NameCensus.

UK surname

Heston

Derived from a place name meaning "brushwood-covered farmstead" in Old English, referring to a person who lived there.

In the 1881 census there were 133 people recorded with the Heston surname, ranking it #16,676 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 111, ranked #29,049, down from #16,676 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, Dudley and Wigan. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Northumberland, Southwark and Knowsley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Heston is 381 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 16.5%.

1881 census count

133

Ranked #16,676

Modern count

111

2016, ranked #29,049

Peak year

1861

381 bearers

Map years

6

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Heston had 133 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,676 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 111 in 2016, ranked #29,049.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 381 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Small Town Suburbia.

Heston surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Heston surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Heston 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 93 #17,946
1861 historical 381 #6,712
1881 historical 133 #16,676
1891 historical 204 #14,702
1901 historical 85 #24,636
1911 historical 105 #22,064
1997 modern 99 #27,039
1998 modern 103 #27,141
1999 modern 103 #27,305
2000 modern 99 #27,845
2001 modern 102 #27,093
2002 modern 107 #26,849
2003 modern 105 #26,940
2004 modern 98 #28,297
2005 modern 96 #28,671
2006 modern 95 #29,113
2007 modern 98 #29,019
2008 modern 102 #28,664
2009 modern 104 #28,982
2010 modern 110 #28,666
2011 modern 114 #27,784
2012 modern 114 #27,868
2013 modern 115 #28,176
2014 modern 113 #28,779
2015 modern 113 #28,645
2016 modern 111 #29,049

Geography

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Where Hestons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, Dudley, Wigan, Oldswinford and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Northumberland, Southwark, Knowsley, Liverpool and Wolverhampton. 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 Wolverhampton Staffordshire
2 Dudley Staffordshire
3 Wigan Lancashire
4 Oldswinford Worcestershire
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Northumberland 001 Northumberland
2 Southwark 033 Southwark
3 Knowsley 007 Knowsley
4 Liverpool 031 Liverpool
5 Wolverhampton 001 Wolverhampton

Forenames

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First names often paired with Heston

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Heston

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Small Town Suburbia

Nationally, the Heston surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Small Town Suburbia, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Heston 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 is predominantly comprised of married couples with no resident dependent children, living in areas characterised neither by under-occupancy nor overcrowding throughout the UK in or adjacent to small towns. White ethnic groups and affiliation with Christianity predominates. Housing tends to be predominantly semi-detached or detached and workers are employed principally in managerial and professional occupations, with semi-skilled occupations also in evidence. These areas of the Supergroup are of higher population density.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Heston 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

Heston 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

Heston falls in decile 2 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.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Heston is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Heston

The surname Heston is of English origin, derived from the village of Heston, located in the London Borough of Hounslow. The name is believed to have originated from the Old English words "hæst" and "tun," meaning "enclosure of a tall, thin man." This suggests that the village may have been associated with a particular individual who was tall and slender.

The earliest recorded mention of the surname Heston can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Hestone." This historical record provides valuable insight into the distribution and prevalence of surnames during the Norman conquest of England.

In the 13th century, the surname Heston appeared in various records, including the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1230, where it was written as "Hestun." This variation in spelling was common during this period, as surnames were still in the process of standardization.

One of the earliest known bearers of the surname Heston was John de Heston, who was recorded in the Subsidy Rolls of Warwickshire in 1332. Another notable individual was William Heston, born around 1540, who was a prominent landowner in the village of Heston during the 16th century.

In the 17th century, the Heston family established themselves in the county of Hertfordshire, where several members held positions of importance. One such individual was Sir John Heston, born in 1625, who served as a Member of Parliament for the borough of Hertford.

During the 18th century, the surname Heston gained recognition through the achievements of several notable individuals. Charles Heston, born in 1745, was a renowned British architect responsible for the design of several prominent buildings in London, including the iconic Somerset House.

Another significant figure was Sir Richard Heston, born in 1768, who was a highly respected military officer and served as the Governor of Gibraltar from 1814 to 1819.

As the surname spread across different regions, it also underwent variations in spelling, including Heston, Hestun, and Hestonne. These variations were common until the 19th century, when surnames became more standardized and fixed.

Throughout history, the surname Heston has been associated with various professions and achievements, from landowners and politicians to architects and military officers. While the surname may have originated from a specific location, its bearers have left their mark across various fields and regions, contributing to the rich tapestry of history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Heston families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Heston 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 45 Hestons recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.99x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 45 2.99x
Worcestershire 21 12.68x
Staffordshire 17 3.97x
Middlesex 10 0.79x
Hertfordshire 8 9.15x
Surrey 7 1.13x
Lanarkshire 5 1.22x
Yorkshire 4 0.32x
Durham 3 0.80x
Berkshire 2 2.10x
Devon 2 0.76x
Kent 2 0.46x
Buckinghamshire 1 1.30x
Herefordshire 1 1.92x
Northumberland 1 0.53x
Warwickshire 1 0.31x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Liverpool in Lancashire leads with 25 Hestons recorded in 1881 and an index of 27.36x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 25 27.36x
Dudley 14 69.55x
Watford 8 117.99x
Haydock 7 270.27x
Stourbridge 6 140.85x
Bilston 5 60.31x
Glasgow 5 6.87x
Preston 5 12.42x
Wednesbury 5 46.73x
Wolverhampton 5 15.19x
Hammersmith London 3 9.61x
Cannock 2 26.77x
Chorlton On Medlock 2 8.37x
Egham 2 52.77x
Hackney London 2 2.81x
Islington London 2 1.63x
Toxteth Park 2 3.93x
All Hallows Bread Street 1 10000.00x
Battersea 1 2.14x
Beswick 1 25.97x
Birkdale 1 26.25x
Birmingham 1 0.94x
Burghfield 1 178.57x
Collierley 1 59.52x
Dartford 1 22.62x
Datchet 1 192.31x
Dewsbury 1 7.76x
Elswick 1 6.64x
Goodrich 1 303.03x
Hampton Lovett 1 1111.11x
Horton In Bradford 1 5.10x
Lambeth 1 0.90x
Lanchester 1 144.93x
Lewisham 1 4.33x
Lindley Cum Quarmby 1 31.55x
Medomsley 1 56.82x
Middlesbrough 1 6.11x
Reigate Foreign 1 14.95x
Remenham 1 370.37x
Richmond 1 11.55x
Shoreditch London 1 1.82x
Southwark St George Martyr 1 3.92x
Speke 1 454.55x
St Marylebone London 1 1.48x
Stoke Damerel 1 5.41x
Tormoham 1 8.95x
Widnes 1 9.22x

Top female names

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

FAQ

Heston surname: questions and answers

How common was the Heston surname in 1881?

In 1881, 133 people were recorded with the Heston surname. That placed it at #16,676 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Heston surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 111 in 2016. That gives Heston a modern rank of #29,049.

What does the Heston surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "brushwood-covered farmstead" in Old English, referring to a person who lived there.

What does the Heston map show?

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