NameCensus.

UK surname

Hershaw

In the 1881 census there were 28 people recorded with the Hershaw surname, ranking it #29,646 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 96, ranked #31,684, down from #29,646 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, Manchester and Bury (Walmersley and Tottington, Heap),Middleton (Birtle with Bamford, Pilsworth). In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Rotherham, Fintry and Irvine Castlepark South.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hershaw is 798 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 242.9%.

1881 census count

28

Ranked #29,646

Modern count

96

2016, ranked #31,684

Peak year

1861

798 bearers

Map years

4

1851 to 1911

Key insights

  • Hershaw had 28 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #29,646 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 96 in 2016, ranked #31,684.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 798 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Hershaw surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hershaw surname density by area, 1911 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hershaw 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 362 #6,537
1861 historical 798 #3,444
1881 historical 28 #29,646
1891 historical 473 #7,758
1901 historical 70 #26,383
1911 historical 147 #18,104
1997 modern 95 #27,638
1998 modern 99 #27,785
1999 modern 94 #28,593
2000 modern 86 #29,484
2001 modern 85 #29,396
2002 modern 91 #29,181
2003 modern 87 #29,615
2004 modern 89 #29,623
2005 modern 89 #29,683
2006 modern 96 #28,946
2007 modern 94 #29,650
2008 modern 100 #29,001
2009 modern 103 #29,127
2010 modern 104 #29,618
2011 modern 95 #30,877
2012 modern 92 #31,528
2013 modern 97 #31,239
2014 modern 91 #32,219
2015 modern 92 #32,075
2016 modern 96 #31,684

Geography

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Where Hershaws are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, Manchester, Bury (Walmersley and Tottington, Heap),Middleton (Birtle with Bamford, Pilsworth) and Prestwich. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Rotherham, Fintry, Irvine Castlepark South and Purbeck. 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 Rochdale Lancashire
2 Manchester Lancashire
3 Rochdale Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Bury (Walmersley and Tottington, Heap),Middleton (Birtle with Bamford, Pilsworth) Lancashire
5 Prestwich Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Rotherham 020 Rotherham
2 Fintry Dundee City
3 Irvine Castlepark South North Ayrshire
4 Purbeck 006 Purbeck
5 Rotherham 018 Rotherham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hershaw

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hershaw

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Hershaw surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Hershaw household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Hershaw is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, part of Suburban Asian Communities. 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

These residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Hershaw is most concentrated in decile 2 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Hershaw 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 Hershaw is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

1881 census detail

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Hershaw families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hershaw 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. Lancashire leads with 16 Hershaws recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.94x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 16 4.94x
Middlesex 5 1.83x
Essex 4 7.43x
Yorkshire 2 0.74x
Surrey 1 0.75x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Manchester in Lancashire leads with 7 Hershaws recorded in 1881 and an index of 48.08x.

Place Total Index
Manchester 7 48.08x
Blatchinworth 5 675.68x
Spitalfields London 5 243.90x
Walthamstow 4 206.19x
North Meols 3 94.64x
Saddleworth 2 95.69x
Camberwell 1 5.74x
Eccleston In Prescot 1 61.35x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Sarah 4
Jane 2
Alice 1
Amy 1
Clara 1
Florence 1
Hannah 1
Marion 1
Martha 1
Maud 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 3
William 2
Augustus 1
Ernest 1
Frederick 1
George 1
Henry 1
Philip 1
Sutcliffe 1
Thomas 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Hershaw surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hershaw surname in 1881?

In 1881, 28 people were recorded with the Hershaw surname. That placed it at #29,646 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hershaw surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 96 in 2016. That gives Hershaw a modern rank of #31,684.

What does the Hershaw map show?

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