NameCensus.

UK surname

Henbest

A surname derived from a combination of "hen" and "best", likely referring to an individual skilled in handling poultry or fowl.

In the 1881 census there were 131 people recorded with the Henbest surname, ranking it #16,824 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 115, ranked #28,348, down from #16,824 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bramshaw, Eling and Poole St James. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Eastleigh, New Forest and Birmingham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Henbest is 203 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 12.2%.

1881 census count

131

Ranked #16,824

Modern count

115

2016, ranked #28,348

Peak year

1911

203 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Henbest had 131 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,824 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 115 in 2016, ranked #28,348.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 203 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Henbest surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Henbest surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Henbest 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 84 #19,067
1861 historical 78 #23,836
1881 historical 131 #16,824
1891 historical 162 #17,390
1901 historical 166 #17,011
1911 historical 203 #14,831
1997 modern 165 #19,861
1998 modern 165 #20,423
1999 modern 167 #20,374
2000 modern 163 #20,657
2001 modern 157 #20,884
2002 modern 157 #21,261
2003 modern 144 #22,270
2004 modern 142 #22,573
2005 modern 124 #24,529
2006 modern 119 #25,413
2007 modern 121 #25,469
2008 modern 122 #25,638
2009 modern 120 #26,496
2010 modern 119 #27,250
2011 modern 118 #27,192
2012 modern 119 #27,100
2013 modern 117 #27,838
2014 modern 118 #27,961
2015 modern 118 #27,833
2016 modern 115 #28,348

Geography

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Where Henbests are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bramshaw, Eling, Poole St James, London parishes and South Stoneham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Eastleigh, New Forest, Birmingham, Calderdale and Torbay. 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 Bramshaw Hampshire
2 Eling Hampshire
3 Poole St James Dorset
4 London parishes London 3
5 South Stoneham Hampshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Eastleigh 004 Eastleigh
2 New Forest 006 New Forest
3 Birmingham 050 Birmingham
4 Calderdale 023 Calderdale
5 Torbay 006 Torbay

Forenames

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First names often paired with Henbest

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Henbest

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Henbest, 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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Henbest surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Henbest household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Henbest is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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 located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Henbest is most concentrated in decile 6 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.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Henbest 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 Henbest is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 40-50 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

7
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Henbest

The surname Henbest originated in England and can be traced back to the early 13th century. It is derived from the Old English words "henn" meaning hen and "best" meaning nest, indicating the occupation of a poultry farmer or one who tended to hens and their nests.

The earliest known records of the Henbest name appear in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1273, where it was spelled as "Hennebest." This spelling variation suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near a hen's nest or had a dwelling associated with such a place.

One of the earliest documented individuals with the surname was John Henbest, who was mentioned in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire in 1315. This record provides evidence of the name's presence in the northern regions of England during the medieval period.

In the 16th century, the Henbest surname was found in various parish records across England, including those from Sussex, Gloucestershire, and Wiltshire. This indicates the name's spread across different counties over time.

Notably, the Henbest name appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of land ownership and taxation in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. This early reference suggests that the name may have originated from a place name or a geographical location associated with hen's nests.

Among the notable individuals with the Henbest surname throughout history are:

1. Robert Henbest (1554-1628), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Salisbury in the early 17th century. 2. William Henbest (1765-1835), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars and participated in the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. 3. Elizabeth Henbest (1807-1892), a British philanthropist and social reformer known for her work in promoting education and alleviating poverty in London. 4. John Henbest (1878-1958), a British architect who designed several notable buildings in Manchester and Liverpool in the early 20th century. 5. Mary Henbest (1919-2002), an Australian writer and poet whose works explored themes of nature, spirituality, and the Australian landscape.

The Henbest surname, while not among the most common in England, has a rich history and associations with various occupations, locations, and notable individuals over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Henbest families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Henbest 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. Hampshire leads with 92 Henbests recorded in 1881 and an index of 34.34x.

County Total Index
Hampshire 92 34.34x
Wiltshire 11 9.52x
Dorset 10 11.66x
Kent 8 1.79x
Surrey 4 0.63x
Staffordshire 3 0.68x
Middlesex 2 0.15x
Royal Navy 2 12.84x
Midlothian 1 0.57x
Oxfordshire 1 1.24x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Eling in Hampshire leads with 26 Henbests recorded in 1881 and an index of 959.41x.

Place Total Index
Eling 26 959.41x
Bramshaw 24 7058.82x
Millbrook 11 162.96x
Poole St James 10 310.56x
South Stoneham 9 154.91x
Minstead 7 1794.87x
Ashford 5 115.21x
Salisbury St Thomas 5 543.48x
Portsea 4 7.62x
Southampton St Mary 4 23.74x
Amport 3 1000.00x
Fugglestone St Peter 3 652.17x
Michelmersh 3 576.92x
Salisbury The Close 3 1071.43x
Wolstanton 3 22.39x
Dover St James 2 102.56x
Guildford Holy Trinity 2 165.29x
Royal Navy 2 15.03x
Dalkeith 1 28.99x
Kiddington 1 1000.00x
Ringwood 1 58.48x
Shalford 1 140.85x
St George Hanover Square 1 4.34x
Westminster St Margaret 1 15.87x
Woking 1 26.04x
Wrotham 1 67.57x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 7
Eliza 6
Ann 5
Elizabeth 5
Edith 4
Ellen 4
Charlotte 3
Harriet 3
Kate 3
Emily 2
Gertrude 2
Jane 2
Maria 2
Sarah 2
Amelia 1
Annie 1
Audry 1
Catherine 1
Elizth. 1
Fanny 1
Florence 1
Frances 1
Infant 1
Lewesa 1
Olive 1
Phoebe 1
Priscilla 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 6
Harry 6
William 6
Walter 5
Charles 3
James 3
John 3
Alfred 2
Arthur 2
Chas. 2
Edwin 2
Ernest 2
Francis 2
Henry 2
Osman 2
Rd. 2
Robert 2
Samuel 2
Wyatt 2
Alick 1
Edmund 1
Edward 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Fred. 1
Frederick 1
Geo. 1
Herbert 1
Isaac 1
Joseph 1
Percy 1
Saml. 1
Wilfred 1

FAQ

Henbest surname: questions and answers

How common was the Henbest surname in 1881?

In 1881, 131 people were recorded with the Henbest surname. That placed it at #16,824 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Henbest surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 115 in 2016. That gives Henbest a modern rank of #28,348.

What does the Henbest surname mean?

A surname derived from a combination of "hen" and "best", likely referring to an individual skilled in handling poultry or fowl.

What does the Henbest map show?

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