NameCensus.

UK surname

Hellewell

An English locational surname derived from a place name meaning "hell spring" or "hell well".

In the 1881 census there were 747 people recorded with the Hellewell surname, ranking it #4,919 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 844, ranked #6,621, down from #4,919 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Halifax, London parishes and Bradford. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Barnsley, Rotherham and Wakefield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hellewell is 893 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 13.0%.

1881 census count

747

Ranked #4,919

Modern count

844

2016, ranked #6,621

Peak year

1999

893 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hellewell had 747 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,919 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 844 in 2016, ranked #6,621.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 838 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Hellewell surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hellewell surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hellewell 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 710 #3,675
1861 historical 622 #4,302
1881 historical 747 #4,919
1891 historical 838 #4,864
1901 historical 803 #5,624
1911 historical 798 #5,480
1997 modern 872 #6,113
1998 modern 861 #6,379
1999 modern 893 #6,239
2000 modern 886 #6,243
2001 modern 867 #6,237
2002 modern 889 #6,238
2003 modern 863 #6,279
2004 modern 848 #6,362
2005 modern 819 #6,485
2006 modern 832 #6,412
2007 modern 854 #6,351
2008 modern 871 #6,288
2009 modern 868 #6,465
2010 modern 876 #6,536
2011 modern 873 #6,479
2012 modern 860 #6,469
2013 modern 867 #6,541
2014 modern 868 #6,552
2015 modern 858 #6,548
2016 modern 844 #6,621

Geography

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Where Hellewells are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Barnsley, Rotherham, Wakefield and Ribble Valley. 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 Halifax Yorkshire, West Riding
2 London parishes London 3
3 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Royston Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Barnsley 009 Barnsley
2 Rotherham 010 Rotherham
3 Rotherham 013 Rotherham
4 Wakefield 042 Wakefield
5 Ribble Valley 001 Ribble Valley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hellewell

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hellewell

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

London Fringe

Within London, Hellewell is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

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

Hellewell 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

Hellewell falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Hellewell

The surname Hellewell is of English origin, with its roots tracing back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from a locational name, referring to a person who hailed from a place called "Hell Well" or "Hell Wheel," which may have been a descriptive term for a deep well or a wheel-shaped landscape feature.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire, dated 1166, where it appears as "Hellewelle." This suggests that the name was already established in the northern regions of England during the 12th century.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as "Helewelle" and "Helewell," reflecting the variations in spelling and pronunciation that were common during that era. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 record a Johannes de Helewelle, indicating the name's continued presence in Yorkshire.

The Hellewell family is believed to have originated from the village of Helliwell, located in the West Riding of Yorkshire. This place name is thought to have derived from the Old English words "helle" meaning "deep pit or valley" and "well" or "welle," signifying a water source or spring.

In the 14th century, the Hellewell name appeared in historical records related to the clergy. John de Hellewell, a rector of the church in Holme-on-Spalding Moor, Yorkshire, is mentioned in the Register of Archbishop William Greenfield in 1306-1315.

Notable individuals bearing the Hellewell surname include:

1. Robert Hellewell (born circa 1550), an English composer and organist who served at the Chapel Royal during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

2. Thomas Hellewell (1573-1629), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Master of Peterhouse, a college of the University of Cambridge, from 1619 until his death.

3. John Hellewell (1679-1760), a British architect and surveyor who designed several notable buildings in Yorkshire, including the Queen's Head Inn in Leeds.

4. Samuel Hellewell (1737-1806), an English mathematician and astronomer who published works on celestial mechanics and the calculation of eclipses.

5. William Hellewell (1835-1919), a British industrialist and philanthropist who established the Hellewell Trust, a charitable organization that supported education and scientific research in Yorkshire.

The Hellewell name has maintained a presence in various parts of England, particularly in the northern counties, where its origins can be traced back to the medieval period.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hellewell families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hellewell 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. Yorkshire leads with 608 Hellewells recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.42x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 608 8.42x
Lancashire 97 1.12x
Middlesex 17 0.23x
Surrey 16 0.45x
Cheshire 3 0.19x
Glamorgan 3 0.24x
Derbyshire 1 0.09x
Durham 1 0.05x
Northamptonshire 1 0.15x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bradford in Yorkshire leads with 27 Hellewells recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.45x.

Place Total Index
Bradford 27 15.45x
Stainland Cum Old 26 210.36x
Huddersfield 24 22.81x
North Bierley 24 61.55x
Halifax 22 20.75x
Horton In Bradford 21 18.62x
Warley 20 95.83x
Armley 19 59.65x
Ecclesfield 17 32.11x
Skircoat 17 59.71x
Ardsley 14 168.27x
Bowling 14 19.57x
Headingley Cum Burley 14 30.12x
Manningham 14 15.74x
Nether Hallam 13 13.31x
Leeds 12 2.94x
Norland 12 241.94x
Whitwood 12 116.96x
Rotherhithe 11 12.22x
Wadsworth 11 93.62x
Hunshelf 10 282.49x
Monk Bretton 10 136.80x
Morley 10 26.64x
Salford 10 3.93x
Skelmanthorpe 10 128.37x
Ashton Under Lyne 9 4.76x
Idle 9 26.88x
Ovenden 9 28.00x
Stansfield 9 33.87x
Wuerdle Wardle 9 34.29x
Brightside Bierlow 8 5.65x
Burnley 8 10.99x
Dodworth 8 106.67x
Haslingden 8 22.35x
Rawmarsh 8 31.36x
South Kirkby 8 506.33x
Toxteth Park 8 2.73x
Bolton On Dearne 7 280.00x
Ecclesall Bierlow 7 4.77x
Longwood 7 60.14x
Mexborough 7 48.85x
Southowram 7 31.76x
Spotland 7 7.28x
West Clayton 7 195.53x
Barnsley 6 8.06x
Batley 6 8.74x
Calverley Cum Farsley 6 29.27x
Greasbrough 6 62.89x
Heckmondwike 6 25.84x
Hickleton 6 1935.48x
Rastrick 6 29.91x
St George In East London 6 8.75x
Swinton In Rotherham 6 31.43x
Baildon 5 36.76x
Fulstone 5 94.70x
Langfield 5 39.59x
Manchester 5 1.29x
Sowerby In Halifax 5 21.18x
Tankersley 5 92.94x
Walton On Hill 5 10.67x
Whitechapel London 5 6.96x
Barton Upon Irwell 4 6.15x
Everton 4 1.45x
Hammersmith London 4 2.23x
Hunslet 4 3.55x
Lambeth 4 0.63x
Pendleton In Salford 4 3.88x
Seacroft 4 116.96x
Wakefield 4 7.22x
Wath On Dearne 4 27.76x
Wombwell 4 19.00x
Bingley 3 6.52x
Birstwith 3 245.90x
Cardiff St John 3 7.24x
Dukinfield 3 4.04x
Layton With Warbreck 3 9.45x
Northowram 3 5.93x
Sheffield 3 1.31x
Shelf 3 43.48x
Wortley In Bramley 3 5.25x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 62
Sarah 37
Elizabeth 31
Ann 27
Annie 14
Emma 14
Hannah 14
Martha 13
Harriet 11
Clara 10
Eliza 10
Emily 10
Edith 9
Ellen 9
Alice 8
Betty 6
Jane 6
Ada 4
Fanny 4
Caroline 3
Frances 3
Grace 3
Lydia 3
Margaret 3
Maria 3
Ruth 3
Amy 2
Anne 2
Betsy 2
Catherine 2
Elizh. 2
Gertrude 2
Julia 2
Lily 2
Maud 2
Priscilla 2
Sophia 2
Adelaide 1
Amander 1
Annise 1
Eleanor 1
Ella 1
Emmeline 1
Esther 1
Isabella 1
J. 1
Jennet 1
Jessie 1
Kate 1
Vina 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 55
William 34
James 26
George 23
Joseph 20
Thomas 13
Henry 12
Arthur 11
Alfred 8
Harry 8
Edward 7
Walter 7
Charles 6
Herbert 6
Samuel 5
Frank 4
Paul 4
Richard 4
Abraham 3
Eli 3
Fred 3
Geo 3
Tom 3
Willie 3
Daniel 2
Ernest 2
Frederick 2
Fredk. 2
Greenwood 2
Isaac 2
Jonas 2
Joshua 2
Leonard 2
Michael 2
Moses 2
Ramsden 2
Sam 2
Sidney 2
Tom. 2
Wm. 2
Athe 1
Aurthur 1
Chas. 1
Chas.Hy. 1
Fredrick 1
Geo.William 1
Georg 1
Joe 1
Johnnie 1
Jonathan 1

FAQ

Hellewell surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hellewell surname in 1881?

In 1881, 747 people were recorded with the Hellewell surname. That placed it at #4,919 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hellewell surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 844 in 2016. That gives Hellewell a modern rank of #6,621.

What does the Hellewell surname mean?

An English locational surname derived from a place name meaning "hell spring" or "hell well".

What does the Hellewell map show?

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