NameCensus.

UK surname

Heelas

In the 1881 census there were 70 people recorded with the Heelas surname, ranking it #23,670 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 130, ranked #26,152, down from #23,670 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Minchinhampton and Lambeth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Riding of Yorkshire, Monmouthshire and Mole Valley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Heelas is 137 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 85.7%.

1881 census count

70

Ranked #23,670

Modern count

130

2016, ranked #26,152

Peak year

2000

137 bearers

Map years

5

1901 to 2016

Key insights

  • Heelas had 70 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #23,670 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 130 in 2016, ranked #26,152.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 126 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Heelas surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Heelas surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Heelas 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 42 #25,706
1861 historical 38 #29,216
1881 historical 70 #23,670
1891 historical 82 #26,494
1901 historical 118 #20,721
1911 historical 126 #19,831
1997 modern 119 #24,302
1998 modern 130 #23,603
1999 modern 126 #24,239
2000 modern 137 #23,048
2001 modern 133 #23,132
2002 modern 131 #23,793
2003 modern 121 #24,776
2004 modern 120 #25,078
2005 modern 120 #25,066
2006 modern 119 #25,413
2007 modern 117 #26,066
2008 modern 118 #26,212
2009 modern 114 #27,363
2010 modern 113 #28,162
2011 modern 114 #27,784
2012 modern 118 #27,250
2013 modern 132 #25,789
2014 modern 129 #26,352
2015 modern 129 #26,226
2016 modern 130 #26,152

Geography

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Where Heelas' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Minchinhampton, Lambeth, Wokingham and Preston. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Riding of Yorkshire, Monmouthshire, Mole Valley, Eastleigh and Hart. 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 3
2 Minchinhampton Gloucestershire
3 Lambeth London (South Districts)
4 Wokingham Berkshire
5 Preston Yorkshire, East Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Riding of Yorkshire 028 East Riding of Yorkshire
2 Monmouthshire 004 Monmouthshire
3 Mole Valley 009 Mole Valley
4 Eastleigh 011 Eastleigh
5 Hart 008 Hart

Forenames

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First names often paired with Heelas

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Heelas

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Heelas is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Heelas is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Heelas falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Heelas 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
Other Ethnic Group

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

1881 census detail

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Heelas families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Heelas 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. Berkshire leads with 25 Heelas' recorded in 1881 and an index of 48.78x.

County Total Index
Berkshire 25 48.78x
Yorkshire 16 2.36x
Surrey 13 3.91x
Middlesex 11 1.61x
Durham 4 1.97x
Cambridgeshire 1 2.31x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Wokingham in Berkshire leads with 20 Heelas' recorded in 1881 and an index of 1709.40x.

Place Total Index
Wokingham 20 1709.40x
Preston 16 4324.32x
Lambeth 11 18.48x
Bethnal Green London 7 23.60x
Reading St Mary 5 121.95x
Gateshead 4 26.30x
Hampstead London 4 37.63x
Croydon 1 5.41x
Newington 1 3.97x
St Edward Cambridge 1 714.29x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 4
Alice 3
Margaret 3
Ann 2
Caroline 2
Clara 2
Elizabeth 2
Fanny 2
Amelia 1
Cecelia 1
Dorothy 1
Elizth. 1
Ellen 1
Emma 1
Ethel 1
Hilda 1
Isabella 1
Jane 1
Kate 1
Luie 1
Mabel 1
Maggie 1
Sarah 1
Susanah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 5
William 5
Joseph 3
Edward 2
Fred. 2
George 2
Harry 2
Thomas 2
Arthur 1
Carey 1
Clement 1
Ernest 1
Frank 1
Jas. 1
Newton 1
Percival 1
Robert 1
Tyndale 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Heelas surname: questions and answers

How common was the Heelas surname in 1881?

In 1881, 70 people were recorded with the Heelas surname. That placed it at #23,670 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Heelas surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 130 in 2016. That gives Heelas a modern rank of #26,152.

What does the Heelas map show?

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