NameCensus.

UK surname

Heaver

An occupational surname referring to one who lifted or heaved heavy objects.

In the 1881 census there were 406 people recorded with the Heaver surname, ranking it #7,880 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 587, ranked #8,864, down from #7,880 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Battersea and Cobham. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Melton, Basingstoke and Deane and Chichester.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Heaver is 617 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 44.6%.

1881 census count

406

Ranked #7,880

Modern count

587

2016, ranked #8,864

Peak year

2002

617 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Heaver had 406 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,880 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 587 in 2016, ranked #8,864.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 517 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Heaver surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Heaver surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Heaver 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 279 #8,067
1861 historical 399 #6,428
1881 historical 406 #7,880
1891 historical 462 #7,917
1901 historical 496 #8,098
1911 historical 517 #7,634
1997 modern 579 #8,354
1998 modern 606 #8,329
1999 modern 608 #8,372
2000 modern 598 #8,447
2001 modern 596 #8,335
2002 modern 617 #8,293
2003 modern 612 #8,203
2004 modern 604 #8,309
2005 modern 581 #8,461
2006 modern 571 #8,598
2007 modern 562 #8,750
2008 modern 568 #8,753
2009 modern 596 #8,640
2010 modern 609 #8,686
2011 modern 612 #8,546
2012 modern 579 #8,830
2013 modern 593 #8,818
2014 modern 601 #8,792
2015 modern 591 #8,828
2016 modern 587 #8,864

Geography

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Where Heavers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Battersea, Cobham and Sheffield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Melton, Basingstoke and Deane, Chichester and West Dorset. 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 Battersea London (South Districts)
4 Cobham Kent
5 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Melton 005 Melton
2 Basingstoke and Deane 003 Basingstoke and Deane
3 Chichester 007 Chichester
4 Basingstoke and Deane 022 Basingstoke and Deane
5 West Dorset 003 West Dorset

Forenames

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First names often paired with Heaver

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Heaver

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

Heaver 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

Heaver falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Heaver

The surname Heaver is of English origin, deriving from an occupational name for someone who was a laborer or bearer of heavy loads. It is likely descended from the Middle English word "hevere," meaning "one who heaves or lifts."

In medieval times, surnames were often adopted based on a person's trade or occupation. The surname Heaver would have been given to someone whose primary work involved lifting and carrying heavy objects, such as a porter or a laborer in a warehouse or on a farm.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Heaver can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from the year 1230, where a person named Robert le Hevere is mentioned. This spelling variation, with the addition of the Norman-French prefix "le," was common in early surname formation.

The Heaver surname also appears in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, which lists a John le Hevere among the taxpayers. These early records indicate that the surname was already well-established in various parts of England by the 14th century.

A notable figure in history bearing the Heaver surname was William Heaver, a prominent merchant and landowner who lived in Oxfordshire in the late 16th century. He is recorded as having purchased several properties in the village of Kirtlington between 1578 and 1590.

Another individual of note was John Heaver, born in 1612 in Gloucestershire, who served as a captain in the Parliamentarian forces during the English Civil War. He fought in several battles, including the Battle of Naseby in 1645.

In the 18th century, a Thomas Heaver, born in 1724 in Shropshire, became a respected clockmaker and watchmaker. His timepieces were highly regarded for their craftsmanship and accuracy.

The surname Heaver also has connections to various place names in England. For example, the village of Heavergate in Lincolnshire is believed to have derived its name from a combination of the surname Heaver and the Old English word "geat," meaning "gate" or "opening."

Throughout its history, the Heaver surname has seen various spelling variations, such as Heaver, Hever, Hever, and Hever, reflecting regional dialects and inconsistencies in record-keeping practices of the time.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Heaver families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Heaver 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. Surrey leads with 91 Heavers recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.70x.

County Total Index
Surrey 91 4.70x
Kent 82 6.05x
Sussex 76 11.35x
Middlesex 59 1.49x
Berkshire 24 8.05x
Yorkshire 22 0.56x
Gloucestershire 10 1.28x
Oxfordshire 7 2.86x
Warwickshire 6 0.60x
Herefordshire 5 3.07x
Norfolk 5 0.82x
Devon 4 0.48x
Hampshire 4 0.49x
Buckinghamshire 2 0.83x
Lancashire 2 0.04x
Suffolk 2 0.41x
Dunbartonshire 1 0.94x
Essex 1 0.13x
Hertfordshire 1 0.37x
Royal Navy 1 2.11x
Shropshire 1 0.29x
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. Battersea in Surrey leads with 23 Heavers recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.74x.

Place Total Index
Battersea 23 15.74x
Bermondsey 23 19.46x
Sheffield 22 17.56x
Cobham 17 1360.00x
St Pancras London 17 5.32x
Tonbridge 16 32.75x
Lambeth 15 4.33x
Kensington London 12 5.44x
Poynings 11 2558.14x
Thatcham 10 217.86x
Bosham 9 526.32x
Brighton 9 6.66x
Milton In Gravesend 9 44.31x
Hungerford 8 198.51x
Croydon 7 6.52x
Godstone 7 201.73x
Birmingham 6 1.80x
Boxford 6 779.22x
Hammersmith London 6 6.14x
Islington London 6 1.56x
Uckfield 6 205.48x
Woolwich 6 11.99x
Bristol St George 5 13.89x
Chislehurst 5 68.87x
Dorking 5 38.49x
Hailsham 5 123.46x
Heigham 5 15.26x
Hurstpierpoint 5 134.05x
Lindfield 5 176.68x
Lugwardine 5 485.44x
Marshfield 5 240.38x
Southwark St Saviour 5 24.51x
Wivelsfield 5 190.84x
Bexhill 4 119.76x
Buxted 4 152.67x
Ditchling 4 219.78x
Plymouth Charles The 4 10.99x
Stansted 4 714.29x
Sutton 4 28.57x
Tottenham 4 6.33x
Wrotham 4 89.09x
Acton 3 12.89x
Isfield 3 491.80x
Oxford St Thomas 3 26.22x
Paddington London 3 2.06x
St Marylebone London 3 1.42x
Bishops Waltham 2 59.00x
Burham 2 106.95x
Charlton Next Woolwich 2 14.15x
Checkendon 2 384.62x
Framfield 2 96.15x
Hadlow 2 59.52x
Hampstead London 2 3.23x
Kingsclere 2 53.76x
Oxford St Clement 2 32.31x
Sevenoaks 2 18.21x
Ardwick 1 2.35x
Aylesbury 1 9.40x
Beccles 1 12.85x
Brewood 1 25.91x
Cranleigh 1 35.34x
Darenth 1 47.85x
Dartford 1 7.22x
Etchingham 1 80.65x
Greenwich 1 1.58x
Hackney London 1 0.45x
Leatherhead 1 20.66x
Longfield 1 222.22x
Maidstone 1 2.48x
Minster In Sheppey 1 4.46x
Rainham 1 58.48x
Rixton With Glazebrook 1 83.33x
Row 1 7.25x
Snodland 1 26.04x
Southfleet 1 80.00x
Stone 1 53.76x
Watford 1 4.71x
West Malling 1 32.79x
Willesden 1 2.67x
Wistanstow 1 90.09x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 22
Elizabeth 13
Alice 10
Ellen 10
Jane 10
Annie 9
Louisa 8
Sarah 8
Ada 5
Eliza 5
Martha 5
Ann 4
Edith 4
Fanny 4
Florence 4
Susan 4
Anne 3
Caroline 3
Charlotte 3
Emma 3
Harriet 3
Kate 3
Minnie 3
Selina 3
Sophia 3
Clara 2
Helen 2
Maria 2
Nellie 2
Phillis 2
Agness 1
Andria 1
Catherine 1
Cecilia 1
Elga 1
Elizebeth 1
Elizth. 1
Elizth.R. 1
Emily 1
Ernestine 1
Ester 1
Ethel 1
Henrietta 1
Hepzebeth 1
Hilda 1
Jemima 1
Jessie 1
Julia 1
Kitty 1
Lucy 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 29
George 26
John 21
Edward 14
Henry 12
Thomas 12
James 10
Benjamin 7
Charles 7
Alfred 5
Frederick 4
Joseph 4
Walter 4
Wm. 4
Arthur 3
Harry 3
Richard 3
Chas. 2
Francis 2
Fredk. 2
Herbert 2
Robert 2
Albert 1
Amos 1
Anthony 1
David 1
E.J. 1
Edwin 1
Fred.G. 1
Fredrick 1
Harold 1
Hesbert 1
Hubert 1
J.L. 1
Lleyellyn 1
Michael 1
Norchiots 1
Resta 1
Rowland 1
Stephen 1
Thos. 1
Willis 1
Wm.E. 1

FAQ

Heaver surname: questions and answers

How common was the Heaver surname in 1881?

In 1881, 406 people were recorded with the Heaver surname. That placed it at #7,880 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Heaver surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 587 in 2016. That gives Heaver a modern rank of #8,864.

What does the Heaver surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to one who lifted or heaved heavy objects.

What does the Heaver map show?

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