NameCensus.

UK surname

Hewett

An English locational surname derived from a place meaning "hill with a sharp point."

In the 1881 census there were 3,476 people recorded with the Hewett surname, ranking it #1,308 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,831, ranked #2,379, down from #1,308 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Portsmouth, Portsea and Lambeth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Portsmouth, Pembrokeshire and Tewkesbury.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hewett is 4,329 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 18.6%.

1881 census count

3,476

Ranked #1,308

Modern count

2,831

2016, ranked #2,379

Peak year

1911

4,329 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hewett had 3,476 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,308 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,831 in 2016, ranked #2,379.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 4,329 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Hewett surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hewett surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hewett 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 2,532 #1,173
1861 historical 2,390 #1,228
1881 historical 3,476 #1,308
1891 historical 3,802 #1,267
1901 historical 3,999 #1,412
1911 historical 4,329 #1,197
1997 modern 3,028 #2,125
1998 modern 3,103 #2,167
1999 modern 3,082 #2,198
2000 modern 3,064 #2,199
2001 modern 2,980 #2,213
2002 modern 3,046 #2,212
2003 modern 2,957 #2,226
2004 modern 2,934 #2,238
2005 modern 2,851 #2,277
2006 modern 2,846 #2,282
2007 modern 2,843 #2,306
2008 modern 2,857 #2,317
2009 modern 2,919 #2,322
2010 modern 2,976 #2,315
2011 modern 2,972 #2,296
2012 modern 2,890 #2,314
2013 modern 2,910 #2,334
2014 modern 2,910 #2,343
2015 modern 2,852 #2,373
2016 modern 2,831 #2,379

Geography

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Where Hewetts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Portsmouth, Portsea, Lambeth and St Mary Islington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Portsmouth, Pembrokeshire, Tewkesbury, Canterbury 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 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 Portsmouth, Portsea Hampshire
4 Lambeth London (South Districts)
5 St Mary Islington London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Portsmouth 016 Portsmouth
2 Pembrokeshire 009 Pembrokeshire
3 Tewkesbury 002 Tewkesbury
4 Canterbury 006 Canterbury
5 North Hertfordshire 013 North Hertfordshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hewett

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hewett

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

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Hewett surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Hewett household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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, Hewett 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

Hewett is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Hewett falls in decile 9 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Hewett

The surname Hewett has its origins in England and dates back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old English words 'hig' meaning hay and 'wiht' meaning a small island or meadow, essentially referring to someone who lived on a hay meadow or in an area surrounded by hay fields.

Variations in the spelling of the name over time include Hewett, Hewitt, Hewet, Huett, and Hughitt. The name is found in historical records such as the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where it is recorded as 'Hewet' and 'Hewett'.

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name is Richard Hewett, who is mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1166. Another early reference is found in the Pipe Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1203, where a William Hewet is listed.

The Domesday Book of 1086 does not mention the surname directly, but it does include several place names that may have contributed to the development of the surname, such as Huish in Somerset and Hewish in Wiltshire.

Notable individuals with the surname Hewett include Sir George Hewett (1567-1632), an English naval commander who served under Sir Walter Raleigh and was knighted by King James I. Another prominent figure was Sir William Hewett (1588-1659), an English lawyer and politician who served as Lord Chief Justice of the King's Bench.

Other examples of historical figures with the surname Hewett are John Hewett (1614-1658), an English clergyman and author; Michael Hewett (1624-1688), an English actor and playwright; and Joachim Hewett (1592-1675), a Dutch-born merchant and diplomat who served as the ambassador of the Dutch Republic to England.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hewett families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hewett 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. Middlesex leads with 600 Hewetts recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.77x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 600 1.77x
Surrey 467 2.82x
Hampshire 274 3.93x
Norfolk 267 5.11x
Kent 247 2.13x
Devon 134 1.89x
Yorkshire 130 0.39x
Berkshire 109 4.27x
Sussex 104 1.82x
Lancashire 88 0.22x
Essex 83 1.24x
Oxfordshire 76 3.62x
Suffolk 72 1.74x
Warwickshire 71 0.83x
Gloucestershire 69 1.04x
Somerset 69 1.26x
Glamorgan 62 1.05x
Cornwall 57 1.48x
Cheshire 54 0.72x
Nottinghamshire 43 0.94x
Wiltshire 42 1.40x
Dorset 40 1.79x
Northumberland 37 0.73x
Staffordshire 37 0.32x
Hertfordshire 25 1.07x
Worcestershire 22 0.50x
Monmouthshire 21 0.86x
Durham 20 0.20x
Leicestershire 17 0.45x
Shropshire 16 0.55x
Buckinghamshire 15 0.73x
Cambridgeshire 13 0.60x
Derbyshire 13 0.24x
Bedfordshire 12 0.68x
Cumberland 11 0.38x
Royal Navy 10 2.47x
Lanarkshire 9 0.08x
Denbighshire 8 0.62x
Lincolnshire 6 0.11x
Northamptonshire 6 0.19x
Channel Islands 5 0.50x
Westmorland 5 0.67x
Carmarthenshire 3 0.21x
Rutland 3 1.20x
Huntingdonshire 2 0.30x
Herefordshire 1 0.07x
Inverness-shire 1 0.10x
Isle of Man 1 0.16x
Midlothian 1 0.02x
Montgomeryshire 1 0.13x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.09x
Renfrewshire 1 0.04x
Wigtownshire 1 0.22x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Portsea in Hampshire leads with 91 Hewetts recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.67x.

Place Total Index
Portsea 91 6.67x
Camberwell 73 3.36x
Great Yarmouth 66 15.25x
Kensington London 57 3.02x
Lambeth 50 1.69x
Islington London 44 1.34x
Battersea 43 3.44x
Gorleston 41 39.00x
Shoreditch London 37 2.51x
Hackney London 33 1.73x
St Marylebone London 33 1.82x
Birmingham 31 1.09x
St Peters 31 57.80x
Swansea Town 30 6.19x
Bere Regis 29 194.24x
Reigate Foreign 29 16.18x
Paddington London 27 2.16x
St Pancras London 27 0.99x
Southwark St George Martyr 26 3.80x
Foxley 25 976.56x
Croydon 24 2.61x
Margate St John Baptist 24 11.31x
Hampstead London 21 3.97x
Acton 20 10.04x
Bermondsey 20 1.98x
Brightwell 20 278.16x
Heigham 20 7.13x
Alverstoke 19 7.54x
Reading St Mary 19 9.30x
Tywardreath 19 76.92x
Bethnal Green London 18 1.22x
St Luke London 18 3.30x
Barking 17 8.66x
Bromley London 17 2.27x
Deptford St Paul 17 1.90x
Hammersmith London 17 2.03x
Mile End Old Town London 17 2.35x
Newington 17 1.35x
West Ham 17 1.15x
Willesden 17 5.31x
Greenwich 16 2.96x
Lee 16 9.51x
Long Wittenham 16 244.65x
Charlton Next Woolwich 15 12.41x
Crondall 15 40.11x
Edmonton 15 5.48x
Ewelme 15 216.76x
Farnham 15 11.65x
Ickham Well 15 225.90x
Limehouse London 15 4.02x
Plymouth Charles The 15 4.81x
Sheffield 15 1.40x
St George In East London 15 4.69x
Berrynarbor 14 173.91x
Bromley 14 7.92x
Clapham 14 3.30x
Odd Rode 14 37.69x
Sedgley 14 3.29x
South Bersted 14 28.74x
St George Hanover Square 14 2.34x
Stoke Damerel 14 2.83x
Wimbledon 14 7.53x
Aston 13 0.55x
Bollington In 13 19.47x
Hastings St Mary 13 9.12x
Trevethin 13 5.60x
Trowbridge 13 9.79x
Worsbrough 13 13.18x
Aldershot 12 5.14x
East Ham 12 9.64x
Harworth 12 187.50x
Liverpool 12 0.49x
Reigate Borough 12 31.43x
St Austell 12 9.13x
Staines 12 22.30x
Stockport 12 3.11x
Twickenham 12 8.24x
Newington In Milton 11 91.06x
Shalford 11 60.01x
Tormoham 11 3.68x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 184
Elizabeth 128
Sarah 106
Ann 63
Emma 60
Eliza 59
Ellen 53
Alice 50
Annie 50
Jane 50
Emily 47
Edith 35
Caroline 31
Martha 29
Charlotte 27
Kate 27
Florence 26
Margaret 26
Hannah 25
Maria 25
Harriet 22
Louisa 22
Sophia 22
Ada 21
Lucy 21
Fanny 20
Susan 20
Anne 16
Harriett 16
Catherine 15
Clara 15
Amelia 14
Helen 14
Frances 13
Ethel 11
Gertrude 11
Maud 11
Julia 10
Beatrice 9
Eleanor 9
Grace 9
Laura 9
Agnes 8
Rosa 8
Rose 8
Anna 7
Isabella 7
Jessie 6
Matilda 6
Minnie 5

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 216
John 141
James 136
George 132
Henry 102
Thomas 90
Charles 78
Joseph 49
Edward 46
Robert 45
Walter 42
Alfred 38
Arthur 34
Frederick 34
Samuel 31
Richard 26
Albert 24
Harry 23
Ernest 20
Frank 18
Herbert 16
Stephen 16
Geo. 15
Edwin 11
David 10
Wm. 10
Francis 8
Benjamin 7
Fredrick 7
Leonard 7
Robt. 6
Thos. 6
Fred 5
H. 5
Daniel 4
Fredk. 4
Isaac 4
Jas. 4
Peter 4
Sidney 4
Sydney 4
Chas. 3
Edwd. 3
Hammond 3
Lewis 3
Mark 3
Percy 3
Philip 3
Richd. 3
Tom 3

FAQ

Hewett surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hewett surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3,476 people were recorded with the Hewett surname. That placed it at #1,308 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hewett surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,831 in 2016. That gives Hewett a modern rank of #2,379.

What does the Hewett surname mean?

An English locational surname derived from a place meaning "hill with a sharp point."

What does the Hewett map show?

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