NameCensus.

UK surname

Hepher

In the 1881 census there were 81 people recorded with the Hepher surname, ranking it #22,082 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 132, ranked #25,882, down from #22,082 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Swavesey, London parishes and Haverhill, Little Wratting. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bedford, Tunbridge Wells and Arun.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hepher is 165 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 63.0%.

1881 census count

81

Ranked #22,082

Modern count

132

2016, ranked #25,882

Peak year

1911

165 bearers

Map years

7

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hepher had 81 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #22,082 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 132 in 2016, ranked #25,882.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 165 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Hepher surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hepher surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Hepher 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 38 #26,502
1861 historical 112 #19,279
1881 historical 81 #22,082
1891 historical 117 #21,658
1901 historical 147 #18,270
1911 historical 165 #16,808
1997 modern 127 #23,352
1998 modern 140 #22,615
1999 modern 140 #22,789
2000 modern 131 #23,672
2001 modern 126 #23,883
2002 modern 132 #23,680
2003 modern 130 #23,672
2004 modern 131 #23,756
2005 modern 130 #23,848
2006 modern 127 #24,384
2007 modern 138 #23,478
2008 modern 139 #23,635
2009 modern 125 #25,823
2010 modern 133 #25,379
2011 modern 132 #25,303
2012 modern 137 #24,731
2013 modern 136 #25,252
2014 modern 131 #26,089
2015 modern 128 #26,356
2016 modern 132 #25,882

Geography

Back to top

Where Hephers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Swavesey, London parishes, Haverhill, Little Wratting, Newcastle St John and Holywell with Needingworth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bedford, Tunbridge Wells, Arun, Mid Sussex and Epsom and Ewell. 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 Swavesey Huntingdonshire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Haverhill, Little Wratting Suffolk
4 Newcastle St John Northumberland
5 Holywell with Needingworth Huntingdonshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bedford 008 Bedford
2 Tunbridge Wells 011 Tunbridge Wells
3 Arun 018 Arun
4 Mid Sussex 006 Mid Sussex
5 Epsom and Ewell 004 Epsom and Ewell

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Hepher

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Hepher

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Hepher is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Hepher is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Hepher 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 Hepher 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 Hepher, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Hepher families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hepher 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. Cambridgeshire leads with 35 Hephers recorded in 1881 and an index of 69.96x.

County Total Index
Cambridgeshire 35 69.96x
Huntingdonshire 18 114.80x
Middlesex 6 0.76x
Suffolk 6 6.24x
Surrey 5 1.30x
Norfolk 3 2.47x
Yorkshire 3 0.38x
Kent 2 0.74x
Lincolnshire 2 1.58x
Northumberland 1 0.85x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Swavesey in Cambridgeshire leads with 27 Hephers recorded in 1881 and an index of 8437.50x.

Place Total Index
Swavesey 27 8437.50x
Holywell Cum Needingworth 15 7500.00x
Haddenham 6 1276.60x
Haverhill 6 705.88x
Shoreditch London 5 14.60x
Outwell 3 1250.00x
Croydon 2 9.36x
Grantham 2 121.21x
Putney 2 55.56x
Seacroft 2 540.54x
Somersham 2 526.32x
Bluntisham 1 344.83x
Greenwich 1 7.95x
Holy Trinity Cambridge 1 185.19x
Lambeth 1 1.45x
Leeds 1 2.26x
Lewisham 1 6.96x
Lolworth 1 2000.00x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 1 14.25x
Paddington London 1 3.44x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

FAQ

Hepher surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hepher surname in 1881?

In 1881, 81 people were recorded with the Hepher surname. That placed it at #22,082 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hepher surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 132 in 2016. That gives Hepher a modern rank of #25,882.

What does the Hepher map show?

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