UK surname
An Anglo-Saxon topographic surname denoting someone who lived near hemp plants.
In the 1881 census there were 138 people recorded with the Hemp surname, ranking it #16,292 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 87, ranked #32,476, down from #16,292 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Happisburgh, London parishes and Ruston, East. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hemp is 740 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 37.0%.
1881 census count
138
Ranked #16,292
Modern count
87
2016, ranked #32,476
Peak year
1861
740 bearers
Map years
6
1851 to 1911
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Hemp surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Hemp surname density by area, 1881 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 740 | #3,692 |
| 1881 | historical | 138 | #16,292 |
| 1891 | historical | 340 | #10,062 |
| 1901 | historical | 104 | #22,310 |
| 1911 | historical | 238 | #13,356 |
| 1997 | modern | 87 | #28,749 |
| 1998 | modern | 89 | #29,026 |
| 1999 | modern | 91 | #28,937 |
| 2000 | modern | 92 | #28,832 |
| 2001 | modern | 92 | #28,528 |
| 2002 | modern | 97 | #28,383 |
| 2003 | modern | 92 | #28,974 |
| 2004 | modern | 92 | #29,197 |
| 2005 | modern | 87 | #29,966 |
| 2006 | modern | 92 | #29,576 |
| 2007 | modern | 93 | #29,777 |
| 2008 | modern | 91 | #30,431 |
| 2009 | modern | 91 | #30,944 |
| 2010 | modern | 86 | #32,081 |
| 2011 | modern | 85 | #32,127 |
| 2012 | modern | 82 | #32,701 |
| 2013 | modern | 87 | #32,472 |
| 2014 | modern | 84 | #32,823 |
| 2015 | modern | 83 | #32,847 |
| 2016 | modern | 87 | #32,476 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Happisburgh, London parishes, Ruston, East, Lambeth and St Marylebone. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Happisburgh | Norfolk |
| 2 | London parishes | London 3 |
| 3 | Ruston, East | Norfolk |
| 4 | Lambeth | London (South Districts) |
| 5 | St Marylebone | London (North Districts) |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Hemp surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Hemp, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Hemp surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Hemp household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Hemp is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Hemp is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Hemp, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Hemp is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "hænep," which means the hemp plant. The name first appeared in records in the late 12th century, referring to individuals who cultivated or traded in hemp.
Hemp was an important crop in medieval England, used for making ropes, sails, and textiles. As a result, the name Hemp was particularly prevalent in areas where hemp cultivation was common, such as Norfolk, Lincolnshire, and the Midlands.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Hemp can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1195, which mention a person named Alured Hemp. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 also record a William Hemp in Oxfordshire.
In the 14th century, the name appeared in various forms, including Hempe, Hempis, and Hempson. These variations likely arose from the addition of patronymic suffixes, indicating the name's hereditary nature.
Notable individuals with the surname Hemp include John Hemp (c. 1500-1557), a Protestant martyr burned at the stake during the Marian Persecutions. Another prominent figure was William Hemp (1625-1687), a Puritan minister and author from Norfolk.
During the 17th and 18th centuries, the name Hemp appears in parish records and tax rolls across England, particularly in counties like Norfolk, Suffolk, and Lincolnshire, where hemp cultivation was widespread.
In the late 18th century, a branch of the Hemp family emigrated to America, where they settled in Virginia and Pennsylvania. One notable American with the surname was James Hemp (1765-1834), a Revolutionary War soldier from Virginia.
Other historical figures with the surname Hemp include Thomas Hemp (1820-1891), an English landscape painter, and Joseph Hemp (1823-1890), a British architect who designed several churches in London.
While the surname Hemp is not as common today as it once was, it remains a part of the English surname tradition, reflecting the importance of the hemp industry in medieval and early modern England.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hemp surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Norfolk leads with 27 Hemps recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.14x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Norfolk | 27 | 13.14x |
| Middlesex | 21 | 1.57x |
| Kent | 17 | 3.73x |
| Sussex | 10 | 4.44x |
| Suffolk | 9 | 5.53x |
| Midlothian | 8 | 4.47x |
| Yorkshire | 7 | 0.53x |
| Derbyshire | 6 | 2.87x |
| Staffordshire | 6 | 1.33x |
| Hampshire | 5 | 1.83x |
| Cheshire | 4 | 1.36x |
| Cornwall | 4 | 2.64x |
| Lancashire | 2 | 0.13x |
| Leicestershire | 2 | 1.35x |
| Northamptonshire | 2 | 1.59x |
| Warwickshire | 2 | 0.59x |
| Devon | 1 | 0.36x |
| Flintshire | 1 | 2.78x |
| Hertfordshire | 1 | 1.09x |
| Lanarkshire | 1 | 0.23x |
| Nottinghamshire | 1 | 0.56x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Great Yarmouth in Norfolk leads with 14 Hemps recorded in 1881 and an index of 82.26x.
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Hemp surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
| Name | Count |
|---|---|
| Mary | 9 |
| Elizabeth | 6 |
| Alice | 4 |
| Sarah | 4 |
| Annie | 3 |
| Ellen | 3 |
| Jane | 3 |
| Susan | 3 |
| Harriett | 2 |
| Louisa | 2 |
| Susannah | 2 |
| Ada | 1 |
| Amy | 1 |
| Ann | 1 |
| Catherine | 1 |
| Charlotte | 1 |
| Eliza | 1 |
| Elizth.M. | 1 |
| Emily | 1 |
| Emma | 1 |
| Esther | 1 |
| Fanny | 1 |
| Georgeana | 1 |
| Harriet | 1 |
| Henrihetta | 1 |
| Laura | 1 |
| Lily | 1 |
| Lousia | 1 |
| Lydia | 1 |
| Margaret | 1 |
| Matilda | 1 |
| Prude | 1 |
| Rhoda | 1 |
| Rosina | 1 |
| Sophia | 1 |
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Hemp surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
FAQ
In 1881, 138 people were recorded with the Hemp surname. That placed it at #16,292 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 87 in 2016. That gives Hemp a modern rank of #32,476.
An Anglo-Saxon topographic surname denoting someone who lived near hemp plants.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Hemp bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.