NameCensus.

UK surname

Hewes

An archaic spelling variation of the surname Hughes.

In the 1881 census there were 362 people recorded with the Hewes surname, ranking it #8,561 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 600, ranked #8,721, down from #8,561 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Ibstock, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Colchester, Nottingham and Broxtowe.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hewes is 644 in 2011. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 65.7%.

1881 census count

362

Ranked #8,561

Modern count

600

2016, ranked #8,721

Peak year

2011

644 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hewes had 362 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,561 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 600 in 2016, ranked #8,721.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 573 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Hewes surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hewes surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hewes 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 318 #7,293
1861 historical 350 #7,295
1881 historical 362 #8,561
1891 historical 443 #8,164
1901 historical 523 #7,790
1911 historical 573 #7,078
1997 modern 565 #8,493
1998 modern 577 #8,597
1999 modern 584 #8,595
2000 modern 597 #8,457
2001 modern 588 #8,417
2002 modern 584 #8,598
2003 modern 584 #8,491
2004 modern 594 #8,411
2005 modern 571 #8,571
2006 modern 562 #8,687
2007 modern 576 #8,619
2008 modern 599 #8,428
2009 modern 621 #8,376
2010 modern 634 #8,412
2011 modern 644 #8,215
2012 modern 627 #8,308
2013 modern 632 #8,391
2014 modern 637 #8,390
2015 modern 601 #8,723
2016 modern 600 #8,721

Geography

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Where Hewes' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Ibstock, Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, London parishes, Colchester St Botolph, St Mary at the Walls, St Giles, St Mary Magdalen, Holy Trinity, St Runwald, a and Mersea, West. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Colchester, Nottingham and Broxtowe. 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 Ibstock Leicestershire
2 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Colchester St Botolph, St Mary at the Walls, St Giles, St Mary Magdalen, Holy Trinity, St Runwald, a Essex
5 Mersea, West Essex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Colchester 021 Colchester
2 Nottingham 011 Nottingham
3 Colchester 003 Colchester
4 Colchester 007 Colchester
5 Broxtowe 004 Broxtowe

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hewes

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hewes

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

London Fringe

Within London, Hewes is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

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

Hewes is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Hewes falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Hewes

The surname Hewes is of English origin and dates back to the late medieval period, specifically the 13th and 14th centuries. It is believed to have originated from the Old English word "hew," which means "to cut or strike." This suggests that the name may have been an occupational surname for someone who worked as a woodcutter, carpenter, or perhaps even a stonecutter.

The name was most commonly found in the counties of Gloucestershire, Worcestershire, and Warwickshire in the West Midlands region of England. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is found in the Hundred Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1273, which mentions a person named John le Hewere.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in various records with different spellings, such as Hewer, Hewere, and Huer, reflecting the fluid nature of spelling during that time period. One notable example is the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, which lists a Thomas le Huere.

The Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of landholdings and settlements in England compiled in 1086, does not mention the surname Hewes directly. However, it does include references to place names that may have influenced the development of the surname, such as Hewish in Somerset and Hewood in Lancashire.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname Hewes was John Hewes, who lived in Gloucestershire in the late 14th century. Another prominent figure was Sir Thomas Hewes (c. 1490-1558), a Member of Parliament and Sheriff of Gloucestershire during the reign of Henry VIII.

In the 16th century, the name was also found in various records from the county of Somerset, such as the will of John Hewes of Wrington, dated 1557.

During the 17th century, the Hewes family gained prominence in the city of London. Notable figures include Thomas Hewes (c. 1610-1661), a merchant and member of the East India Company, and his son, Sir George Hewes (1637-1711), a wealthy landowner and supporter of the Glorious Revolution.

In the 18th century, Joseph Hewes (1730-1779) was a prominent American patriot and signer of the United States Declaration of Independence, representing the state of North Carolina.

Throughout history, the surname Hewes has been associated with various professions, including agriculture, politics, and commerce. Despite variations in spelling, the name has maintained its distinct English roots and continues to be found in many parts of the world today.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hewes families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hewes 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. Essex leads with 92 Hewes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.27x.

County Total Index
Essex 92 13.27x
Middlesex 56 1.59x
Nottinghamshire 36 7.61x
Leicestershire 35 8.99x
Surrey 34 1.99x
Kent 24 2.00x
Suffolk 20 4.68x
Lincolnshire 12 2.14x
Angus 8 2.46x
Yorkshire 7 0.20x
Lancashire 6 0.14x
Devon 4 0.55x
Durham 4 0.38x
Warwickshire 4 0.45x
Oxfordshire 3 1.38x
Cambridgeshire 2 0.90x
Hertfordshire 2 0.83x
Northamptonshire 2 0.61x
Northumberland 2 0.38x
Berkshire 1 0.38x
Cheshire 1 0.13x
Fife 1 0.48x
Glamorgan 1 0.16x
Norfolk 1 0.19x
Somerset 1 0.18x
Sussex 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. Leicester St Margaret in Leicestershire leads with 16 Hewes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.85x.

Place Total Index
Leicester St Margaret 16 16.85x
West Mersea 14 1052.63x
Hugglescote 13 226.88x
Lambeth 13 4.25x
Camberwell 12 5.35x
Burnham 11 429.69x
Chingford 10 598.80x
Ingoldmells 9 3103.45x
Nottingham St Mary 9 7.35x
Stoke Newington London 9 32.91x
Chatham 8 24.27x
Dundee 8 6.59x
Mile End 8 629.92x
North Collingham 8 714.29x
St Pancras London 8 2.83x
Hackney London 7 3.56x
Lenton 7 62.78x
Maldon St Peter 7 198.30x
Barking 6 29.59x
Clerkenwell London 6 7.24x
Greenstead 6 594.06x
Ipswich St Mary Stoke 6 151.13x
Messing 6 689.66x
Bow London 5 11.19x
Lewisham 5 7.83x
Bulwell 4 38.87x
Chorlton On Medlock 4 6.04x
Colchester St Giles 4 58.39x
Foxearth 4 833.33x
Great Ashfield 4 833.33x
Great Coggeshall 4 111.11x
Ipswich St Peter 4 69.44x
Islington London 4 1.18x
Sittingbourne 4 42.28x
Basford 3 13.75x
Battersea 3 2.32x
Bury St Edmunds St James 3 26.27x
Canterbury St Paul 3 139.53x
Colchester St Botolph 3 50.85x
Colchester St James 3 106.76x
Enstone 3 225.56x
Glanford Brigg 3 150.00x
Hetton Le Hole 3 22.66x
Hucknall Torkard 3 25.00x
Laughton En Le Morthen 3 375.00x
Limehouse London 3 7.78x
Minster In Sheppey 3 15.11x
St George In East London 3 9.08x
Ardwick 2 5.32x
Belgrave 2 22.75x
Bethnal Green London 2 1.31x
Clapham 2 4.56x
Edgbaston 2 7.28x
Hexham 2 24.72x
Hornsey 2 4.50x
Hungarton 2 377.36x
Northam 2 37.52x
Northampton St Giles 2 15.90x
Northchurch 2 77.52x
St Marythe Less 2 148.15x
Walton On Thames 2 25.45x
West Ham 2 1.31x
Broad Clist 1 39.68x
Colchester Holy Trinity 1 64.94x
Frodsham Lordship 1 76.34x
Hammersmith London 1 1.16x
Hampton Wick London 1 38.91x
Humberstone 1 31.25x
Ipswich St Margaret 1 6.89x
Leicester St Martin 1 38.31x
Little Langton 1 833.33x
Maldon All Sts 1 72.99x
Nottingham St Nicholas 1 15.50x
Nottingham Standard 1 82.64x
Oystermouth 1 21.14x
Pannal 1 29.94x
St Dunstan In West London 1 90.91x
St George Martyr London 1 14.06x
St Marylebone London 1 0.53x
Wimbledon 1 5.21x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 22
Sarah 14
Elizabeth 11
Jane 11
Eliza 10
Ellen 10
Fanny 6
Annie 4
Martha 4
Alice 3
Ann 3
Charlotte 3
Emma 3
Hannah 3
Harriet 3
Henrietta 3
Lydia 3
Ada 2
Caroline 2
Catherine 2
Emily 2
Esther 2
Julia 2
Rose 2
Amy 1
Angelina 1
Anne 1
Betsey 1
C.A. 1
Clarissa 1
Constance 1
Edith 1
Edward 1
Elenior 1
Florence 1
Floria 1
Frances 1
Gesine 1
Hariett 1
Isabella 1
Kate 1
Kezia 1
Laura 1
Louisa 1
Lucy 1
M. 1
M.J. 1
Maria 1
Matilda 1
Winnie 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
Thomas 18
George 16
William 14
John 12
James 9
Arthur 8
Joseph 8
Robert 8
Alfred 7
Walter 7
Charles 6
Frederick 6
Edward 5
Henry 5
Albert 4
David 4
Samuel 4
Anthony 3
Harry 3
Stephen 3
Benjamin 2
Byham 2
Horace 2
Michael 2
Richard 2
Allen 1
Charlie 1
Chas 1
Donald 1
E.J. 1
Edwin 1
Ernest 1
Eward 1
Fredk. 1
Fredrick 1
J.A. 1
Job 1
Johann 1
Orlando 1
Owen 1
Robt. 1
Sidney 1
Smalley 1
W.H. 1
Wen 1
Willm. 1

FAQ

Hewes surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hewes surname in 1881?

In 1881, 362 people were recorded with the Hewes surname. That placed it at #8,561 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hewes surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 600 in 2016. That gives Hewes a modern rank of #8,721.

What does the Hewes surname mean?

An archaic spelling variation of the surname Hughes.

What does the Hewes map show?

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