NameCensus.

UK surname

Hevey

A surname of Irish origin potentially derived from a nickname meaning "stout" or "heavily-built".

In the 1881 census there were 42 people recorded with the Hevey surname, ranking it #27,721 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 102, ranked #30,722, down from #27,721 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Manchester, St. Helens and South Lakeland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hevey is 122 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 142.9%.

1881 census count

42

Ranked #27,721

Modern count

102

2016, ranked #30,722

Peak year

2002

122 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hevey had 42 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #27,721 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 102 in 2016, ranked #30,722.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 80 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Hevey surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hevey surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hevey 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 61 #22,412
1861 historical 37 #29,339
1881 historical 42 #27,721
1891 historical 55 #29,744
1901 historical 60 #27,502
1911 historical 80 #24,821
1997 modern 121 #24,019
1998 modern 114 #25,589
1999 modern 109 #26,439
2000 modern 121 #24,824
2001 modern 117 #24,974
2002 modern 122 #24,874
2003 modern 110 #26,220
2004 modern 119 #25,200
2005 modern 115 #25,702
2006 modern 112 #26,415
2007 modern 112 #26,800
2008 modern 108 #27,684
2009 modern 111 #27,846
2010 modern 111 #28,509
2011 modern 110 #28,478
2012 modern 101 #30,078
2013 modern 108 #29,379
2014 modern 109 #29,452
2015 modern 101 #30,816
2016 modern 102 #30,722

Geography

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Where Heveys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Manchester, St. Helens, South Lakeland and North Hertfordshire. 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 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Manchester 009 Manchester
2 St. Helens 014 St. Helens
3 South Lakeland 002 South Lakeland
4 North Hertfordshire 003 North Hertfordshire
5 St. Helens 016 St. Helens

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hevey

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hevey

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Hevey is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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 neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Hevey is most concentrated in decile 4 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Hevey 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 Hevey 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 - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Hevey

The surname HEVEY is believed to have originated in England, with records indicating its presence as early as the 13th century. Etymologists trace its roots to the Old English word "hefe," which means "heavy" or "burdensome," suggesting that the name may have initially been a descriptive nickname for someone of a stout or burly stature.

In the medieval period, the name HEVEY was found primarily in the counties of Lancashire and Yorkshire, with early recordings including Thomas Hevey, mentioned in the Lancashire Assize Rolls of 1285, and John Hevey, listed in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Returns of 1379.

The HEVEY surname has also been linked to various place names throughout England, such as Hevy, a small hamlet in the West Riding of Yorkshire, and Hevingham, a village in Norfolk. These place names likely derived from the same Old English term, indicating a connection between the surname and specific geographical locations.

One of the earliest documented instances of the HEVEY surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where a landowner named Radulfus Hevey is listed as holding estates in Berkshire. This record provides valuable insight into the antiquity of the name and its presence among the Norman nobility.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the HEVEY surname. For instance, Sir John Hevey (1633-1701) was an English politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for Malmesbury in the late 17th century. Another prominent figure was William Hevey (1788-1862), an Irish poet and dramatist known for his works celebrating Irish culture and language.

Other notable bearers of the HEVEY name include: 1. Margaret Hevey (1795-1867), an Irish writer and translator 2. Robert Hevey (1802-1879), a British naval officer and explorer 3. Thomas Hevey (1856-1932), an American politician and lawyer from Wisconsin 4. James Hevey (1888-1957), a British artist and painter 5. Elizabeth Hevey (1919-2005), a Canadian author and children's book writer

While the HEVEY surname has evolved and spread across various regions, its origins can be traced back to the rich tapestry of English history, reflecting the linguistic and cultural influences that have shaped this distinctive family name over the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hevey families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hevey 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 30 Heveys recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.17x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 30 6.17x
Cheshire 7 7.74x
Surrey 2 1.00x
Fife 1 4.12x
Kent 1 0.72x
Yorkshire 1 0.25x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Sutton in Lancashire leads with 14 Heveys recorded in 1881 and an index of 858.90x.

Place Total Index
Sutton 14 858.90x
Poulton Cum Seacombe 6 576.92x
Kirkdale 5 61.12x
Liverpool 5 16.94x
West Derby 4 28.13x
Everton 2 12.91x
Lambeth 2 5.60x
Beckenham 1 54.64x
Ecclesall Bierlow 1 12.11x
Kilconquhar 1 344.83x
Liscard 1 61.35x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 6
Catherine 3
Eliza 2
Isabella 2
Agnes 1
Annie 1
Bridget 1
Ceilia 1
Ellen 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Eva 1
Lucy 1
Margaret 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 6
James 2
Peter 2
Thomas 2
George 1
Martin 1
Michal 1
Patrick 1
Stephen 1

FAQ

Hevey surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hevey surname in 1881?

In 1881, 42 people were recorded with the Hevey surname. That placed it at #27,721 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hevey surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 102 in 2016. That gives Hevey a modern rank of #30,722.

What does the Hevey surname mean?

A surname of Irish origin potentially derived from a nickname meaning "stout" or "heavily-built".

What does the Hevey map show?

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