NameCensus.

UK surname

Headen

From an English place name, possibly derived from Old English words meaning "hill" and "valley."

In the 1881 census there were 118 people recorded with the Headen surname, ranking it #17,935 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 117, ranked #28,033, down from #17,935 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Isleworth, London parishes and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Woking, Sunderland and Oldham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Headen is 161 in 1851. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 0.8%.

1881 census count

118

Ranked #17,935

Modern count

117

2016, ranked #28,033

Peak year

1851

161 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Headen had 118 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #17,935 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 117 in 2016, ranked #28,033.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 161 in 1851.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Headen surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Headen surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Headen 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 161 #12,288
1861 historical 158 #14,644
1881 historical 118 #17,935
1891 historical 126 #20,604
1901 historical 119 #20,624
1911 historical 132 #19,313
1997 modern 143 #21,761
1998 modern 139 #22,720
1999 modern 140 #22,789
2000 modern 138 #22,960
2001 modern 138 #22,647
2002 modern 130 #23,903
2003 modern 135 #23,155
2004 modern 147 #22,094
2005 modern 144 #22,367
2006 modern 134 #23,590
2007 modern 130 #24,389
2008 modern 126 #25,131
2009 modern 126 #25,686
2010 modern 127 #26,176
2011 modern 125 #26,220
2012 modern 124 #26,432
2013 modern 128 #26,336
2014 modern 128 #26,490
2015 modern 122 #27,245
2016 modern 117 #28,033

Geography

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Where Headens are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Isleworth, London parishes, Manchester, Liverpool and Bidstone. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Woking, Sunderland, Oldham and Sefton. 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 Isleworth Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
2 London parishes London 3
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Liverpool Lancashire
5 Bidstone Cheshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Woking 003 Woking
2 Sunderland 036 Sunderland
3 Sunderland 035 Sunderland
4 Oldham 009 Oldham
5 Sefton 009 Sefton

Forenames

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First names often paired with Headen

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Headen

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

Headen is most concentrated in decile 3 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Headen 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 Headen is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Headen, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Headen

The surname Headen is of English origin, deriving from the Old English word "hēah" meaning "high" or "tall." It is believed to have emerged as a descriptive surname during the medieval period, referring to a person of tall stature or possibly residing in a high or elevated location.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Headen can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which documented landowners and their properties after the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. The name appeared as "Heiden," likely referring to an individual residing in a high or elevated area.

During the 13th century, variations of the surname began to appear in various historical records, such as the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire, where it was spelled as "Heyden" and "Heydon." These early spellings suggest that the name may have originated from a place name or location associated with a high or elevated area.

In the 14th century, the surname Headen appeared in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire, where it was recorded as "Heyden." This variation continued to be used throughout the following centuries, often interchanged with spellings like "Hayden" and "Heydon."

Notable individuals with the surname Headen include:

1. Robert Headen (c. 1520-1585), an English merchant and Member of Parliament for the City of London in 1563. 2. John Headen (c. 1570-1622), an English clergyman and author, known for his work "A View of the Present State of the Colledges in Cambridge." 3. Elizabeth Headen (c. 1650-1720), a prominent landowner and benefactor in the county of Gloucestershire, England. 4. William Headen (c. 1710-1782), a British naval officer who served during the Seven Years' War and the American Revolutionary War. 5. Mary Headen (c. 1770-1840), a renowned English poet and writer, known for her works on nature and the rural life of her time.

The surname Headen has also been associated with various place names throughout England, such as Heydon in Norfolk, Heydon in Nottinghamshire, and Heyden Bridge in Herefordshire, further indicating its connection to locations or settlements in elevated or high areas.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Headen families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Headen 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. Lancashire leads with 38 Headens recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.78x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 38 2.78x
Cheshire 23 9.05x
Devon 15 6.26x
Middlesex 13 1.13x
Surrey 8 1.43x
Yorkshire 7 0.61x
Staffordshire 6 1.54x
Cornwall 2 1.53x
Norfolk 2 1.13x
Worcestershire 2 1.33x
Sussex 1 0.52x
Warwickshire 1 0.34x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Birkenhead in Cheshire leads with 12 Headens recorded in 1881 and an index of 59.26x.

Place Total Index
Birkenhead 12 59.26x
Woolfardisworthy 11 3142.86x
Tranmere 10 107.07x
Ashton Under Lyne 8 26.80x
Richmond 8 101.78x
Barnsley 5 42.52x
Eccleston In Prescot 5 72.89x
Gorton 5 38.94x
Oldham 5 11.34x
Shoreditch London 5 10.02x
St Andrew Holborn London 5 100.40x
Farnworth 4 48.90x
Salford 4 9.96x
Buckfastleigh 3 270.27x
Manchester 3 4.88x
Barrow In Furness 2 10.76x
Everton 2 4.59x
Harborne 2 16.06x
Lichfield St Michael 2 163.93x
Phillack 2 119.05x
Shenstone 2 202.02x
Barnstaple 1 26.60x
Birmingham 1 1.03x
Brighton 1 2.55x
Claughton With Grange 1 86.21x
Droitwich St Andrew 1 263.16x
Hook 1 39.84x
Northowram 1 12.50x
Outwell 1 294.12x
Ribbesford 1 80.00x
St Botolph Aldgate London 1 42.19x
St Marylebone London 1 1.63x
Twickenham 1 20.24x
Walsoken 1 94.34x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 9
Thomas 7
Henry 5
John 5
Charles 3
George 3
James 3
Samuel 3
Albert 2
Alfred 2
Michael 2
Richard 2
Arthur 1
Edmund 1
Edwin 1
Ernest 1
Jesse 1
Joseph 1
Matthew 1
Patrick 1
Peter 1
Thos. 1
Tom 1
Walter 1
Will 1

FAQ

Headen surname: questions and answers

How common was the Headen surname in 1881?

In 1881, 118 people were recorded with the Headen surname. That placed it at #17,935 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Headen surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 117 in 2016. That gives Headen a modern rank of #28,033.

What does the Headen surname mean?

From an English place name, possibly derived from Old English words meaning "hill" and "valley."

What does the Headen map show?

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