UK surname
A locational surname derived from a place name meaning the village on the hill.
In the 1881 census there were 17 people recorded with the Hempton surname, ranking it #31,170 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 65, ranked #34,017, down from #31,170 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Beith, St Leonard Shoreditch and Sandbach. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hempton is 148 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 282.4%.
1881 census count
17
Ranked #31,170
Modern count
65
2016, ranked #34,017
Peak year
1861
148 bearers
Map years
1
1861 to 1861
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Hempton surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Hempton surname density by area, 1861 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 | 50 | #24,274 |
| 1861 | historical | 148 | #15,452 |
| 1881 | historical | 17 | #31,170 |
| 1891 | historical | 94 | #24,820 |
| 1901 | historical | 39 | #29,799 |
| 1911 | historical | 24 | #30,800 |
| 1997 | modern | 49 | #32,776 |
| 1998 | modern | 50 | #32,899 |
| 1999 | modern | 51 | #32,940 |
| 2000 | modern | 56 | #32,514 |
| 2001 | modern | 61 | #31,891 |
| 2002 | modern | 65 | #31,903 |
| 2003 | modern | 61 | #32,352 |
| 2004 | modern | 57 | #32,968 |
| 2005 | modern | 51 | #33,701 |
| 2006 | modern | 57 | #33,513 |
| 2007 | modern | 61 | #33,440 |
| 2008 | modern | 61 | #33,655 |
| 2009 | modern | 58 | #34,144 |
| 2010 | modern | 64 | #33,946 |
| 2011 | modern | 63 | #33,982 |
| 2012 | modern | 63 | #34,095 |
| 2013 | modern | 57 | #34,538 |
| 2014 | modern | 62 | #34,281 |
| 2015 | modern | 62 | #34,233 |
| 2016 | modern | 65 | #34,017 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Beith, St Leonard Shoreditch, Sandbach, Haddenham 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 | Beith | Ayr |
| 2 | St Leonard Shoreditch | London (East Districts) |
| 3 | Sandbach | Cheshire |
| 4 | Haddenham | Cambridgeshire |
| 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 Hempton 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 Hempton, 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 Hempton surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Hempton 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, Hempton 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 Hempton is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Hempton, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Hempton is of English origin, first appearing in records during the late medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "hem" meaning "homestead" or "dwelling", and "tun" meaning "farm" or "settlement". This suggests that the name originally referred to someone who lived in a homestead or farm settlement.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, which mention a William de Hempton. The "de" prefix indicates the name was originally a place name referring to a specific location.
In the 15th century, the surname appears in various historical records with slightly different spellings such as Hempston, Hemstone, and Hempston. This variation in spelling was common during this period due to the lack of standardized spelling conventions.
The Hempton surname is also associated with several place names in England, including the villages of Hempton in Norfolk and Deddington in Oxfordshire. These locations may have been the original homesteads or settlements that gave rise to the surname.
Notable individuals bearing the Hempton surname include:
1. John Hempton (c. 1530-1597), an English Member of Parliament for Gloucestershire during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.
2. William Hempton (1663-1723), an English clergyman and author who wrote several religious works.
3. Thomas Hempton (1760-1834), a British army officer who served in the American Revolutionary War and later became a Member of Parliament.
4. Mary Hempton (1814-1892), a British artist and painter known for her landscapes and portraits.
5. Sir Edmund Hempton (1872-1951), a British businessman and philanthropist who founded the Hempton Foundation for underprivileged children.
While the Hempton surname is not among the most common in England, it has a rich history dating back to the medieval period and is associated with various historical figures and locations across the country.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hempton 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. Staffordshire leads with 6 Hemptons recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.73x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Staffordshire | 6 | 10.73x |
| Ayrshire | 4 | 32.26x |
| Derbyshire | 2 | 7.71x |
| Surrey | 2 | 2.48x |
| Hampshire | 1 | 2.95x |
| Kent | 1 | 1.77x |
| Lanarkshire | 1 | 1.87x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stafford St Mary in Staffordshire leads with 6 Hemptons recorded in 1881 and an index of 759.49x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Stafford St Mary | 6 | 759.49x |
| Maybole | 4 | 1052.63x |
| Glossop Dale | 2 | 165.29x |
| Lambeth | 2 | 13.85x |
| Barony | 1 | 7.37x |
| Portsea | 1 | 15.04x |
| Tonbridge | 1 | 49.02x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Hempton surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
FAQ
In 1881, 17 people were recorded with the Hempton surname. That placed it at #31,170 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 65 in 2016. That gives Hempton a modern rank of #34,017.
A locational surname derived from a place name meaning the village on the hill.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Hempton 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.