NameCensus.

UK surname

Heskett

Derived from a place name meaning "east cottage" in Old English, likely referring to a person's residence.

In the 1881 census there were 176 people recorded with the Heskett surname, ranking it #13,930 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 236, ranked #17,470, down from #13,930 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Monkwearmouth and Shipborne. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Allerdale and Sunderland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Heskett is 367 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 34.1%.

1881 census count

176

Ranked #13,930

Modern count

236

2016, ranked #17,470

Peak year

1911

367 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Heskett had 176 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #13,930 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 236 in 2016, ranked #17,470.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 367 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Heskett surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Heskett surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Heskett 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 45 #25,168
1861 historical 165 #14,112
1881 historical 176 #13,930
1891 historical 255 #12,552
1901 historical 266 #12,617
1911 historical 367 #9,914
1997 modern 256 #15,034
1998 modern 263 #15,161
1999 modern 271 #14,954
2000 modern 270 #14,943
2001 modern 256 #15,273
2002 modern 255 #15,599
2003 modern 245 #15,822
2004 modern 247 #15,821
2005 modern 242 #15,987
2006 modern 245 #15,956
2007 modern 247 #16,042
2008 modern 248 #16,163
2009 modern 254 #16,230
2010 modern 260 #16,343
2011 modern 247 #16,783
2012 modern 223 #17,852
2013 modern 229 #17,816
2014 modern 228 #17,977
2015 modern 234 #17,577
2016 modern 236 #17,470

Geography

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Where Hesketts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Monkwearmouth, Shipborne, Hadlow and Broomfield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Allerdale and Sunderland. 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 3
2 Monkwearmouth Durham
3 Shipborne Kent
4 Hadlow Kent
5 Broomfield Cumberland

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Allerdale 005 Allerdale
2 Allerdale 010 Allerdale
3 Allerdale 009 Allerdale
4 Sunderland 026 Sunderland
5 Sunderland 028 Sunderland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Heskett

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Heskett

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

Young Families in Industrial Towns

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Heskett 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

Heskett 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

Heskett falls in decile 3 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.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Heskett

The surname Heskett has its origins in England, tracing back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "hesket," which referred to a hazel-colored or light brown object or person. This could suggest that the name was initially a descriptive nickname given to someone with a particular hair or complexion color.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the Heskett surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire, dated 1166. These rolls were a record of financial transactions and accounts, indicating that individuals bearing this surname were present in the region during that time.

The name Heskett is also linked to several place names in England, particularly in the counties of Cumbria and Lancashire. For instance, the village of Hesket Newmarket in Cumbria is believed to have contributed to the surname's development. The place name itself is thought to have originated from the Old English words "hæsel" (hazel) and "get" (path or road), referring to a hazel-lined path or route.

In the 13th century, a variant spelling of the surname, "Hesketh," appeared in records from Lancashire. This version is believed to have been derived from the place name "Hesketh Bank," a township located near the River Ribble.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals bearing the Heskett surname. One of the earliest recorded was William de Hesketh (born around 1240), who was a landowner and knight from Lancashire. Another prominent figure was Sir Thomas Heskett (1549-1605), an English soldier who served in the Anglo-Spanish War and was knighted for his military achievements.

In the literary world, John Heskett (1925-2014) was a renowned British author and design historian. He wrote several influential books on design and its impact on society, including "Industrial Design" and "Toothpicks and Logos: Design in Everyday Life."

Other notable individuals include Sir Arthur Heskett (1879-1916), a British army officer who served in World War I and was awarded the Distinguished Service Order for his bravery, and John Heskett (born 1938), a former English cricketer who played for Gloucestershire County Cricket Club in the 1960s.

While the Heskett surname may have originated from a descriptive nickname or place name, it has since become a well-established and respected family name with a rich history spanning several centuries in England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Heskett families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Heskett 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. Cumberland leads with 35 Hesketts recorded in 1881 and an index of 23.68x.

County Total Index
Cumberland 35 23.68x
Lancashire 31 1.52x
Durham 19 3.72x
Middlesex 16 0.93x
Kent 15 2.56x
Yorkshire 12 0.71x
Nottinghamshire 8 3.46x
Surrey 7 0.84x
Berkshire 6 4.66x
Herefordshire 4 5.68x
Wiltshire 4 2.63x
Cheshire 3 0.79x
Hampshire 3 0.85x
Somerset 3 1.09x
Westmorland 3 7.95x
Gloucestershire 2 0.59x
Devon 1 0.28x
Essex 1 0.30x
Flintshire 1 2.17x
Lincolnshire 1 0.36x
Staffordshire 1 0.17x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Monkwearmouth Shore in Durham leads with 12 Hesketts recorded in 1881 and an index of 120.36x.

Place Total Index
Monkwearmouth Shore 12 120.36x
West Newton Allonby 12 2352.94x
Hesket In Forest 9 782.61x
Lenton 8 146.79x
Hadlow 7 482.76x
Bethnal Green London 6 8.05x
Hurley 6 895.52x
Rawmarsh 6 99.83x
Shoreditch London 6 8.06x
Southwark St Saviour 6 68.03x
Ulverston 6 101.18x
Westoe 6 20.73x
Wigan 5 17.56x
Didsbury 4 148.15x
Pemberton 4 49.26x
Penrith 4 73.26x
Plumpton Wall 4 2000.00x
Ross 4 142.86x
St Mary Cray 4 357.14x
Warminster 4 120.12x
Everton 3 4.62x
Pendleton In Salford 3 12.36x
Cheltenham 2 7.70x
Darfield 2 129.03x
Frome 2 30.26x
Hawkshead Monk Coniston 2 281.69x
Kirkby Ireleth 2 196.08x
Minster In Sheppey 2 20.62x
St Marylebone London 2 2.18x
Stanwix 2 166.67x
Whitehaven 2 25.38x
Yanwath Eamont Bridge 2 1176.47x
Bishopwearmouth 1 2.28x
Clerkenwell London 1 2.47x
Cockermouth 1 32.15x
Dearham 1 51.28x
Folkestone 1 8.80x
Grange 1 1666.67x
Grays Thurrock 1 31.75x
Hawarden 1 27.62x
Hawes 1 90.09x
Higher Bebington 1 41.15x
Ightham 1 135.14x
Kilve 1 769.23x
Liverpool 1 0.81x
Manchester 1 1.09x
Manningham 1 4.77x
New Sleaford 1 56.82x
Normanby In 1 21.98x
Portsea 1 1.45x
Portsmouth 1 12.35x
Roystone 1 149.25x
Southampton St Mary 1 4.52x
Stayley 1 23.09x
Stoke Gabriel 1 263.16x
Stoke Upon Trent 1 1.63x
Undermilbeck 1 80.65x
Westminster St James 1 5.67x
Wimbledon 1 10.65x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 20
John 10
Arthur 6
James 6
Joseph 5
George 4
Robert 4
Edward 3
Ernest 3
Samuel 3
Charles 2
Jas. 2
Abraham 1
Albert 1
Alfd. 1
Alfred 1
Allfred 1
Arthr. 1
Burns 1
C.Henry 1
Frank 1
Harry 1
Henry 1
Hutchison 1
Isabella 1
Matthew 1
Peter 1
Richard 1
Thomas 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Heskett surname: questions and answers

How common was the Heskett surname in 1881?

In 1881, 176 people were recorded with the Heskett surname. That placed it at #13,930 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Heskett surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 236 in 2016. That gives Heskett a modern rank of #17,470.

What does the Heskett surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "east cottage" in Old English, likely referring to a person's residence.

What does the Heskett map show?

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