NameCensus.

UK surname

Heffer

A surname derived from the Old English word "hæfre" meaning a male goat or ram.

In the 1881 census there were 525 people recorded with the Heffer surname, ranking it #6,524 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 766, ranked #7,167, down from #6,524 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Mildenhall, Barking and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Suffolk Coastal, Ipswich and Poole.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Heffer is 814 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 45.9%.

1881 census count

525

Ranked #6,524

Modern count

766

2016, ranked #7,167

Peak year

1999

814 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Heffer had 525 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,524 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 766 in 2016, ranked #7,167.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 688 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Heffer surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Heffer surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Heffer 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 284 #7,977
1861 historical 330 #7,721
1881 historical 525 #6,524
1891 historical 554 #6,841
1901 historical 647 #6,665
1911 historical 688 #6,165
1997 modern 737 #6,970
1998 modern 788 #6,838
1999 modern 814 #6,700
2000 modern 787 #6,864
2001 modern 759 #6,927
2002 modern 778 #6,933
2003 modern 797 #6,671
2004 modern 780 #6,808
2005 modern 757 #6,905
2006 modern 744 #7,029
2007 modern 745 #7,091
2008 modern 761 #7,031
2009 modern 777 #7,051
2010 modern 769 #7,255
2011 modern 784 #7,065
2012 modern 776 #7,033
2013 modern 793 #7,011
2014 modern 774 #7,186
2015 modern 773 #7,134
2016 modern 766 #7,167

Geography

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Where Heffers are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Suffolk Coastal, Ipswich, Poole, East Cambridgeshire and Forest Heath. 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 Mildenhall Suffolk
2 Barking Essex
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Pancras London (North Districts)
5 Exning Cambridgeshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Suffolk Coastal 002 Suffolk Coastal
2 Ipswich 003 Ipswich
3 Poole 018 Poole
4 East Cambridgeshire 007 East Cambridgeshire
5 Forest Heath 004 Forest Heath

Forenames

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First names often paired with Heffer

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Heffer

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Heffer is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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 neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Heffer is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Heffer falls in decile 6 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.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Heffer

The surname Heffer is of English origin, deriving from the Old English word "hæfere," which means "he-goat" or "ram." This name likely originated as a nickname for someone who resembled a ram or possessed characteristics reminiscent of the animal.

The earliest known record of the name Heffer dates back to the 13th century in Lincolnshire, England. One of the earliest documented instances is in the Rotuli Hundredorum, a census record from 1274, which mentions a John le Heffere residing in Lincolnshire.

In the 14th century, the surname was also found in various spellings, such as Heffere, Hevere, and Hever, in records from counties like Yorkshire and Gloucestershire. The Heffer name is closely linked to the place name Hever, a village in Kent, England, suggesting that some Heffer families may have originated from or held ties to that area.

One notable individual bearing the Heffer surname was John Heffer, a landowner and yeoman who lived in Hever, Kent, in the late 15th century. Records indicate that he owned substantial property in the area and played a role in local affairs.

In the 16th century, the Heffer name appeared in various church records and tax rolls across England. One example is Thomas Heffer, born in 1542 in Loughborough, Leicestershire, who was a prominent merchant and landowner in the region.

During the 17th century, the Heffer surname was found in various parts of England, including Essex, Norfolk, and Gloucestershire. One notable individual from this period was William Heffer, born in 1624 in Gloucester, who served as a magistrate and was involved in local governance.

In the 18th century, the Heffer name continued to be present in various regions of England, with some families also migrating to other parts of the British Isles and the American colonies. One example is John Heffer, born in 1712 in Yorkshire, who later settled in Virginia and became a successful farmer and landowner.

Throughout the 19th century, the Heffer surname was well-established across England, with notable individuals including the writer and poet Ralph Heffer, born in 1820 in London, and the artist and illustrator Mary Heffer, born in 1854 in Sussex.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Heffer families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Heffer 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. Suffolk leads with 115 Heffers recorded in 1881 and an index of 18.40x.

County Total Index
Suffolk 115 18.40x
Cambridgeshire 87 26.77x
Surrey 85 3.40x
Middlesex 70 1.36x
Essex 35 3.46x
Kent 34 1.94x
Berkshire 15 3.89x
Monmouthshire 12 3.24x
Yorkshire 12 0.24x
Dunbartonshire 11 7.98x
Devon 10 0.94x
Gloucestershire 8 0.80x
Staffordshire 8 0.46x
Hertfordshire 5 1.41x
Warwickshire 4 0.31x
Norfolk 3 0.38x
Sussex 3 0.35x
Durham 2 0.13x
Lancashire 2 0.03x
Cheshire 1 0.09x
Hampshire 1 0.10x
Royal Navy 1 1.64x
Shropshire 1 0.23x
Wiltshire 1 0.22x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Exning in Suffolk leads with 44 Heffers recorded in 1881 and an index of 1396.83x.

Place Total Index
Exning 44 1396.83x
Barking 29 97.87x
St Pancras London 28 6.78x
St Andrewthe Less 27 72.72x
Swaffham Prior 19 1328.67x
Mildenhall 15 225.90x
Framlingham 14 315.32x
Wokingham 14 159.27x
Christchurch 12 104.62x
Burwell 11 282.78x
Row 11 61.66x
Wandsworth 11 22.27x
Cobham 10 243.90x
St George Hanover Square 10 11.06x
Camberwell 9 2.75x
Croydon 9 6.49x
Grantchester 9 445.54x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 8 8.44x
Charlton Next Woolwich 8 43.81x
Charlwood 8 333.33x
Lambeth 8 1.79x
Streatham 8 21.01x
Tormoham 8 17.70x
Lewisham 7 7.50x
Woolwich 7 10.82x
Battersea 6 3.18x
Great Glemham 6 1000.00x
Tottenham 6 7.34x
Willesden 6 12.41x
Dartford 5 27.93x
Holy Trinity 5 4.09x
Tettenhall 5 47.21x
Acton 4 13.30x
Aston 4 1.12x
Badingham 4 338.98x
Carshalton 4 41.80x
Eriswell 4 519.48x
Kelsale 4 229.89x
Laxfield 4 256.41x
Wakefield 4 10.25x
Watford 4 14.59x
Deptford St Paul 3 2.22x
Fordham 3 142.86x
Islington London 3 0.60x
Littleport 3 48.31x
Stapleford 3 306.12x
Stoke 3 535.71x
Stoke D Abernon 3 410.96x
Swaffham Bulbeck 3 229.01x
Westminster St Margaret 3 12.12x
Addington 2 170.94x
Brightlingsea 2 34.54x
Broadhembury 2 168.07x
Chesterton 2 19.96x
Clerkenwell London 2 1.65x
Farnham 2 625.00x
Foxton 2 270.27x
Newmarket St Mary 2 41.67x
Rotherhithe 2 3.16x
Thorndon All Sts 2 178.57x
Tyrley 2 148.15x
Welney 2 111.11x
Wickham Market 2 77.52x
Wombwell 2 13.50x
Wood Ditton 2 73.53x
Woodbridge 2 25.03x
Alverstoke 1 2.63x
Bow London 1 1.53x
Bowling 1 1.99x
Forest Frith 1 75.19x
Higher Bebington 1 13.79x
Hollesley 1 111.11x
Kennett 1 322.58x
Paddington London 1 0.53x
Plumstead 1 1.71x
Sevenoaks 1 7.05x
South Lynn 1 11.24x
Southwark Christchurch 1 4.16x
St Marylebone London 1 0.37x
Wimbledon 1 3.56x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 30
Elizabeth 24
Ellen 15
Alice 11
Eliza 11
Sarah 11
Emma 8
Ann 7
Emily 7
Edith 6
Laura 6
Florence 5
Louisa 5
Susan 5
Charlotte 4
Clara 4
Harriet 4
Jane 4
Agnes 3
Annie 3
E. 3
Eleanor 3
Elizth. 3
Fanny 3
Hannah 3
Harriett 3
Kate 3
Lucy 3
Maria 3
Martha 3
Ada 2
Amelia 2
Bertha 2
Caroline 2
Catherine 2
Esther 2
Lydia 2
M. 2
Matilda 2
May 2
Rebecca 2
Rhoda 2
Rose 2
Ruth 2
Christiana 1
Ethel 1
Isabel 1
J. 1
Jemima 1
Jessie 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 31
John 24
Charles 19
George 16
Henry 16
Robert 15
Alfred 9
James 9
Frederick 8
Thomas 8
Samuel 6
Walter 6
Richard 5
Arthur 4
Edward 4
Frank 4
Ernest 3
Francis 3
Herbert 3
Joseph 3
C. 2
David 2
Harry 2
Jabez 2
Jas. 2
Percy 2
Philip 2
Sidney 2
Benjamin 1
Brand 1
Colston 1
Edmond 1
Edwd. 1
Elijah 1
Frances 1
Fred.W. 1
Fredrick 1
H. 1
Horatis 1
Isaac 1
J. 1
Luke 1
Marcus 1
Moses 1
Peter 1
Phillip 1
R. 1
Randall 1
Reuben 1
Saml. 1

FAQ

Heffer surname: questions and answers

How common was the Heffer surname in 1881?

In 1881, 525 people were recorded with the Heffer surname. That placed it at #6,524 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Heffer surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 766 in 2016. That gives Heffer a modern rank of #7,167.

What does the Heffer surname mean?

A surname derived from the Old English word "hæfre" meaning a male goat or ram.

What does the Heffer map show?

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