NameCensus.

UK surname

Hepworth

From a place name meaning "high enclosure" or "enclosed farmland on a hill" in Old English.

In the 1881 census there were 3,417 people recorded with the Hepworth surname, ranking it #1,336 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,796, ranked #1,779, down from #1,336 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Mirfield, Birstall and Batley. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kirklees and Doncaster.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hepworth is 4,459 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 11.1%.

1881 census count

3,417

Ranked #1,336

Modern count

3,796

2016, ranked #1,779

Peak year

1911

4,459 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hepworth had 3,417 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,336 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,796 in 2016, ranked #1,779.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 4,459 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Hepworth surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hepworth surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hepworth 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 2,170 #1,344
1861 historical 2,240 #1,312
1881 historical 3,417 #1,336
1891 historical 3,757 #1,275
1901 historical 4,184 #1,345
1911 historical 4,459 #1,159
1997 modern 4,032 #1,605
1998 modern 4,114 #1,640
1999 modern 4,066 #1,669
2000 modern 4,036 #1,677
2001 modern 3,944 #1,677
2002 modern 4,025 #1,678
2003 modern 3,974 #1,668
2004 modern 3,920 #1,695
2005 modern 3,826 #1,707
2006 modern 3,825 #1,712
2007 modern 3,830 #1,721
2008 modern 3,838 #1,732
2009 modern 3,895 #1,748
2010 modern 3,932 #1,767
2011 modern 3,951 #1,729
2012 modern 3,852 #1,745
2013 modern 3,938 #1,741
2014 modern 3,913 #1,761
2015 modern 3,839 #1,771
2016 modern 3,796 #1,779

Geography

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Where Hepworths are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Mirfield, Birstall, Batley, Wakefield and Huddersfield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Kirklees and Doncaster. 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 Mirfield Yorkshire, West Riding
2 Birstall Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Batley Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Wakefield Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Huddersfield Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Kirklees 011 Kirklees
2 Kirklees 057 Kirklees
3 Kirklees 054 Kirklees
4 Doncaster 002 Doncaster
5 Kirklees 009 Kirklees

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hepworth

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hepworth

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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, Hepworth 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

Hepworth is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Hepworth falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Hepworth

The surname Hepworth is of Anglo-Saxon origin and is believed to have originated in the northern regions of England, particularly Yorkshire and Lancashire. It is a locational surname derived from the Old English words "hep" meaning rose-hip and "worth" meaning an enclosure or farm. Essentially, the name refers to a settlement or farmstead where rose-hips grew abundantly.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Heppeword" in reference to a place in Yorkshire. This suggests that the name was already well-established in the region by the late 11th century.

During the medieval period, the name was often recorded with various spellings, such as Heppeworth, Hepworth, and Heppeworthe, reflecting the variations in pronunciation and local dialects.

Prominent individuals bearing the surname Hepworth include Sir John Hepworth (c. 1492-1572), a wealthy merchant and landowner from Yorkshire, who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1567. Another notable figure was Ralph Hepworth (1596-1671), an English clergyman and academic who served as Master of Christ's College, Cambridge.

In the 18th century, the name gained further recognition through the achievements of John Hepworth (1734-1803), a renowned clockmaker and inventor from Yorkshire. His innovative designs and contributions to horology were highly acclaimed during his lifetime.

The 19th century saw the rise of several notable individuals with the surname Hepworth, including Barbara Hepworth (1903-1975), a celebrated English sculptor and artist who was a pioneer of modern sculpture. Her works are displayed in prestigious galleries and museums around the world.

Another prominent figure from this period was Joseph Hepworth (1834-1911), a British photographer and inventor who made significant contributions to the development of photographic processes and techniques.

Throughout its history, the surname Hepworth has maintained its strong association with the northern regions of England, particularly Yorkshire, where it originated and where many families bearing this name have lived for generations.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hepworth families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hepworth 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. Yorkshire leads with 2,605 Hepworths recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.89x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 2,605 7.89x
Lancashire 233 0.59x
Middlesex 124 0.37x
Nottinghamshire 69 1.54x
Surrey 45 0.28x
Essex 43 0.65x
Lincolnshire 43 0.81x
Durham 37 0.37x
Derbyshire 36 0.69x
Kent 32 0.28x
Cheshire 18 0.24x
Hampshire 18 0.26x
Leicestershire 17 0.46x
Northumberland 17 0.34x
Cumberland 9 0.31x
Sussex 9 0.16x
Warwickshire 7 0.08x
Renfrewshire 6 0.23x
Worcestershire 6 0.14x
Buckinghamshire 5 0.25x
Gloucestershire 5 0.08x
Norfolk 5 0.10x
Devon 4 0.06x
Hertfordshire 4 0.17x
Huntingdonshire 3 0.45x
Staffordshire 3 0.03x
Berkshire 2 0.08x
Oxfordshire 2 0.10x
Royal Navy 2 0.50x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.05x
Channel Islands 1 0.10x
Cornwall 1 0.03x
Flintshire 1 0.11x
Glamorgan 1 0.02x
Shropshire 1 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Batley in Yorkshire leads with 149 Hepworths recorded in 1881 and an index of 47.49x.

Place Total Index
Batley 149 47.49x
Leeds 123 6.60x
Lindley Cum Quarmby 103 123.69x
Mirfield 84 46.35x
Huddersfield 77 16.01x
Barnsley 75 22.03x
Heckmondwike 68 64.04x
Dewsbury 64 18.90x
Liversedge 58 39.47x
Stanley Cum Wrenthorpe 58 37.82x
Hipperholme Cum 53 36.54x
Wakefield 50 19.73x
Lockwood 47 39.58x
Gomersal 45 29.21x
Thornhill 42 43.60x
Rastrick 38 41.44x
Ossett Cum Gawthorpe 36 30.53x
Sheffield 35 3.33x
Stainland Cum Old 33 58.42x
Sutton In Ashfield 33 33.87x
Drighlington 29 60.30x
Ecclesall Bierlow 29 4.32x
Linthwaite 29 41.80x
Castleford 28 23.29x
Morley 28 16.31x
Oldham 28 2.19x
West Clayton 28 170.84x
Ashton Under Lyne 27 3.13x
Cleckheaton 27 22.20x
Hatfield In Thorne 27 131.13x
Poplar London 27 4.29x
Dodworth 24 69.99x
Holbeck 22 10.06x
Bowling 21 6.42x
Farnley In Bramley 21 50.96x
Halifax 21 4.33x
Soothill 21 17.61x
Doncaster 20 8.29x
Headingley Cum Burley 20 9.41x
Sandal Magna 20 40.97x
Alverthorpe Cum Thornes 19 15.85x
Horbury 19 32.90x
Croydon 18 2.00x
Edmonton 18 6.71x
Manchester 18 1.01x
Wortley In Bramley 18 6.88x
Almondbury 17 10.65x
Bradford 17 2.13x
Elland Cum Greetland 17 11.43x
Worksop 17 12.77x
Churwell 16 71.08x
Ecclesfield 16 6.61x
Flockton 16 118.78x
Gildersome 16 40.32x
Knottingley 16 27.58x
York St Mary 16 11.70x
Clifton In Halifax 15 76.03x
Hunslet 15 2.91x
Portsea 15 1.12x
Wanstead 15 13.03x
Hackney London 14 0.75x
Todwick 14 689.66x
Brightside Bierlow 13 2.01x
Caytn Deepdal Kilrby 13 186.25x
Holy Trinity 13 1.64x
Bromley London 12 1.64x
Cudworth 12 100.84x
Heck 12 465.12x
Horton In Bradford 12 2.33x
Pontefract 12 16.88x
Salford 12 1.03x
Skelmanthorpe 12 33.67x
Southcoates 12 6.55x
Airmyn 11 193.66x
East Ardsley 11 38.48x
Great Bolton 11 2.10x
Hoyland Nether 11 13.59x
Northowram 11 4.75x
Wyke In Bradford 11 18.63x
Skipton 10 9.63x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 240
Sarah 155
Elizabeth 109
Ann 102
Annie 83
Hannah 64
Jane 64
Martha 61
Eliza 59
Emma 54
Alice 41
Ellen 35
Emily 34
Harriet 27
Clara 23
Ada 21
Edith 20
Charlotte 18
Florence 18
Caroline 17
Frances 17
Louisa 17
Fanny 16
Lucy 15
Margaret 14
Anne 11
Maria 11
Minnie 11
Agnes 10
Elizth. 10
Ethel 10
Kate 10
Rachel 10
Sophia 10
Grace 9
Betsy 8
Catherine 8
Eleanor 8
Harriett 8
Rose 8
Selina 8
Susan 8
Rebecca 7
Amy 6
Beatrice 6
Betty 6
Isabella 6
Gertrude 5
Julia 5
Maud 5

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 186
George 151
William 151
Joseph 92
Thomas 92
James 64
Henry 51
Charles 47
Arthur 33
Fred 31
Harry 31
Walter 31
Albert 30
Edward 29
Alfred 28
Benjamin 28
Richard 27
Frank 25
Robert 21
David 18
Joe 17
Wm. 17
Herbert 16
Samuel 16
Tom 15
Ernest 12
Geo. 11
Frederick 10
Edwin 9
Sam 9
Isaac 8
Thos. 8
Ben 6
Francis 6
Jno. 6
Mark 6
Matthew 6
Daniel 5
Jonas 5
Luke 5
Robt. 5
Abram 4
Joshua 4
Percy 4
Peter 4
Richd. 4
Willie 4
Allen 3
Ambrose 3
Benj. 3

FAQ

Hepworth surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hepworth surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3,417 people were recorded with the Hepworth surname. That placed it at #1,336 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hepworth surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,796 in 2016. That gives Hepworth a modern rank of #1,779.

What does the Hepworth surname mean?

From a place name meaning "high enclosure" or "enclosed farmland on a hill" in Old English.

What does the Hepworth map show?

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