NameCensus.

UK surname

Hendon

A locational surname referring to a town in Middlesex, England, derived from Old English words meaning "high down."

In the 1881 census there were 246 people recorded with the Hendon surname, ranking it #11,201 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 342, ranked #13,398, down from #11,201 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Pancras and Wandsworth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Sandwell, Barnet and Newcastle upon Tyne.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hendon is 369 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 39.0%.

1881 census count

246

Ranked #11,201

Modern count

342

2016, ranked #13,398

Peak year

1999

369 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hendon had 246 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,201 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 342 in 2016, ranked #13,398.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 279 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Hendon surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hendon surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hendon 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 99 #17,294
1861 historical 249 #9,904
1881 historical 246 #11,201
1891 historical 279 #11,698
1901 historical 257 #12,898
1911 historical 248 #12,988
1997 modern 348 #12,229
1998 modern 363 #12,228
1999 modern 369 #12,147
2000 modern 361 #12,288
2001 modern 350 #12,375
2002 modern 355 #12,471
2003 modern 346 #12,511
2004 modern 356 #12,299
2005 modern 346 #12,464
2006 modern 343 #12,626
2007 modern 349 #12,622
2008 modern 352 #12,631
2009 modern 348 #13,020
2010 modern 353 #13,156
2011 modern 352 #13,032
2012 modern 346 #13,070
2013 modern 360 #12,890
2014 modern 362 #12,955
2015 modern 343 #13,365
2016 modern 342 #13,398

Geography

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Where Hendons are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Sandwell, Barnet, Newcastle upon Tyne and Lichfield. 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 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 St Pancras London (North Districts)
4 Wandsworth London (South Districts)
5 Cheam Surrey

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Sandwell 013 Sandwell
2 Barnet 026 Barnet
3 Newcastle upon Tyne 020 Newcastle upon Tyne
4 Lichfield 002 Lichfield
5 Lichfield 006 Lichfield

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hendon

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hendon

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Hendon surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Hendon household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Hendon 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

Hendon 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

Hendon falls in decile 4 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.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Hendon

The surname "HENDON" is of English origin, deriving from the place name Hendon, a district in the London Borough of Barnet. The name is thought to stem from the Old English words "hēah" meaning "high" and "dūn" meaning "hill" or "down," referring to the area's elevated terrain.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname date back to the late 12th century. In the Pipe Rolls of Hertfordshire from 1181, a landowner named Richard de Hendon is mentioned, suggesting the name was already in use as a locational surname at that time.

Hendon is also referenced in the renowned Domesday Book of 1086, where it is recorded as "Hendune." This historical document provides valuable insight into the area's history and the name's evolution over the centuries.

One of the earliest known bearers of the surname was Sir Walter de Hendon, a 13th-century knight who held lands in Middlesex and served as a Justice of the Court of Common Pleas during the reign of King Edward I.

In the 14th century, a prominent figure named John de Hendon was appointed as the Sheriff of London in 1359. His tenure coincided with a period of significant unrest and political turmoil in the city.

During the 15th century, the Hendon family held considerable influence in Oxfordshire. Sir Robert Hendon, born around 1420, was a notable member of this branch, serving as the High Sheriff of Oxfordshire and Berkshire in 1458.

In the 16th century, a clergyman named William Hendon gained recognition for his scholarly work. Born in 1533, he was a fellow of All Souls College, Oxford, and authored several theological treatises.

The 17th century saw the emergence of Thomas Hendon, a prominent merchant and landowner from Bristol. Born in 1612, he amassed substantial wealth through his trading ventures and played a influential role in the city's economic affairs.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hendon families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hendon 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. Middlesex leads with 66 Hendons recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.74x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 66 2.74x
Surrey 56 4.77x
Wiltshire 30 14.08x
Somerset 14 3.61x
Essex 10 2.10x
Kent 10 1.22x
Glamorgan 8 1.91x
Hampshire 7 1.42x
Lancashire 7 0.24x
Gloucestershire 6 1.27x
Hertfordshire 6 3.61x
Norfolk 6 1.62x
Devon 5 1.00x
Staffordshire 4 0.49x
Sussex 4 0.98x
Derbyshire 2 0.53x
Yorkshire 2 0.08x
Berkshire 1 0.55x
Carmarthenshire 1 0.98x
Cheshire 1 0.19x
Northamptonshire 1 0.44x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Pancras London in Middlesex leads with 19 Hendons recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.80x.

Place Total Index
St Pancras London 19 9.80x
Kensington London 14 10.45x
Carshalton 12 267.26x
Islington London 12 5.14x
Cogan 8 1290.32x
Calne 7 159.45x
Dorking 7 88.83x
Mitcham 7 94.34x
Hampstead London 6 15.99x
Sidestrand 6 4615.38x
Walcot 6 29.06x
Watford 6 46.58x
Aldershot 5 30.23x
Bermondsey 5 6.97x
Cheltenham 5 13.71x
Compton Bassett 5 1612.90x
Dartford 5 59.45x
Habergham Eaves 5 19.14x
Orpington 5 198.41x
Shoreditch London 5 4.79x
Sutton Benger 5 1724.14x
West Ham 5 4.76x
Croydon 4 6.14x
Hastings St Andrew 4 273.97x
Kingswinford 4 13.55x
Lambeth 4 1.90x
Newington 4 4.49x
Walton On Hill 4 784.31x
Wandsworth 4 17.25x
Bath St James 3 74.07x
Brinkworth 3 312.50x
Fulham London 3 8.59x
Walthamstow 3 17.52x
Wimbledon 3 22.76x
Bath St Michael 2 102.04x
Belper 2 27.36x
Bradford On Avon 2 29.33x
Cherhill 2 833.33x
Devizes St James 2 70.67x
Monckton Combe 2 161.29x
Plymouth St Andrew 2 5.18x
Poplar London 2 4.40x
Battersea 1 1.13x
Carmarthen St Peter 1 11.52x
Chippenham 1 22.37x
Colerne 1 114.94x
East Budleigh 1 42.37x
Ecclesall Bierlow 1 2.06x
Edmonton 1 5.15x
Exeter St David 1 23.36x
Horton In Bradford 1 2.68x
Keevil 1 322.58x
Kettering 1 10.91x
Little Maplestead 1 454.55x
New Windsor 1 16.45x
Newton 1 4.54x
Paddington London 1 1.13x
Plymouth Charles The 1 4.53x
Ringwood 1 31.65x
Seend 1 238.10x
Southampton St Mary 1 3.22x
St Martin In Fields 1 6.93x
Tintwistle 1 35.21x
Trull 1 126.58x
West Dean 1 13.02x
Westminster St John 1 3.41x
Westminster St Margaret 1 8.61x
Whittingham 1 79.37x
Woking 1 14.12x
Woodford 1 18.59x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 13
Elizabeth 10
Ann 7
Ellen 6
Annie 5
Emily 5
Fanny 5
Alice 4
Jane 4
Sarah 4
Eliza 3
Emma 3
Harriett 3
Louisa 3
Lucy 3
Esther 2
Hannah 2
Kate 2
Margaret 2
Martha 2
Maryann 2
Matilda 2
Sophia 2
Bessie 1
Caroline 1
Charlotte 1
Charoline 1
Dinah 1
Edith 1
Elise 1
Florry 1
Frances 1
Francis 1
Georgina 1
Henrietta 1
Heziah 1
Isabelle 1
Jessie 1
Lilly 1
Lily 1
Lizzie 1
Marina 1
Maud 1
Mildred 1
Minnie 1
Phebe 1
Pheobe 1
Rachel 1
Rose 1
Violetta 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 17
John 16
Henry 12
James 12
Charles 6
George 5
Alfred 4
Arthur 4
Frederick 4
Thomas 4
Francis 3
Harry 3
Richard 3
Edwd. 2
Fredk. 2
Joseph 2
Walter 2
Anthony 1
Benjamin 1
Charlie 1
Clarence 1
David 1
Edward 1
Edwd.Joseph 1
Edwin 1
Fred 1
Harold 1
Harrison 1
Herbert 1
Jessie 1
Richd. 1
Samuel 1
Sidney 1
Stephen 1
Tom 1
W. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Hendon surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hendon surname in 1881?

In 1881, 246 people were recorded with the Hendon surname. That placed it at #11,201 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hendon surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 342 in 2016. That gives Hendon a modern rank of #13,398.

What does the Hendon surname mean?

A locational surname referring to a town in Middlesex, England, derived from Old English words meaning "high down."

What does the Hendon map show?

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