NameCensus.

UK surname

Hedge

An occupational surname referring to someone who made or repaired hedges or lived near a hedge.

In the 1881 census there were 731 people recorded with the Hedge surname, ranking it #5,001 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 664, ranked #8,037, down from #5,001 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Kislingbury, London parishes and Crawley, North. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include North Norfolk, Brighton and Hove and North Devon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hedge is 921 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 9.2%.

1881 census count

731

Ranked #5,001

Modern count

664

2016, ranked #8,037

Peak year

1861

921 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hedge had 731 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,001 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 664 in 2016, ranked #8,037.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 921 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Hedge surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hedge surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hedge 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 469 #5,291
1861 historical 921 #3,013
1881 historical 731 #5,001
1891 historical 842 #4,845
1901 historical 848 #5,369
1911 historical 875 #5,082
1997 modern 730 #7,011
1998 modern 778 #6,912
1999 modern 760 #7,072
2000 modern 748 #7,113
2001 modern 721 #7,194
2002 modern 720 #7,346
2003 modern 685 #7,516
2004 modern 702 #7,380
2005 modern 654 #7,734
2006 modern 647 #7,829
2007 modern 660 #7,778
2008 modern 645 #7,959
2009 modern 647 #8,107
2010 modern 661 #8,133
2011 modern 669 #7,975
2012 modern 660 #7,975
2013 modern 676 #7,960
2014 modern 678 #7,979
2015 modern 671 #7,984
2016 modern 664 #8,037

Geography

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Where Hedges are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to North Norfolk, Brighton and Hove, North Devon and Teignbridge. 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 Kislingbury Northamptonshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 Crawley, North Buckinghamshire
4 London parishes London 3
5 St Pancras London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 North Norfolk 003 North Norfolk
2 Brighton and Hove 026 Brighton and Hove
3 North Devon 010 North Devon
4 Teignbridge 019 Teignbridge
5 North Norfolk 010 North Norfolk

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hedge

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hedge

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

Hedge is most concentrated in decile 9 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.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Hedge falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Hedge is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Hedge

The surname HEDGE is of English origin and can be traced back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old English word "hege," which means "hedge" or "enclosure." This suggests that the name may have been initially given to someone who lived near a hedge or worked as a hedge-maker or hedge-keeper.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname HEDGE can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Hegge." This document, commissioned by William the Conqueror, was a survey of land and property ownership in England at the time.

During the 13th century, the surname HEDGE began to appear in various records across different parts of England, including Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Gloucestershire. Some variations in spelling included Hegge, Hege, and Hedges.

In the 14th century, there are references to a John Hedge from Somerset, who was mentioned in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of 1327. Another early bearer of the name was William Hedge, a landowner from Wiltshire, who was recorded in the Subsidy Rolls of 1380.

One notable figure with the surname HEDGE was Sir Robert Hedge (1562-1629), an English merchant and Member of Parliament during the reign of King James I. He was involved in the East India Company and served as its governor from 1619 to 1622.

Another prominent individual was Levi Hedge (1766-1856), an American Baptist minister and educator from Massachusetts. He was the founder of the Theological Institution in Coventry (now known as the University of Rhode Island), where he served as the first president from 1819 to 1822.

In the literary world, Frederic Henry Hedge (1805-1890) was an American transcendentalist and scholar. He was a member of the Transcendental Club and played a significant role in introducing German philosophy and literature to American readers.

Sir Nevil Maskelyne Hedge (1835-1910) was a British astronomer and mathematician who served as the Astronomer Royal from 1888 to 1910. He made important contributions to the study of planetary motion and the determination of the solar parallax.

Lastly, Mary Hedge Kennard (1889-1976) was an American philanthropist and activist from New York. She was a prominent supporter of women's rights and education, serving as the president of the Women's City Club of New York and the National Association of Women Lawyers.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hedge families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hedge 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 147 Hedges recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.07x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 147 2.07x
Northamptonshire 83 12.44x
Norfolk 58 5.32x
Hertfordshire 48 9.82x
Kent 42 1.74x
Buckinghamshire 33 7.70x
Huntingdonshire 32 22.73x
Yorkshire 30 0.43x
Surrey 29 0.84x
Essex 26 1.86x
Staffordshire 26 1.09x
Lancashire 24 0.29x
Warwickshire 23 1.29x
Cambridgeshire 17 3.78x
Glamorgan 17 1.38x
Worcestershire 13 1.40x
Hampshire 12 0.83x
Devon 8 0.54x
Durham 8 0.38x
Cheshire 7 0.45x
Somerset 5 0.44x
Sussex 5 0.42x
Berkshire 4 0.75x
East Lothian 3 3.19x
Lincolnshire 3 0.26x
Monmouthshire 3 0.59x
Nottinghamshire 3 0.31x
Suffolk 3 0.35x
Wiltshire 3 0.48x
Bedfordshire 2 0.54x
Gloucestershire 2 0.14x
Shropshire 2 0.33x
Derbyshire 1 0.09x
Leicestershire 1 0.13x
Northumberland 1 0.09x
Oxfordshire 1 0.23x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.44x
Royal Navy 1 1.18x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Floore in Northamptonshire leads with 30 Hedges recorded in 1881 and an index of 1200.00x.

Place Total Index
Floore 30 1200.00x
Kislingbury 18 1065.09x
Toseland 16 3809.52x
North Crawley 15 882.35x
St Pancras London 15 2.63x
Edmonton 14 24.50x
Edingthorpe 13 2826.09x
Lambeth 13 2.10x
Purleigh 13 622.01x
Birmingham 12 2.01x
Kings Norton 12 14.45x
North Walsham 12 152.67x
Hackney London 11 2.77x
Minster In Sheppey 11 27.44x
Swafield 11 2500.00x
Watford 11 29.02x
Westminster St John 11 12.74x
Welwyn 10 236.41x
Cannock 9 21.55x
Newington 9 3.44x
St Andrew Holborn London 9 29.32x
St Edward Cambridge 9 629.37x
Aldershot 8 16.43x
Amersham 8 131.58x
Houghton 8 645.16x
Kimberworth 8 20.51x
Llantwit Lower 8 73.73x
Northampton St Giles 8 31.48x
Ringwould 8 386.47x
Sarratt 8 470.59x
Aston 7 1.42x
Islington London 7 1.02x
Willesden 7 10.47x
Yelling 7 897.44x
Felmingham 6 625.00x
Fulham London 6 5.83x
Hendon 6 23.51x
Knowsley 6 197.37x
Lewisham 6 4.65x
Llantrisant 6 19.28x
Maidstone 6 8.33x
Oswaldtwistle 6 20.18x
Paddington London 6 2.30x
Stoke 6 100.33x
Thetford St Peter 6 209.06x
Wednesbury 6 10.03x
Doncaster 5 9.74x
Harthill Cum Woodall 5 185.87x
Hatfield 5 50.45x
Kensington London 5 1.27x
Norton 5 505.05x
Saddleworth 5 9.22x
Soham 5 51.71x
St George Hanover Square 5 4.00x
Stapleford 5 1020.41x
Tottenham 5 4.43x
Westoe 5 4.18x
Blisworth 4 155.64x
Brixworth 4 140.35x
Clerkenwell London 4 2.39x
Hammersmith London 4 2.29x
Hanwell 4 31.82x
Northampton Priory St 4 10.00x
Shoreditch London 4 1.30x
St Maurice Winchester 4 66.23x
Tarvin Pryors Hayes 4 192.31x
Walton Le Dale 4 17.69x
Willenhall 4 8.92x
Bootle Cum Linacre 3 4.49x
Chailey 3 81.08x
Finchley 3 11.03x
Great Oakley 3 133.93x
Hampstead London 3 2.72x
Hornsey 3 3.35x
Newbury 3 17.60x
Northampton St Sepulchre 3 8.84x
St Marylebone London 3 0.79x
St Osyth 3 88.24x
St Woollos 3 5.24x
Woughton On Green 3 535.71x

Top female names

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

Name Count
George 41
John 39
William 38
Charles 20
Thomas 20
Joseph 18
Henry 15
James 14
Alfred 12
Frederick 12
Arthur 11
Edward 8
Robert 6
Walter 6
Albert 5
Samuel 5
Benjamin 4
Ernest 4
Harry 4
Herbert 4
Francis 3
Frank 3
Stephen 3
Bruce 2
Earnest 2
Fred 2
Fredrick 2
Reuben 2
Ann 1
Arther 1
Ben 1
Bernard 1
Bertram 1
Boardman 1
Christopher 1
Clements 1
Cornelius 1
David 1
Eben 1
Emanuel 1
Emmanuel 1
Felix 1
Geo. 1
Geo.Hy. 1
Gilbert 1
Hamlet 1
Harrit 1
Harvey 1
Jabez 1
Willie 1

FAQ

Hedge surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hedge surname in 1881?

In 1881, 731 people were recorded with the Hedge surname. That placed it at #5,001 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hedge surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 664 in 2016. That gives Hedge a modern rank of #8,037.

What does the Hedge surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to someone who made or repaired hedges or lived near a hedge.

What does the Hedge map show?

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