NameCensus.

UK surname

Heathfield

In the 1881 census there were 457 people recorded with the Heathfield surname, ranking it #7,240 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 548, ranked #9,309, down from #7,240 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Murston, London parishes and Lambeth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Swale and Ashford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Heathfield is 622 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 19.9%.

1881 census count

457

Ranked #7,240

Modern count

548

2016, ranked #9,309

Peak year

1911

622 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Heathfield had 457 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,240 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 548 in 2016, ranked #9,309.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 622 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Heathfield surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Heathfield surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Heathfield 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 244 #8,950
1861 historical 298 #8,485
1881 historical 457 #7,240
1891 historical 528 #7,101
1901 historical 569 #7,362
1911 historical 622 #6,652
1997 modern 553 #8,617
1998 modern 598 #8,414
1999 modern 600 #8,438
2000 modern 591 #8,507
2001 modern 575 #8,530
2002 modern 605 #8,415
2003 modern 592 #8,415
2004 modern 586 #8,487
2005 modern 558 #8,701
2006 modern 547 #8,855
2007 modern 544 #8,972
2008 modern 547 #9,011
2009 modern 564 #8,989
2010 modern 578 #9,021
2011 modern 553 #9,228
2012 modern 544 #9,245
2013 modern 545 #9,410
2014 modern 559 #9,268
2015 modern 556 #9,221
2016 modern 548 #9,309

Geography

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Where Heathfields are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Murston, London parishes, Lambeth, Campton with Shefford, Shefford Hardwick, Chicksands and Smarden. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Swale and Ashford. 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 Murston Kent
2 London parishes London 3
3 Lambeth London (South Districts)
4 Campton with Shefford, Shefford Hardwick, Chicksands Bedfordshire
5 Smarden Kent

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Swale 009 Swale
2 Swale 010 Swale
3 Swale 013 Swale
4 Ashford 002 Ashford
5 Swale 011 Swale

Forenames

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First names often paired with Heathfield

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Heathfield

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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Heathfield is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Heathfield is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Heathfield falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

1881 census detail

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Heathfield families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Heathfield 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. Kent leads with 167 Heathfields recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.98x.

County Total Index
Kent 167 10.98x
Sussex 73 9.71x
Bedfordshire 55 23.83x
Middlesex 54 1.21x
Surrey 32 1.47x
Glamorgan 16 2.06x
Devon 15 1.62x
Warwickshire 12 1.07x
Derbyshire 9 1.29x
Oxfordshire 8 2.91x
Hampshire 5 0.55x
Hertfordshire 4 1.30x
Northamptonshire 4 0.95x
Essex 1 0.11x
Lancashire 1 0.02x
Staffordshire 1 0.07x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Smarden in Kent leads with 36 Heathfields recorded in 1881 and an index of 2068.97x.

Place Total Index
Smarden 36 2068.97x
Campton 22 2588.24x
Headcorn 17 745.61x
Shefford 16 975.61x
Eastbourne 13 37.59x
Murston 12 895.52x
Roath 12 34.04x
St Pancras London 12 3.34x
Brighton 11 7.25x
Islington London 11 2.55x
Lambeth 11 2.83x
Faversham 10 68.97x
Teynham 10 364.96x
Smeeth 9 947.37x
Westwell 9 592.11x
Camberwell 8 2.81x
Clophill 8 473.37x
Hastings St Clement 8 113.15x
Ifield 8 255.59x
Long Eaton 8 86.86x
Tormoham 8 20.38x
Finchley 7 40.96x
Reigate Borough 7 139.72x
Salehurst 7 215.38x
Chicksands Priory 6 8571.43x
Edgbaston 6 17.21x
Marden 6 168.07x
Plumstead 6 11.83x
Waldron 6 292.68x
Bethersden 5 322.58x
Hammersmith London 5 4.55x
Harrow On The Hill 5 56.12x
Henley On Thames 5 88.65x
Ightham 5 261.78x
Woodchurch 5 264.55x
Woolwich 5 8.90x
Aston 4 1.29x
Cardiff St Mary 4 9.36x
Hampstead London 4 5.76x
Minster In Sheppey 4 15.87x
Ore 4 71.56x
Sittingbourne 4 33.31x
Wymering 4 266.67x
Yardley Hastings 4 222.22x
Ashford 3 20.26x
Barnstaple 3 20.60x
Borden 3 155.44x
Croydon 3 2.49x
Norton 3 588.24x
Oare 3 384.62x
Oxford St Ebbe 3 37.04x
Battle 2 39.45x
Edgware 2 160.00x
Falmer 2 227.27x
Hackney London 2 0.80x
Hove 2 6.06x
Kingswear 2 270.27x
Lewes All Sts 2 66.89x
Milton In Milton 2 30.91x
Mitcham 2 14.57x
Sandwich St Peter 2 125.00x
Shadoxhurst 2 689.66x
Sharnbrook 2 156.25x
Stoke Canon 2 307.69x
Aylesford 1 23.75x
Biddenden 1 48.08x
Chichester St 1 200.00x
Farnborough 1 10.42x
High Halden 1 103.09x
Lee 1 4.53x
Margate St John Baptist 1 3.59x
Mayfield 1 22.52x
Mile End Old Town London 1 1.05x
Rotherfield 1 15.11x
South Normanton 1 20.41x
St Clement Danes London 1 10.83x
Thundridge 1 138.89x
Warehorne 1 123.46x
Woodford 1 10.04x
Wootton Wawen 1 28.25x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 37
John 26
Charles 15
George 14
Henry 13
James 13
Thomas 13
Arthur 9
Ernest 7
Frederick 7
Frank 6
Albert 5
Joseph 5
Richard 4
Walter 4
Daniel 3
Edward 3
Robert 3
Alfred 2
David 2
Edwin 2
Eli 2
Francis 2
Fredrick 2
Harry 2
Job 2
Mark 2
Carl 1
Ellen 1
Frances 1
Fred 1
Fredk. 1
Geoffrey 1
Gerald 1
Hen. 1
Heny 1
Herbert 1
Jas. 1
Jesse 1
Jonas 1
Moses 1
Philip 1
Phillip 1
Reginald 1
Reuben 1
Samuel 1
Stephen 1
Walt. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Heathfield surname: questions and answers

How common was the Heathfield surname in 1881?

In 1881, 457 people were recorded with the Heathfield surname. That placed it at #7,240 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Heathfield surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 548 in 2016. That gives Heathfield a modern rank of #9,309.

What does the Heathfield map show?

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