x
Rutland 1 0.19x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Pancras London in Middlesex leads with 167 Heads recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.92x.

Place Total Index
St Pancras London 167 2.92x
Lambeth 126 2.03x
Camberwell 107 2.36x
Hackney London 100 2.51x
East Dereham 97 70.23x
Islington London 96 1.39x
Kensington London 81 2.05x
St Marylebone London 68 1.79x
Eastbourne 58 10.51x
Brighton 53 2.19x
Christchurch 53 16.77x
Shoreditch London 53 1.72x
Lingfield 52 77.01x
Highworth 50 62.20x
Tonbridge 47 5.37x
Clapham 46 5.17x
West Ham 46 1.48x
Holy Trinity 42 2.48x
Faversham 41 17.72x
Paddington London 41 1.57x
Walcot 40 6.56x
Battersea 39 1.49x
St George Hanover Square 37 2.95x
East Grinstead 36 21.22x
Tormoham 36 5.75x
Chelsea London 34 1.59x
Deptford St Paul 33 1.76x
Newington 33 1.26x
Portsea 33 1.16x
Holdenhurst 32 8.37x
Dartford 31 12.50x
Wolverhampton 29 1.57x
Mile End Old Town London 28 1.85x
Shillington 28 51.63x
Southampton St Mary 28 3.06x
St Peter Port 28 7.18x
Birmingham 27 0.45x
Aston 26 0.53x
Egham 26 12.22x
Enfield 26 5.57x
Westminster St John 26 3.00x
Clerkenwell London 25 1.49x
Kintbury 25 60.64x
Richmond 25 5.15x
Tottenham 25 2.21x
Broadwater 24 8.73x
Chatham 24 3.60x
Croydon 24 1.25x
Ashford 23 9.74x
Buckfastleigh 23 33.68x
Beckenham 22 6.94x
Bridgnorth St Leonard 22 31.58x
Hampstead London 22 1.99x
Leeds 22 0.55x
Kennington 21 116.41x
Wicklewood 21 118.04x
Bermondsey 20 0.94x
Newbury 20 11.70x
Penge 20 4.40x
Stoke Damerel 20 1.93x
Stoke Newington London 20 3.61x
Bethnal Green London 19 0.62x
Bradford 19 1.11x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 19 1.45x
Hailsham 19 26.19x
Margate St John Baptist 19 4.28x
Marlborough St Peter St 19 58.73x
Plymouth St Andrew 19 1.67x
Whitechapel London 19 2.71x
East Tytherley 18 195.65x
Fletching 18 33.56x
Milton Lilborne 18 122.62x
Plymouth Charles The 18 2.76x
Plympton St Mary 18 21.04x
Salehurst 18 34.67x
Cheltenham 17 1.58x
Dorking 17 7.31x
Eynsford 17 40.87x
Little Munden 17 149.25x
Shefford 17 64.91x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 426
Elizabeth 274
Sarah 243
Eliza 142
Jane 132
Emma 125
Alice 115
Ann 115
Annie 112
Emily 110
Ellen 104
Louisa 73
Caroline 66
Fanny 63
Florence 57
Hannah 57
Charlotte 52
Harriet 51
Margaret 47
Martha 47
Edith 42
Clara 41
Maria 37
Ada 35
Lucy 34
Kate 33
Frances 30
Anne 28
Agnes 26
Harriett 25
Susan 25
Isabella 22
Amelia 21
Catherine 21
Lydia 21
Amy 18
Laura 18
Jessie 17
Julia 17
Esther 16
Rose 16
Sophia 16
Matilda 15
Ethel 13
Gertrude 13
Henrietta 13
Minnie 13
Anna 12
Rebecca 12
Elizth. 11

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 460
John 376
George 308
Henry 227
Thomas 207
Charles 179
James 172
Edward 97
Joseph 95
Alfred 94
Robert 94
Frederick 89
Arthur 83
Albert 75
Walter 66
Richard 61
Samuel 55
Harry 45
Ernest 37
Edwin 34
Francis 31
Herbert 31
Stephen 25
Frank 21
David 18
Wm. 18
Fredrick 17
Sidney 15
Tom 13
Benjamin 11
Daniel 10
Fredk. 10
Jesse 10
Percy 10
Sydney 10
Fred 9
Isaac 9
Peter 9
Edmund 8
Geo. 8
Philip 8
Christopher 7
Earnest 7
Jeremiah 7
Richd. 7
Joshua 6
Thos. 6
Horace 5
Mark 5
Michael 5

FAQ

Head surname: questions and answers

How common was the Head surname in 1881?

In 1881, 7,254 people were recorded with the Head surname. That placed it at #589 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Head surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 8,087 in 2016. That gives Head a modern rank of #816.

What does the Head surname mean?

An English occupational surname referring to someone who was the head of a group or community.

What does the Head map show?

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